Political Science

Political science encompasses the study of governments and international organizations, political behavior, public policies, political processes, systems, and theory. It includes American politics, comparative politics, political philosophy, international relations and world politics. The department's curriculum is designed to cultivate judicious and productive citizenship, as well as provide versatile skills and knowledge. These can be applied to a wide range of fields, including law, business, government, international service, education, journalism, and other fields.

Majors choose between two tracks: Political Science or Political Science/International Relations. Within each of these tracks, students have flexibility to plan their courses of study around subfields of interest.

Requirements for the Political Science track

Sixty-six credits, including:

1. Core Courses (18 credits) Majors are required to complete three of the following core courses prior to their senior year.

  • POSC 120 Democracy and Dictatorship
  • POSC 122 Politics in America: Liberty and Equality
  • POSC 160 Political Philosophy
  • POSC 170 International Relations and World Politics

2. Methods Sequence (12 credits):

  • MATH 215 Introduction to Statistics, MATH 245 Applied Regression Analysis, MATH 275, Introduction to Statistical Inference or MATH Stats AP score of 4 or 5. (6 credits) Math courses may be taken on an elective S/CR/NC basis.
  • POSC 230: Methods of Political Research (6 credits) This course should be taken as soon as possible after declaring a major, but not simultaneously with the math class listed above.

3. Elective Courses (30 credits in the department): At least two courses (12 credits) must be at the 300-level, and one of these two must be an asterisk * designated seminar. It is recommended that majors take their seminar course during the junior year.

A maximum of 12 credits earned on a non-Carleton off campus studies program may be granted toward the electives requirement. These credits may not be used to replace a core course and should be distinct and independent from electives offered at Carleton. The chair may require a copy of the off-campus course syllabus.

4. Integrative Exercise (6 credits total - POSC 400): During their junior or senior year students will revise substantially the final paper from an advanced seminar in political science. (Department-approved courses are designated with an asterisk (*). Also see separately published list, which does not include courses taken on non-Carleton off-campus programs.)

The professor in the course will act as the student's comps adviser. Usually revision will take place during the term following the seminar and the revision will be completed during that term. However, professors and advisees may mutually define the scope of revision. The integrative exercise will be completed with preparation of a poster for a group poster presentation.

Requirements for the Political Science/International Relations track

Coordinator: Associate Professor Devashree Gupta

The International Relations Program was originated in 1937 by the former Secretary of State and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Frank B. Kellogg, through the establishment at Carleton of the Kellogg Foundation for Education in International Relations.

Sixty-six credits, including:

1. Core Courses (12 credits): Majors are required to complete the two core courses prior to their senior year, as listed below.

  • POSC 170 International Relations and World Politics
  • Plus one of the following:

2. Methods Sequence (12 credits):

  • MATH 215 Introduction to Statistics, MATH 245 Applied Regression Analysis, MATH 275 Introduction to Statistical Inference or MATH Stats AP score of 4 or 5. (6 credits) Math courses may be taken on an elective S/CR/NC basis.
  • POSC 230 Methods of Political Research (6 credits) This course should be taken as soon as possible after declaring a major, but not simultaneously with the Math class listed above.

3. Elective Courses (36 credits): Six courses from the following four subfields of electives, and area studies, subject to the following distribution requirements. (May not be taken as S/Cr/NC).

  • three of these six courses (or 18 credits) must come from the student's main subfield electives list and one (6 credits) from another subfield list.
  • One of the six courses must be a non-POSC selection. (May not be taken as S/CR/NC)
  • One of the six courses must be an area studies course (If a non-POSC course, it will also satisfy the (b) requirement.) Approved area studies courses are listed below. Area studies cannot be used as a main subfield.
  • Two of the six courses must be 300-level courses in the Political Science Department, and one of those two 300-level courses must be an asterisk * designated seminar in the student's main subfield.

It is recommended that majors take their seminar course during the junior year. A course which was listed as fulfilling the International Relations electives requirement at the time the student elected that course, but which has been deleted from the catalog simply because it has not been taught this year or last, will continue to be accepted in fulfillment of the IR requirement.

a) Leadership, Peace and Security

  • HIST 124 History of the City in the United States (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 158 Cold War in East Asia (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 212 The Era of the American Revolution
  • HIST 247 The First World War as Global Phenomenon (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 270 Nuclear Nations: India and Pakistan as Rival Siblings
  • HIST 281 War in Modern Africa (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 346 The Holocaust
  • HIST 347 The Global Cold War (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 201 Tools of National Power: Statecraft and Military Power (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 204 How American Campaigns and Elections Work (and Don’t Work) (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 208 Presidential Elections, Gridlock and Policy Strategy (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 223 Lab in Electoral Politics
  • POSC 226 Political Psychology (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 231 American Foreign Policy
  • POSC 232 Chinese Foreign Policy
  • POSC 236 Global, National and Human Security (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 241 Ethnic Conflict
  • POSC 248 Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 267 Comparative Foreign Policy (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 278 Memory and Politics (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 280 Feminist Security Studies
  • POSC 282 Terrorism and Counterterrorism (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 284 War and Peace in Northern Ireland (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 285 The U.S. Intelligence Community (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 307 Go Our Own Way: Autonomy in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 324 Rebels and Risk Takers: Women and War in the Middle East*
  • POSC 328 Foreign Policy Analysis (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 330 The Complexity of Politics (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 331 Cooperation and Conflict*
  • POSC 350 Ancient Political Philosophy: Plato's Republic*
  • POSC 380 Political Economy of China and Zomia (not offered in 2019-20)
  • RELG 265 Religion and Violence: Hindus, Muslims, Jews (not offered in 2019-20)
  • SOAN 263 Terrorism
  • WGST 240 Gender, Globalization and War

b) Globalization, Development and Sustainability

  • AMST 396 Commodifying and Policing: Globalization of the American Suburb and City (not offered in 2019-20)
  • ECON 240 Microeconomics of Development
  • ECON 241 Growth and Development
  • ECON 257 Economics of Gender
  • ECON 269 Economics of Climate Change (not offered in 2019-20)
  • ECON 271 Economics of Natural Resources and the Environment
  • ECON 273 Water and Western Economic Development (not offered in 2019-20)
  • ECON 274 Labor Economics (not offered in 2019-20)
  • ECON 275 Law and Economics (not offered in 2019-20)
  • ECON 280 International Trade
  • ECON 281 International Finance
  • ENTS 248 Sustainable Development (not offered in 2019-20)
  • ENTS 310 Topics in Environmental Law and Policy
  • EUST 231 Economics and European Studies in Cambridge: Britain in Europe: Brexit and its Aftermath
  • EUST 233 Economics and European Studies in Cambridge: Capitalism and Crises: Political Economy from Marx to Hayek
  • HIST 205 American Environmental History
  • HIST 226 U.S. Consumer Culture
  • HIST 262 Public Health: History, Policy, and Practice (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 263 Plagues of Empire
  • HIST 365 Colonialism in East Asia (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 383 Africa's Colonial Legacies (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 180 Global Politics & Local Communities (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 212 Environmental Justice
  • POSC 219 Poverty and Public Policy in the U.S. (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 224 Measuring and Evaluating Social and Ecological Systems (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 225 Global-Local Commons: Sustainability, Diversity & Self-Gov't in Complex Social-Ecological Systems (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 238 Sport & Globalization London/Seville Pgm: Globalization and Development: Lessons from Int'l Football
  • POSC 265 Public Policy and Global Capitalism
  • POSC 266 Urban Political Economy (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 268 Global Environmental Politics and Policy (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 325 Corruption, Clientelism, and Political Machines* (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 333 Global Social Changes and Sustainability (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 334 Global Public Health* (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 338 Politics of Inequality and Poverty* (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 361 Approaches to Development*
  • POSC 366 Urban Political Economy (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 379 Political Economy and Ecology of S.E. Asia: Diversity of Social Ecological Systems in Southeast Asia
  • SOAN 323 Mother Earth: Women, Development and the Environment (not offered in 2019-20)

c) Democracy, Society, and the State

  • ECON 259 Economics of Higher Education (not offered in 2019-20)
  • ECON 264 Health Care Economics
  • ECON 268 Economics of Cost Benefit Analysis (not offered in 2019-20)
  • ECON 270 Economics of the Public Sector
  • ECON 277 History and Theory of Financial Crises (not offered in 2019-20)
  • EUST 159 "The Age of Isms" - Ideals, Ideas and Ideologies in Modern Europe
  • HIST 123 U.S. Women's History Since 1877
  • HIST 209 The Revolutionary Atlantic (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 242 Communism, Cold War, Collapse: Russia Since Stalin
  • HIST 277 Revolution, Rebellion, and Protest in Modern Mexico (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 341 The Russian Revolution and its Global Legacies
  • LTAM 382 Conflictive Development: Peru 1980 to Present (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 100 Governing with the News
  • POSC 202 Parties, Interest Groups and Elections (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 205 News Media and Democratic Electoral Processes
  • POSC 207 Global Decline of Democracy: Urban Revanchism and Popular Resistance (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 209 Money and Politics
  • POSC 210 Misinformation, Political Rumors, and Conspiracy Theories
  • POSC 213 Psychology of Mass Political Behavior
  • POSC 214 Visual Representations of Political Thought and Action (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 215 Comparative Political Communication: News Coverage of Elections (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 217 Monuments, Museums & Meaning: How Politics Shapes Memory in Artifacts (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 218 Schools, Scholarship and Policy in the United States (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 220 Politics and Political History in Film (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 221 Latin American Politics
  • POSC 237 Southeast Asian Politics (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 242 Middle East Politics
  • POSC 247 Comparative Nationalism
  • POSC 264 Politics of Contemporary China
  • POSC 273 Race and Politics in the U.S.
  • POSC 283 Separatist Movements (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 294 Central and Eastern European Politics Program: Perceptions of Otherness in Modern Eastern and Central Europe (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 295 Central and Eastern European Politics Program: Nation-Building in Central and Eastern Europe between Politics and Art (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 296 Central and Eastern European Politics Program: Challenges to the Nation-State in Eastern and Central Europe: Immigrants and Minorities (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 302 Subordinated Politics and Intergroup Relations*
  • POSC 305 News Media and Democratic Electoral Processes*
  • POSC 315 Polarization, Parties, and Power*
  • POSC 318 Advanced Topics Urban Policy* (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 320 Authoritarianism and Democratization in the Middle East* (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 322 Neoliberalism and the New Left in Latin America* (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 336 Global Populist Politics*
  • POSC 337 Political Economy of Happiness* (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 345 Politics of Dictatorship*
  • POSC 348 Strangers, Foreigners and Exiles*
  • POSC 358 Comparative Social Movements (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 359 Cosmopolitanism (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 378 Political Economy & Ecology of Southeast Asia: Social Changes in Southeast Asia
  • POSC 392 Political Economy & Ecology of Southeast Asia: Field Research Experiences and Methods
  • RELG 247 The Islamic Republic: Explorations in Religion and Nationalism (not offered in 2019-20)
  • RELG 264 Islamic Politics
  • SOAN 288 Diversity, Democracy, Inequality in America (not offered in 2019-20)

d) Philosophical and Legal Inquiries

  • AFST 112 Black Revolution on Campus
  • HIST 237 The Enlightenment (not offered in 2019-20)
  • PHIL 113 The Individual and the Political Community
  • POSC 239 The Poor and the Powerless
  • POSC 250 Ancient Political Philosophy: Plato's Republic
  • POSC 251 Modern Political Philosophy: Liberalism and Its Critics (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 254 Freedom, Excellence, Happiness: Aristotle's Ethics (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 255 Post-Modern Political Thought
  • POSC 256 Nietzsche: Beyond Good and Evil (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 258 Politics and Ambition (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 259 Justice Among Nations
  • POSC 260 "A Savage Made to Inhabit Cities": The Political Philosophy of Rousseau
  • POSC 261 Power, Freedom, and Revolution (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 270 Political Philosophy and the Book of Genesis
  • POSC 271 Constitutional Law I (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 272 Constitutional Law II
  • POSC 275 Black Radical Political Thought, 1919-1969
  • POSC 276 Imagination in Politics: Resisting Totalitarianism (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 313 Legal Issues in Higher Education (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 314 Constitutional Convention 2020
  • POSC 350 "A Savage Made to Inhabit Cities": The Political Philosophy of Rousseau
  • POSC 350 Political Philosophy and the Book of Genesis*
  • POSC 351 Political Theory of Martin Luther King, Jr. (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 352 Political Theory of Alexis de Tocqueville (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 354 Freedom, Excellence, Happiness: Aristotle's Ethics (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 355 Identity, Culture and Rights (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 357 Politics and Ambition* (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 371 Modern Political Philosophy: Liberalism and Its Critics* (not offered in 2019-20)
  • WGST 234 Feminist and Queer Theory

Approved Area Studies Courses

  • AMST 230 The American Sublime: Landscape, Character & National Destiny in Nineteenth Century America
  • ARBC 144 Arabic Literature at War (not offered in 2019-20)
  • CAMS 295 Cinema in Chile and Argentina: Representing and Reimagining Identity (not offered in 2019-20)
  • CAMS 296 Cinema and Cultural Change in Chile and Argentina
  • ECON 232 American Economic History: A Cliometric Approach (not offered in 2019-20)
  • EUST 100 Allies or Enemies? America through European Eyes
  • EUST 110 The Power of Place: Memory and Counter-Memory in the European City (not offered in 2019-20)
  • EUST 249 The European Union from Constitution to Crisis
  • HIST 124 History of the City in the United States (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 138 Crusades, Mission, and the Expansion of Europe
  • HIST 139 Foundations of Modern Europe (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 140 The Age of Revolutions: Modern Europe, 1789-1914
  • HIST 141 Europe in the Twentieth Century (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 142 Women in Modern Europe (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 151 History of Modern Japan (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 152 History of Early China
  • HIST 153 History of Modern China (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 156 History of Modern Korea
  • HIST 158 Cold War in East Asia (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 161 From the Mughals to Mahatma Gandhi: An Introduction to Modern Indian History
  • HIST 165 From Young Turks to Arab Revolutions: A Cultural History of the Modern Middle East
  • HIST 170 Modern Latin America 1810-Present
  • HIST 171 Latin America and the U.S. (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 181 West Africa in the Era of the Slave Trade
  • HIST 183 History of Early West Africa (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 184 Colonial West Africa (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 209 The Revolutionary Atlantic (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 241 Russia through Wars and Revolutions (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 242 Communism, Cold War, Collapse: Russia Since Stalin
  • HIST 243 The Peasants are Revolting! Society and Politics in the Making of Modern France
  • HIST 249 Two Centuries of Tumult: Modern Central Europe (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 250 Modern Germany (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 255 Rumors, Gossip, and News in East Asia
  • HIST 257 Chinese Capitalism: From Local to Global (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 259 Women in South Asia: Histories, Narratives, and Representations (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 260 The Making of the Modern Middle East
  • HIST 263 Plagues of Empire
  • HIST 265 Central Asia in the Modern Age (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 270 Nuclear Nations: India and Pakistan as Rival Siblings
  • HIST 272 The Mexican Revolution: History, Myth and Art (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 277 Revolution, Rebellion, and Protest in Modern Mexico (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 279 Latin America and the Global Cold War (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 280 African in the Arab World (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 281 War in Modern Africa (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 335 Ireland: Land, Conflict, Memory
  • HIST 341 The Russian Revolution and its Global Legacies
  • HIST 346 The Holocaust
  • HIST 347 The Global Cold War (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 360 Muslims and Modernity (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 365 Colonialism in East Asia (not offered in 2019-20)
  • HIST 383 Africa's Colonial Legacies (not offered in 2019-20)
  • LTAM 300 Issues in Latin American Studies (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 122 Politics in America: Liberty and Equality
  • POSC 221 Latin American Politics
  • POSC 232 Chinese Foreign Policy
  • POSC 237 Southeast Asian Politics (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 242 Middle East Politics
  • POSC 264 Politics of Contemporary China
  • POSC 271 Constitutional Law I (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 294 Central and Eastern European Politics Program: Perceptions of Otherness in Modern Eastern and Central Europe (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 295 Central and Eastern European Politics Program: Nation-Building in Central and Eastern Europe between Politics and Art (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 296 Central and Eastern European Politics Program: Challenges to the Nation-State in Eastern and Central Europe: Immigrants and Minorities (not offered in 2019-20)
  • POSC 324 Rebels and Risk Takers: Women and War in the Middle East*
  • POSC 380 Political Economy of China and Zomia (not offered in 2019-20)
  • RELG 150 Religions of India (not offered in 2019-20)
  • RELG 152 Religions in Japanese Culture (not offered in 2019-20)
  • RELG 247 The Islamic Republic: Explorations in Religion and Nationalism (not offered in 2019-20)
  • RELG 262 Islamic Africa (not offered in 2019-20)
  • RELG 264 Islamic Politics
  • RELG 279 Pilgrimage and Sacred Space in Japan Program: Pilgrimage & Sacred Space in Japan (not offered in 2019-20)
  • SOAN 180 Anthropology and Colonialism in Africa (not offered in 2019-20)
  • SOAN 256 Africa: Representation and Conflict
  • SOAN 257 Culture and Politics in India (not offered in 2019-20)
  • SOAN 353 Ethnography of Latin America (not offered in 2019-20)

4. Integrative Exercise (Total of 6 credits - POSC 400): During their junior or senior year, students will revise substantially the final paper from an advanced seminar in international relations. (Department-approved courses are designated with an asterisk (*). Also see separately published list, which does not include courses taken on non-Carleton off-campus programs.)

The professor in the course will act as the student's comps adviser. Usually revision will take place during the term following the seminar and the revision will be completed during that term. However, professors and advisees may mutually define the scope of revision. The integrative exercise will be completed with preparation of a poster for a group poster presentation.

5. Study Abroad: We recommend study in a Carleton College Off-Campus or non-Carleton program that includes a significant political component.

A maximum of 12 credits earned on a non-Carleton off campus studies program may be granted toward the electives requirement. These credits may not be used to replace a core course and should be distinct and independent from electives offered at Carleton. The chair may require a copy of the off-campus course syllabus.

Political Science and International Relations Courses

POSC 100 Governing with the News “You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war,” said newspaper owner and editor William Randolph Hearst in 1895 at the cusp of the Spanish-American war. The quotation marks a symbiotic, potentially “tail-wags-dog” relationship mass media have had with government; the mantra “fake news,” firing, harassing, and murdering of journalists marks the antagonistic relationship between these two institutions. This course studies news media as an institution. Coursework includes experiences with data capture, analysis, and visual presentation.  6 credits; AI, WR1, QRE, IDS; Fall; Barbara Allen
POSC 120 Democracy and Dictatorship An introduction to the array of different democratic and authoritarian political institutions in both developing and developed countries. We will also explore key issues in contemporary politics in countries around the world, such as nationalism and independence movements, revolution, regime change, state-making, and social movements. 6 credits; SI, IS, WR2; Fall, Winter, Spring; Kent Freeze, Eric S Mosinger, Dev Gupta
POSC 122 Politics in America: Liberty and Equality An introduction to American government and politics. Focus on the Congress, Presidency, political parties and interest groups, the courts and the Constitution. Particular attention will be given to the public policy debates that divide liberals and conservatives and how these divisions are rooted in American political culture. 6 credits; SI, IDS, QRE; Fall, Winter, Spring; Christina E Farhart, Melanie Freeze
POSC 160 Political Philosophy Introduction to ancient and modern political philosophy. We will investigate several fundamentally different approaches to the basic questions of politics--questions concerning the character of political life, the possibilities and limits of politics, justice, and the good society--and the philosophic presuppositions (concerning human nature and human flourishing) that underlie these, and all, political questions. 6 credits; HI, WR2; Fall, Winter, Spring; Mihaela Czobor-Lupp, Laurence D Cooper
POSC 170 International Relations and World Politics What are the foundational theories and practices of international relations and world politics? This course addresses topics of a geopolitical, commercial and ideological character as they relate to global systems including: great power politics, polycentricity, and international organizations. It also explores the dynamic intersection of world politics with war, terrorism, nuclear weapons, national security, human security, human rights, and the globalization of economic and social development. 6 credits; SI, IS, QRE; Fall, Winter, Spring; Summer N Forester, Tun Myint
POSC 180 Global Politics & Local Communities The 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall signaled beginnings of “a new world order,” to use the words of President George HW Bush. With the increased attention to transnational issues like terrorism, climate change, immigration, and a global AIDS epidemic, the cooperative ideal was a welcome turn from Cold War competition. But three decades later we see nuclear arms stalemates, a rise of nationalist politics, exit from global agreements….What happened? How are local communities affected by changing views of globalization? This class examines debates in International Relations and domestic policy that address that question and the practice of global governance. 6 credits; SI, QRE; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 201 Tools of National Power: Statecraft and Military Power In this section of three related five-week courses covering the Tools of National Power, students will study how nations use military power to achieve national security and foreign policy objectives. Military power is often used in ways that are fundamentally different from combat operations, and yet are still highly effective. Students will learn the theoretical ways in which nations use military power as part of their statecraft, then look at case studies to assess the application of military power in the real world. Course readings, short papers, and significant classroom discussion will deliver content to students and set the stage for the follow-on courses in diplomatic and economic tools of national power. Prerequisite: Sophomore Standing. 6 credits; SI, IDS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 202 Parties, Interest Groups and Elections Examination of the American electoral system and its components: parties, interest groups and the media. The impact of parties and interests on national policy making is also explored. The course will devote special attention to the 2016 election. 6 credits; SI, IDS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 203 Political Communication: Political Advertising in Elections and Public Policy Crosslisted with POSC 303. How does political advertising influence the electorate? How does political advertising influence our understanding of policy proposals? Election ads along with the six-second "sound bite" are now among the major forms of political communication in modern democracies. Add to these forms a battery of visual "arguments" seen in news media, film, and paid ads aimed at persuading us to adopt various policy positions. We will study how ads are created and "work" from the standpoint of political psychology and film analysis. 6 credits; QRE, SI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 204 How American Campaigns and Elections Work (and Don’t Work) Campaigns and elections are the cornerstones of our democracy. Formally, they are the way we select our elected officials; informally they tell us a lot about the American ethos, the preferences of particular demographics, and the future direction of our country. The course will draw from scholarship in political psychology, political behavior and participation, and public opinion and will examine American campaigns and elections through three lenses: the institutional structures that guide them; the candidates and voters that participate in them; and the political scientists who study them. 6 credits; QRE, SI, IDS, WR2; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 205 News Media and Democratic Electoral Processes How have news media affected democratic elections in the U.S., UK, and EU? Case studies show traditional and new media—from citizen journalism to bots—shaping views of candidates and issues—and democracy itself. Using recent elections worldwide as a base, we will investigate traditional media as an institution in a challenging environment of new media sources and charges of “fake news.” Coursework includes learning about research design through original data collection, data analysis, and visual representation of data. Political Science 223 is recommended as a way to learn quantitative and qualitative methods of social science research. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IDS; Fall; Barbara Allen
POSC 207 Global Decline of Democracy: Urban Revanchism and Popular Resistance Our focus will be on policing, gentrification, gated communities and other tools for reclaiming and fortifying metropolitan space, as well as citizen responses. What community exists, for whom? 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 208 Presidential Elections, Gridlock and Policy Strategy Part One will focus on the process of candidate nomination and explanations for presidential elections. Part Two will focus on gridlock, Executive Branch tools, and strategies for governance in the midst of division. 6 credits; SI, IDS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 209 Money and Politics Modern elections have become multibillion-dollar ventures. How does money influence electoral and policy outcomes in the United States? Who donates and why do people or groups donate? Where does all the money go? How has campaign finance been regulated and what are proposed reforms? Focusing on recent elections, we will explore these questions by delving into the world of campaign finance. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IDS; Fall; Melanie Freeze
POSC 210 Misinformation, Political Rumors, and Conspiracy Theories Why do people believe in conspiracy theories, hold on to misinformed beliefs even in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary, and/or spread political and social rumors that may have little basis in fact? Who is most vulnerable to these various forms of misinformation? What are the normative and political consequences of misperceptions (if any)? This course explores the psychological, political, and philosophical approaches to the study of the causes, consequences, and tenacity of conspiracy beliefs, misinformation, and political rumors, as well as possible approaches that journalists could employ to combat misperceptions. 6 credits; S/CR/NC; SI, IDS; Spring; Christina E Farhart
POSC 211 Environment and the Evolution of Rules: Designing Institutions to Solve Political Problems How can we design democratic institutions to deal with environmental and social problems? Are there universal approaches to solving political problems in physically and socially diverse communities? Do people come up with different institutional ways to address shared problems because of environmental or cultural differences? By examining basic principles of institutional design you will learn how to analyze constitutions, public policies, international treaties, and other "rule ordered relationships" that different people have created to deal with environmental concerns and, generally, the health and welfare of their communities. 6 credits; SI; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 212 Environmental Justice The environmental justice movement seeks greater participation by marginalized communities in environmental policy, and equity in the distribution of environmental harms and benefits. This course will examine the meaning of "environmental justice," the history of the movement, the empirical foundation for the movement's claims, and specific policy questions. Our focus is the United States, but students will have the opportunity to research environmental justice in other countries. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IDS; Winter; Kimberly K Smith
POSC 213 Psychology of Mass Political Behavior This course explores the political psychology of individual judgment and choice. We will examine the role of cognition, emotions, values, predispositions, and social identities on judgment and choice. From this approach, we will address the larger debate regarding the quality of democratic citizenship. 6 credits; S/CR/NC; SI, WR2, QRE, IDS; Spring; Melanie Freeze
POSC 214 Visual Representations of Political Thought and Action Visual media offer an alternative method of framing political ideas and events. Images found in such texts as film, posters, and even in statistical tables can enlighten--or mislead. Readings in visual theory, political psychology, and graphic representation will enable you to read images and use these powerful media to convey your ideas and research. 3 credits; LA, QRE; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 215 Comparative Political Communication: News Coverage of Elections This course will focus on the major theories of political communication in election advertising and political news contexts. Our case studies will focus on recent U.S., French, and UK elections. We compare the legal and cultural contexts of election news coverage and advertising in these countries and analyze media effects on voter perceptions using political psychology studies based on research in the U.S., UK, and EU. 6 credits; QRE, SI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 217 Monuments, Museums & Meaning: How Politics Shapes Memory in Artifacts Why was naming the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian “political?” Why is the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Museum not on the Washington DC Mall? What is memorialized by the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum? Why care about the eight Confederate leaders in the U.S. Capitol (or other public places)? This class examines museums and monuments as important types of political communication that preserve cultural artifacts, create historical records, and tell present and future generations the meaning of communities and individuals. We learn about various practices including funding, naming, acquiring, appropriating, placing, designing, and constructing the artifacts that house community memories. 3 credits; SI, IDS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 218 Schools, Scholarship and Policy in the United States What can scholarship tell us about educational strategies to reduce achievement gaps and economic opportunity? Do the policies promoted at the city, state and federal levels reflect that knowledge? How are these policies made? What is the relationship between schools and the economic class, racial composition and housing stock of their neighborhoods? Prerequisite: Sophomore Standing. 6 credits; SI, IDS, WR2, QRE; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 219 Poverty and Public Policy in the U.S. Deindustrialization, inequality, housing policy, and welfare will be major topics. 6 credits; SI, IDS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 220 Politics and Political History in Film How do representations of politics in film influence our ideas about governance, citizenship, power, and authority? How do film and TV reflect values and beliefs of democratic society, particularly in the United States? These are two questions that we will consider in the course as we study films representing politics and historical events in fiction and non-fiction genres for entertainment and education. Films to be analyzed include: Battle of Algiers, Fog of War, Cape Fear (1963), Manchurian Candidate (1960), Advise and Consent, All the President's Men, Primary, War Room, The Mushroom Club, When the Levees Broke. 6 credits; LA, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 221 Latin American Politics Comparative study of political institutions and conflicts in selected Latin American countries. Attention is focused on general problems and patterns of development, with some emphasis on U.S.-Latin American relations. 6 credits; S/CR/NC; SI, IS; Spring; Eric S Mosinger
POSC 223 Lab in Electoral Politics This lab is designed as a supplement research module for current or past students in Political Science 204, 205 and 305. Students previously enrolled in Professor Allen's Political Science 100 are also encouraged to enroll. We learn to conduct focus groups, depth interviews, content analysis, and experimental analysis using election news, ads, speeches, and debates (in the U.S. or other democracies) as our cases for analysis. 3 credits; SI, IDS, QRE; Fall; Barbara Allen
POSC 224 Measuring and Evaluating Social and Ecological Systems The Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) and Social Ecological Systems (SES) Frameworks are designed to provide data on social, economic, and political institutions and the physical environment enabling us to understand the reciprocal effects of institutional and environmental change. We will learn these frameworks and the methods used to measure changes in natural resource systems. We study measurement, monitoring, and management of prairie and forest ecosystems in local agricultural use and restoration projects. Much of the course occurs on site in field trip locations. 3 credits; SI, QRE, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 225 Global-Local Commons: Sustainability, Diversity & Self-Gov't in Complex Social-Ecological Systems This course introduces students to the study of commons (common pool resources and common property), particularly natural resources commons. The dilemmas of commons governance often reveal links between "governments" and "governance" as well as the global stakes of bettering local livelihoods. Our focus is on social and ecological systems (SES) linked directly with climate change, including local forest and prairie management sites. Students are strongly encouraged to take the five-week accompanying lab, POSC 224 Measuring and Evaluating Social and Ecological Systems, which extends our course content through research in field settings. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 226 Political Psychology This course is an introduction to political psychology, an inter-disciplinary field of study that applies psychological theory and research to the study of politics, as a theoretical alternative to rational choice models. Study will include applying psychological models to elite decision making and to political behavior of ordinary citizens. Topics include personality and political leadership, group processes and foreign policy, theories of information processing and elite decision making, malignant political aggression and punitive politics, altruism and heroic political action, etc. in light of important political issues and events. 6 credits; SI, QRE; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 230 Methods of Political Research An introduction to research method, research design, and the analysis of political data. The course is intended to introduce students to the fundamentals of scientific inquiry as they are employed in the discipline. The course will consider the philosophy of scientific research generally, the philosophy of social science research, theory building and theory testing, the components of applied (quantitative and qualitative) research across the major sub-fields of political science, and basic methodological tools. Intended for majors only. Prerequisite: Statistics 120, 230, 250, AP Statistics (score of 4 or 5) or Psychology 200/201 or Sociology/Anthropology 239. 6 credits; SI, WR2, QRE; Fall, Winter, Spring; Melanie Freeze, Kent Freeze, Greg G Marfleet
POSC 231 American Foreign Policy An introduction to the actors and processes of American foreign policymaking and to the substance of American foreign policy. The course aims to provide students with an understanding of how knowledge of the past, the global policy environment, the processes of foreign policymaking, and the specifics of a foreign policy issue come together to help determine modern American foreign policy. The course will review the structure of the international system of states, state power and interests, the historical context of American foreign policy, actors in American foreign affairs, models of foreign policy decision making, and the instruments of foreign policy. Prerequisite: Political Science 122, AP American Government, or AP U.S. History is highly recommended. 6 credits; S/CR/NC; SI, IS; Spring; Greg G Marfleet
POSC 232 Chinese Foreign Policy The "Rise of China" over the past thirty-five years presents challenges and opportunities for the United States and other countries around the world. This course examines China's growing and changing influence in the world. The course starts by exploring historical Chinese foreign policy, from Imperial China through the Cold War. The course then examines a variety of different theories and factors explaining the general nature of China's foreign policy. The course concludes by detailing China's current bilateral relationships with specific countries and regions around the world. 6 credits; S/CR/NC; IS, SI; Spring; Kent Freeze
POSC 236 Global, National and Human Security What are the greatest threats to national and global security? In this course we will explore a range of traditional security topics including: the proliferation of WMDs, terrorism, piracy, insurgencies, arms races, territorial disputes and strategic rivalries. In addition to these classic concerns, we also consider newer ones such as cyber-security, the threat of global pandemics, unmanned warfare and the impact of climate change. Our study begins and concludes with the debate over the concept of security in the twenty-first century. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 237 Southeast Asian Politics This course will cover key thematic issues of Southeast Asian politics, including the challenges of democracy, regional integration, environmental politics, the rise of the power of non-state actors, and struggles for citizen-sovereignty of the people. We will examine these frontier issues against the background of Southeast Asia's societal evolution through kingdoms, colonial eras, emergence of nation-states, and the influence of globalization on politics. 6 credits; SI, WR2, QRE, IS; Not offered 2019-20; Tun Myint
POSC 238 Sport & Globalization London/Seville Pgm: Globalization and Development: Lessons from Int'l Football This course uses international football (soccer) as a lens to analyze topics in globalization, such as immigration and labor, inequality, foreign investment, trade in services, and intellectual property. Students will be presented with key debates in these areas and then use cases from international football as illustrations. Focusing on the two wealthiest leagues in Europe, the English Premier League and the Spanish Liga, students will address key issues in the study of globalization and development, and in doing so enhance their understanding of the world, sports, and sport's place in the world. 6 credits; SI, IS; Winter; Bob S Carlson
POSC 239 The Poor and the Powerless This course examines the foundations of development and globalization, their representations as historical processes, their manifestations over time, and their advocates and detractors. This will be done against the backdrop of empirical and substantive representations of actually-existing development outcomes and globalization processes, their organization, and their practices. This course employs a critical approach to development and is taught from a political economy perspective. In particular, it deals with the relationship between theory, ideology and practice by contrasting classical approaches with critical, Marxist, and radical approaches. It examines outcomes of development practice, both positive and negative, through a focus on globalization. 6 credits; SI, IS; Winter; Charisse E Burden-Stelly
POSC 241 Ethnic Conflict Ethnic conflict is a persistent and troubling challenge for those interested in preserving international peace and stability. By one account, ethnic violence has claimed more than ten million lives since 1945, and in the 1990s, ethnic conflicts comprised nearly half of all ongoing conflicts around the world. In this course, we will attempt to understand the conditions that contribute to ethnic tensions, identify the triggers that lead to escalation, and evaluate alternative ideas for managing and solving such disputes. The course will draw on a number of cases, including Rwanda, Bosnia, and Northern Ireland. 6 credits; SI, IS; Winter; Dev Gupta
POSC 242 Middle East Politics This course introduces the politics and political structures of states in the Middle East. We explore the political origins of Middle Eastern states, and investigate how regional politics are shaped by colonialism, religion, tribes, the family, and more. We examine the persistence of authoritarianism and its links to other issues like nationalism and militarism. The course covers how recent and current events like the revolutionary movements of the ‘Arab Spring’ civil society affect the states and their societies. We conclude with a consideration of the future of Middle Eastern politics, evaluating lingering concerns and emerging prospects for liberalization and reform. 6 credits; SI, IS, WR2; Winter; Summer N Forester
POSC 247 Comparative Nationalism Nationalism is an ideology that political actors have frequently harnessed to support a wide variety of policies ranging from intensive economic development to genocide. But what is nationalism? Where does it come from? And what gives it such emotional and political power? This course investigates competing ideas about the sources of nationalism, its evolution, and its political uses in state building, legitimation, development, and war. We will consider both historic examples of nationalism, as well as contemporary cases drawn from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the United States. 6 credits; SI, IS; Fall; Dev Gupta
POSC 248 Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) What does that really mean? This course will afford students the opportunity to learn about nuclear, radiological, biological, chemical, and cyber WMD. We’ll explore how these weapons are built, what happens when they are used, and how they are controlled—or not—by international security agreements. A multi-disciplinary approach will be used. Professors from the political science, chemistry, physics, computer science, biology, and philosophy departments will each contribute specific sections and, along with guest lecturers, augment our discussions on questions of global and national security policy. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 250 Ancient Political Philosophy: Plato's Republic Cross-listed with POSC 350. In this course we will examine ancient political philosophy through the intensive study of Plato's Republic, perhaps the greatest work of political philosophy ever written. What is morality? Why should a person behave morally? Wouldn't it be more satisfying to be a tyrant? What is the best way of life? What would a perfect society look like? What would be its customs and institutions, and who would rule? What would it demand of us, and would that price be worth paying? These are some of the politically (and personally) vital questions addressed by the book. 6 credits; HI; Fall; Laurence D Cooper
POSC 251 Modern Political Philosophy: Liberalism and Its Critics Liberalism has been the dominant political philosophy of our age, and we who live in a liberal polity have been shaped by it. But liberalism has been, and continues to be, the target of sharp critique. What is liberalism, and what can be said both for and against it? In this course we will examine liberalism’s philosophic roots and engage with some of its most forceful advocates and most profound critics. Readings will be drawn from authors such as Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Marx, Mill, and Tocqueville. 6 credits; HI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 254 Freedom, Excellence, Happiness: Aristotle's Ethics What does it mean to be morally excellent? To be politically excellent? To be intellectually and spiritually excellent? Are these things mutually compatible? Do they lie within the reach of everyone? And what is the relation between excellence and pleasure? Between excellence and happiness? Aristotle addresses these questions in intricate and illuminating detail in the Nicomachean Ethics, which we will study in this course. The Ethics is more accessible than some of Aristotle's other works. But it is also a multifaceted and multi-layered book, and one that reveals more to those who study it with care. 6 credits; HI; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 255 Post-Modern Political Thought The thought and practice of the modern age have been found irredeemably oppressive, alienating, dehumanizing, and/or exhausted by a number of leading philosophic thinkers in recent years. In this course we will explore the critiques and alternative visions offered by a variety of post-modern thinkers, including Nietzsche (in many ways the first post-modern), Heidegger, Foucault, and Derrida. 6 credits; HI; Fall; Mihaela Czobor-Lupp
POSC 256 Nietzsche: Beyond Good and Evil Nietzsche understood himself to be living at a moment of great endings: the exhaustion of modernity, the self-undermining of rationalism, the self-overcoming of morality--in short, stunningly, the "death of God." He regarded these endings as an unprecedented disaster for humanity but also as an unprecedented opportunity, and he pointed the way to a new ideal and a new culture that would be life-affirming and life-enhancing. This course will center on close study of Beyond Good and Evil, perhaps Nietzsche's most beautiful book and probably his most political one. Selections from some of his other books will also be assigned. 6 credits; HI; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 258 Politics and Ambition Is personal ambition a threat to peace and the public good or is it a prod to nobility and heroism? Does it exemplify the opposition between self and society or does it represent their intersection and mutual support—or both? And what is the nature of political ambition, especially the ambition to rule: what does the would-be ruler really want? We will take up these and related questions by studying several classic works of philosophy and literature. Readings will likely include works by Plato, Xenophon, and Shakespeare as well as American founders, statesmen, and moral leaders. 6 credits; HI; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 259 Justice Among Nations Crosslisted with POSC 349. The purpose of this course is to bring to bear great works of political philosophy on the foundational questions of international politics. Our primary text will be Thucydides' gripping history of The Peloponnesian War. Thucydides was perhaps the greatest thinker about international relations that the world has seen. He was also a political philosopher--and psychologist--of the first rank. His book teaches much not only about politics but about human nature. 6 credits; SI; Winter; Laurence D Cooper
POSC 260 "A Savage Made to Inhabit Cities": The Political Philosophy of Rousseau Cross-listed with POSC 350. In this course we will study what Rousseau considered his greatest and best book: Emile. Emile is a philosophic novel. It uses a thought experiment--the rearing of a child from infancy to adulthood--to explore human nature and the human condition, including their political dimensions. Among Emile's themes are natural goodness and the origins of evil; self-love and sociability; the differences and relations between the sexes; citizenship; and the principles of political right. The book also addresses the question of how one might live naturally and happily amid an unnatural and unhappy civilization. 6 credits; S/CR/NC; HI; Spring; Laurence D Cooper
POSC 261 Power, Freedom, and Revolution Politics can be defined as struggle for power. However, what power means is neither self-evident nor a non-controversial issue. The course explores different definitions of power, its difference from violence and force, as well as the extent to which criticism, resistance, and freedom are intrinsic components of power. Special attention will be given to the relationship between power and revolution, especially to the difficulty of turning revolutionary violence into political representation. In the attempt to answer these questions we will read texts by Arendt and Foucault and will consider the concrete examples of the French, Soviet, and Iranian Revolutions. 6 credits; HI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 264 Politics of Contemporary China This course examines the political, social and economic transformation of China over the past thirty years. Students will explore the transformation of the countryside from a primarily agricultural society into the factory of the world. Particular emphasis will be placed on economic development and how this has changed state-society relations at the grassroots. The class will explore these changes among farmers, the working class and the emerging middle class. Students will also explore how the Chinese Communist Party has survived and even thrived while many other Communist regimes have fallen and assess the relationship between economic development and democratization. 6 credits; SI, IS; Fall; Kent Freeze
POSC 265 Public Policy and Global Capitalism This course provides a comprehensive introduction to comparative and international public policy. It examines major theories and approaches to public policy design and implementation in several major areas: international policy economy (including the study of international trade and monetary policy, financial regulation, and comparative welfare policy), global public health and comparative healthcare policy, institutional development (including democratic governance, accountability systems, and judicial reform), and environmental public policy. This course serves as the gateway for the Political Economy Minor. Prerequisite: Statistics 120 strongly recommended, or instructor permission. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IS; Winter; Greg G Marfleet
POSC 266 Urban Political Economy City revenue is increasingly dependent on tourism. Cities manufacture identity and entertainment, whether we think of Las Vegas or Jerusalem, Berlin or Bilbao, the ethnoscapes of Copenhagen or the red light district of Amsterdam. As cities compete in the global economy to become playgrounds for a transnational tourist class, what is the role of urban residents? Who governs? Who benefits? Short essays or exams will be required. 6 credits; SI, IDS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 267 Comparative Foreign Policy Why do states act the way they do internationally? Why do some states act like "rogues" while others support the system? How do countries choose their allies or enemies? How do governments define their country's national interest and respond to global changes? Foreign policy is where internal politics and external politics intersect. Understanding any country's foreign policy requires that we pay attention to its position in the international system and its internal politics. In this course we will employ approaches from international relations and comparative politics to explore these questions across a range of countries. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 268 Global Environmental Politics and Policy Global environmental politics and policy is the most prominent field that challenges traditional state-centric ways of thinking about international problems and solutions. This course examines local-global dynamics of environmental problems. The course will cover five arenas crucial to understanding the nature and origin of global environmental politics and policymaking mechanisms: (1) international environmental law; (2) world political orders; (3) human-environment interactions through politics and markets; (4) paradigms of sustainable development; and (5) dynamics of human values and rules. 6 credits; SI, WR2, QRE, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 270 Political Philosophy and the Book of Genesis Cross-listed with Political Science 350. Much of the moral and political architecture of the post-modern, secular world traces back to pre-modern, religious scriptures--especially Genesis, the first book of the Bible. For this reason alone Genesis deserves attention. But there are even stronger reasons: With its accounts of creation, humanity’s relation to nature and the divine, human aspiration and failure, the origins of community, and the good life for both individuals and societies, Genesis offers enormous riches even for those who approach it from an "external" philosophic standpoint (as we will in this class) rather than an "internal" religious one. Readings include Genesis and commentary. 6 credits; HI; Winter; Laurence D Cooper
POSC 271 Constitutional Law I This course will explore the United States Constitution and the legal doctrines that have emerged from it, using them as lenses through which to understand the history—and shape the future—of this country. Using prominent Supreme Court opinions as teaching tools and loci of debate (including cases on the Court’s recent and current docket), this course will explore the different kind of theoretical approaches with which to make Constitutional arguments and interpret the Constitution. It is one of two paired courses (the other being POSC 272) that complement each other. Both courses will address the structure and functioning of the United States government, and will explore in greater depth the historic Constitutional “trends” towards greater equality and more liberty (albeit slowly, haltingly, and with steps both forward and backward). This course will focus in particular on how matters of racial justice have been a Constitutional issue from the very beginning of the nation—and very much remain unfinished legal work. In exploring matters of personal liberty, this course will focus in particular on First Amendment freedom of religion. Finally, in examining governmental structures, this course will emphasize federalism and the distribution of power between the national and state governments, including the rise of a nationwide economic system and the modern administrative state. The course will require close reading of judicial opinions and other texts, and learning how to construct arguments using logic and precedent. A special feature of this course will be detailed examination and intra-class mock debate of the cases the Supreme Court will hear this fall challenging raced-based affirmative action programs at private and public universities. 6 credits; SI; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 272 Constitutional Law II Covers American constitutional law and history from Reconstruction to the contemporary era. Extensive attention will be paid to the effort to refound the American constitution following the Civil War as manifest in the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments, and to the successive transformations which the Supreme Court worked in the new constitutional order. Political Science 271 is not a prerequisite. 6 credits; SI; Fall; Kimberly K Smith
POSC 273 Race and Politics in the U.S. This course addresses race and ethnicity in U.S. politics. Following an introduction to historical, sociological, and psychological approaches to the study of race and ethnicity, we apply these approaches to understanding the ways in which racial attitudes have been structured along a number of political and policy dimensions, e.g., welfare, education, criminal justice. Students will gain an increased understanding of the multiple contexts that shape contemporary racial and ethnic politics and policies in the U.S., and will consider the role of institutional design, policy development, representation, and racial attitudes among the general U.S. public and political environment. 6 credits; SI, IDS; Fall; Christina E Farhart
POSC 275 Black Radical Political Thought, 1919-1969 This course examines the history of Black radical political thought in the United States between 1919 and 1969. It also explores internationalist and diasporic linkages that shaped, and were shaped by, the U.S. context. "Black Radicalism" refers to the forms of politics and thought that have challenged, nationally and globally, economic exploitation, social inequality, political marginalization, and private and state-sanctioned anti-blackness. The political ideologies and practices we will consider include: Black nationalism, pan-Africanism, socialism and communism, and Black feminisms. The course will also pay special attention to the socio-historical and political economic contexts that give rise to different forms of Black radicalism. 6 credits; S/CR/NC; SI, WR2, IDS; Spring; Charisse E Burden-Stelly
POSC 276 Imagination in Politics: Resisting Totalitarianism Ideological fanaticism is on the rise today. Individuals prefer the incantation of slogans and clichés to autonomous thinking, moderation, and care for the diversity and complexity of circumstances and of human beings. The results are the inability to converse across differences and the tendency to ostracize and exclude others in the name of tribal and populist nationalism, as well as of racism. Hannah Arendt called totalitarianism this form of ideological hypnosis, which characterizes not only totalitarian political regimes, but can also colonize liberal-democracies. In this class we will read some of the works of Arendt to better understand the power of imagination to enhance critical and independent thinking and resist totalitarianism. 6 credits; HI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 278 Memory and Politics Central to individual and collective identity, memory can be abused through the excess of commemoration. Is memory just a tool in the hands of nationalistic and divisive politics or can it be used for the cosmopolitan purpose of fighting oppression and injustice? To answer this question, we will read in this class literature on the nationalistic and cosmopolitan uses and abuses of memory and apply the theory to two case studies: the memory of the Jewish presence in Romanian society and politics and the role the memory of the Holocaust and Naqba plays in the relationship between Israel and Palestine. 6 credits; HI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 280 Feminist Security Studies Feminist security studies question and challenge traditional approaches to international relations and security, highlighting the myriad ways that state security practices can actually increase insecurity for many people. How and why does this security paradox exist and how do we escape it? In this class, we will explore the theoretical and analytical contributions of feminist security scholars and use these lessons to analyze a variety of policies, issues, and conflicts. The cases that we will cover include the UN resolution on women, peace, and security, Sweden’s feminist foreign policy, violence against women, and conflicts in Syria, Uganda, and Yemen. 6 credits; SI, WR2, IS; Fall; Summer N Forester
POSC 281 U.S-China Rivalry: The New Cold War? This course surveys key security dynamics, actors and issues in the Asia-Pacific. We will begin with a brief overview of historical conflicts and cooperations in the region, focusing on the impact of decolonization, communism, and the Cold War. We will then proceed to discuss contemporary security issues; topics include territorial disputes, Taiwan, nuclear proliferation, the U.S. alliance system, regional organizations like ASEAN, and U.S.-China rivalry. We will also study major international relation paradigms and theories, including heterodox approaches relevant to major actors in the Asia-Pacific, to guide our investigation of these security issues. No prior knowledge required. 6 credits; SI, IS, QRE; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 282 Terrorism and Counterterrorism This course focuses on the historic and modern use of violence or the threat of violence by non-state actors to secure political outcomes. We will review the strategy and tactics of various terror groups, use case studies to understand the logic of terrorism, assess why some groups succeed while others fail, and study terrorist organizations’ efforts at recruitment and indoctrination. These topics will be addressed from theoretical and practical perspectives, with input from expert guest speakers. Finally, we will assess counterterrorism measures, including the moral, ethical, legal, and practical approaches to creating security in the modern world. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 283 Separatist Movements This course explores the emergence and resolution of separatist movements around the world. While separatist movements are often associated with the violent dissolution of states, not all separatist movements result in violence and not all separatist movements seek independence. We will investigate the conditions under which separatist pressures are most likely to develop and when such pressures result in actual separation. We will contrast the tactics of movements, from peaceful approaches in places like contemporary Quebec or Scotland, to peaceful outcomes like the "velvet divorce" of Czechoslovakia, to violent insurrections in places like the Philippines, Spain, and Northern Ireland. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 284 War and Peace in Northern Ireland This class examines the decades-long conflict in Northern Ireland between Catholics and Protestants known as "The Troubles." We will investigate the causes of violence in this region and explore the different phases of the conflict, including initial mobilization of peaceful protestors, radicalization into violent resistance, and de-escalation. We will also consider the international dimensions of the conflict and how groups forged transnational ties with diaspora groups and separatist movements around the world. Finally, we will explore the consequences of this conflict on present-day Northern Ireland's politics and identify lessons from the peace process for other societies in conflict. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 285 The U.S. Intelligence Community This course covers the U.S. Intelligence Community, how intelligence supports national security policy development, and how intelligence is applied to execute strategy in pursuit of policy objectives (specifically, implementation of national security and foreign policy initiatives). Studying the structure, processes, procedures, oversight, and capabilities of the Intelligence Community will enhance understanding of how intelligence supported or failed policymakers in national security decision-making, including the areas of diplomatic and economic cooperation and engagement, and security challenges ranging from deterrence to conventional war. The course concludes with the study of asymmetric/hybrid warfare in our modern age and how intelligence might be used to better understand the changing dynamics of future global conflict. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 294 Central and Eastern European Politics Program: Perceptions of Otherness in Modern Eastern and Central Europe Is nationalism fundamentally flawed in its inclusionary capacity? Can the same power of imagination to bring strangers together, which made nation-building possible, be deployed for inventing post-national forms of solidarity? The course will explore representations of strangers and foreigners in Central and Eastern Europe, throughout the nineteenth and twentieth century, with a special focus on Roma and Jews. The aim will be to understand how these representations will work to legitimize different forms of exclusionary politics. An important part of the course will explore the role that exiled and displaced people can play in reimagining identities on a cosmopolitan level. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 295 Central and Eastern European Politics Program: Nation-Building in Central and Eastern Europe between Politics and Art The state and its cultural politics played a pivotal role in building the Romanian nation. The first part of the course will analyze the difficulties of nation-building in modern Romania, with a special emphasis on the incapacity of Romanian liberalism to prevent the rise of extreme right wing politics. The second part will explore different images of Romanian national identity that art provided both during the communist regime and in the post-1989 decades, also in a comparative perspective with Hungary, Bulgaria, and Serbia. The course will include visits to galleries, architectural sites and neighborhoods in Bucharest and its surroundings. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 296 Central and Eastern European Politics Program: Challenges to the Nation-State in Eastern and Central Europe: Immigrants and Minorities How do democracies react when confronted with massive bodies of immigrants? Do the problems that Eastern and Central European countries face in dealing with immigrants reflect deeper challenges to their capacity of thinking of the nation along inclusionary lines? We will explore the legal and political issues that EU countries and their societies, particularly, in Eastern and Central Europe, face when confronted with a migration crisis. Then we will look at Roma’s history of exploitation and injustice in Eastern and Central Europe. The course will include visits with community groups and NGOs, as well as encounters with minority rights activists. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 300 Political Research Experience This course is a collaborative, hands-on, research seminar related to a faculty member’s research program. Students should expect to meet regularly with the faculty supervisor and, depending on the stage or type of research, collect and analyze data, read and interpret primary literature and engage its criticism, submit written material and prepare presentation content. To enroll, students must complete the application form (available on line or in the department office) in consultation with the professor.  Prerequisite: Instructor Permission. 1-6 credit; S/CR/NC; NE; Fall, Winter, Spring; Dev Gupta, Tun Myint, Mihaela Czobor-Lupp, Greg G Marfleet, Summer N Forester
POSC 302 Subordinated Politics and Intergroup Relations* How do social and political groups interact? How do we understand these interactions in relation to power? This course will introduce the basic approaches and debates in the study of prejudice, racial attitudes, and intergroup relations. We will focus on three main questions. First, how do we understand and study prejudice and racism as they relate to U.S. politics? Second, how do group identities, stereotyping, and other factors help us understand the legitimation of discrimination, group hierarchy, and social domination? Third, what are the political and social challenges associated with reducing prejudice? 6 credits; S/CR/NC; SI, IDS; Spring; Christina E Farhart
POSC 303 Political Communication: Political Advertising in Elections and Public Policy Crosslisted with POSC 203. How does political advertising influence the electorate? How does political advertising influence our understanding of policy proposals? Election ads along with the 6-second "sound bite" are now among the major forms of political communication in modern democracies. Add to these forms a battery of visual "arguments" seen in news media, film, and paid ads aimed at persuading us to adopt various policy positions. We will study how ads are created and "work" from the standpoint of political psychology and film analysis. Our policy focus for 2016 will be on climate change and the 2016 general election. Students enrolled in the 303 version will conduct more extensive analysis of data for their seminar papers. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 305 News Media and Democratic Electoral Processes* How have news media affected democratic elections in the U.S., UK, and EU? Case studies show traditional and new media—from citizen journalism to bots—shaping views of candidates and issues—and democracy itself. Using recent elections worldwide as a base, we will investigate traditional media as an institution in a challenging environment of new media sources and charges of “fake news.” Coursework includes learning about research design through original data collection, data analysis, and visual representation of data. POSC 223 is recommended as a way to learn quantitative and qualitative methods of social science research. Research paper required. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IDS; Fall; Barbara Allen
POSC 307 Go Our Own Way: Autonomy in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement “Every civil rights bill was passed for white people, not black people. I am a human being. I know … I have right(s). White people didn’t know that. … so [they] had to … to tell that white man, 'he’s a human being, don’t stop him.' That bill was for the white man…. I knew [my rights] all the time.” Stokely Carmichael spoke for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee viewpoint in 1966. The Black Panther Party enacted basic civic responsibilities in their programs. Ella Baker spoke of autonomy in community. This seminar brings voices across generations speaking to current affairs. 6 credits; SI, IDS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 313 Legal Issues in Higher Education This seminar will explore pressing legal and policy issues facing American colleges and universities. The course will address the ways core academic values (e.g., academic freedom; the creation and maintenance of a community based on shared values) fit or conflict with legal rules and political dynamics that operate beyond the academy. Likely topics include how college admissions are shaped by legal principles, with particular emphasis on debates over affirmative action; on-campus speech; faculty tenure; intellectual property; student rights and student discipline (including discipline for sexual assault); and college and university relations with the outside world. 6 credits; SI; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 314 Constitutional Convention 2020 Students in this course will create a podcast to consider proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Proposed amendments will be developed by students in other courses at Carleton, St. Olaf, and other participating institutions. Students will review and select proposals to be debated, and each proposal will be voted on at the end of the course. This advanced seminar will include work outside of class, independently and in collaboration with other students. Prerequisite: Political Science 271, 272 or 313 or instructor permission. 3 credits; S/CR/NC; SI; Spring; Kimberly K Smith
POSC 315 Polarization, Parties, and Power* How have political parties shaped the distribution of power and political landscape in the United States? This course explores theories of political party development, third-party dynamics in a two-party system, and the rise of ideological and party polarization in the United States. We will engage with scholarly debates that grapple with the extent and implications of polarization in the American case at all levels of government, in the electorate, and in interpersonal interactions. 6 credits; SI, WR2, QRE, IDS; Winter; Melanie Freeze
POSC 318 Advanced Topics Urban Policy* This course is a discussion seminar for students who seek to build on previous knowledge of public policy within the cities and suburbs of the United States or in comparisons of the U.S. to other urban cases. Focus will be on Housing, Education, Policing, Infrastructure and Social Regulation. Students will produce a research essay using Social Science and Humanities methods. Prerequisite: Political Science 201, 207, 209, 218, or 266 or instructor permission. 6 credits; SI, IDS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 320 Authoritarianism and Democratization in the Middle East* This course analyzes theories of authoritarianism and prospects for democratization in the Middle East. The course is divided into three sections: the first covers the main theoretical perspectives explaining the persistence of authoritarian rule in the Middle East. The second is devoted to the events of the Arab Spring, with an emphasis on Egypt, Syria, and Tunisia. Finally, the third section deals with two of the most pressing issues facing the countries of the Arab Spring: 1) the political role of Arab armed forces, 2) the integration of the long-banned Islamist groups into the public sphere as legitimate political parties. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 322 Neoliberalism and the New Left in Latin America* This seminar will examine the "post-neoliberal" politics of Latin America, beginning with a reconsideration of the market-oriented turn in the region during the 1980s and 1990s. The seminar will then focus on the rise of leftist governments as diverse as Hugo Chávez' Venezuela, Evo Morales' Bolivia, and Lula da Silva's Brazil. Other topics will include the emergence of anti-neoliberal movements, the wave of indigenous politics, new social movements, environmental politics, and experiments with anti-poverty programs throughout Latin America. 6 credits; SI, IS, WR2; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 324 Rebels and Risk Takers: Women and War in the Middle East* How are women (and gender more broadly) shaping and shaped by war and conflict in the Middle East? Far from the trope of the subjugated, veiled, and abused Middle Eastern woman, women in the Middle East are active social and political agents. In wars and conflicts in the Middle East region, women have, for example, been combatants, soldiers, activists, spies, homemakers, writers, and political leaders. This course surveys conflicts involving Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Israel, Jordan, and Iraq--along with Western powers like the U.S., UK, and Australia--through the wartime experiences of women. 6 credits; S/CR/NC; SI, IS; Spring; Summer N Forester
POSC 325 Corruption, Clientelism, and Political Machines* Motivated by the literature on “quality of democracy,” this course delves into theories of accountability, government responsiveness, transparency, and other major aspects of governance. It explores these concepts in democratic and nondemocratic regimes by focusing on corrupt and clientelistic politics in a variety of regions, including Latin America, Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, the post-Soviet countries, and East and Southeast Asia. Topics covered in the course include vote-buying and other forms of electoral fraud, the influence of money in campaigns, kickback schemes and governance, crony capitalism, clientelism and political machines, and varieties of accountability systems and institutional reform. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 328 Foreign Policy Analysis Foreign policy analysis is a distinct sub-field within international relations that focuses on explaining the actions and choices of actors in world politics. After a review of the historical development of the sub-field, we will explore approaches to foreign policy that emphasize the empirical testing of hypotheses that explain how policies and choices are formulated and implemented. The psychological sources of foreign policy decisions (including leaders' beliefs and personalities and the effect of decision-making groups) are a central theme. Completion of a lower level IR course and the stats/methods sequence is recommended. 6 credits; SI, QRE; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 330 The Complexity of Politics Theories of complexity and emergence relate to how large-scale collective properties and characteristics of a system can arise from the behavior and attributes of component parts. This course explores the relevance of these concepts, studied mainly in physics and biology, for the social sciences. Students will explore agent-based modeling to discover emergent properties of social systems through computer simulations they create using NetLogo software. Reading and seminar discussion topics include conflict and cooperation, electoral competition, transmission of culture and social networks. Completion of the stats/methods sequence is highly recommended. 6 credits; SI, QRE; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 331 Cooperation and Conflict* Why do countries go to war? What conditions promote a lasting peace? These may well be the two most important and enduring questions in international politics. The course combines an exploration of various theoretical approaches to war and peace—including rational, psychological and structural models—with an empirical analysis of the onset, escalation, and resolution of conflict. We investigate changing patterns in the frequency of global violence and identify where it occurs more (and less) often and assess whether there is an overall trend toward a more peaceful world. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IS; Winter; Greg G Marfleet
POSC 333 Global Social Changes and Sustainability This course is about the relationship between social changes and ecological changes to understand and to be able to advance analytical concepts, research methods, and theories of society-nature interactions. How do livelihoods of individuals and groups change over time and how do the changes affect ecological sustainability? What are the roles of human institutions in ecological sustainability? What are the roles of ecosystem dynamics in institutional sustainability? Students will learn fundamental theories and concepts that explain linkages between social change and environmental changes and gain methods and skills to measure social changes qualitatively and quantitatively. 6 credits; SI, WR2, QRE, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 334 Global Public Health* This seminar covers a variety of public health issues in advanced capitalist and developing countries, including communicable diseases, neglected tropical diseases and scourges such as malaria, dengue, and AIDS, the effectiveness of foreign aid, and the challenges of reforming health care systems. Emphasis will be on how these issues interact with patterns of economic and social development and the capacity of states and international regimes. Students will develop a perspective on public policy using materials from diverse fields such as political science, epidemiology, history, economics, and sociology. 6 credits; SI, QRE, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 336 Global Populist Politics* Are populist politicians scoundrels or saviors? Regardless of the answer, populism is undeniably a growing force in politics around the world: in democracies as well as autocracies, rich and poor countries, and involving different ideologies. How can we understand this diversity? In this class, we will explore populism using a variety of comparative frameworks: temporal (situating the current crop of populism in historical context), ideological (comparing populisms of the left versus the right), as well as geographic. We will try to understand the hallmarks of populism, when and why it emerges, and its impact on political institutions and society. 6 credits; SI, IS; Fall; Dev Gupta
POSC 337 Political Economy of Happiness* This course explores the political determinants of happiness in the United States and around the world. What makes citizens happier in one country compared to another? When might political institutions be most successful at producing happiness among people? What is the relationship between economic inequality, development, redistribution and happiness? The course starts by examining how happiness is conceptualized and measured in public opinion data, before exploring the political economy of happiness globally. 6 credits; SI, WR2, QRE, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 338 Politics of Inequality and Poverty* The unequal distribution of income and assets is arguably the most important issue in many political systems around the world, and debates over the appropriate role of government in fighting inequality form a primary dimension of political competition. In this course, we will explore the politics surrounding economic inequality around the world. We will discuss how inequality influences political participation in democracies and dictatorships, shapes prospects for democratic transition/consolidation, and affects economic growth and social well-being. We will also examine when and how political institutions can mitigate negative aspects of inequality. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 345 Politics of Dictatorship* With over half of the world's population living in non-democracies, understanding the nature of authoritarian regimes is a critical component of comparative political science. We will examine the variety of authoritarian regimes around the world, the nature of state-society relations in different authoritarian regimes, as well as the strategies employed by dictators to maintain stability and control. We will supplement the more general theories of authoritarian rule with detailed case studies of particular regimes. 6 credits; SI, IS; Winter; Kent Freeze
POSC 348 Strangers, Foreigners and Exiles* The course explores the role that strangers play in human life, the challenges that foreigners create for democratic politics, the promises they bring to it, as well as the role of exiles in improving the cultural capacity of societies to live with difference. We will read texts by Arendt, Kafka, Derrida, Sophocles, Said, Joseph Conrad, Tzvetan Todorov, and Julia Kristeva. Special attention will be given to the plight of Roma in Europe, as a typical case of strangers that are still perceived nowadays as a menace to the modern sedentary civilization. 6 credits; S/CR/NC; SI, IS; Spring; Mihaela Czobor-Lupp
POSC 349 Justice Among Nations Crosslisted with POSC 259. The purpose of this course is to bring to bear great works of political philosophy on the foundational questions of international politics. Our primary text will be Thucydides gripping History of The Peloponnesian War. Thucydides was perhaps the greatest thinker about international relations that the world has seen. He was also a political philosopher--and psychologist--of the first rank. His book teaches much not only about politics but about human nature. Students enrolled in the 349 version will complete a more detailed and longer seminar paper that may be the basis for comps in a subsequent term. 6 credits; SI; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 350 "A Savage Made to Inhabit Cities": The Political Philosophy of Rousseau Cross-listed with Political Science 260. In this course we will study what Rousseau considered his greatest and best book: Emile. Emile is a philosophic novel. It uses a thought experiment–the rearing of a child from infancy to adulthood–to explore human nature and the human condition, including their political dimensions. Among Emile‘s themes are natural goodness and the origins of evil; self-love and sociability; the differences and relations between the sexes; citizenship; and the principles of political right. The book also addresses the question of how one might live naturally and happily amid an unnatural and unhappy civilization. 6 credits; HI; Spring; Laurence D Cooper
POSC 350 Ancient Political Philosophy: Plato's Republic* Cross-listed with Political Science 250. In this course we will examine ancient political philosophy through the intensive study of Plato's Republic, perhaps the greatest work of political philosophy ever written. What is morality? Why should a person behave morally? Wouldn't it be more satisfying to be a tyrant? What is the best way of life? What would a perfect society look like? What would be its customs and institutions, and who would rule? What would it demand of us, and would that price be worth paying? These are some of the politically (and personally) vital questions addressed by the book. 6 credits; HI; Fall; Laurence D Cooper
POSC 350 Political Philosophy and the Book of Genesis* Cross-listed with Political Science 270. Much of the moral and political architecture of the post-modern, secular world traces back to pre-modern, religious scriptures--especially Genesis, the first book of the Bible. For this reason alone Genesis deserves attention. But there are even stronger reasons: With its accounts of creation, humanity’s relation to nature and the divine, human aspiration and failure, the origins of community, and the good life for both individuals and societies, Genesis offers enormous riches even for those who approach it from an "external" philosophic standpoint (as we will in this class) rather than an "internal" religious one. Readings include Genesis and commentary. 6 credits; HI; Winter; Laurence D Cooper
POSC 351 Political Theory of Martin Luther King, Jr. This seminar will examine the speeches, writings, and life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Students will study King as an example of the responsible citizen envisioned by the theory expressed in The Federalist, as a contributor to the discourse of civil religion, and as a figure in recent American social history. 6 credits; SI, IDS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 352 Political Theory of Alexis de Tocqueville This course will be devoted to close study of Tocqueville's Democracy in America, which has plausibly been described as the best book ever written about democracy and the best book every written about America. Tocqueville uncovers the myriad ways in which equality, including especially the passion for equality, determines the character and the possibilities of modern humanity. Tocqueville thereby provides a political education that is also an education toward self-knowledge. 6 credits; HI, WR2, IDS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 354 Freedom, Excellence, Happiness: Aristotle's Ethics Cross-listed with POSC 254. What does it mean to be morally excellent? To be politically excellent? To be intellectually and spiritually excellent? Are these things mutually compatible? Do they lie within the reach of everyone? And what is the relation between excellence and pleasure? Between excellence and happiness? Aristotle addresses these questions in intricate and illuminating detail in the Nicomachean Ethics, which we will study in this course. The Ethics is more accessible than some of Aristotle's other works. But it is also a multifaceted and multi-layered book, and one that reveals more to those who study it with care. Seminar paper required. 6 credits; HI; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 355 Identity, Culture and Rights This course will look at the contemporary debate in multiculturalism in the context of a variety of liberal philosophical traditions, including contractarians, libertarians, and Utilitarians. These views of the relationship of individual to community will be compared to those of the communitarian and egalitarian traditions. Research papers may use a number of feminist theory frameworks and methods. 6 credits; SI, WR2, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 357 Politics and Ambition* Is personal ambition a threat to peace and the public good or is it a prod to nobility and heroism? Does it exemplify the opposition between self and society or does it represent their intersection and mutual support—or both? And what is the nature of political ambition, especially the ambition to rule: what does the would-be ruler really want? We will take up these and related questions by studying several classic works of philosophy and literature. Readings will likely include works by Plato, Xenophon, and Shakespeare as well as American founders, statesmen, and moral leaders. Seminar paper required. 6 credits; HI; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 358 Comparative Social Movements This course will examine the role that social movements play in political life. The first part of the course will critically review the major theories that have been developed to explain how social movements form, operate and seek to influence politics at both the domestic and international levels. In the second part of the course, these theoretical approaches will be used to explore a number of case studies involving social movements that span several different issue areas and political regions. Potential case studies include the transnational environmental movement, religious movements in Latin America and the recent growth of far right activism in northern Europe. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 359 Cosmopolitanism Stoic philosophers saw themselves as citizens of the world (cosmopolitans), a position that Kant enthusiastically revived in the eighteenth century. After the end of the Cold War cosmopolitanism was back in fashion. Even the favorite drink of the girls on TV's Sex and the City was called Cosmopolitan. However, today it seems that nationalism and xenophobia are making a powerful comeback. Is cosmopolitanism dead? This course explores the promises and dangers of globalization, as well as the inexhaustible attraction of nationalism. The attempt is to show that the escape from the unsettling complexity of globalization is not within tribalistic nationalism, but rather in the cosmopolitan transformation of identity, as well as of the sense of being at home and of belonging. 6 credits; HI; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 361 Approaches to Development* The meaning of "development" has been contested across multiple disciplines. The development and continual existence of past civilizations has been at the core of the discourse among those who study factors leading to the rise and fall of civilizations. Can we reconcile the meaning of development in economic terms with cultural, ecological, political, religious, social and spiritual terms? How can we measure it quantitatively? What and how do the UNDP Human Development Indexes and the World Development Reports measure? What are the exemplary cases that illustrate development? How do individual choices and patterns of livelihood activities link to development trends? 6 credits; SI, WR2, QRE, IS; Fall; Tun Myint
POSC 366 Urban Political Economy City revenue is increasingly dependent on tourism. Cities manufacture identity and entertainment, whether we think of Las Vegas or Jerusalem, Berlin or Bilbao, the ethnoscapes of Copenhagen or the red light district of Amsterdam. As cities compete in the global economy to become playgrounds for a transnational tourist class, what is the role of urban residents? Who governs? Who benefits? A research paper will be required. Students who have taken POSC 266 remain welcome to take POSC 366. 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 371 Modern Political Philosophy: Liberalism and Its Critics* Cross-listed with POSC 251. Liberalism is the dominant political philosophy of our time. Living in a liberal polity, each of us has been shaped by liberalism. But is liberalism the best political order? Do we even know what liberalism is? What are the strongest arguments in its favor, and what are the deepest criticisms we might level against it? In this course we will examine liberalism’s philosophic roots and engage with some of its most forceful advocates and most profound critics. Our readings will include authors such as Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Tocqueville, Mill, and Nietzsche. Research paper required. 6 credits; HI, IS, WR2; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 378 Political Economy & Ecology of Southeast Asia: Social Changes in Southeast Asia Informed by the assigned readings, students will visit markets, factories, farms, and various cultural and natural sites to see first-hand the changes and challenges occurring in these areas. The course covers: (1) issues of livelihood transition from rural to urban; (2) the interaction between market systems and social relations; and (3) the impact on society of changes in physical infrastructures such as roads and telecommunication. Students will keep a journal and produce three thematic short essays, a 15-20-minute video, or a well-organized blog to document their learning. 6 credits; SI, IS; Winter; Tun Myint
POSC 379 Political Economy and Ecology of S.E. Asia: Diversity of Social Ecological Systems in Southeast Asia Connecting the first and the second components, this course examines key actors, issues, and interests in the political economy of and ecology of Southeast Asia. Students will connect economy to ecology in Southeast Asia by connecting field experiences and observation to real data, facts, and cases that illustrate the interaction between economy and ecology. This course requires students to identify a topic of interest based on their field experience, research it using techniques taught in the field research and methods course, and write a research report in the form of a term paper.  6 credits; SI, IS; Winter; Tun Myint
POSC 380 Political Economy of China and Zomia The role of China in world politics is the focus of this course. We will study the relationship between China and Zomia (regions of Southeast, South, and Central Asia), the South China Sea conflict, seaport and airport projects, gas-pipelines, OBOR, the ZTE-case, and several Chinese-led infrastructure projects. How is the Chinese model of political economic development different from and similar to the neoliberal economic model? How do contemporary Chinese policy and activities in Zomia, and around the world, explain the history and development of China’s centralized political order from the Qing dynasty to modern China? 6 credits; SI, IS; Not offered 2019-20
POSC 392 Political Economy & Ecology of Southeast Asia: Field Research Experiences and Methods This course provides a comparative field research experiences for students. Students will carry out a project involving a combination of research techniques including questionnaires, interviews, and participant observation. Students will learn to develop quantitative reasoning and qualitative analyses based on field experiences. Students will write a short paper reflecting on their experience doing field research and present their findings to the class. An alternative assignment is to write a descriptive paper for a global audience to be published on Wikipedia. 6 credits; NE; Winter; Tun Myint
POSC 400 Integrative Exercise 1-6 credit; S/NC; Fall, Winter, Spring; Christina E Farhart, Tun Myint, Barbara Allen, Laurence D Cooper, Dev Gupta, Mihaela Czobor-Lupp, Kent Freeze, Greg G Marfleet, Melanie Freeze