Courses

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Exploration of announced topics in political theory at the intermediate level. Prerequisite: POL 102

Exploration of announced topics in international politics at the intermediate level. Prerequisite: POL 103

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

Conventional wisdom implies that women are more peaceful than men. Is this true? This course is designed to engage and challenge conventional wisdom by examining the complex ways in which women experience, support, and push back against war. Prerequisite: POL 103

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 one from the following: POL 101,102,103,104; and Sophomore or above class standing.

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

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

Examines U.S. constitutional law with a focus on institutional powers & constraints. This course addresses the jurisprudence surrounding federalism and separation of powers. Prerequisite: POL 101

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

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

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

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

This course explores key theories, debates, events and issues in international politics through film and literature. It aims to provide students with an opportunity to unveil aspects of human condition in various political contexts though experiences of fictional characters. The course is divided into two major parts. We will begin with the theories of International Relations (IR). In this part we will use the Lord of the Rings (LOTR) to understand principles of IR. Tolkien’s imaginary world provides a tangible setting for abstract theoretical concepts of IR. We will zoom into the timeless story of LOTR through the film adaptations. (No prior knowledge on LOTR is required or assumed.) The second part will explore three IR topics: interstate and civil wars, the Cold War rivalry, and human security. Although LOTR could be stretched to understand most aspects of these three topics, we will rely on additional visual material to examine various components of each theme.

An international relations course that explores the issue of refugees from a philosophical perspective. Can count as either International Relations or Political Theory. Students critically examine scholarly and popular discourses that grapple with empirical, theoretical and practical questions such as: Who is a refugee? What are the causes of migration? How are refugees affecting host societies? Who should count as a member of a political community? How should states respond to refugees?

This course examines the government and politics in Europe with emphasis on the processes of state-formation, democratization and democratic consolidation, welfare state policy and European integration. Particular attention will be paid to the U.K., France and Germany but additional cases from Southern Europe, Central and Eastern Europe and/or the Nordic countries will be considered depending on student interest. Prerequisite: POL 104

The European Union pervasively influences the lives of European people. Inter-governmental agreements and EU institutions have changed policies concerning currency, the conduct of business, buying/consuming products, and traveling (just to name a few). The process of European governments agreeing to share sovereignty and create supranational institutions is called European integration. This course analyzes the origins and developments of the European integration process, and its institutions and policies.

Introduction to the domestic politics of China, particularly since 1949. Topics include the political institutions, leadership politics, censorship and propaganda, elite-mass relations, policy process, protest and preventive repression. Prerequisite: POL 104

This is an introductory Korean Politics course. Starting from the division of Korean peninsula, we analyze the economic development, state repression and coercive institutions in two Koreas. We explore how South Korean citizens pursued democratization through social movements and how North Korea successfully facilitated power succession within one family for three generations. We survey the nuclear weapon development in North Korea and students will simulate the Six Party Talk to deepen their understanding on the issue. Prerequisite: POL 104. AS 273 and POL 273 are cross-listed.

This course introduces students to political communication and the media's impact on elections, political attitudes and behavior, and policymaking in the United States. Topics covered throughout the semester include the constitutional basis for a free and independent media, the media's impact on local politics and each branch of the federal government, the role of media in U.S. foreign policy and domestic public policy, political inequality in the media environment, the evolving landscape of mass media, political celebrity, and fake news and disinformation. Prerequisite: POL 101

This course introduces students to the scientific study of law and courts, with a focus on courts as political institutions and judges as political actors. Topics covered throughout the semester include agenda setting, decision making, judicial selection, modeling the law, judges and their audiences, cognition and judging, the judicial hierarchy, public opinion and court legitimacy, the judicialization of governance, and international adjudication. Prerequisite: POL 101

Exploration of announced topics in American Politics at the advanced level. Prerequisite: POL 101

Exploration of announced topics in political theory at the advanced level. Prerequisite: POL 102

Exploration of announced topics in international politics at the advanced level. Prerequisite: POL 103

Exploration of announced topics in comparative politics at the advanced level. Prerequisite: POL 104

Exploration of announced topics in Research Methods at the advanced level. Prerequisite: POL 215

This course examines the role of money in shaping political power and representation in the United States. Topics we cover include campaign finance law and the constraints federal courts have placed on the regulation of political money; the representational inequalities (particularly with respect to race, gender, and class) that characterize U.S. campaign finance and lobbying; the effect of campaign money on election and policy outcomes; and reforms designed to curb money’s influence. Prerequisite: POL 101 and POL 215

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

Examines U.S. constitutional law with a focus on civil rights and liberties. This course addresses the jurisprudence surrounding the Bill of Rights and the Reconstruction Amendments. Prerequisite: POL 101 (Note: POL 225 is not a prerequisite)

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

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

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

This course critically examines campaigns and elections in the U.S. Topics we will cover include election laws and processes, the transformation of political campaigns over time, modern campaign strategies, and the role of political parties, interest groups, and the media in U.S. political campaigns. Themes running through the semester include how, when, and where political campaigns impact election outcomes and, normatively speaking, the extent to which campaigns advance the values of equality, free choice and speech, deliberation, and effective government. Prerequisites: POL 101 and POL 215.

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: ES 196 or POL 101. ES 333, POL 333, and PP 333 are cross-listed.

This course examines sexuality through the lens of comparative politics, and the course has three parts. First, we begin by unpacking the social construction of gender and sexuality since the earliest state-making. Second, we explore two themes that help to structure the findings in this body of political science research: ‘progress/advancement’ and ‘backlash/losses’ regarding LGBT+ rights. Third, we situate the politics of sexuality in the divisions between the Global North and the Global South. Prerequisite: POL 101, POL 102, POL 103, or POL 104.

This course provides an in-depth look at empirical research on why civil wars occur, why individuals and groups resort to violence, and why intrastate violence takes on oftentimes severe forms. Throughout the semester, the course builds quantitative analytical skills and data literacy in the context of the study of civil war. Prerequisite: POL 103; and POL 215 or instructor permission.

This course examines the foundations of national security law that empower (and restrain) the exercise of criminal enforcement, military, and intelligence authorities against threats to the U.S. Through readings, discussion, and visiting experts, we study constitutional and statutory law, covert action, detention, interrogation, targeted killings, military commissions, encryption, surveillance, artificial intelligence, and the Article II authorities of a president, that animate ongoing, difficult, and vital public policy debates. Prerequisites: POL 103 or PP 221. POL 344 and PP 344 are cross-listed.

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

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

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

The idea of Europe represents diverse societies, and its borders are the subject of debate. In this course, we analyze Europe thematically and unpack the idea of ‘European’ states. These themes include parliamentary politics, party politics, electoral systems, social movements, globalization, European Union politics, nationalism, and ethnic politics. In doing so, we deploy a comparative perspective and analyze these themes across societies and time. Prerequisite: POL 101, POL 102, POL 103, or POL 104.

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

Autocracies are the predominant form of political regimes throughout history and are still prevalent today. Autocrats are in a precarious position--facing threats from the population, who want greater democratization, and other regime elites who want to replace them. How do autocrats navigate these threats? In this course, we examine the nature of threats to ruling and the different ways that autocrats strategically temper threats. Topics include repression, security apparatus, institutional designs, and information control.

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.

This course introduces students to police procedure through the study of U.S constitutional law. Relying on U.S. Supreme Court decisions that interpret clauses contained in the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments, this course examines law enforcement reform, liability, responsibility, and authority, as well as the constraints and requirements to surveillance, traffic stops, arrests, and searches and seizures.

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

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 101 or POL 102.

This course offers an in-depth investigation into First Amendment jurisprudence and its affect on public policy and political conflicts within the United States. During the semester, students will investigate the origins and evolution of First Amendment disputes throughout the history of the United States. During each class, students will extend and apply these legal principles to present day policy debates and socio-political issues. Prerequisites: POL 101

Advanced study of American politics. A common core of reading and written reports by each student is provided. Topics differ each year. Prerequisite: POL 101 and 215; Senior standing and declared POL major.

Advanced study of political theory. A common core of reading and written reports by each student is provided. Topics differ each year.

Advanced study of international relations. A common core of reading and written reports by each student is provided. Topics differ each year. Prerequisite: POL 103 and 215; Senior standing and declared POL major.

Advanced study of comparative politics. A common core of reading and written reports by each student is provided. Topics differ each year. Prerequisite: POL 104 and 215; Senior standing and declared POL major.

Individualized tutorial counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F

Individualized research counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F

Individualized research counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U

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

Individualized research not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor graded S/U

Internship counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F

Internship not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U

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

The Capstone in American Legal Studies introduces students to fundamental legal analysis, research, and writing in the United States political system. During the semester, students will have the opportunity to hone these skills and must rely on them to draft objective and persuasive legal documents, culminating in oral advocacy on behalf of their mock clients. Upon successfully completing this course, students will be better able to effectively analyze complex legal, political, and policy issues. To enroll, students must demonstrate to the instructor their intent to matriculate to law school or work in a law-adjacent field.