Time Schedule:
Elizabeth L. Kier
SIS 490
Seattle Campus
Content varies from quarter to quarter.
Class description
Civil-Military Relations in Democracies. Protecting a democracy from foreign threats demands the creation of a powerful military. Yet the creation of a powerful military can challenge the very values that a democracy represents. How do – and how should – democracies manage the relationship between the civilians and the military? Mismanagement of civil-military relations can -- at its worse -- result in an ineffective military force or prompt a military coup. In exploring civilian and military perspectives, this course will address numerous issues in U.S. civil military relations including the garrison state hypothesis, the draft v. an all-volunteer force, and the recent "crisis" in civil-military relations. The course will also examine issues of race, gender, and sexual orientation in the military. U.S. civil-military relations will be the focus of the course, but students can use their papers to explore issues of civil-military relations in other democracies.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Recommended preparation
Class assignments and grading
