Course Descriptions

POL 229 - Business and Politics

This course introduces students to a variety of analytical perspectives on the relationship between the public and private sectors in the United States. It has a particular focus on the characteristics of US political institutions and corporate actors that influence this relationship, the role of corporate activities in the political arena, and the effects of public policies on American businesses.

Satisfies a major or interdisciplinary minor requirement in Communication Studies.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement

POL 238 - Topic: State & Local Politics

This course examines state and local politics within the federal system. Our detailed consideration of America’s “laboratories of democracy” will provide historical, political, and institutional context for understanding the contemporary challenges facing subnational levels of government in the United States. Topics to be investigated include: structure, functions, and governance of state politics; nationalization of local politics; election administration and state political actors; participation, representation, and the role of state political parties and social movements; policymaking and state legislatures; ballot initiatives and direct democracy; rural vs. urban political divisions; and the relationships between local, state, and federal governments.

POL 239 - Special Topics American Politics

Spring 2020

POL 239 A Topic: Social Movements and Social Change in the United States
Instructor: Yesnowitz

When and why do social movements occur? What motivates some individuals to participate in organized collective action? What role do strategies, values, decision-making structures, and leaders play? How have recent technological developments transformed recruitment efforts? Which tactics are most effective in pressuring legislators to respond to movement demands? What impacts have oppositional movements had on politics and society in the United States? In considering these (and other) questions, we will explore a range of movements which have both animated previous cycles of protest such as civil rights, women’s liberation, and antiwar mobilization along with several cases which characterize our own time including climate change advocacy, Black Lives Matter demonstrations, and the #MeToo campaign. When examining the issue grievances and proposed remedies of both historical and contemporary political struggles, we will also focus close attention on media coverage of social movements, intra-movement disputes and inter-movement coalitions, the rise of counter-movements, and movement relations with political parties and presidential administrations.

Satisfies Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

POL 239 B Topic:  What’s Happening to the News, and What it Means for Democracy
Instructor: Sill

The 2020 presidential campaign will flood Americans with news, but how much will be independent information amid political messaging, social media manipulation and partisan spin? This course will examine campaign reporting and other case studies in considering how media disruption and fragmentation are affecting democracy and civic function in the United States, We’ll explore current press-public issues, “enemies of the people” versus “watchdogs for the people” and other issues of trust in the context of U.S. history and the Internet’s transformation of communication, with an eye to what comes next. The course will also include tools and skills for verifying information and evaluating media sources for credibility.

Satisfies Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

POL 241 - Comparative Public Policy

This course explores how and why policies dealing with issues such as the economy, health care, and immigration differ across nations. We examine and contrast the influence of political ideas and ideologies, institutions, and organized interests in shaping the process and substance of public policy. In this course, we also investigate why similar policies generate different outcomes, exploring the challenges that developed and developing states face in implementing public policy. Cases analysis and discussions will provide opportunities for students to apply analytical skills and gain a realistic understanding of the roles, responsibilities, and interdisciplinary knowledge required of practitioners. 

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

POL 242 - West European Politics

This course is designed to introduce you to the politics of West European societies by comparing different paths to democracy, party systems, political cultures, and policy outcomes of a number of West European countries. The material covered here is divided in three parts. We will begin the first part by exploring the divergent paths to democratization of the three largest countries in West Europe: the United Kingdom, France and Germany. We will then continue by exploring the different party systems and examine how votes are turned into seats in a variety of countries.

In the second part of the course we will examine the political economy of Europe by focusing on how capitalism works differently across Europe and by studying the different models of the welfare state in Europe. We will discuss policy outcomes in a variety of countries, with a particular focus on social inequality and health outcomes. We will then move to the third part of the course where we study the European Union (EU) and current challenges facing European democracies. Here we will explore why the EU was created, how it works and how it relates to the world, and discuss the consequences of the Great Recession for the future of the EU. Finally, we will examine the challenges facing Europe today by considering immigration, globalization and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism.

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Satisfies a requirement of the International Studies Interdisciplinary Minor.

POL 259 - Special Topic: Governance, Corruption, and Reform

This course explores the relationship between government, corruption, and reform, and under what conditions bureaucracies work either as either facilitators of or impediments to reform. This course provides a mix of classroom instruction with hands-on experiential learning, drawing on the instructor’s work with the Bureaucracy Lab at the World Bank and the Stanford Governance Project. Students will develop a Governance/Policy Lab at Davison, work with an external partner on developing a project, and complete a final research paper based on data from the Governance Project.

 

Prerequisites & Notes
Instructor permission required.

POL 269 - Special Topics in International Politics

Fall 2018 Topic: Crises in the European Union
Instructor: Lochocki

This course explores the three major crises faced by the European Union –  the Eurozone, Migration policies and politics, and the impact of the British withdrawal from the EU, or Brexit.  Key domestic political variables such as the rise of populist parties will be given special coverage. Students should  possess some prior knowledge of European integration and history.

POL 281 - Who Owns the Past?

Who controls the past? Who decides what cultural property and cultural heritage merits preservation? What role do local communities, state and national government, and international institutions play? What are the major threats to the preservation of cultural heritage? War destroys cultural property most dramatically, but looting, economic development, tourism and climate change also pose threats. Some people would also count archaeology, which seeks to understand the human past through its material remains, as another threat. Who decides where and what to dig? Who owns the excavation finds? 

In this course, students will participate in class discussions, often in small break-out groups, sometimes on the basis of readings and sometimes on the basis of student reports, presented in the form of Zoom videos on such topics as (for example) what cultural heritage is at risk, what effect nationalism has on archaeology, what the acquisitions policy of a museum is, and how a site should be conserved and presented to the public. For each of these assignments, students will choose which particular country or museum they wish to report on. The class as a whole aims at a global perspective.

Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
Counts as an elective toward the majors in Political Science, Classical Studies, and Classical Languages and Literature, as well as the minor in Classical Studies.

Prerequisites & Notes
Students at all levels welcome. (Spring 2021)

POL 283 - Ethics and Policymaking

Nearly every question of policy is also a question of ethics. Whether the matter at hand is public policy or institutional policy, anyone faced with deciding how to manage a budget, prioritize certain projects, or distribute opportunities, goods, or services must contend with competing values and tradeoffs between options. In this course, students will explore several important ethical frameworks and apply them to real-life policy problems. Moreover, the course will emphasize a deliberative methodology for ethical problem solving; students will learn and employ deliberative democratic methods of respectful and collaborative discourse as a vehicle for ethical policy analysis.

Satisfies the Political Theory Sub-Field Requirement for the Political Science Major.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought Ways of Knowing requirement.

POL 284 - US Diplomacy in First-person

This course explores the memoirs and oral histories of American diplomats from post-WWII to the present day, how these individuals shaped policy and the institutions they served, and the leadership and ethical challenges they faced.  Primary and secondary sources, guest speakers, social network mapping, and other resources will enable students to explore theory and practice, and analyze how relationships and perspectives influence U.S. foreign policies and their implementation. 

Satisifies a major requirement in Political Science
Satisfies Digital Studies minor requirement
Satisfies History major and minor requirement
Satisfies Historical Thought requirement

POL 285 - Independent Study

POL 285: Independent Study

POL 286 - Navigating Politics, Corruption, and Policy in International Trade and Investment

Political considerations have a dramatic impact on the viability of trade and investment prospects in any given country or region. These considerations need to be understood within a framework that assesses historical, cultural, economic, and external factors - and then applied to a scenario where either current or prospective investors are determining how they might participate. Robust trade and investment opportunities are a linchpin of a functioning and sustainable economy that provides broad-based opportunities to its population - and in doing so provides political stability and in some cases protects the sovereign integrity of the country in question. This course uses a case study method to delve into real-life situations where political considerations have played an outsized role in trade and investment, with sometimes severe consequences.

Satisfies Political Science major requirement.

POL 288 - Davidson in Washington Independent Study

Graded on a Pass or Fail basis.

 

POL 289 - Independent Study

POL 290 - Politics of Africa

Satisfies a requirement in the Africana Studies major (Geographic Region: Africa).
Satisfies a requirement of the International Studies interdisciplinary minor.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Fulfills cultural diversity requirement.
 

POL 291 - Politics of the Middle East

Sub-field = International and Comparative
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Satisfies the cultural diversity requirement.
Provides credit towards the Arab Studies minor.
Satisfies the Middle East Studies interdisciplinary minor.

POL 293 - Politics of the Americas

Sub-field = International and Comparative
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Satisfies the Cultural Diversity requirement.
Satisfies a requirement of the Latin American Studies major.

Spring 2021: This course will be taught fully in-person.  Remote options will not be available.
 

POL 302 - Special Topics in Classical Political Theory

This course explores such central themes of classical political thought as “education and politics,” “idealism and realism,” and “politics and literature.” The content of this course changes from year to year. 

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

POL 304 - Foundations of Liberalism

Major political philosophers within the liberal tradition, including Locke, Kant, de Tocqueville, Mill, Hayek, and Rawls.

Satisifies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.

POL 305 - Education and Politics

This course examines the proper political and moral education of aspiring leaders in works by Plato, Machiavelli, and Shakespeare.

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

POL 306 - Special Topic: Machiavelli and the American Founding

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

POL 307 - Lincoln and the Crisis of American Democracy

This course examines the political thought of Lincoln, his predecessors, and his contemporaries concerning such themes as slavery, democracy, the Founding, and the Constitution.

Satisfies a Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement

POL 318 - Special Topics in Contemporary Political Theory

The content of this course changes from year to year. 

POL 324 - American Judicial Politics

The judiciary and its ancillary players occupy an important and unique space in the world of American politics.  Judges make decisions that impact not only the parties to a case but can have important implications for public policy outside of the case at hand. Litigants, attorneys, and interest groups understand that courts can shape policy and often try to use the legal system to their advantage. This is true for big policy questions and constitutional law but is also true for the day-to-day business of lower courts and judges. Americans often view courts, and judges in particular, as above the political fray. However, a deep investigation of judicial politics involves an understanding that these actors and institutions live simultaneously in the legal and political worlds and that the difference between the two is not as stark as we might first believe.

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

POL 325 - Constitutional Law

Satisfies the Literary Studies, Creative Writing, and Rhetoric requirement.

 

Prerequisites & Notes
Not open to first-year students. 

POL 327 - Civil Liberties

Satisfies the Literary Studies, Creative Writing, and Rhetoric requirement.

POL 328 - Politics of Information

Ratings, rankings and certifications have become a ubiquitous form of power in American society.  Through in-depth case studies, this course explores the validity, credibility and effectiveness of these hotly-contested “information-based governance” strategies (such as food sustainability certifications, corporate “green” rankings, or doctor quality ratings), particularly in the health and environmental fields.

Satisfies depth and breadth course requirement in the Social Science track of the Environmental Studies major or interdisciplinary minor.
Satisfies a major or interdisciplinary minor requirement in Communication Studies.
Counts as an elective in the Data Science interdisciplinary minor.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

POL 330 - Campaign Strategy

Satisfies a major or interdisciplinary minor requirement in Communication Studies.

POL 333 - Politics of Japan, Taiwan, Korea

S. Rigger

Coming Soon!

POL 334 - Public Opinion

Satisfies a major or interdisciplinary minor requirement in Communication Studies.

Satisfies Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

Prerequisites & Notes
(Offered alternate years.)

POL 336 - Politics and the Media

Satisfies a major or interdisciplinary minor requirement in Communication Studies.

POL 341 - The Rise of New Democracies

Satisfies a major or interdisciplinary minor requirement in Communication Studies.
Provides credit towards the International Studies interdisciplinary minor.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

POL 342 - Politics, Economics, & Society in China

Spring 2021

This course is most suitable for students who are able attend synchronously. Some required course materials are not available in some geographic areas. If you are planning to take the course from outside the US, please consult the professor to make sure you will be able to access the required course materials.

Satisfies the cultural diversity requirement.
Provides credit towards the International Studies Interdisciplinary minor.
Provides credit towards the Asian Studies Interdisciplinary Minor.

POL 343 - The Politics of Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Satisfies the cultural diversity requirement.
Satisfies a requirement of the International Studies Interdisciplinary Minor.
Satisfies a requirement of the Asian Studies Interdisciplinary Minor.

POL 344 - Politics and Economics of Brazil (= LAS 220)

Treatment of political and economic change in modern Brazil. Focus on inequality, violence, environmental protection, and US-Brazil relations. Course includes historical background from 1946 forward.

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Satisfies the cultural diversity requirement.
Provides credit towards the Latin American Studies and Political Science majors.

POL 347 - Politics of Development

Counts toward the International Studies interdisciplinary minor.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.

Counts as a theory/methodology course for the Latin American Studies major.

POL 348 - Politics of Russia and Eastern Europe

This course introduces you to the politics of Russia and Eastern Europe through a comparative analysis of the political systems, political economies, and the post-communist trajectories of Russia and other former communist countries in Europe. The course is divided into three parts. In the first part, we trace the ideological underpinnings and the workings of the communist systems that dominated the region in the second half of the twentieth century. The focus will be on the communist ideology and how it spread, the centrally planned economy, totalitarianism and the 1989 revolution that led to the collapse of communism in Europe. This part of the course will enable us to situate more recent political developments in Eastern Europe in their larger historical and institutional context of the post-World War II era. 

In the second part, we focus on the challenges of post-Communism in Central Eastern Europe that arose from the transition from command economies to market-based ones and the introduction of multiparty elections and democratic institutions. The topics discussed include democratic consolidation, ethnic conflict and disintegration, economic reform, European integration, and democratic backsliding. The third part of the course focuses on post-communist Russia and its experience with the political and economic transition away from communism. Here we explore the reasons for the collapse of the Soviet Union, the rocky years of the Yeltsin era, the rise of the oligarchs, the consolidation of authoritarianism under Putin, and Russia’s efforts to restore its global role and to influence domestic politics in the West.  

Satisfies a requirement in the Russian Studies major and minor.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Counts toward the International Relations or Comparative Politics areas in the major

POL 353 - The Latin American Political Novel

Satisfies the cultural diversity requirement.
Satisfies a major requirement in Latin American Studies. 
Satisfies a requirement of the International Studies Interdisciplinary Minor.

POL 354 - Political Economy of the Southern Cone

Course offers brief historical overview of Southern Cone nations Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay and then moves to in-depth study of political and economic institutions.  Themes include bureaucratic authoritarianism, economic shocks, military rule and the return to democracy, regional integration, and globalization.

Satisfies a major requirement in Latin American Studies and Political Science.
Satisfies a minor elective requirement in Latin American Studies.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement
Meets the Cultural Diversity requirement.
 

POL 359 - Topics in Comparative Politics

Fall 2019: Democracy and its Discontents

Instructor
Penar

The Freedom House organization recently suggested that there has been a 13-year decline in the level of democracy globally. Countries that were seemingly on a more democratic trajectory, such as Benin and Zambia, have experienced a deliberate move toward authoritarianism. In Myanmar, the hope for a new democratic dispensation is now greatly diminished. Finally, among countries in the West, democratic values and practices are being questioned by so-called populist leaders and associated parties. This course examines the foundations of democracy and explores the challenges to democratic rule with an emphasis on developing countries, such as countries at a political crossroads and new democracies. The course will also consider the rise of “populism” among countries in the West. Finally, the course will consider the global, national, and local factors that shape discontent with democracy, as well as interrogate whether discontent necessarily leads to a resurgence of authoritarianism.    

POL 360 - International Political Economy (=Eco 288)

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Counts toward the International Studies Interdisciplinary Minor.

Prerequisites & Notes
ECO 101 required

POL 361 - U.S.-Latin American Relations

Satisfies the Historical Thought requirement.
Counts toward the Latin American Studies Major.
Counts toward the International Studies Interdisciplinary Minor.

POL 362 - American Foreign Policy

Counts toward International Studies interdisciplinary minor.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement

POL 363 - International Organization

Counts toward International Studies Interdisciplinary Minor.

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement

Prerequisites & Notes
POL 161-International Relations is a prerequisite.

POL 364 - International Security

Counts toward International Studies Interdisciplinary Minor.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement

Prerequisites & Notes
POL 161-International Relations is a prerequisite.

POL 365 - The International Relations of the Asia Pacific

Considers the foreign policies of and relationships among nations in the Asia-Pacific region.

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Satisfies a requirement of the International Studies Interdisciplinary Minor.
Satisfies a requirement of the Asian Studies Interdisciplinary Minor.

POL 366 - State-building and Peacebuilding

Failed and fragile states have been identified as a major threat to both development and security.  This course explores the enterprise of peacebuilding and state-building in post-conflict settings, and the many challenges faced by the international community as it attempts to support the revival of states and good governance in countries emerging from war.

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

 

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of the instructor required.

POL 161-International Relations is a prerequisite.

POL 379 - Comparative Campaigns and Elections

Most countries around the world hold elections, but the quality of these elections differ greatly. In authoritarian and democratic regimes there are attempts to shape the electoral playing field in ways that can harm representation and accountability. This course examines several dimensions of election quality ranging from voter registration to campaigns to the reporting of results in countries across the globe. In the context of exploring election quality, the course will also investigate the nature of campaigns and election results in both authoritarian and democratic countries. In particular, we will consider campaign dynamics and strategy given institutional and regime constraints in a diverse set of countries across the globe

POL 380 - Symposium: Davidson in Washington

Section A
World Politics in American Politics
Ceka

In this seminar, we will explore how world politics, foreign actors, and events in the rest of the world influence American politics and policy. The course has two overarching goals. First, we will examine the role that domestic and foreign actors play in the making of American foreign policy by looking at lobbying efforts, think tank activity and diplomacy, and by studying cases such as the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, US-China relations, and conflicts in the Middle East. Second, we will explore the interplay between world politics and American politics by investigating the influence of foreign affairs in US elections and the power struggle between the President and Congress.

Section B
Identity in American Politics
Crowder-Meyer

One of the clearest findings across American politics scholarship is the power of party identity on political outcomes. Partisanship shapes how citizens behave, the outcome of elections, and what representatives do once in office. It is increasingly evident that many other identities influence American politics as well. In “Identity in American Politics,” we will investigate how identities such as gender, race, ethnicity, and region affect American politics and the outcomes of American government.

Satisfies a major requirement in Political Science.

POL 381 - Philanthropy and the Non-Profit Sector

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

POL 382 - Special Topic: Dilemmas of Ethics and Public Service

If you are interested in this seminar, know that pre-reregistration is by permission only.  To request permission to preregister, please write a one paragraph bio that includes your name, class, major or potential major,  and a 3-5 sentence explanation of why you want to take the course and why you would be an excellent contributor to the class. Send to Meg Sawicki mesawicki@davidson.edu using the subject line “Kristol seminar”. A committee will determine composition of the seminar. You will be contacted on April 4  notifying you whether you have a seat in the class. 

The course is open to all majors, and there are no pre-requisites.

POL 383 - Peruvian Political Thought since the Conquest (=HIS 362)

This seminar uses primary-source readings to explore the history of political ideas in Peru since the conquest, with an emphasis on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The course includes a wide range of Peruvian voices, including indigenous-, Spanish-, and African-descended Peruvians; women and men; leftists and rightists. It also includes multiple genres, including novels (several), works of formal political theory, indigenous oral histories, and distinctively Peruvian “traditions” (short works of historical fiction).

Satisfies the Historical Thought requirement.
Satisfies a requirement of the International Studies interdisciplinary minor.
Satisfies a requirement of the Latin American Studies interdisciplinary minor.
 

POL 384 - Psychology of Political Leadership

This course is interdisciplinary and uses concepts, theories and methodological approaches from psychology to explore political leadership and its many facets. It has three overarching goals. First, it will explore the factors that influence who becomes a political leader. Here the focus will be on how political leaders are chosen and socialized and what their motivations for seeking political office are. Second, this course will seek to understand how contextual factors and character traits affect leadership and decision making with a particular focus on how leaders’ personalities and experiences interact with their environment and affect their ability to govern accountably and effectively. Third, it will investigate how leaders relate to the public with a focus on the cognitive basis of this relationship and the role of persuasion.

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement

POL 385 - Independent Study

POL 385: Independent Study

POL 389 - Tutorial

POL 398 - Global Environmental Politics

Through in-depth case studies and research projects, this course introduces students to comparative and international perspectives on three major environmental challenges - climate change, biodiversity loss, and access to clean water.  Students will learn about the strengths and limitations of efforts by both governmental and non-governmental actors across a range of different countries and scales to tackle these challenges. 

Satisfies a major requirement in Environmental Studies.
Satisfies a major or interdisciplinary minor requirement in Communication Studies.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement

Prerequisites & Notes
Offered every other year, in rotation with POL 228.

POL 400 - Seminars in Political Theory, POL 400-419

A list of available seminars will be posted on the department webpage prior to each semester’s registration.

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of the instructor. Individual courses may have additional prerequisites. At least one seminar is offered in each sub-field every year.

POL 401 - Thucydides on Justice and War

This course investigates arguments for and against both political realism and political idealism through a study of the founder of classical realism, Thucydides.

.

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of the instructor required.

POL 402 - Kant, Liberalism, and Rights

A focused examination of Kant’s principal moral and political writings.

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.

POL 403 - Against Liberal Democracy

An examination of influential 19th and 20th century critiques of liberal democracy.

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.

POL 404 - Marxism and After

An examination seminal writings by Marx and Engels and their elaboration by later writers such as Lenin, Gramsci, Lukacs, Fanon, Mao and Marcuse.

Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.

POL 405 - Justice and the City

An examination of contemporary urban design and regional planning practices in light of normative debates about property rights, democracy, and federalism.

Satisfies a Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.

POL 406 - Religion, Politics, and Law

This course explores the perennial issue of the relation between religion, politics, and law (both human and divine), through a study of such thinkers as Plato and Montesquieu.

Satisfies a Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of the instructor required.

POL 407 - Liberalism, Feminism, and Manliness

An examination of the tensions between liberalism and feminism in the works of Wollstonecraft, Rousseau, Mill, Tocqueville, Mansfield, and de Beauvoir.

Satisfies a Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.

POL 408 - Special Topics in Political Theory

Given China’s current prominence in global affairs, there has been a recent revival of interest in what China might teach us about the nature of political life.  While many earlier interpreters regarded traditional Chinese political theories, most notably Confucianism, as an obstacle to economic and political modernization, some more recent political theorists have suggested that Chinese political thought offers a powerful alternative to modern Western thought.  In this course, we will seek to examine these debates through the careful study of both the central Chinese texts (in translation) and contemporary works in the field.  

In the first part of the course, we will examine the major schools of ancient Chinese political thought– Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism, and Mohism.  We will consider the ways in which each one responds to questions such as the following: what is the best way of life for human beings?  How does can particular policies or approaches to government help or hinder human wellbeing?  What forms of education support a flourishing community?  What is the place of the family in political life?  In the second part of the course, we will bring these theories, particularly Confucianism, into dialogue with contemporary Western political thought.  Here we will discuss, for example, the ways in which concepts such as democracy and human rights might be understood within a Confucian framework.  

POL 409 - Seminar: Modern Conservative Political Philosophy

The course explores the diverse intellectual currents of modern conservative philosophy, including close readings of signal writings by Hume, Burke, Hayek, Scruton and Sowell.

POL 410 - The Crisis of Liberal Democracy: Tocqueville and Nietzsche

Seminar: The Crisis of Liberal Democracy: Tocqueville and Nietzsche

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of instructor required.

POL 420 - Seminars in American Politics, POL 420-439

Seminar topics vary. See class schedule for current offerings.

POL 421 - Judicial Politics

This seminar provides an introduction to the study of the law and courts in American politics.   This includes examination of courts as policy-shaping institutions, the motivation and behavior of judges, and the political contexts of courts and judging.  The readings draw on current and classic work in political science and law and represents a range of theoretical and methodological perspectives.  Courts and judges sit at the intersection of law and politics in the U.S.  This seminar is particularly suited for students interested in understanding and studying this connection.      

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of the instructor required.

POL 422 - Political Communication

This seminar examines the use and effectiveness of different rhetorical and communication strategies in contemporary politics, from campaigns and elections and policy debates to crisis management and new media.

Satisfies a major or interdisciplinary minor requirement in Communication Studies.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

Prerequisites & Notes
Methods & Statistics in Political Science (POL 201) and permission of the instructor required.

POL 423 - Politics of Reproduction

This seminar examines political and policy questions regarding reproductive politics such as contraception, access to abortion, eugenics, artificial reproductive technology, egg donation, sperm banking, stem cell technology, sex education and surrogacy.  The politics of reproduction touches on nearly all avenues of politics: policymaking, public opinion, framing, activism, legislation, constitutional questions, and elections.

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Satisfies a requirement in the Gender and Sexuality Studies major and minor (Society & Politics Track).

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of the instructor required.

POL 424 - Women in American Politics

This seminar explores the role of gender in American politics, specifically how gender affects the political activities of American residents, political candidates, and elected officeholders. Students analyze differences in men’s and women’s political participation, party affiliations, political attitudes, and campaign strategies and styles. Students also investigate why women remain substantially underrepresented in positions of political power and consider the implications of gender inequality in political officeholding.

Counts toward the major in Political Science.
Satisfies a requirement in the Society and Politics track of the Gender and Sexuality Studies major and minor.
Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.

Prerequisites & Notes
POL 182

POL 425 - Seminar: US Constitution

This seminar is a deep dive into the legal and political document at the foundation of the United States.  Working through the Constitution, from beginning to end, we will examine core debates around different provisions and amendments and evaluate the degree to which popular understanding of American democracy squares with the Constitution and its history.  Emphasis will be on how social, political, and historical forces interacted to influence the content of the document, its interpretation, and its place in the political and social life of the United States. 

POL 428 - Public Opinion/Survey Research

This course examines how to conduct survey/public opinion research and explores how public opinion informs American Politics. Topics will include how to conceptualize and measure public opinion, the origins of public opinions, the nature of mass opinion for specific policy areas, and how public opinion informs the policy making process.  Students will also learn the fundaments of survey research.

 

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of the instructor required.

POL 430 - The Politics of Youth

This seminar examines contemporary youth political participation in the United States. We will consider the historical, social, and economic forces that influence the politics of young people and how these forces compare with the formative experiences of earlier political generations. We will also explore the public policies, the political attitudes, and the ideological worldviews that shape youth political behavior today and study the role of institutions and organizations (e.g. political parties, social movements, organized religion, schools) in helping to form political identity and mobilize political action. Finally, this class looks at how contributions of youth politics - the embrace of novel forms of political expression, the employment of new venues for politics, and the centering of previously marginalized voices – are impacting the present and future of American politics.   

POL 434 - Political Psychology

The goal of political science is to explain why citizens engage in certain types of political behavior, and how citizens think about politics. Psychology offers a way to explain how and why individuals behave the way they do. This course considers the role of personality, emotions, stereotypes, and group dynamics in politics, campaigns, and voting. We will learn about key psychology concepts, apply these concepts to politics, and investigate how experimental methods can identify the psychology behind politics.

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of the instructor required.

POL 435 - (In)Justice in America

This seminar is an exploration of the concept of justice in the United States.  The course has three primary components:  Theory, practice, and challenges.  We begin by examining notions of justice, their origins, and development over time.  We will also look at the mechanics of the justice system in the United States and how the justice system attempts to live up to ideals of justice and fairness.  Finally, we address issues that arise when people and institutions fail to live up to those ideals. 

Satisfies a requirement in the Political Science major.
Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.

POL 440 - European Integration

The European Union (EU) is one of the world’s most ambitious experiments in governance. Consequently, it is both one of the most complex and intriguing international organizations to study and understand. In this course, we will review the history of European integration and we will investigate in detail the main institutions of the EU and how they relate to one another. We will also explore some of the most important current debates revolving around the EU, including the role of public opinion and identity politics for European integration, the ‘democratic deficit’ and the most recent global financial crisis.

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of the instructor required.

POL 441 - The Rise of China

This course offers advanced students an opportunity to explore contemporary Chinese politics, economics, and society in detail.

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of the instructor required.

POL 442 - Social Movements and Revolutions

Why do groups of people who have been quiescent for decades, all of a sudden take to the streets to oppose their regimes, often risking their lives to do so? Why do regimes that had survived wars and remained stable, suddenly collapse under popular pressure? Why do some movements last and succeed in their goals, while other fizzle and fail? In this seminar we will provide answers to these questions, by analyzing the causes and changing meanings of revolutions, social movements, contentious politics, and activism.

We will start by looking at how the French Revolution in the 18th century defined the meaning of revolution in the modern world and how it was transformed by the revolutionary events in 1968 and then 1989.  We will then continue with alternative trajectories and neglected histories such as the Haitian Revolution and contentious politics in 18^th century China, as well as more contemporary revolutions in post-Soviet states and the Middle East. Given that today we are living in another age of world-wide political activism, ultimately the goal of this course is to develop informed theoretical analyses of the meanings and practices of revolutions and social movements both in the past and in our own times.

Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.

 

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of the instructor required.

POL 443 - Political Islam

This course examines how modern Islam, from the middle of the nineteenth century to today, “became” political. It explores the role of theology and domestic and international politics in the development of Islamic movements, political parties, Islamic jihad, and Islamic rule in various countries. It also focuses on contemporary issues - the relationship between Islam and democracy, the rise of violent non-state groups, and global responses to them.

Satisfies a major requirement in Political Science

Satisfies a minor requirement in Arab Studies

Satisfies an interdisciplinary minor requirement in Middle East Studies

Satisfies an interdisciplinary minor requirement in International Studies

Satisfies the Cultural Diversity requirement

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of the instructor required.

POL 444 - Nationalism

How is the nation constructed? How is nationalism used by different groups and for what purposes? What role does nationalism play in creating political rights or basis for exclusion? This seminar examines the complex relationship between the nation and the state by studying examples from different parts of the world and across time. Using theories of nationalism, identity formation, and state-building we will explore the role that nationalism plays in the creation and fragmentation of states as well as the delineation of political communities. On the one hand, nationalism has the power to crystallize collective identities and provide the overriding basis for self-determination of groups, which can strengthen the state. On the other hand, when national identity is disputed domestically or various groups do not identify with the state, nationalism becomes a source of state disintegration and conflict, oftentimes leading to ethnically motivated political strife and even civil war. 

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of instructor required.

POL 445 - Corruption and Development

This seminar explores the relationship between corruption and development. Does corruption impede development? If so, what if anything can be done about it? We examine differences in conceptualization and measurement of corruption, explore cases of corruption in politics and the bureaucracy, explore concepts such as state capture, patronage, and clientelism, and assess various types of anti-corruption measures and reforms.
 

Satisfies a major requirement in Political Science.

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of instructor required.

POL 446 - Comparative Youth Politics

Around the world, young people are mobilizing to make their voices heard. From Hong Kong to North Africa, youth are protesting political and economic conditions; meanwhile their counterparts in Europe and North America are organizing climate strikes and other actions. In addition to direct action, youth are working to advance their ideas through electoral politics and in non-governmental organizations. This course will look at youth politics both conceptually and empirically. What does it mean to be young? How are youth different from other categories of citizens? How are youth excluded and marginalized, politically, socially, and economically, and what strategies are available to them for resisting and adapting to states that all to often ignore them? The course will focus on cases outside North America, but students will apply the concepts and theories we have studied to individual research projects on youth politics in the US and other countries of which they have direct experience.

Satisfies Political Science major requirement.
Satisfies Justice, Equality and Community requirement.

POL 447 - Seminar: Election Reform

This seminar examines current issues related to voting and elections in the United States.  Perspectives from other countries will be explored as well. Students will read about and discuss how the consequences of election design choices influences who votes, when they vote, why they vote, and how they vote. They will both analyze arguments about voter suppression, voter fraud, gerrymandering, and other perceived electoral problems and deliberate about proposed reforms to America’s electoral system, including vote-by-mail, ranked choice voting, proportional representation, and more.

POL 448 - Seminar: Rise and Fall of Democracy

What is democracy and why do we care about this form of government? What explains recent democratic erosion around the globe? How can we strengthen the resiliency of our democracies? This seminar explores the rise and fall of democracy by studying its origins and spread over time across the world. Using theories of democratic transition and consolidation, we will first trace the spread of democracy in the last one hundred years and explain its enduring appeal. We will then turn to theories of democratic erosion to explain the causes and consequences of democratic erosion. The focus is comparative, and we will investigate case studies from various regions of the world. We will explore various themes including populism and demagoguery, the role of truth in democratic societies, corruption, economic inequality, and polarization. At the end of the course, we will discuss remedies to democratic erosion and examine the role that civil society, protest groups, and democratic opposition can play in its reversal.  

POL 452 - Leaders vs. Entrepreneurs

This course examines the characteristics of great leaders and successful entrepreneurs, and the roles they play in politics and society.  Building on insights from political science, economics, and psychology, students use different theories and concepts, such as social entrepreneurship and transformative leadership, to analyze individuals as diverse as Jane Goodall, Steve Jobs, and Teddy Roosevelt.

Satisfies a major requirement in Political Science.
Satisfies depth and breadth course requirement in Social Science track of the Environmental Studies major or interdisciplinary minor.
Satisfies a Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

 

Prerequisites & Notes
Offered every other year, in rotation with POL 472.
Permission of the instructor required.

POL 462 - Humanitarian Intervention

An exploration of the politics, policies, debates, and controversies surrounding humanitarian interventionism, including emergency relief operations, refugee politics, UN peace operations, and emerging global norms and enforcement mechanisms on war crimes, war economies, and human rights violations. Case studies of interventions in the name of humanitarian principles in countries such as Bosnia, Somalia, South Sudan, Haiti, and East Timor will be explored to complement thematic readings.

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of the instructor required.

POL 463 - International Organizations

There is a proliferation of international organizations covering domains from economic regulation to security to political norms. Many of these organizations are well-known including the United Nations, African Union, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and European Union while others may be lesser known including the Economic Community of West African States, Mercosur, and Association of Southeast Asian Nations. These international organizations have varying aspirations ranging from facilitating transactions between states to transnational political unification and federation. The course considers how and why international organizations have proliferated and evolved and their influence on political, economic, and security outcomes. The course will approach the study comparatively by examining the similarities and differences between international organizations and considering the interaction between domestic politics and international organizations, particularly for organizations with political (e.g., democracy and governance) and distributional (e.g., trade) consequences. In addition to organizations comprised of states, the course will also examine the role of international non-governmental organizations.

Satisfies a requirement for the Political Science major.

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of the instructor.

POL 464 - Causes of War

There is hardly a more important topic in international relations than causes of war. What causes war? Why do groups of people systematically kill other groups of people? What do we need to know to prevent war if possible, and prepare for it when necessary? Is it possible to prevent war (or prepare for it) if it is often caused by accidents, miscalculation, and misperception? These are questions that this course will examine.
 

The first part of the course will examine prominent paradigms and theories about the causes of war. In the second part we will focus on specific cases of war. The third part will be dedicated to developing your own analysis of a historical case (or cases) of your choosing.

Satisfies Political Science major requirement.
Satisfies Cultural Diversity requirement

Prerequisites & Notes
Prerequisite-POL 161

POL 468 - International Law and Human Rights

The world celebrated the seventieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) last year. The UDHR enshrines many important rights, including the freedom of expression, freedom from arbitrary arrest and torture, non-discrimination, access to social security, and the ability of citizens to choose their government - to name just a few. The UDHR is just one form that international law takes. There are many other sanctioned treaties, charters, and protocols that comprise international law, such as the European Convention on Human Rights and African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. This seminar explores these critical documents and the associated institutions (e.g., International Criminal Court) that comprise international law. In doing so, we will address one of the major questions in international relations: does international law shape international and domestic behavior and outcomes? We will also consider a wide range of case studies that involve international conflict and security and domestic politics (e.g., activism and elections).

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of the instructor required.

POL 472 - Citizens vs. Consumers

Satisfies depth and breadth course requirement in Social Science track of the Environmental Studies major or interdisciplinary minor.
Satisfies a major or interdisciplinary minor requirement in Communication Studies.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

Prerequisites & Notes
Offered every other year, in rotation with POL 471.
Permission of the instructor required.

POL 485 - Advanced Independent Study

POL 488 - Honors Thesis

EDU 234 - Child Psychopathology

An overview of the psychological disorders of childhood, including their description, classification, etiology, assessment and treatment.  Emphasis will be placed on the theoretical and empirical bases of these disorders, focusing on relevant research methods and findings as well as case history material. 

Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Educational Studies minor credit.
Public Health minor credit.
Psychology Major credit (Clinical column)

Prerequisites & Notes
PSY 101

PSY 101 - General Psychology

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

PSY 195 - Independent Study

PSY 200 - Research Design and Statistics: 1

This course will introduce students to scientific thinking, with a specific focus on how scientific understanding manifests in psychology, neuroscience, and interdisciplinary research across the social sciences. In this foundational course, students will develop skills important for advanced PSY courses (e.g., consumption, evaluation, and communication of data in various forms). Course content will address the following questions in the context of psychological science: 1) What is scientific knowledge, 2) How do we design, test, and formalize research questions, and 3) Current issues (e.g., ethics, replicability, diversity/inclusion/belonging). Emphasis will be placed on interpreting and communicating psychological science (visual and oral presentation of data, APA style, etc.). Students will be introduced to quantitative analysis and statistical programming. In this course, students will develop knowledge of historical and current systems of bias that arise in psychological science, as well as develop skills to design and critique psychological research using a critical lens. Furthermore, students will learn how to reduce bias through methodology, design, and statistical thinking. Lastly, students will practice reimagining scientific inquiry from an inclusive framework, contextualizing the way that psychology asks questions in comparison to other science and social science disciplines.

Satisfies Psychology major requirement.
Satisfies Social Scientific Thought Ways if Knowing requirement.
Satisfies Justice, Equality and Community requirement.

 

Prerequisites & Notes
PSY 101

PSY 220 - Health Psychology

Health Psychology uses the biopsychosocial approach to examine how psychological factors influence health and how they can be used to change health behaviors.   Specific emphasis will be placed on pain, chronic illness, nicotine use, and obesity.  This class also includes a community-based learning experience.

Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Public Health interdisciplinary minor credit

Prerequisites & Notes
PSY 101 or permission of the instructor.

PSY 231 - Abnormal Psychology

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.

Prerequisites & Notes
Psychology 101.