Sarah Stroup
Assistant Professor of Political Science
Email: sstroup@middlebury.edu
Phone: work802.443.3276
Office Hours: By appointment
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Sarah Stroup has taught at Middlebury since 2008. She received her BA from Dartmouth and her PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. She teaches courses in political science and international studies, covering such subjects as the politics of humanitarianism, international political economy, and non-state actors in world politics.
In her book, Borders Among Activists: International NGOs in the United States, Britain, and France (Cornell, 2012), Professor Stroup challenges the notion that political activism has gone beyond borders and created a global or transnational civil society. Instead, at the most globally active, purportedly cosmopolitan groups in the world—international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs)—organizational practices are deeply tied to national environments, creating great diversity in the way these groups organize themselves, engage in advocacy, and deliver services. She makes a similar argument about the importance of national origin in her contribution to Power and Transnational Activism (Routledge, 2011). Her newest research project focuses on a comparison of organizational structures and strategies across different types of non-state actors.
Courses
Courses offered in the past four years.
▲ indicates offered in the current term
▹ indicates offered in the upcoming term[s]
IGST 0482 / PSCI 0482 / INTL 0482 - Public/Private Governance ▹
Private and Public Governance in an Era of Globalization
Although the study of international affairs has traditionally focused on states, other actors play important roles in governance. Working alongside the public sector, private actors bring innovative approaches and substantial resources to social problems, but effective collaboration between public and private actors remains elusive. In this seminar we will examine general theories of private and public governance, followed by specific discussion of issues such as economic development, environmental protection, and public health. The final research projects will require research in a language other than English. This course is equivalent to PSCI 0482.
Fall 2012, Fall 2014
INTD 1126 - Philanthropy Ethics Practice
Philanthropy: Ethics and Practice
In this course we will explore important philosophical, political, and practical questions concerning philanthropy. We will ask philosophical questions about altruism and justice. We will examine organizations within the American charitable sector and the political, material, and cultural forces that shape them. We will combine these two perspectives—philosophical and structural—to gain a better understanding of what philanthropy is or means today. We will then put these perspectives into action: through a generous donation from the Once Upon a Time Foundation, students will have a unique opportunity to award sizeable grant(s) to the charity or charities that the class selects.
Winter 2013
INTL 0101 - Intro to Intl & Global Studies
Introduction to International and Global Studies
This is the core course of the International and Global Studies major. It is an introduction to key international issues and problems that will likely feature prominently in their courses at Middlebury and study abroad. Issues covered will differ from year to year, but they may include war, globalization, immigration, racism, imperialism, nationalism, world organizations, non-governmental organizations, the European Union, the rise of East Asia, politics and society in Latin America, and anti-Americanism. 3 hrs. lect./disc.
Fall 2010, Fall 2012
INTL 0702 - EUS Senior Thesis
European Studies Senior Thesis
(Approval Required)
Winter 2011, Spring 2011, Winter 2012
IPEC 0500 - Independent Project
IPEC 0700 - Intl.Pol.&Economics SR. Thesis
Senior Thesis
(Approval Required)
Fall 2010, Winter 2011, Winter 2012, Winter 2013, Spring 2013
PSCI 0258 - Pols Intl Humanitarian Action
The Politics of International Humanitarian Action
Humanitarian intervention has emerged as a new moral imperative that challenges traditional concepts and practices in international relations. In this course we will consider how a range of actors--international organizations, states, NGOs--understand the concept of humanitarian intervention and engage (or not) in humanitarian actions. We will examine a variety of policy choices, including aid and military intervention, through case studies, including Somalia, Kosovo, and Rwanda. The goal of the course is to enable students to assess critically the benefits and challenges of a humanitarian approach to global politics. 3 hrs. lect./disc. (International Relations and Foreign Policy)/
Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013
PSCI 0304 - Internatl Political Economy
International Political Economy
This course examines the politics of global economic relations, focusing principally on the advanced industrial states. How do governments and firms deal with the forces of globalization and interdependence? And what are the causes and consequences of their actions for the international system in turn? The course exposes students to both classic and contemporary thinking on free trade and protectionism, exchange rates and monetary systems, foreign direct investment and capital movements, regional integration, and the role of international institutions like the WTO. Readings will be drawn mainly from political science, as well as law and economics. (PSCI 0109) 3 hrs. lect./disc.
(International Relations and Foreign Policy)/
Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013
PSCI 0340 - Order & Organization ▹
“International Order and Organization: Theories and Practice”*
In this course we will study the organization of global politics in the 20th century and beyond. Using both "secondary" and "primary" perspectives, we will evaluate some of the key mechanisms by which international relations are supposed to have been ordered—international institutions (like the World Bank), international organizations (like the United Nations), and international norms (like human rights). Students will develop greater knowledge of the evolution of the international system and refine their tools for analyzing international organization. (PSCI 0109 or PSCI 0311 or waiver) 3 hrs. sem. (International Relations and Foreign Policy) 3 hrs. sem.
Fall 2014
PSCI 0457 - NonState Actors in World Pols
Nonstate Actors in World Politics
Although the state has traditionally been at the center of the study of international relations, actors outside the state play an increasingly important role in global politics. In this seminar we will explore the theoretical literature on non-state actors, and analyze their "real world" roles and significance in international politics. We will assess a range of non-state actors--terrorist groups, transnational advocacy networks, and multinational corporations--consider the conditions under which they are most influential, and discuss how international relations theory can and should incorporate these groups to better understand our increasingly interconnected world. (PSCI 0109 or PSCI 0201 or PSCI 0304 or PSCI 0311 or waiver) 3 hrs. sem. (International Relations and Foreign Policy)/
Fall 2010
PSCI 0500 - Independent Project ▹
Independent Projects
A program of independent work designed to meet the individual needs of advanced students. (Approval required)
Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Winter 2011, Spring 2011, Winter 2012, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Winter 2013, Spring 2013, Winter 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015
PSCI 0700 - Honors Thesis ▹
Honors Thesis
(Approval required)
Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Winter 2011, Spring 2011, Winter 2012, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Winter 2013, Spring 2013, Winter 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015
PSCI 1024 - Charitable Action Home/ Abroad
Charitable Action at Home & Abroad
What responsibilities do citizens owe their local and global communities? In what ways do people engage in volunteer and philanthropic activities? How do national or local politics influence one’s propensity—and ability—to pursue such work? In this course we will explore the dynamics of charitable action at home and abroad by comparing the cultural norms and institutional arrangements of the charitable sector in four industrialized democracies: the United States, Japan, France, and Britain. Through case studies of both local and national charitable organizations, we will examine the politics of charitable work and gain a practical perspective on the challenges facing charitable organizations and volunteers alike.
Winter 2011
Research Interests
International Relations Theory
Non-State Actors
Humanitarianism and Human Rights
East Asian Politics