POLS241 Introduction to Global Politics
This course is an introduction to the field of global politics, also known as international relations. It focuses on a variety of interconnected topics, including the development of the nation-state system and political interactions among countries over issues of war and peace, human rights, and economic and environmental policies. We also explore the evolution and work of international institutions such as the United Nations and the World Bank, and non-governmental international organizations such as environmental and human rights groups. This course is cross-listed with GLOB241.
Session Cycle: Fall and Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual
POLS256 Government and Society in America
This is an introductory course about the role of U.S. government in American society. After tracing the development of the U.S. Constitution, the course surveys a range of topics including Congress, the presidency, the Supreme Court, federalism, political parties and elections, interest groups, civil liberties, and civil rights. Contemporary domestic policy debates are also covered.
Session Cycle: Fall and Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual
POLS290 Honors: Politics of the Global System
This honors course explores the current global political system. It examines major historical developments that shaped the actors and power distribution of the current system. Next, it explores competing international relations theories that attempt to explain the main motivations and realities guiding the behavior of actors in the system. Then, it focuses on contemporary issues with global implications. Subsequently, it examines recent and future challenges faced by particular key actors in the system as they attempt to shape the global system of the future. It concludes by returning to the system level to consider the prospects for global cultural clashes or peace through globalization. Students receiving credit for GLOB241/POLS241, Introduction to Global Politics, cannot receive credit for this course. This course is cross-listed with GLOB290.
Prerequisite: Honors program or permission of the honors program coordinator.
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Odd Year
POLS291 Honors: Contemporary American Politics
This honors course covers the ideas and historical factors that shaped the formation and evolution of the U.S. political system. It examines the main governmental and non-governmental players in the contemporary policy-making system and how they interact to create policy decisions. It explores some key ongoing policy debates. Additionally, it goes beyond book knowledge to examine contemporary, practical politics throughout the semester. Students receiving credit for POLS256, Government and Society in America, cannot receive credit for this class.
Prerequisite: Honors program or permission of the honors coordinator.
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Even Year
POLS351 United States Foreign Policy
Students in this course survey the instruments, implementation, and issues of U.S. foreign policy. Students will learn about America’s rise to power and its current role in the world with a focus both on how foreign policy is made and Post WWII U.S. involvements overseas.
Prerequisite: POLS256 or POLS291 or GLOB241/POLS241 or GLOB290/POLS290
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual
POLS353 Political Parties and Elections
This course covers the history of party politics, party organization, nominations and elections, voting, and the role of pressure groups, public opinion, and the media in the national electoral process. The course is offered in the fall semester of even numbered years when congressional and/or presidential elections take place.
Prerequisite: POLS256 or POLS291 or GLOB241/POLS241 or GLOB290/POLS290
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Even Year
POLS361 Government and Citizens Around the Globe
This course examines government/citizen interactions in various countries around the world. Topics include the historical evolution of modern democracies, different governmental and citizen participation processes within today’s democratic countries, historical and contemporary non-democratic systems, and the processes of political and economic liberalization in authoritarian countries.
Prerequisite: POLS256 or POLS291 or GLOB241/POLS241 or GLOB290/POLS290
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Varies
POLS363 Latin American Politics
Students explore the social and political foundations of Latin American societies, and their contemporary political institutions and practices. This course focuses on the varying roles played by political culture, the main political actors, foreign intervention, and developmental issues in Latin American politics.
Prerequisite: POLS256 or POLS291 or GLOB241/POLS241 or GLOB290/POLS290
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Varies
POLS364 Politics of West Europe and the European Union
We shall examine the processes of European integration including political, fiscal, and economic problems of the European Union.
Prerequisite: POLS256 or POLS291 or GLOB241/POLS241 or GLOB290/POLS29
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Varies
POLS365 The Middle East in War and Peace
After tracing the rise of Arabism and Islam, this course examines how the modern Middle East was shaped by the influence of European colonialism. It then examines recent regional conflicts and their resolution, including: the Arab/Israeli wars, the Palestinian uprising, the Iran-Iraq war, and the Gulf war.
Prerequisite: POLS256 or POLS291 or GLOB241/POLS241 or GLOB290/POLS290
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Even Year
POLS385 Special Topics: The Politics of Government and Business in America
What is the relationship that exists between government and business in the United States? In this course, we will use this question as a starting-point from which to undertake a critical examination of this relationship as it exists today, to consider where it might be heading in the future, and to generate conclusions about its potential implications — both political and economic. We will explore this relationship from three distinct perspectives. First, we will examine the ways in which government and politics influence business and the economy through public policy, with a particular focus on fiscal and monetary policy, the federal budget, trade, regulation, and entitlement spending. In the second section of the course, we will turn to the means by which business interests influence American government and politics, specifically through campaign contributions and lobbying. We will conclude the semester by again shifting our perspective, this time toward considerations of the larger political and economic impact of public/private partnerships between government and business. In addition to studying why and how this issue has become increasingly significant and controversial in recent decades, we will specifically explore the effect that it has had, and continues to have, on two issues: the War in Iraq and the delivery of social services here at home. The prerequisite for this course is POLS256.
POLS391 Political Science Internship
Students engage in individually-supervised work study arrangements and learn to apply political science theory and principles in their work environment. Students must work at least ten hours per week on the job, meet periodically with a supervising faculty member, research literature related to the field of the internship, and prepare a substantive report on their internship experience and the studies involved.
Prerequisite: POLS256 or POLS291 or GLOB241/POLS241 or GLOB290/POLS290; junior/senior standing; approval of a supervising faculty member and the department chair.
POLS456 The Presidency in Modern American Politics
The image of the presidency today as the centerpiece of the American political system is very different than the one originally outlined in the U.S. Constitution. What has brought about this change? How has this transformation impacted the separation of powers and the respective roles of Congress and the Supreme Court? What does the popular image of the president as “chief decider” signify for a democratic system of government? These questions and more guide this course’s exploration of the presidency in modern American politics.
Prerequisite: POLS256 or POLS291 or GLOB241/POLS241 or GLOB290/POLS290
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Varies
POLS462 International Relations
In this course students analyze the nature of the modern nation/state system, and the resultant struggle for power, including power politics, balance of power, and war and peace. This course covers the bases and limitations of national power as well as international law, international organization, and diplomacy.
Prerequisite: POLS256 or POLS291 or GLOB241/POLS241 or GLOB290/POLS290
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual
POLS464 Political Ideologies – Old and New
This course examines first the conflicting political philosophies of liberalism, conservatism, and Marxism which shaped the development of Western democracies and the former Communist countries, and then considers modern ideological debates over third world nationalism, environmentalism, and feminism.
Prerequisite: POLS256 or POLS291 or GLOB241/POLS241 or GLOB290/POLS290
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Even Year
POLS471 Russian and East European Politics
This course offers an integrated look at East European and Russian politics primarily for juniors and seniors. We look at Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and the former “East Germany” (ex-GDR), Hungary, and Poland. We also consider the Balkans including ex-Yugoslav successor states. Finally, we examine Russian domestic and foreign policy concentrating on the post-Soviet period.
Prerequisite: POLS256 or POLS291 or GLOB241/POLS241 or GLOB290/POLS290
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Varies
POLS481 Politics of Third World Development
This course focuses on the issues confronting Third World countries as they struggle to achieve the advanced economic and democratic political systems of the more industrialized nations of the North. After examining the historical roots of the North/South economic gap, we consider the relationship between how a country’s political system influences its choice of development strategies, and what factors help or hinder countries’ evolution from authoritarian to democratic government. The significance of gender and ethnic discrimination for Third World politics is also covered. Students will apply the theories presented in class to one or more countries for in-depth study.
Prerequisite: POLS256 or POLS291 or GLOB241/POLS241 or GLOB290/POLS290
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Odd Year
POLS483 Politics of International Economic Relations
This course focuses on the role of individual country governments, official international economic organizations, and globally-oriented non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the international economic system. It examines conflict and cooperation among nations, as well as interactions between countries and international institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization, as they engage in the management of trade, investment flows, exchange rates, debt, and the global environment. It also considers politics within individual countries as they affect that country’s international economic policies, looking at governmental relations with business, labor associations and other non-governmental organizations as these impact trade policies, exchange rates, and the regulation of multinational corporations’ overseas operations.
Prerequisite: POLS256 or POLS291 or GLOB241/POLS241 or GLOB290/POLS290
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Varies
POLS485 Comparative Politics of the Middle East and North Africa
This course focuses on the contemporary political systems of the developing countries of the Middle East, including Iran and the Arab countries of northern Africa, the Fertile Crescent, and the Persian Gulf. We will explore, from a comparative perspective, the internal politics of these countries, focusing on the relationship between government and opposition forces, the reasons for the persistence of authoritarian rule, the role of Islam in politics, the governments’ role in their countries’ economies, and the relationship between gender, family, and the state.
POLS490 Seminar in Politics and Law
This seminar is designed as an interdisciplinary capstone course for students in the Politics and Law major. It will include an in-depth examination of a selected theme in politics and law. Each student will work intensively with the instructor to complete a major research project on a topic of their choice, which will be presented to the entire seminar. This course is cross-listed with LGLS490.
Prerequisite: Politics and Law major and senior standing
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual
POLS497 Directed Study in Politics
This course is an opportunity for students to do independent, in-depth study or research for academic credit. The student works on an individual basis under the direction of a member of the political science faculty. The main requirement of the course is the development of a substantial paper or project.
Prerequisite: varies by topic