Politics

This broad introductory course launches the formal study of comparative politics and international relations at the college level, exploring these distinct yet complementary subfields of the discipline. Students in this course begin to address enduring questions about global phenomena with both theoretical and practical implications. Students also engage in political debates about questions both historical and contemporary. 

This broad introductory course launches the formal student of American politics and public policy at the college level. It explores basic questions regarding the political philosophy that underpins the American system, investigates American political history and culture, examines American institutional arrangements, and surveys the six-step policymaking process. Students also engage in political debates about questions both historical and contemporary. 

This course examines the theoretical underpinnings of public policy. It also familiarizes students with the tools of policy analysis, ranging from descriptive and inferential statistics to cost-benefit analysis to policy history. Finally, the course provides a deep dive into three or four substantive domestic policy debates as we try to better understand the problems and solutions in each area.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe publicly proclaimed with political swagger, “I am back, and so shall Japan be back,” shortly following his return to power in 2012. His statement was a commentary about his readiness and eagerness to lead Japan into a new era of power and prestige under the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Moreover, his statement was a commentary about the politics and policy agenda of his administration.

An experiential course that examines political, economic and social issues in world politics by simulating the work of states in U.N. committees and organizations. Students serve as delegates to a regional Model UN. Scholarly readings on the practice of diplomacy.

This field trip-centered course is designed to help students learn first-hand about the legislative and lobbying process through a hands-on experience with the Friends Committee on National Legislation, focusing on a topic of current legislative opportunity. Past Lobbying Weekends have focused on the Authorization for the Military Use of Force, Climate Change, and Mass Incarceration. This course meets once a week for the first half of the semester and over Spring Break.

This course is a study of international relations within the context of Japan and Asian-Pacific politics and foreign policy. This course examines past, present and emerging transnational and trans-regional issues, such as territorial disputes, trade agreements and imbalances, human rights, immigration management, regional militarization, and constitutional revisionism, by way of the political and policy action or inaction of state actors in Japan and Asia.

Climate and energy policy are highly complex issues with profound consequences for human society. This is particularly true when one considers the role hydrocarbons play in creating anthropogenic climate change. If not addressed by government in the near-term, the climate crisis will prove to have catastrophic impacts. As a result, climate and energy will be the most important policy issues facing national leaders during the coming decades. This class will start by examining the contours of the climate crisis, before transitioning to the policy solutions that might be adopted to mitigate an exponential increase of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere (many of which fall within the realm of energy policy).

This course explores science and technology policy developments within the United States. Scientific discoveries and technological innovations influence every aspect of contemporary human existence. As a result, making smart public sector investments in these areas is crucial. Students will investigate how well government has done this in the past century.

By the end of the semester, students will have a solid grounding in the basic theories of urban planning. They also will gain an understanding of the historical development of the city, both globally and in America. In addition, they will learn about evolving structure for regional municipal governing. Finally, they will learn about urbanism's role as a solution to the climate crisis.

In this course, students will think systematically about ways to answer questions with different foci, but the skills developed will help students think more productively about the academic questions students find most pressing.

Designed to improve students' understanding of political science by enhancing critical thinking skills and exploring different theoretical approaches to political science. Students learn how to build on existing research and use “real world” examples in their own work. Experience gained in hands-on research and writing can be applied to the Senior Capstone Experience and other upper-division courses. 

Examines the role parties and elections play in American politics. Students will develop an understanding of: the historical foundations of the two-party system in the United States, including the role of major realigning elections; the major contemporary coalitions supporting each major party; and, the who, what, where and when of American elections. Students will write a significant research paper examining the electoral situation in a specific state.

Examines the historic foundations of the American legal system and its existing structural framework. Examines case law associated with defining federalism, democracy, and capitalism under the American Constitution. Examines case law associated with civil rights and civil liberties under the American Constitution. Students will learn how to write case briefs, a key skill for anyone considering law school. 

Though Comparative Politics has been trying to understand why and how countries democratize for many years, the recent events in the Middle East and North Africa offer fresh opportunities to test old theories and develop new ones. In this course we will analyze definitions of democracy and various hypotheses that can help explain the timing of transitions from authoritarian rule, and why attempts at democratization succeed or fail, using examples from the Arab Spring and elsewhere.

Investigates the unique situation of African countries in terms of economics and international relations, with a focus on development (economic and human development) and conflict and cooperation both on the continent and between the region and the rest of the world. Taking a thematic approach, the course offers an overview of the central debates on these crucial questions and invites students to focus on how all these issues play out in one country of their choice.

What can developing countries do to promote economic growth and good governance? While development questions often focus on the relationship between the international donor community and aid recipients, looking at political and economic progress from a domestic perspective can be enlightening, as there is arguably greater space for reform in a domestic system than an international one. This course uses the tools of comparative politics to explore governance and economic management in the developing world, focusing on positive steps that countries can take to improve the lives of their citizens.

This course provides students with a broad introduction to China's politics in the modern period. The focus will be on a wide array of topics ranging from communist revolution, economic development, political reform, social movement, and environmental policy to religion and foreign policy under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This course covers both the Mai and the post-Mai eras in the history of CCP rule.

Explores the evolution of African dictatorships and asks whether democracy in sub-Saharan Africa is substantially different from democracy elsewhere in the world. Considers whether African countries' experimentation with different forms of governance—from military to civilian rule, from one-party states to multiparty democracies—has resulted in better governance.

Examination of the central ideas of modern political philosophers. Attention to major debates over the origin, legitimacy and sustenance of state and society.

Surveys the classical texts and themes of political theory. Examines selections of both the Western and Eastern canonical works to investigate a wide range of political concepts that include power, freedom, citizenship, justice, community, identity, rights, etc.

An intensive study of a significant concept, set of ideas or philosopher. Recent topics include the search for utopia, Hobbes and Rousseau, contemporary political theory, and freedom. 

Introducing various dimensions of African American political thought, this course surveys texts in African American intellectual history to examine how they redefine important political concepts such as identity, power, institution, state, citizenship, freedom and community. 

Surveys the canonical texts from the non-Western tradition for political thinking. The course investigates how notions, concepts and theories that arise from the texts challenge the Western writings. 

Introduces the tradition of Chinese political thinking. Surveys a wide range of schools of thought in early Chinese intellectual history such as Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism and Legalism. Investigates the origin of politics, power, authority, ethics through the lens of Chinese philosophy. 

Examines the concept, type and strategy of authoritarianism. Explores issues related to ideology, coercion, cooptation, electoral manipulation, patronage distribution and political socialization in authoritarian politics.

Examines classics, trends and innovations in empirical and normative theories of international relations, from Thucydides and Machiavelli to Galtung and beyond. Reading and writing intensive. Provides opportunities for students to apply theoretical perspectives to problems and issues of particular salience to them (e.g. questions raised by off-campus study). Designed for juniors and seniors. 

Explores the problem of global inequality, its implications for human development and possible solutions. Builds on concepts from International Political Economy and Comparative Politics. Defines inequality and development, and discusses how to measure these phenomena. Explores competing explanations for the existence and persistence of global inequality, and tackles issues important in the developing world. 

Explores the interactions and tensions between states and markets in the international political economy. Examines both current and past events with international political and economic ramifications and theories that seek to provide systematic explanations for the economic behavior of states, multinational corporations and international financial institutions. 

Collaborative research funded by Faculty/Student Research Fund.

Designed to bring together both the substantive and methodological diversities of the discipline of Politics in an intensive, collegial format. Seminar topics vary. Students produce a final project that serves as the comprehensive examination for majors. Students must have taken at least 8 courses required for completion of a major in politics, public policy, or international studies before enrolling in this course.