POLS-101 American Government (4 Credits)
(PS) A study of constitutional principles and their implementation to create a functioning national government. Development of basic institutions--presidency, Congress, courts, bureaucracy. Analysis of Political Behavior -- political parties, campaigns, and interest groups. Examples from public policy are used to show the institutions and groups in action.
POLS-101AP AP American Govt (4 Credits)
POLS-103 Global Perspectives (4 Credits)
(PS,G) Examination of major issues of world politics from various theoretical and country perspectives. Considers issues -war and peace, international law and organization, economic globalization, climate change, nuclear weapon proliferation and human rights- which pose questions of justice or represent threats to the peace or to global survival.
POLS-105 Comparative Politics (4 Credits)
(PS,G) Comparative politics is devoted to the study of countries not called the United States. It involves the comparative examination of important concepts in political science (culture, forms of government, regime types, conflict, human rights, poverty, identity, among others) and their application to both Western and non-Western nations.
POLS-107 Contemporary Political Ideas (4 Credits)
(PH,D) Politics is ultimately the struggle over ideas. This course aims to pay close attention to this struggle by seeking to understand how these ideas (from classic liberalism to neoliberalism, conservatism, socialism, feminism, etc.) have influenced how we are living our social, political, cultural and economic lives today. This course will ask the following questions: How have our interpretations of liberalism shifted overtime? What does it mean to conserve politically, culturally, or economically? What is the proper balance between freedom, equality, and democracy? How do we see these ideas playing out in the politics of our day? The course focuses on primary texts from a variety of political traditions in an attempt to answer these questions. D suffix approved as of November 1, 2019.
POLS-199 Directed Study (1-2 Credits)
Opportunity for students to study a particular subject under a faculty member\'s direction. Prerequisite: permission of department chair and instructor.
POLS-203 Identity in American Politics (4 Credits)
(PS,D) The evolution of governmental institutions, political socialization, and political processes in the United States are all rooted in a wide variety of issues related to identity. The United States has a system rooted in exclusion with a long history of incremental progress, despite resistance, for increased inclusion. Through analyses of the various intersections of identities such as race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and others in American society, a deeper understanding of political movements and policy outcomes can be developed.
POLS-244TR Politics in Arab World Transfe (3-4 Credits)
POLS-260 The Legal System (4 Credits)
(PS) A survey of American legal institutions in relation to their social and political context. We analyze the behavior of lawyers, police officers, judges, and juries. The course considers political issues and basic terminology related to civil and criminal law. We explore the impact of law on society and the way that social forces shape the legal system.
POLS-299 Directed Study (1-2 Credits)
Opportunity for students to study a particular subject under a faculty member\'s direction. Prerequisite: permission of department chair and instructor.
POLS-301 Intro to Political Science (2 Credits)
This new course will be part of a required sequence for majors in their junior year (along with 302). The purpose of this course is to help students become self-conscious political scientists and to begin the process of formulating questions that will motivate their senior inquiry process. The course will survey the major areas of the discipline, give examples of political science inquiry in these areas, and teach students how to find political science scholarship. A related purpose of the course will be to create a sense of community among political science majors and faculty.
POLS-302 Analyzing Politics (2 Credits)
Analyzing Politics (2 Credits) This course, required for majors in their junior year, builds on POLS 301. The goal will be for students to become sophisticated consumers of political science scholarship, and to use this skill as they begin to do research for their senior inquiry project.
POLS-316 Contemporary World Politics (4 Credits)
This course is intended to provide students with an in-depth examination of contemporary world politics. Twelve current and pressing international issues, ranging from regional conflicts to the future of globalization, are selected so that students can capture both the trends and dynamics of today\'s world politics. Student will not only learn important factual information of the historical background and current situation of these issues, but also explore the policy choices that address them. Once students are fully informed they will utilize a variety of critical thinking skills to analyze, solve, and evaluate the issues being examined.
POLS-317 International Law & Organization (4 Credits)
Examination of basic principles of international law and attempts to create international political institutions such as the United Nations and European Union. Special emphasis on the World Trade Organization and international trade laws but with case studies drawn from a wide range of regional and transnational organizations.
POLS-318 China in World Affairs (4 Credits)
(PS,G) In-depth examination of China\'s changing role in the world and its relations with key countries and regions, in particular the United States. Emphasis on the various determinants of China\'s foreign policy, such as its history, culture, and the structure of its domestic decision-making system. Foreign Study Only.
POLS-319 International Relations Latin Amer (4 Credits)
Examination of relationships among Latin American countries and between Latin America and other actors and countries in the international system, especially the United States, in the 19th and 20th centuries. Provides a framework for understanding the international dimensions of historical and contemporary developments in the region. Special attention will be placed on examining the post-Cold War era of Inter-American relations.
POLS-320 American Foreign Policy (4 Credits)
This course is designed to acquaint students with the basics of the process of American foreign policy-making. Foreign policy decisions are the product of a historical context, a complex bureaucratic process, and an intertwined domestic and international political and economic environment. We will examine these components with a dozen contemporary cases of U.S. foreign policy-making. By the end of this class, students are expected to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to interpret, evaluate, and criticize past and present U.S. foreign policy decisions and process.
POLS-325 Public Policy:Process & Politics (4 Credits)
A survey of the policy making process, including the legislative and administrative phases. Considers how policy ideas are developed, enacted into law, and implemented. Focus on domestic policy in the United States.
POLS-326 Politics of Environmental Policy (4 Credits)
(PS) An analysis of how political institutions, interests and ideologies shape environmental policy. Examples from major areas of environmental concern, such as air pollution, water quality, management of public lands, and global climate change are used to illustrate how political institutions and movements cope with local, regional and global threats to the environment. International as well domestic environmental politics are explored.
POLS-330 American Political Participation (4 Credits)
An intensive study of various means and mechanisms of participation in the American political system with special focus on grassroots movements, interest groups, political parties, voting, and campaigns. The importance of public opinion, electioneering, campaigning and mass political behavior in the American political process will be examined while taking issues of gender, race, social class and other elements of identity in the American electorate into account.
POLS-334 Race Wealth & Inequality (4 Credits)
(PS, D) An intensive survey and investigation of the impacts of race, wealth and inequality on American politics and public policy, specifically the ways in which the racial wealth gap impacts politics and public policy. Public policies and political actions that serve as the roots of the disparities along racial lines will be explored. Social and political factors that perpetuate the racial economic and political inequalities will also be examined.
POLS-335 Gender & Sexuality in Amer Pol (4 Credits)
(PS,D)Historical and theoretical dimensions of the roles of gender and sexuality American politics with special focus on the intersections of gender, race, sexuality and social class. Analysis of U.S. women\'s movements, perspectives on gender difference, women as candidates and in elected office, and the gendered character of public policy. Particular attention will be paid to issues of citizenship, representation, equality and differences of experiences and identities.
POLS-338 The American Presidency (4 Credits)
An intensive study of the institution of the American presidency with special emphasis on the historical evolution of the office of the president, theories of presidential power, presidential campaigns, the permanent campaign, governing, the growth of the modern presidency, and other current issues of the presidency. The prominence of the presidency among the three branches of government in the modern context will be explored and unpacked to help students develop their discernment in processing political news pertaining to the presidency.
POLS-344 Politics in the Arab World (4 Credits)
(PH,G) This course examines the origins of the popular uprisings of the Arab Spring, the actual course of events in particular countries directly and indirectly hit by the Arab Spring, and the regional and international responses to these events. It will also examine the historical roots of authoritarianism in the region and the role of Islam in political life.
POLS-346 Politics in Latin America (4 Credits)
(PS,G) Study of politics and political change in Latin America, focusing on contemporary issues of democratization, political economy and social movements. Attention paid to historical and cultural aspects of these issues and how they affect political institutions and behavior. Although country case studies are used, the course is organized in a thematic manner, emphasizing these issues in Latin American politics and comparing how different countries have addressed them. A significant focus of the course is on the rise of and fall of the Pink Tide and recent developments that have endangered the quality of democracy in the region.
POLS-348 Politics in Brazil (4 Credits)
(PS, G) This course explores the lived experience of the African diaspora in Brazil from a multidisciplinary perspective. The course focuses on the particular configuration of race relations in the state of Bahia and the formation of Afro-Brazilian identity and its cultural, political, economic and social manifestations from a variety of historical and contemporary perspectives, with a special emphasis on the period since the reinstallation of democracy in 1985.
POLS-351 Foundations of Liberal Democracy (4 Credits)
(PH) The emergence of and debate over liberal democracy in modern political thought. Consideration of thinkers and texts (Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Mill, and others) that are important in the development of liberal democracy.
POLS-352 Capitalism & Modernity (4 Credits)
(PH,D) Surveys theoretical approaches to "modern" societies, their relationship to capitalism, and the challenges of globalization in the post-cold war world. Classic texts from Marx and Weber are used to structure an approach to contemporary theorists. "D" suffix was approved on 02/17/2020.
POLS-353 Democracy & Mass Politics (4 Credits)
(PH) Examines the tensions that emerge between individuals and communities in 20th-century democracies. Classic democratic theory is used to structure readings and discussions from contemporary theorists, covering issues including citizenship, civil societies, rights claims and the emergence of new claims on democratic states.
POLS-361 Constitutional Law I (4 Credits)
(PS) An analysis of judicial interpretation of the Constitution. Cases examined will cover issues such as freedom of speech and press, separation of church and state, due process of law, and federalism. Emphasis is placed on the evolution of legal doctrine in response to political forces.
POLS-362 Constitutional Law II (4 Credits)
(PP,D) A survey of the debate over equality in the development of American constitutional law, with particular emphasis on issues of racial equality. Court decisions and other documents from the founding period to the present are analyzed in relation to their political and social context. Debates over the interpretation of major civil rights statutes, such as the 1964 Civil Rights Act and Title IX, are also analyzed.
POLS-364 Topics in Law & Politics (2 Credits)
This new course will be a vehicle for further study for students with an interest in political science or pre-law. Possible topics could include civil rights (based our current trimester course), environmental law, or criminal justice. This two credit course should be accessible for non-majors with an interest in law.
POLS-380 Special Topics in Political Science (4 Credits)
Special Topics in Political Science. Intensive study of a particular aspect of the discipline of political science. Topics will draw on new developments in political science related to contemporary events and/or the research and teaching expertise of the instructor. May be repeated up to 8 credits.
POLS-380A Special Topics in Political Science (2 Credits)
Intensive study of a particular aspect of the discipline of political science. Topics will draw on new developments in political science related to contemporary events and/or the research and teaching expertise of the instructor. May be repeated up to 4 credits.
POLS-393 International Study Colloquium (3-4 Credits)
POLS-399 Directed Study (1-2 Credits)
Opportunity for students to study a particular subject under a faculty member\'s direction. Prerequisite: permission of department chair and instructor.
POLS-400 Independent Study (1-2 Credits)
POLS-450 Senior Thesis (4 Credits)
Under the direction of a member of the political science faculty, a student researches and writes a substantial thesis, to be submitted and defended in the ensuing term. A two-term sequence, with a grade of IP for successful completion of the initial term. This course serves as a Senior Inquiry experience by permission of the instructor only.
POLS-490 Senior Inquiry (4 Credits)
(SI) Having explored possible questions in 301 and considered research strategies in 302, in this course students will complete the research, writing, and presentation of a major research paper. Pre-requisite: POLS-301 and POLS-302.
POLS-499 Directed Study (1-2 Credits)
Opportunity for students to study a particular subject under a faculty member\'s direction. Prerequisite: permission of department chair and instructor.