Course level: 100 | 200 | 300 | 400

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. Prerequisite: POL 102


POL-201 Topics in American Government
Exploration of announced topics in American Government. Prerequisite: POL 101


POL-202 Topics in Political Theory
Exploration of announced topics in political theory at the intermediate level. Prerequisite: POL 102


POL-203 Topics in International Politics
Exploration of announced topics in international politics at the intermediate level. Prerequisite: POL 103


POL-204 Topics in Comparative Politics
Exploration of announced topics in Comparative Politics at the intermediate level. Prerequisite: POL 104


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. Prerequisite: Completion of any two from the following: POL 101,102,103,104


POL-221 The Politics of Public Policy
This course examines public policy and the policy process in the United States. Beginning with an exploration of the processes and institutions through which public policy is developed in the United States, we will pay special attention to how ideas get turned into policies and the central players in those processes. The course will then take an introductory tour of policy analysis: the assessment of policy alternatives to solve public policy problems. Finally, the balance of the course will be spent applying what we have learned to several policy areas. Although the course primarily explores policymaking in the American setting, we will make some cross-national comparisons when doing so helps to illuminate the American case. Prerequisite: POL 101


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. Prerequisite: POL 101


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. Prerequisite: POL 101


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. Prerequisite: POL 101


POL-228 Race and Politics in the United States
An examination of the impact of race on political representation in the United States. Using the concept of political representation as our framework, students explore topics such as race and the electoral process, voting trends and public opinion among racial minorities, race and representation in the American party system and the U.S. Congress, and race and public policy. The intense struggle of African Americans to gain fair political representation in the United States is a special focus of this course. Prerequisite: POL 101


POL-233 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. Prerequisite: POL 101


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. Prerequisite: POL103


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. Prerequisite: POL 103


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. Prerequisite: POL 103


POL-253 Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict
Ethnically based hostilities continue to pose a significant threat to contemporary international security. This course aims to develop an understanding of the nature of ethnicity, ethnic identity and role of ethnic groups in international politics. The goal of the course is to introduce fundamental concepts and major theoretical approaches to contemporary analysis of ethnic groups with a specific focus on eight cases of ethnic conflict across the globe. Prerequisite: POL 103


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. Prerequisite: POL 104


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. Prerequisite: POL 104


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. Prerequisite: POL 104


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. Prerequisite: POL 104


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, and the nature of the connection between business and government. Prerequisite: POL 104


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 275 and LAS 275 are cross-listed. Prerequisite: POL 104


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. Prerequisite: POL 102



POL-301 Topics in American Government
Exploration of announced topics in American Politics at the advanced level. Prerequisite: POL 101 and 224


POL-302 Topics in Political Theory
Exploration of announced topics in political theory at the advanced level. Prerequisite: POL 102


POL-303 Topics in International Politics
Exploration of announced topics in international politics at the advanced level. Prerequisite: POL 103


POL-304 Topics in Comparative Politics
Exploration of announced topics in comparative politics at the advanced level. Prerequisite: POL 104


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. Prerequisite: POL 101 and 215


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. Prerequisite: POL 101


POL-315 Europe and the EU
This course examines developments in Europe in the post-World War Two era with particular attention paid to the development and functioning of the European Union and the interactions between the EU, the countries and the citizens of Europe. During the course of the semester we will examine the development of what has become the European Union, look at the tensions between “broadening” and “deepening” the union, the impact of the EU and globalization more generally on the functioning of democracy in Europe and the role of the nation-state as the primary unit of analysis in both Comparative Politics and International Relations. This course is NOT meant to be an “EU” course, per se, but rather an analysis of European politics in the context of an “ever closer” union. In addition, we will focus particular attention to some of the main areas of policy development and/or pressure, including the role of representation in modern Europe, the issue of immigration and the development of common foreign and security policy. Prerequisite: POL 104


POL-316 Legacies of European Civil Conflict
Although contemporary observers may think of Europe, particularly Western Europe, as peaceful, prosperous and lacking conflict, historically the region has witnessed large-scale civil conflicts that have shaped state formation and development. Moreover, the outcomes of these conflicts continue to shape our understanding of how to deal with modern civil conflicts through means such as proportional representation, federalism and other means of power sharing, yet relatively little consideration for the historical contexts of the European conflicts is presented. Prerequisite: POL 104


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. Prerequisite: POL 101


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: 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. Prerequisite: POL 101


POL-324 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. Prerequisite: POL 101 and 224


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. Prerequisite: POL 101 and 215


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. Prerequisite: POL 101 and 215


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. Prerequisite: Any 100-level Environmental Studies course or POL 101. Cross-listed: Political Science 333 and ES 333


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. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Status


POL-341 International Pol Economy



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. Prerequisite: POL 103 and junior or senior status


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. Prerequisite: POL 103


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. Prerequisite: POL 103


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. Prerequisite: POL 103


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: POL 104


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. Prerequisite: POL 104


POL-370 Contemporary Issues in Turkish Politics
Turkey is a democratic, secular, and predominantly Muslim country. It has a rapidly growing economy, making it one of the twenty largest economies in the world. Moreover, due to its geographic proximity to Iraq, Iran and Israel, and energy reserves of the Caspian Sea and Central Asia, Turkey is an important international actor especially for the West. Turkey's unique domestic political attributes and international role in between Europe and the Middle East makes it an intriguing case for political scientists. This course seeks to familiarize students with the main issues around which politics revolves in Turkey during the post-1980 period. Using scholarly work conducted on different dimensions of politics in Turkey, special attention will be paid to the discussion of the issues of the consolidation of democracy, civil society, secularism, the rise of Islam, nationalism, identity politics, socio-economic changes, political parties and modernity in order to be able to capture the essence of the changing nature of Turkish politics.


POL-380 Marxism



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. Prerequisite: POL 102


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. Prerequisite: POL 102


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 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 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-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-403 Capstone-International Relations Seminar
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. Prerequisite: Pol 101 and 224


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. Prerequisite: POL 101


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: POL 103, with POL 251 or 252 recommended, or permission of instructor.


POL-412 Women and Political Economy of Development
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 412 and LAS 412 are cross-listed.


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. Prerequisite: POL 104


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. Prerequisite: POL 102


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. Prerequisite: POL 102


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-472 Individualized Study-Internship
Internship not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F


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 minimum 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 minimum requirements for a major or minor only with written permission filed in the Registrar's Office


POL-477 Half Credit Internship
Half credit internship, graded S/U.