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Course level:
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POL-101 American Government
Examination of the institutional structure and policy-making process of national government as reflections of assumptions of liberal democracy and the American social and economic systems. In addition to the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government, political parties, interest groups, and elections are considered.
POL-102 Intro to Political Thought
Analysis of political philosophies relating to fundamental problems of political association, past and present. Course examines concepts of power, authority, freedom, equality, social justice, and order, as expressed in works of major political philosophers.
POL-103 Intro International Relations
Examination of the behavior of states and non-state actors in the international system. Topics include systems analysis, nationalism, power, foreign policy, international institutions, interdependence and the world economy, conflict and cooperation, global environmental and ecological issues.
POL-104 Intro to Comparative Politics
Introduction to structures and processes of political institutions in major types of political systems, including parliamentary systems, countries of the former Soviet Bloc system, and systems in developing countries.
POL-200 The Holocaust and Modern Political Thought
Study of the ideas of modern political thinkers from Machiavelli to Marx, Camus, and Wiesel which provide insight into human behavior during the Holocaust: the systematic destruction of six million European Jews, and other targeted populations, by the Nazi German regime and their collaborators during the 1930s and 1940s.
POL-200 Special Topics
Exploration of announced topics chosen each year or every other year by the department.
POL-201 Topics in American Government
Exploration of announced topics in American Government
POL-202 Topics in Political Theory
Exploration of announced topics in political theory at the intermediate level
POL-203 Topics in International Politics
Exploration of announced topics in international politics at the intermediate level
POL-211 Intro East Central Eur Pol
Introduction to East-Central European politics. Examination of the pre-communist, communist and post-communist eras of political and economic development in the region, focusing on the contemporary period. Topics include the role of empire in the region, the influence of political geography, and particular attention will be paid to the development of political institutions and the movement away from command economies. Course also compares the transitions in this region to those in southern Europe and Latin America. Prerequisite: Political Science 104 or permission of instructor.
POL-215 Methods of Political Science
Introduction to quantitative research methods and their application to the study of politics. Topics include empiricism, survey research and polling, electoral behavior, and public opinion. Special attention is given to research design, data collection, data processing, and statistical analysis.
POL-223 U.S. Congress
Study of the United States Congress, focusing on theories of representation, nomination and electoral processes, internal organization of Congress, influences on Congressional policy-making, and Congressional interaction with other participants in the policy process.
POL-224 The American Presidency
Study of the presidency in the American political system, including presidential selection, presidential leadership and decision-making, the president's advisors, and the role of the presidency in the policy-making process.
POL-225 American Constitutional Law
Study of the judicial process in the U.S., with particular focus on the Supreme Court and its historical role in nation-building, establishing principles of federalism and the separation of powers, and determining the scope of personal and property rights.
POL-242 United States Foreign Policy
Examination of the sources, goals and patterns of foreign policy. Attention is given to the processes by which policy is formulated and implemented and to the evaluation of the effectiveness of policy. Topics include decision making, foreign economic policy, deterrence, instruments of foreign policy, regionalism, multilateralism, and the development of post-Cold War objectives.
POL-251 Pol Eco Adv Indust'l Societies
Course explores scope and implications of interdependence among advanced industrial societies in the global system, as well as political determinants of international economic developments. Alternative theoretical perspectives on international political economy are examined, as well as the nature of the structure and management of the international economic system that was created by the industrialized countries after World War II.
POL-252 North-South Dialogue
Course investigates the political economy of North-South relations. Examining the distribution of wealth between the developed and developing countries of the world, course focuses on political and economic factors that have made global inequality a central characteristic of the relationship between the North and South. Important issues of the contemporary period such as North-South trade, the debt crisis, foreign aid, and famine are investigated and the developmental prospects for the South are assessed.
POL-260 West European Politics
Study of the government and politics of France, Germany, and Great Britain. Analysis of the development of their political institutions, social and cultural factors affecting their political systems, alignment of political forces, and structures and processes of decision making.
POL-261 Intro East Central Eur Pol
Introduction to East-Central European politics. Examination of the pre-communist, communist and post-communist eras of political and economic development in the region, focusing on the contemporary period. Topics include the role of empire in the region, the influence of political geography, and particular attention will be paid to the development of political institutions and the movement away from command economies. Course also compares the transitions in this region to those in southern Europe and Latin America. Prerequisite: Political Science 104 or permission of instructor.
POL-265 African Politics
Introduction to the politics of sub-Saharan Africa. The colonial legacy, independence struggle, and political development of post-colonial African states are prime areas of focus. Problem areas, such as underdevelopment, ethnic conflict, elite corruption, and revolution, are explored, as well as prospects for peace, development, and renewal. Course material is derived largely from individual country and regional case studies.
POL-267 Settler States and Indigenous Peoples
Examination of the diversity and conflict brought about through settlements and colonization. Comparison of the experience of Native Americans in the United States with other indigenous groups and settler populations in countries such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Topics include colonization, economic development and poverty, forced assimilation and political mobilization and marginalization.
POL-270 Gov't & Politics in China
Introduction to the domestic politics of China, particularly since 1949. Topics include the historical legacy, ideology, political institutions, elite-mass relations, policy process, developmental strategies, and efforts at reform.
POL-271 Gov't and Politics in Japan
Introduction to post-World War II Japanese politics, involving comparison with political patterns elsewhere in the industrialized world. Topics include the historical legacy, political structures and processes, elite-mass relations, andthe nature of the connection between business and government.
POL-275 Latin American Politics
Introduction to Latin American politics. Focus is on political issues surrounding economic development in the Latin American context: political preconditions, policy choices of Latin American regimes and leaders, and political consequences of development in general, and of those policy choices in particular. Course also compares the political systems and development trajectories of Latin American countries to other countries in the world.
POL-280 Modern Political Ideologies
Study of the philosophical content and the role of political ideologies in the modern world, with emphasis on liberalism, conservatism, socialism, feminism, anarchism, Marxism, communism, and fascism. Concept of ideology, historical development, and intersection and overlap of ideologies are also considered, as is the influence of political philosophy on ideologies and of ideologies on political behavior.
POL-301 Topics in American Government
Exploration of announced topics in American Politics at the advanced level
POL-303 Topics in International Politics
Exploration of announced topics in international politics at the advanced level
POL-304 Topics in Comparative Politics
Exploration of announced topics in comparative politics at the advanced level
POL-308 Topics: State Pol & Policy
Comparative analysis of politics in the fifty states. An empirical analysis of the operation and functions of state political systems.
POL-312 Transitions to Democracy
Examinations of the factors that lead to democratization. Cross-national comparisons from several regions will serve to illustrate the importance of both structural conditions and stages of the political process in successfully transforming regimes into democracies. Prerequisite: Pol 104 or permission of instructor.
POL-313 American Politics in Media Age
This course focuses on the relationship of the news media and democracy. Do the media govern? Are the media a political institution in American Government? In what ways do the media contribute to or, on the other hand, undermine American democracy? In addressing these questions the course considers the relationship of journalists and politicians in 20th and 21st century America. The course examines the impact of the electronic media on presidential campaigns, as well as the relationship of the press and the Presidency, the Congress, and the Courts.
POL-321 Gender in American Politics
An examination of the expanding role of women in American political life. Students gain historical background regarding the women?s movement in America and an understanding of how and why women and men come to politics with different information, experience and priorities. This political analysis includes economic, social and psychological factors that enhance or diminish women?s opportunities for an effective political voice.
POL-322 Civil Rights & Liberties
Study of selected problems involving interpretations of the Bill of Rights. Attention will be given to both the evolution and current standing of issues treated by the Supreme Court. Pre-requisites are Pol 101 and 225.
POL-323 Religion and Politics in the United States
An investigation of religious factors in American political life through the examination of the historical and contemporary effects of religion on political culture, political coalitions, individual political behavior, and public policy. Legal perspectives on the religion clauses of Article VI and the First Amendment are reviewed. In addition, empirical analyses on such religion-related issues as parochial school aid, abortion, gay rights, and gender equality are presented. The relationship between religion and democracy is explored.
POL-327 State Politics and Policy
Comparative analysis of politics and the policy process in the fifty states. An empirical analysis of the operation and functions of state political systems.
POL-331 Pol Parties in Amer Politics
Examination of political parties, their role in democracy, and the nature of the party system in relation to other social and political processes. Aspects of voting behavior and campaign techniques are considered.
POL-333 Environmental Policy
Analysis of the policies that guide the use, control and management of natural resources. Students examine the laws, bureaucracies, economics, politics and ideologies underlying policy making processes in order to understand how and why certain policies emerge as well as their social and ecological effects. The primary focus is on the United States, but the growing international dimension of environmental policies and the ambiguous role of the US in these efforts is also considered.
POL-340 Models & Policy Analysis
Examination of national/regional policy options and consequences, using a global computer model to develop scenarios that focus on present or future international issues. Scenario topics include global warming, North-South disparities, environmental and ecological issues, economic development and trade, arms racing, and nuclear proliferation.
POL-344 U.S. Nat'l Security Policy
Examination of the domestic and foreign policies developed by the U.S. to defend itself and its interests. Attention is given to the structure within which policy is formulated and implemented and the transition to post-Cold War defense objectives and strategies. Topics include decision making, defense spending, military intervention and peacekeeping, regionalism, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and war fighting strategies.
POL-346 International Relations Theory
Examination of the study of international relations from the perspective of the realist/ neorealist and liberal/neoliberal theoretical traditions. Attention is also given to the theories' impact on policy making. Topics include power, war, peace, integration, international organization and law.
POL-347 Global Conflict Management
An examination of some basic forms of conflict prevalent in the international system. The course focuses on conditions that provoke conflict, attempts to prevent conflict, the ways to manage conflict, the means to end conflict, and what happens when conflict can?t be resolved. Cases are drawn from global and regional examples.
POL-351 The Political Economy of Armed Conflict
Employment of a political economy approach to study both interstate and intrastate conflicts. Students examine the relationship between war and economics, ranging from the role these factors play in the development of the modern nation-state to civil wars and the virtual collapse of the state in contemporary civil conflicts.
POL-362 Peasants,Politics & Rebellion
Peasants as political actors, with a focus on rural ecology and economy, peasant mentality and culture, and theories of rebellion and revolution. Prerequisite: Political Science 104 or permission of instructor.
POL-363 Politics of Developing Areas
Introduction to the study of political development and underdevelopment, including approaches to Third World politics, nature of traditional politics, disruptions caused by colonialism and imperialism, reformation of domestic politics, and contemporary political processes and problems.
POL-381 American Political Thought
Study of the development of political thought in America from the colonial period to the present. Course examines individual writers and movements, and considers the relationship of the ideas examined both to current issues and politics and to the broader tradition of political philosophy.
POL-382 Feminist Theory in Amer Pol
Course examines the role of feminist political thought in American politics. Topics include various strains of feminist theory, including liberal, Marxist, radical, and anarchist theories, with particular emphasis on kinds of feminist political participation that emerge from liberal and anarchist political ideals. Course also provides a context in which key concepts such as politics and power may be reconceptualized from an American feminist point of view.
POL-383 The Holocaust and Modern Political Thought
Examination of ideas of modern political thinkers, from Machiavelli to Wiesel, which provide insight into human behavior during the Holocaust: the systematic destruction of six million European Jews, and other targeted populations, by the Nazi German regime and their collaborators during the 1930s and 1940s. Explores the values of those thinkers which help explain the documented behavior of people involved in the Holocaust, including perpetrators and rescuers, victims and resisters, as well as apathetic and indifferent publics.
POL-401 Executive Policy Making
Study of the constraints in the presidential policy-making process. Included is an examination of the bureaucratic, constituent, and congressional impact on the development of policy options in executive decision making. Students are responsible for a major term paper, which involves considerable independent research.
POL-401 Capstone-American Government
Advanced study of domestic politics. A common core of reading and written reports by each student is provided. Topics differ each year.
POL-402 Am Voting Behavior & Elect Pol
Survey of research on political participation and vote choice in the U.S. Also considered are various functions elections serve in a democracy, as well as the relative merits of aggregate and individual level approaches to the study of the politics of the mass electorate. Emphasizes contemporary American politics, but also includes analysis of historical and comparative aspects of voting behavior.
POL-402 Capstone-Political Theory
Advanced study of political theory. A common core of reading and written reports by each student is provided. Topics differ each year.
POL-403 Interest Groups and Social Movements
Interest groups and social movements have become key ingredients of modern politics. As an avenue for citizen participation, organized associations play a key role in fostering democracy. But many worry that interest groups and social movements exercise too much power. They distort politics by focusing on single issues rather than the greater good. This debate, along with others, will be the focus of this seminar. How do interest groups and social movements form? How and to what degree do they influence politics? Does the interest group system need to be reformed? How might we go about that? Readings will include case studies of specific groups as well as broader efforts to identify the common features of a wide variety of groups.
POL-403 Capstone-International Relations
Advanced study of foreign politics. A common core of reading and written reports by each student is provided. Topics differ each year.
POL-404 Capstone-Comparative Politics
Advanced study of world politics. A common core of reading and written reports by each student is provided. Topics differ each year.
POL-405 Exec-Legislative Relations
Examination of the complex institutional and political relationship between the Executive and Legislative branches of the Federal government.
POL-406 Sem: Politics of Poverty
Consideration of the definitions of poverty and the location of the problem within the federal political system. Attention is given to competing ideologies/theories of the development of poverty in urban areas and corresponding proposals/solutions offered by each perspective.
POL-407 Small But Deadly: Contemporary Civil Conflict
Analysis of the prevalence and impact of intra-state conflict since World War II. Through a combination of case analysis and thematic issues, we will examine the issues that underlie civil conflicts across the globe. Topics include causes of such conflicts, the role of external actors, societal damage incurred and patterns of conflict cessation. Our approach will combine not only the political science subfields of comparative politics and international relations, but will draw from a multi-disciplinary core of economics (especially the disparities prevalent in civil conflicts), history (of colonialism, for example), and sociology (e.g., relative deprivation).
POL-409 Comparative Pol Economy
Introduction to the workings of domestic economic systems and to some of the main analytical frameworks that political economy uses to examine these systems. Comparative focus on issues of political economy is two-fold: Use is made of comparative methods, as well as of different theoretical approaches to understanding domestic political economies. To that end course focuses on the relationship between political systems, regime types, ideology, and economic systems and the effects these have on certain public policy outcomes. Prerequisites: Political Science 103, with Political Science 251 or 252 recommended, or permission of instructor.
POL-412 Women and Pol Economy of Dev
Examination of the central role that women in developing countries perform in the development process, as well as of the impact that development has on women. Analysis of the role that women play in household production, in the care of their families and their participation in both the formal and informal economies. Perspectives ranging from economists' efforts to accurately measure women's contributions to development, to political scientists' focus on the political power of women, to feminist critiques of mainstream development theories are employed. Prerequisites: Political Science 103 or permission of instructor.
POL-414 Seminar: Europe in Transition
In the post-World War II era, European politics have undergone profound political, social and economic changes. Following the upheavals of World War II, west European systems experienced a boom during the 1950s and 1960s with high levels of growth and consensus on the fundamental issues of developing a more comprehensive welfare state to avoid the radicalization of the interwar period. The oil shocks of the 1970s, however, have ushered in an era of economic retrenchment and political volatility. This course focuses on topics emanating from these changes: the crisis of the welfare state, immigration and the rise of parties of the far-right, the enlargement and enhancement of the european Union, the integration of East-Central Europe after the Cold War, and the devolution of power from national to sub-national bodies.
POL-415 Contemporary Democracies
POL-416 Contemporary Political Theory
This course considers a set of prominent thinkers whose work has shaped the political debates of the last century and continues to inform the way we think about politics. We will compare their competing outlooks and claims in order to evaluate their respective contributions to contemporary political judgment. Some of the key themes we will explore include: the proper relation between public and private spheres, the value and scope of liberty, the role of community in political life, the function of equality and inequality, and the role of dissent in democracy. >
POL-417 Seminar in Political Philosophy: Machiavelli
Machiavelli's ideas have had a profound influence on how we understand political practice. His works are often viewed as a guide to how political practitioners of whatever stripe, whether running for or seeking to usurp office, or acting as observant citizens, can go after and get what they want from their government. In many ways, he may be called the premier philosopher of practical politics, and as such is well worth examining for an understanding of present-day political behavior as well as the extreme politics of his time. Through a careful examination of several of Machiavelli's works, as well as commentaries by thoughtful scholars, we will seek to understand why there have been so many contested interpretations of his work and why he has been perceived so differently by various commentators.
POL-418 Development and Democratization in East Asia
This seminar is designed to introduce students to some of the basic theories of development and democratization and to apply them to an examination of the processes of democratization in several East Asian countries. It deals with issues such as: what is democracy, how do states become democratic, what role does development play in the process of democratization, and what are some of the obstacles to this process. The course focuses on the experience of the East Asian countries to illustrate these arguments.
POL-450 Individualized Study-Tutorial
Individualized tutorial counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F
POL-451 Individualized Study-Tutorial
Individualized tutorial counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U
POL-452 Individualized Study-Tutorial
Individualized tutorial not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F
POL-453 Individualized Study-Tutorial
Individualized tutorial not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U
POL-460 Individualized Study-Research
Individualized research counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F
POL-461 Individualized Study-Research
Individualized research counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U
POL-462 Individualized Study-Research
Individualized research not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F
POL-463 Individualized Study-Research
Individualized research not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor graded S/U
POL-470 Individualized Study-Intern
Internship counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F
POL-471 Individualized Study-Internship
Internship counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U
POL-473 Individualized Study-Intern
Internship not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U
POL-474 Summer Internship
Summer Internship graded A-F, counting in the mimimum requirements for a major or minor only with written permission filed in the Registrar's Office.
POL-475 Summer Internship
Summer Internship graded S/U, counting in the mimimum requirements for a major or minor only with written permission filed in the Registrar's Office
POL-101 American Government
Examination of the institutional structure and policy-making process of national government as reflections of assumptions of liberal democracy and the American social and economic systems. In addition to the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government, political parties, interest groups, and elections are considered.
POL-102 Intro to Political Thought
Analysis of political philosophies relating to fundamental problems of political association, past and present. Course examines concepts of power, authority, freedom, equality, social justice, and order, as expressed in works of major political philosophers.
POL-103 Intro International Relations
Examination of the behavior of states and non-state actors in the international system. Topics include systems analysis, nationalism, power, foreign policy, international institutions, interdependence and the world economy, conflict and cooperation, global environmental and ecological issues.
POL-104 Intro to Comparative Politics
Introduction to structures and processes of political institutions in major types of political systems, including parliamentary systems, countries of the former Soviet Bloc system, and systems in developing countries.
POL-200 The Holocaust and Modern Political Thought
Study of the ideas of modern political thinkers from Machiavelli to Marx, Camus, and Wiesel which provide insight into human behavior during the Holocaust: the systematic destruction of six million European Jews, and other targeted populations, by the Nazi German regime and their collaborators during the 1930s and 1940s.
POL-200 Special Topics
Exploration of announced topics chosen each year or every other year by the department.
POL-201 Topics in American Government
Exploration of announced topics in American Government
POL-202 Topics in Political Theory
Exploration of announced topics in political theory at the intermediate level
POL-203 Topics in International Politics
Exploration of announced topics in international politics at the intermediate level
POL-211 Intro East Central Eur Pol
Introduction to East-Central European politics. Examination of the pre-communist, communist and post-communist eras of political and economic development in the region, focusing on the contemporary period. Topics include the role of empire in the region, the influence of political geography, and particular attention will be paid to the development of political institutions and the movement away from command economies. Course also compares the transitions in this region to those in southern Europe and Latin America. Prerequisite: Political Science 104 or permission of instructor.
POL-215 Methods of Political Science
Introduction to quantitative research methods and their application to the study of politics. Topics include empiricism, survey research and polling, electoral behavior, and public opinion. Special attention is given to research design, data collection, data processing, and statistical analysis.
POL-223 U.S. Congress
Study of the United States Congress, focusing on theories of representation, nomination and electoral processes, internal organization of Congress, influences on Congressional policy-making, and Congressional interaction with other participants in the policy process.
POL-224 The American Presidency
Study of the presidency in the American political system, including presidential selection, presidential leadership and decision-making, the president's advisors, and the role of the presidency in the policy-making process.
POL-225 American Constitutional Law
Study of the judicial process in the U.S., with particular focus on the Supreme Court and its historical role in nation-building, establishing principles of federalism and the separation of powers, and determining the scope of personal and property rights.
POL-242 United States Foreign Policy
Examination of the sources, goals and patterns of foreign policy. Attention is given to the processes by which policy is formulated and implemented and to the evaluation of the effectiveness of policy. Topics include decision making, foreign economic policy, deterrence, instruments of foreign policy, regionalism, multilateralism, and the development of post-Cold War objectives.
POL-251 Pol Eco Adv Indust'l Societies
Course explores scope and implications of interdependence among advanced industrial societies in the global system, as well as political determinants of international economic developments. Alternative theoretical perspectives on international political economy are examined, as well as the nature of the structure and management of the international economic system that was created by the industrialized countries after World War II.
POL-252 North-South Dialogue
Course investigates the political economy of North-South relations. Examining the distribution of wealth between the developed and developing countries of the world, course focuses on political and economic factors that have made global inequality a central characteristic of the relationship between the North and South. Important issues of the contemporary period such as North-South trade, the debt crisis, foreign aid, and famine are investigated and the developmental prospects for the South are assessed.
POL-260 West European Politics
Study of the government and politics of France, Germany, and Great Britain. Analysis of the development of their political institutions, social and cultural factors affecting their political systems, alignment of political forces, and structures and processes of decision making.
POL-261 Intro East Central Eur Pol
Introduction to East-Central European politics. Examination of the pre-communist, communist and post-communist eras of political and economic development in the region, focusing on the contemporary period. Topics include the role of empire in the region, the influence of political geography, and particular attention will be paid to the development of political institutions and the movement away from command economies. Course also compares the transitions in this region to those in southern Europe and Latin America. Prerequisite: Political Science 104 or permission of instructor.
POL-265 African Politics
Introduction to the politics of sub-Saharan Africa. The colonial legacy, independence struggle, and political development of post-colonial African states are prime areas of focus. Problem areas, such as underdevelopment, ethnic conflict, elite corruption, and revolution, are explored, as well as prospects for peace, development, and renewal. Course material is derived largely from individual country and regional case studies.
POL-267 Settler States and Indigenous Peoples
Examination of the diversity and conflict brought about through settlements and colonization. Comparison of the experience of Native Americans in the United States with other indigenous groups and settler populations in countries such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Topics include colonization, economic development and poverty, forced assimilation and political mobilization and marginalization.
POL-270 Gov't & Politics in China
Introduction to the domestic politics of China, particularly since 1949. Topics include the historical legacy, ideology, political institutions, elite-mass relations, policy process, developmental strategies, and efforts at reform.
POL-271 Gov't and Politics in Japan
Introduction to post-World War II Japanese politics, involving comparison with political patterns elsewhere in the industrialized world. Topics include the historical legacy, political structures and processes, elite-mass relations, andthe nature of the connection between business and government.
POL-275 Latin American Politics
Introduction to Latin American politics. Focus is on political issues surrounding economic development in the Latin American context: political preconditions, policy choices of Latin American regimes and leaders, and political consequences of development in general, and of those policy choices in particular. Course also compares the political systems and development trajectories of Latin American countries to other countries in the world.
POL-280 Modern Political Ideologies
Study of the philosophical content and the role of political ideologies in the modern world, with emphasis on liberalism, conservatism, socialism, feminism, anarchism, Marxism, communism, and fascism. Concept of ideology, historical development, and intersection and overlap of ideologies are also considered, as is the influence of political philosophy on ideologies and of ideologies on political behavior.
POL-301 Topics in American Government
Exploration of announced topics in American Politics at the advanced level
POL-303 Topics in International Politics
Exploration of announced topics in international politics at the advanced level
POL-304 Topics in Comparative Politics
Exploration of announced topics in comparative politics at the advanced level
POL-308 Topics: State Pol & Policy
Comparative analysis of politics in the fifty states. An empirical analysis of the operation and functions of state political systems.
POL-312 Transitions to Democracy
Examinations of the factors that lead to democratization. Cross-national comparisons from several regions will serve to illustrate the importance of both structural conditions and stages of the political process in successfully transforming regimes into democracies. Prerequisite: Pol 104 or permission of instructor.
POL-313 American Politics in Media Age
This course focuses on the relationship of the news media and democracy. Do the media govern? Are the media a political institution in American Government? In what ways do the media contribute to or, on the other hand, undermine American democracy? In addressing these questions the course considers the relationship of journalists and politicians in 20th and 21st century America. The course examines the impact of the electronic media on presidential campaigns, as well as the relationship of the press and the Presidency, the Congress, and the Courts.
POL-321 Gender in American Politics
An examination of the expanding role of women in American political life. Students gain historical background regarding the women?s movement in America and an understanding of how and why women and men come to politics with different information, experience and priorities. This political analysis includes economic, social and psychological factors that enhance or diminish women?s opportunities for an effective political voice.
POL-322 Civil Rights & Liberties
Study of selected problems involving interpretations of the Bill of Rights. Attention will be given to both the evolution and current standing of issues treated by the Supreme Court. Pre-requisites are Pol 101 and 225.
POL-323 Religion and Politics in the United States
An investigation of religious factors in American political life through the examination of the historical and contemporary effects of religion on political culture, political coalitions, individual political behavior, and public policy. Legal perspectives on the religion clauses of Article VI and the First Amendment are reviewed. In addition, empirical analyses on such religion-related issues as parochial school aid, abortion, gay rights, and gender equality are presented. The relationship between religion and democracy is explored.
POL-327 State Politics and Policy
Comparative analysis of politics and the policy process in the fifty states. An empirical analysis of the operation and functions of state political systems.
POL-331 Pol Parties in Amer Politics
Examination of political parties, their role in democracy, and the nature of the party system in relation to other social and political processes. Aspects of voting behavior and campaign techniques are considered.
POL-333 Environmental Policy
Analysis of the policies that guide the use, control and management of natural resources. Students examine the laws, bureaucracies, economics, politics and ideologies underlying policy making processes in order to understand how and why certain policies emerge as well as their social and ecological effects. The primary focus is on the United States, but the growing international dimension of environmental policies and the ambiguous role of the US in these efforts is also considered.
POL-340 Models & Policy Analysis
Examination of national/regional policy options and consequences, using a global computer model to develop scenarios that focus on present or future international issues. Scenario topics include global warming, North-South disparities, environmental and ecological issues, economic development and trade, arms racing, and nuclear proliferation.
POL-344 U.S. Nat'l Security Policy
Examination of the domestic and foreign policies developed by the U.S. to defend itself and its interests. Attention is given to the structure within which policy is formulated and implemented and the transition to post-Cold War defense objectives and strategies. Topics include decision making, defense spending, military intervention and peacekeeping, regionalism, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and war fighting strategies.
POL-346 International Relations Theory
Examination of the study of international relations from the perspective of the realist/ neorealist and liberal/neoliberal theoretical traditions. Attention is also given to the theories' impact on policy making. Topics include power, war, peace, integration, international organization and law.
POL-347 Global Conflict Management
An examination of some basic forms of conflict prevalent in the international system. The course focuses on conditions that provoke conflict, attempts to prevent conflict, the ways to manage conflict, the means to end conflict, and what happens when conflict can?t be resolved. Cases are drawn from global and regional examples.
POL-351 The Political Economy of Armed Conflict
Employment of a political economy approach to study both interstate and intrastate conflicts. Students examine the relationship between war and economics, ranging from the role these factors play in the development of the modern nation-state to civil wars and the virtual collapse of the state in contemporary civil conflicts.
POL-362 Peasants,Politics & Rebellion
Peasants as political actors, with a focus on rural ecology and economy, peasant mentality and culture, and theories of rebellion and revolution. Prerequisite: Political Science 104 or permission of instructor.
POL-363 Politics of Developing Areas
Introduction to the study of political development and underdevelopment, including approaches to Third World politics, nature of traditional politics, disruptions caused by colonialism and imperialism, reformation of domestic politics, and contemporary political processes and problems.
POL-381 American Political Thought
Study of the development of political thought in America from the colonial period to the present. Course examines individual writers and movements, and considers the relationship of the ideas examined both to current issues and politics and to the broader tradition of political philosophy.
POL-382 Feminist Theory in Amer Pol
Course examines the role of feminist political thought in American politics. Topics include various strains of feminist theory, including liberal, Marxist, radical, and anarchist theories, with particular emphasis on kinds of feminist political participation that emerge from liberal and anarchist political ideals. Course also provides a context in which key concepts such as politics and power may be reconceptualized from an American feminist point of view.
POL-383 The Holocaust and Modern Political Thought
Examination of ideas of modern political thinkers, from Machiavelli to Wiesel, which provide insight into human behavior during the Holocaust: the systematic destruction of six million European Jews, and other targeted populations, by the Nazi German regime and their collaborators during the 1930s and 1940s. Explores the values of those thinkers which help explain the documented behavior of people involved in the Holocaust, including perpetrators and rescuers, victims and resisters, as well as apathetic and indifferent publics.
POL-401 Executive Policy Making
Study of the constraints in the presidential policy-making process. Included is an examination of the bureaucratic, constituent, and congressional impact on the development of policy options in executive decision making. Students are responsible for a major term paper, which involves considerable independent research.
POL-401 Capstone-American Government
Advanced study of domestic politics. A common core of reading and written reports by each student is provided. Topics differ each year.
POL-402 Am Voting Behavior & Elect Pol
Survey of research on political participation and vote choice in the U.S. Also considered are various functions elections serve in a democracy, as well as the relative merits of aggregate and individual level approaches to the study of the politics of the mass electorate. Emphasizes contemporary American politics, but also includes analysis of historical and comparative aspects of voting behavior.
POL-402 Capstone-Political Theory
Advanced study of political theory. A common core of reading and written reports by each student is provided. Topics differ each year.
POL-403 Interest Groups and Social Movements
Interest groups and social movements have become key ingredients of modern politics. As an avenue for citizen participation, organized associations play a key role in fostering democracy. But many worry that interest groups and social movements exercise too much power. They distort politics by focusing on single issues rather than the greater good. This debate, along with others, will be the focus of this seminar. How do interest groups and social movements form? How and to what degree do they influence politics? Does the interest group system need to be reformed? How might we go about that? Readings will include case studies of specific groups as well as broader efforts to identify the common features of a wide variety of groups.
POL-403 Capstone-International Relations
Advanced study of foreign politics. A common core of reading and written reports by each student is provided. Topics differ each year.
POL-404 Capstone-Comparative Politics
Advanced study of world politics. A common core of reading and written reports by each student is provided. Topics differ each year.
POL-405 Exec-Legislative Relations
Examination of the complex institutional and political relationship between the Executive and Legislative branches of the Federal government.
POL-406 Sem: Politics of Poverty
Consideration of the definitions of poverty and the location of the problem within the federal political system. Attention is given to competing ideologies/theories of the development of poverty in urban areas and corresponding proposals/solutions offered by each perspective.
POL-407 Small But Deadly: Contemporary Civil Conflict
Analysis of the prevalence and impact of intra-state conflict since World War II. Through a combination of case analysis and thematic issues, we will examine the issues that underlie civil conflicts across the globe. Topics include causes of such conflicts, the role of external actors, societal damage incurred and patterns of conflict cessation. Our approach will combine not only the political science subfields of comparative politics and international relations, but will draw from a multi-disciplinary core of economics (especially the disparities prevalent in civil conflicts), history (of colonialism, for example), and sociology (e.g., relative deprivation).
POL-409 Comparative Pol Economy
Introduction to the workings of domestic economic systems and to some of the main analytical frameworks that political economy uses to examine these systems. Comparative focus on issues of political economy is two-fold: Use is made of comparative methods, as well as of different theoretical approaches to understanding domestic political economies. To that end course focuses on the relationship between political systems, regime types, ideology, and economic systems and the effects these have on certain public policy outcomes. Prerequisites: Political Science 103, with Political Science 251 or 252 recommended, or permission of instructor.
POL-412 Women and Pol Economy of Dev
Examination of the central role that women in developing countries perform in the development process, as well as of the impact that development has on women. Analysis of the role that women play in household production, in the care of their families and their participation in both the formal and informal economies. Perspectives ranging from economists' efforts to accurately measure women's contributions to development, to political scientists' focus on the political power of women, to feminist critiques of mainstream development theories are employed. Prerequisites: Political Science 103 or permission of instructor.
POL-414 Seminar: Europe in Transition
In the post-World War II era, European politics have undergone profound political, social and economic changes. Following the upheavals of World War II, west European systems experienced a boom during the 1950s and 1960s with high levels of growth and consensus on the fundamental issues of developing a more comprehensive welfare state to avoid the radicalization of the interwar period. The oil shocks of the 1970s, however, have ushered in an era of economic retrenchment and political volatility. This course focuses on topics emanating from these changes: the crisis of the welfare state, immigration and the rise of parties of the far-right, the enlargement and enhancement of the european Union, the integration of East-Central Europe after the Cold War, and the devolution of power from national to sub-national bodies.
POL-415 Contemporary Democracies
POL-416 Contemporary Political Theory
This course considers a set of prominent thinkers whose work has shaped the political debates of the last century and continues to inform the way we think about politics. We will compare their competing outlooks and claims in order to evaluate their respective contributions to contemporary political judgment. Some of the key themes we will explore include: the proper relation between public and private spheres, the value and scope of liberty, the role of community in political life, the function of equality and inequality, and the role of dissent in democracy. >
POL-417 Seminar in Political Philosophy: Machiavelli
Machiavelli's ideas have had a profound influence on how we understand political practice. His works are often viewed as a guide to how political practitioners of whatever stripe, whether running for or seeking to usurp office, or acting as observant citizens, can go after and get what they want from their government. In many ways, he may be called the premier philosopher of practical politics, and as such is well worth examining for an understanding of present-day political behavior as well as the extreme politics of his time. Through a careful examination of several of Machiavelli's works, as well as commentaries by thoughtful scholars, we will seek to understand why there have been so many contested interpretations of his work and why he has been perceived so differently by various commentators.
POL-418 Development and Democratization in East Asia
This seminar is designed to introduce students to some of the basic theories of development and democratization and to apply them to an examination of the processes of democratization in several East Asian countries. It deals with issues such as: what is democracy, how do states become democratic, what role does development play in the process of democratization, and what are some of the obstacles to this process. The course focuses on the experience of the East Asian countries to illustrate these arguments.
POL-450 Individualized Study-Tutorial
Individualized tutorial counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F
POL-451 Individualized Study-Tutorial
Individualized tutorial counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U
POL-452 Individualized Study-Tutorial
Individualized tutorial not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F
POL-453 Individualized Study-Tutorial
Individualized tutorial not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U
POL-460 Individualized Study-Research
Individualized research counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F
POL-461 Individualized Study-Research
Individualized research counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U
POL-462 Individualized Study-Research
Individualized research not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F
POL-463 Individualized Study-Research
Individualized research not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor graded S/U
POL-470 Individualized Study-Intern
Internship counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F
POL-471 Individualized Study-Internship
Internship counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U
POL-473 Individualized Study-Intern
Internship not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U
POL-474 Summer Internship
Summer Internship graded A-F, counting in the mimimum requirements for a major or minor only with written permission filed in the Registrar's Office.
POL-475 Summer Internship
Summer Internship graded S/U, counting in the mimimum requirements for a major or minor only with written permission filed in the Registrar's Office
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