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Political Science offers courses in four subfields: American politics (AMER), comparative politics (COMP), political philosophy and theory (TH), and international relations (IR). Each subfield has a 100-level introductory course. The 100- level courses can be taken in any order. The 200- and 300-level courses are of equivalent difficulty, although the 300- level courses tend to focus on more specialized topics. The 400-level seminars are limited to junior and senior political science majors. Political Science offers a disciplinary major and minor. All courses must be completed with a grade of C- or better in order to be credited toward the major.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR (B.A.)
disciplinary, 10 courses
Two introductory courses from among POL 110, POL 140, POL 160 and POL 180; a group of four courses organized around a theme or focus, as approved by the adviser; a seminar each in the junior and senior years; and two additional political science courses. Of those ten courses, there should be at least one course in each of the four subfields (American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory). Except for seminars, no more than four courses in any one subfield count toward the major.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINOR
disciplinary, 5 courses
Five political science courses in at least three separate subfields (American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory), three of which must be at the 200-level or higher.
COURSE CONCENTRATIONS
Note: Some courses serve more than one subfield. Seminars do not count toward subfields.
American Politics Subfield
POL 110 Introduction to American Politics
POL 204 Modern American Conservatism
POL 207 Governing through Crime
POL 212 The Sixties
POL 215 Racial and Ethnic Politics
POL 221 Voting and Elections
POL 222 Political Parties
POL 224 American Congress
POL 225 American Presidency
POL 229 State and Local Government
POL 236 Urban Politics and Public Policy
POL 238 Sex and Power
POL 249 Protests, Movements, Revolutions
POL 270 African-American Political Thought
POL 320 Mass Media
POL 328 Environmental Policy
POL 332 American Constitutional Law
POL 333 Civil Rights
POL 334 Civil Liberties
POL 335 Law and Society
Comparative Politics Subfield
POL 140 Introduction to Comparative Politics
POL 202 Politics of Afghanistan
POL 243 Europe after Communism
POL 245 Politics of the New Europe
POL 248 Politics of Development
POL 249 Protests, Movements, Revolutions
POL 254 Globalization
POL 255 Politics of Latin American Development
POL 257 Russia/China Unraveled
POL 258 Comparative Politics of the Middle East
POL 259 African Politics
POL 281 Politics of South Asia
POL 312 Political Reform in the Middle East
POL 348 Racism and Hatreds
International Relations Subfield
POL 180 Introduction to International Relations
POL 202 Politics of Afghanistan
POL 248 Politics of Development
POL 254 Globalization
POL 280 Contemporary International Relations
POL 281 Politics of South Asia
POL 283 Terrorism
POL 285 International Politics of the Middle East
POL 290 American Foreign Policy
POL 296 International Law
POL 312 Political Reform in the Middle East
POL 380 Theories of International Relations
POL 387 States and Markets
POL 394 Identity and International Relations
Political Theory Subfield
POL 160 Introduction to Political Theory
POL 175 Introduction to Feminist Theory
POL 264 Legal Theory
POL 265 Modern Political Theory
POL 266 Contemporary Political Theory
POL 267 Twentieth Century Political Theory
POL 270 African-American Political Thought
POL 279 Radical Thought from Karl Marx to George Bush
POL 310 Feminist Legal Theory
POL 363 Digital Networks
POL 366 Theories of American Democracy
POL 375 Feminist Legal Theory
POL 379 Radical Thought, Left and Right
Methods Courses
POL 261 Quantitative Research Methods in Political Science
POL 263 Problems and Methods in the Study of Politics
CROSSLISTED COURSES
PPOL 219 Sexual Minority Movements and Public Policy
PPOL 328 Environmental Policy
PPOL 364 Social Policy and Community Activism
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
110 Introduction to American Politics This course examines the capability of the American political system to respond to the needs of all its citizens. It looks at historical origins, basic institutions, distribution of power, popular influence, political parties, social movements, the relationship of capitalism to democracy, and inequalities based on class, race, and gender. (Deutchman, Johnson, Lucas, Passavant, offered each semester; subfield: AMER)
140 Introduction to Comparative World Politics An ambitious introductory course aimed at teaching students both basic political concepts—such as individualism and communitarianism, tradition and modernity, right and left, fascism and communism, democracy and capitalism—as well as the fundamentals of various political systems throughout the world. Students look at the impact of westernization, modernization, nationalism, racism, class conflicts, foreign intervention, and globalization and anti-globalization as they try to figure out just why it is that the world's political systems are organized the way they are. (Ost, Philbrick Yadav, offered each semester; subfield: COMP)
160 Introduction to Political Theory This course reads classical political theory from the Ancient Greeks through the early modern period in England. The class introduces students to some of the major themes through which politics and political life have been understood. Beginning with Thucydides, it examines the virtues and values of the ancient world with attention to the dilemma between justice and expediency. Continuing with Plato and Aristotle, it considers justice, reason, and the good in the context of life in the polis. The course ends with the challenges Machiavelli's and Hobbes' notions of power present for the presumption of an original human sociality, for the emergence of liberal ideals of individual autonomy and national sovereignty. (Dean, offered annually; subfield: TH)
175 Introduction to Feminist Theory This course introduces students to key ideas in American feminist thought. Juxtaposing the concerns motivating first, second, and third wave feminists, the course highlights changes in the politics of bodies, gender, and identities. How is it, for example, that some second wave feminists sought to politicize housework while contemporary feminists are more likely to concern themselves with complex articulations of sexuality, pleasure, and autonomy? The course situates these changes within their social, economic, and historical contexts. Course materials include films, popular culture, memoirs, and novels as well as important texts in feminist theory. (Dean, offered occasionally; subfield: TH)
180 Introduction to International Relations As a broad introduction to the study of international relations (IR), this course is designed to give students an understanding of the basic concepts of world politics, an appreciation of the evolution of the current state system, and a sampling of various approaches and theories of IR. Readings come from primary documents as well as a standard text. The course is grounded in an awareness of current events. Students examine how the lens used to view the world shapes understanding of the world, its problems, and possible solutions. (Dunn, Yadav, offered every semester; subfield: IR)
202 Politics of Afghanistan This course examines the history and politics of Afghanistan from the emergence of the modern state to the present. The course will illuminate the complex interrelationship between a range of contending and complementary social identities, institutions, ideologies, personalities, and social movements in the Afghan polity. Students will gain an understanding of the domestic, regional, and structural causes and consequences of Afghanistan's revolutions and conflicts since 1973. (Yadav, offered alternative years; subfields: COMP, IR)
204 Modern American Conservatism One of the most significant factors in American politics over the last 40 years has been the rise of the Right in the United States. Although there has long been a tradition of an active Right in the U.S., it was for the most part politically marginalized. Over the last 25 years it has been increasingly successful and influential. This is especially true for the Religious Right or Christian Right. What happens to the post-William Buckley, post- Ronald Reagan Right will be a major focus of this course. (Deutchman, offered annually; subfield: AMER)
207 Governing Through Crime Over the last thirty years, the United States has experienced an exponential rise in both the numbers of people incarcerated and the rate of incarceration. Some analysts are beginning to see comparisons between the U.S. and the Soviet gulag or apartheid South Africa in terms of the percent of the population imprisoned. Until the 1970s, criminal justice policy was seen as the domain of policy experts, while courts increasingly sought to protect the due process rights of those accused of crimes. At the end of this era, the administration of the death penalty was declared unconstitutional and considered to be anachronistic, if not "barbaric." Then something changed. Today, it is said, we are a society that governs through crime. (Passavant, offered alternate years; subfield: AMER)
212 The Sixties "The Sixties" is commonly memorialized as a period of radical social, political and cultural change in the United States. This course examines the origins of the various social movements—civil rights, black power, anti-war, women's liberation—which characterized the decade and assesses their impact on the late 20th century American political landscape. By engaging primary materials, sociological studies and autobiography, students are asked to offer critical analysis of the era's many leaders, organizations and ideas. Additionally, this course addresses the character of conservative responses to the egalitarian overtures of Sixties oppositional movements and public policy changes. (Johnson, offered alternate years; subfield:AMER)
215 Racial and Ethnic Politics This course examines the historical and contemporary relationship between ethnic minority and majority groups in the American political system. The course looks at the use and effectiveness of political and social power in shaping American race relations and the ability of alternative methods to change those relations. The focus of the course is largely on the relationship between U.S. society and African-Americans, but Asian-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and Native Americans are also covered. (Johnson, offered annually; subfield: AMER)
221 Voting and Elections This course studies both the operation of elections and the role of public opinion in shaping the government of the United States. It examines historical and contemporary patterns of voting and explores the expansion and limitation of suffrage in the political process. (Lucas, offered alternate years, subfield AMER)
222 Political Parties Despite early skepticism and modern contempt, political parties have become integral components of the American political process. This course examines the historical and contemporary functions of American political parties in comparison to other democratic nations. It outlines the operational, functional, and electoral factors that shape the American party system. The course further examines the role and challenges of third parties in the U.S. (Lucas, offered annually, subfield AMER)
224 The American Congress This course examines Congress as a major institution within the American political system. It studies the constitutional, theoretical, and practical behavior of members of the legislative branch in relation to American public policy, other political institutions, and the American public at large. Particular attention is devoted to influences on congressional behavior. (Lucas, offered annually, subfield AMER)
225 The American Presidency This course examines presidential powers from both historical and contemporary perspectives. It places the presidency within the broader analytical context of James MacGregor Burns' notion of "the deadlock of democracy," and assesses whether the office of the presidency has the power needed to translate presidential objectives into public policy during a time of resource scarcity. Finally, it assesses proposed policy recommendations for constitutional and procedural reform. (Staff, offered alternate years; subfield: AMER)
229 State and Local Government This course is concerned with the structures, functions, and politics of state governments. It highlights the similarities and differences that characterize the 50 states. It examines the historical and constitutional roles of the states, the role of the states in the federal system, and variations among the states in regard to economic characteristics, citizen attitudes, voter participation, political parties, and public policy. (Staff, offered occasionally; subfield: AMER)
236 Urban Politics and Public Policy This is one of the core courses in the urban studies program. Among the topics examined are the structure of urban governments, urban service delivery, the concentration of power in urban settings, the urban fiscal crisis, and relations between city, state, and national governments. (Johnson, offered annually; subfield: AMER)
238 Sex and Power The overwhelmingly male bias in the American political system raises fundamental questions about equity, justice, and the representation of all interests. The feminist movement, in an attempt to answer some of these questions, has in effect redefined politics itself, fundamentally altering the terms of the debate. This course uses the framework that "the personal is political" to critique the American political system from a variety of feminist perspectives. Specifically, the course focuses on the issues of the sexual revolution, rape and pornography, and the sexuality debates within the feminist community. (Deutchman, offered annually; subfield: AMER)
243 Eastern Europe in Transition An old Chinese curse says "May you live in interesting times!" East Europeans have, living through all the great (and awful) "isms" of the last century up to postcommunist global capitalism today. Because of all these changes, studying Eastern Europe is the perfect laboratory for understanding political change in general. The course begins with the region's status as the peripheral part of Europe, and then explores independence, nationalism, and the appeal of communism. We explore why communism fell, focusing on the Solidarity experience in Poland, and then look at the revolutions of 1989, the dilemmas of democratization, the wars in Yugoslavia, economic privatization, the evolution of civil society, and entry into the European Union. Is Eastern Europe still different from the west? Will the new unity survive? We end with a consideration of the growing importance of the east to Europe as a whole. (Ost, offered occasionally; subfield: COMP)
245 Politics of the New Europe This course studies the evolution of postwar Europe—from radicalism to globalism, the welfare state to Blairist Thatcherism, Stalinism to the fall of the Berlin wall, American domination to the rise of the European Union. The focus of the course is the rise and fall of class politics. It explores what capitalism and socialism have meant to Europe and contrasts European with U.S. politics. Topics include the crisis of prewar Europe, Keynesianism and communism, the meaning of 1968, radicalism, populism, the new right, and the New Europe. (Ost, offered alternate years; subfield: COMP)
248 Politics of Development This course examines contending historical and contemporary explanations for the phenomenon of entrenched global poverty and critically assesses proposed policy solutions to ending absolute poverty in our time. The courses contrast micro-level approaches, which seek to build an "inclusive capitalism" through the extension of property rights and the enhancement of individual capacity, with macro-level approaches that seek to restructure the international regime on debt relief and international development organizations. (Yadav, offered alternate years; subfields: IR, COMP)
249 Protest Politics in Comparative Perspective This is a course in "unconventional" politics around the globe. In recent years, movements have become an inexorable part of the current political system. What are movements? How and why do they come about? What are their aims and purposes? How have movements changed over the past century? Why and when do movements become revolutions? Topics include the Russian Revolution, the lure of communism, the civil rights movement in the U.S., the struggle against communism in Eastern Europe, transnational social movements, and the "alternative globalization" movement. The course also includes theoretical social science readings on the causes, nature, and consequences of protests and movements. (Ost, offered alternate years; subfields: AMER, COMP)
254 Globalization This course looks at five themes: global economics, global migration, global civil society, global human rights, and global institutions. Students examine how international mobility of both capital and labor transforms both lives and politics, and in different ways in different places. Questions include: Why do jobs and people go abroad? Who does it help and who does it hurt? What are the politics of the Caribbean nanny in the middle-class New York home? How does globalization weaken the state and why is that so dangerous for democracy? Can transnational civil activism make things better? Can the UN or World Bank do a better job? Do "global human rights" exist? Should they? (Ost, Yadav, offered alternate years; subfields: COMP, IR)
255 The Politics of Latin American Development This course examines how politics in Latin American countries have been shaped by their differing historical role in supplying raw materials for First World consumption, tracing how the production of various crops (coffee, bananas, wheat) or goods (tin, beef) have led countries to develop different social structures and corresponding political systems. It also considers how recent efforts by social groups (women, indigenous people) to gain a greater voice in government have been both inspired and impeded by neoliberal reforms. (Staff, offered alternate years; subfield: COMP)
257 Russia/China From Communism to Capitalism This course explores the evolution and transformation of these two great powers over the last century. Students begin with trying to understand communism through a close look at Soviet practices for building the "new society." Students follow Russia's trajectory from superpower to beleaguered nation, then turn to parallel developments in China and the reverse evolution from struggling nation to potential world power today. Why has China evolved so differently than Russia? What do the differences mean for the people who live there? What do these experiences tell about the nature of communism? What do they tell about America with its historic fears of communism? (Ost, offered alternate years)
258 Comparative Politics of the Middle East This course explores the complex and shifting relationships between state and society in the late colonial and postcolonial Middle East. Paying particular attention to questions of state-building and development, it explores the ways in which state legitimacy is variously supported and challenged by alternative sites of authority in society. Course topics will address a variety of secular and religious movements, the role of state and anti-state violence, and the impact of economic and cultural globalization, among others. (Philbrick Yadav, offered annually, subfield: COMP)
259 African Politics The course traces the evolution of the African state from its colonial creation to its modern day "crisis" through an examination of how political, economic and social considerations have shaped and transformed African politics. The first section of the course examines the historical creation of contemporary African polities from the era of European colonization. In the second section, attention is paid to the creative solutions that African societies have employed as a response to both unique and universal problems of governance. (Dunn, offered alternate years; subfield: COMP)
261 Quantitative Research Methods in Political Science This course focuses on the application of empirical, quantitative methodology to political analysis. The goal is to acquaint students with the analytical and statistical tools used to understand the political process, to evaluate various theories of politics, and to assess the cause-effect relationships within the political system. This course is designed to introduce undergraduate students to the basic principles of research design and analysis, and to provide them with the tools to do their own empirical research. (Lucas, offered occasionally; subfield: TH)
263 Problems and Methods in the Study of Politics What is politics? Is there a science of politics? Ought we strive towards a science of politics? This course looks at how social scientists have come to understand the world of politics. How and why is it that the questions we ask shape the answers we find? We look at empirical theories, linguistic theories, philosophy of science, phenomenology, critical theory, and other approaches to the study of politics. The goal is to enable students to become more sophisticated and critical in their understanding of politics. (Philbrick Yadav, offered alternative years; subfield: TH)
264 Legal Theory This course addresses the relationship between liberalism and democracy, as well as the question of law's relation to justice. The course engages in a critical inquiry into the values and weaknesses of law as a mechanism for seeking justice. Among the questions asked: is it possible or desirable for independent law to serve as a neutral ground for resolving conflict? What is the value of rights? Is liberal law inclusive and tolerant of diversity? Is democracy? Should we aspire to tolerance and diversity? What is democracy and does liberalism assist or hinder it? Should we assist or hinder democracy? Should we seek to escape the limits of law in order to do justice? (Passavant, offered alternate years; subfield: TH).
265 Modern Political Theory Reading texts from Locke through Nietzsche, this course considers the relation between freedom and slavery in modern European and American political theory. It interrogates the notion of the autonomous subject and the idea of instrumental reason that animates it. Additionally, it reads the selfcriticism that is always part of the Enlightenment tradition for alternative conceptions of equality, interconnection, and human flourishing. (Dean, offered annually; subfield TH)
266 Contemporary Political Theory Concentrating on late 20th century and early 21st century texts, this course grapples with the ways politics and the political have been configured and reconfigured under contemporary conditions of globally networked technoculture and communicative capitalism. How does a given conceptualization of the sites of politics link up with the designation of a matter as political? Although the texts vary from year to year, an emphasis on critical and poststructuralist theory, as well as an attunement to cultural studies, can be expected. (Dean, offered alternate years; subfield: TH)
267 Twentieth Century Political Theory This course focuses on key problems in 20th century political theory. The 20th century was marked by extreme violence—two world wars, the use of atomic weapons, genocide on a mass scale—as well as grand experiments in participatory government, extensions of basic rights, and developments in technology and science. As the century ended, some theorists claimed that ideology had ended as well; they argued that one version of human flourishing, one based in economic markets, had clearly triumphed. Other theorists were deeply critical of the claim for the end of ideology, as well as of the association of markets and flourishing, not to mention of the suppositions that technologies were unambiguously beneficial and that rights were the best ways to secure freedom. Readings will vary by term but will be chosen from key texts from European and American political theorists and their critics; for example, Freud, Lenin, Gramsci, Simone de Beauvoir, Habermas, and Hardt and Negri. (Dean, offered annually; subfield: TH)
270 AfricanAmerican Political Thought This course examines the political, economic, and social statuses of African-Americans in American society, as depicted in the speeches and writings of distinguished African-American thinkers, scholars and artists, from slavery to the present. It explores some fundamental tensions in African-American thought that are manifest in diverse and seemingly contradictory solutions, such as accommodation vs. protest, emigration vs. assimilation, and separatism vs. integration. (Johnson, offered alternate years; subfields: TH, AMER)
279 Radical Thought from Karl Marx to George Bush This course examines left and right radical thought of the past 150 years. Students read the left radicals Marx and Lenin and anti-Soviet leftists such as the Frankfurt School and Sartre, as well as the anomalous approach of the anarchists and Freud, who influenced both left and right thinkers. Students then examine right-wing radicalism, reading the work of influential fascists, followed by postwar American radical thought. On the left, that means Herbert Marcuse's New Left classic One Dimensional Man, Fanon and "Third Worldism," and the re-embrace of liberalism with the discovery of "civil society." On the right, that means the rise of the neoconservatives, from Allen Bloom to William Kristol, both important influences on George Bush and his entourage. Finally, students look at left responses to neo-conservatism, from Russell Jacoby to Zizek. (Ost, offered alternate years; subfield: TH)
280 Contemporary International Relations This course examines contemporary issues within world politics, usually by developing a case specific focus. Such topics may include the Middle East conflict, political transitions in central Asia, or other current issues of the day. (Staff, offered occasionally; subfield IR)
281 Politics of South Asia This course provides an introduction to the major contemporary political issues and trends in the region of South Asia (i.e. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka). The first half of the course examines topics of concern in the largest South Asian country, India. The second half of the course is organized thematically to address issues of nuclear and conventional security, state failure and civil war, terrorism, poverty and development, trade and investment, human security and gender discrimination, regional integration, and environmental concerns. (Yadav, offered alternate years; subfield: COMP, IR)
283 Terrorism Conflict has been a central issue in the relations among states since the advent of the modern nation-state system. Well before Sept. 11, 2001, terrorism had become a central feature of how conflict has been expressed in the modern international system. This course examines the causes of terrorism, the ways in which individuals and social groups have chosen to wage terrorism, the goals they have established, and the ways in which political and military leaders have chose to engage in counter-terrorist strategies. Using specific case studies, the course compares the motivations and implications of ethnonationalist terrorism, political terrorism, and religious terrorism, and the future of terrorism in a post-Sept. 11 world. (Dunn, offered alternate years; subfield IR)
285 International Politics of the Middle East This course examines international politics in the Middle East in the late colonial and post-colonial periods, focusing on the relationships between states, societies, and markets. Placing particular emphasis on the many ways in which the "high politics" of states shape the lived experiences of different communities in the region, it works within existing theoretical frameworks in International Relations that envision politics as influenced by shifting constellations of interests, ideas, and institutions. Case studies will vary, but are likely to include the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, post- Revolutionary Iran, and contemporary politics in Lebanon and Iraq. (Philbrick Yadav, offered annually; subfield: IR)
290 American Foreign Policy This course is an introduction to the study of American foreign policy. The first section provides an historical overview of American foreign policy since World War II, highlighting the important events, themes, and trends that have shaped—and continue to shape—the making and practice of American foreign policy. The second section explores the process of foreign policy making within the American political context. This section examines the "nuts-and-bolts" of how decisions are made and implemented. The third and final section presents key foreign policy issues facing the United States today. (Dunn; offered annually; subfield: IR)
296 International Law This course focuses on public international law. Subject matter includes human rights, issues relating to the environment, the use of force, the relationship between international law and domestic law, international dispute resolution, and questions of sovereignty and self determination. (Passavant, offered occasionally; subfield: IR)
297 Europe and America Is this historic alliance coming to an end? With the recent rise of serious rifts, particularly due to the US in Iraq, this course takes a close look at the evolution of US-Europe relations and at similarities and differences in policies and sensibilities. We begin with a discussion of historical imagination, looking at attitudes of Americans and Europeans to each other from the time of the Revolution, and then explore what happens when America became a world power. We read about the "cultural cold war" and explore long-lasting divisions over styles of politics on issues such as consumerism, military power, and international law. We read key primary texts of the debate leading up to the invasion of Iraq, and look at the implications of the burgeoning European Union. Will the relationship survive? Should it? Many of our readings touch on France and America's eternal mutual love/hate affair. (Ost, offered alternate years; subfields: COMP or IR)
312 Political Reform in the Middle East This course explores the theoretical and practical questions raised by recent democracy-promotion initiatives in the Middle East. Organized around five case studies, we will explore the interrelationship between international and domestic politics and the ways in which international organizations and bilateral agreements are helping and hindering local promoters of political reform. In addition, this course will explore the history and development of local practices and institutions that serve as powerful sources of democratic (if not liberal) practice and relate them to current strategies of democracy promotion. (Philbrick Yadav, offered alternate years, subfields: COMP, IR)
320 Mass Media We live in a world of mediated political realities. Like Plato's prisoners in the cave, we see only shadows, not realities. Yet these shadows have become our reality through the power of the mass media. This, of course, raises a fundamental question about our ability to be self-governing when our understanding of politics is determined not by the events themselves, but by those who create and report them. (Deutchman, offered annually; subfield: AMER)
332 American Constitutional Law This course is concerned with the nature and development of the U.S. constitutional structure. Emphasis is placed on judicial review, the powers of national and state governments, limits on those powers, and the separation of powers. It addresses such issues as the regulation of private property, the constitutional powers of Congress and the Presidency, and the law and politics of impeachment. (Passavant, offered annually; subfield: AMER)
333 Civil Rights This course addresses the constitutional and statutory protection of civil rights in America. It studies the gradual recognition and enforcement of civil rights, recent retreats, and contemporary difficulties in the implementation of egalitarian principles which inform citizenship in a democracy. Substantive areas of focus include desegregation, voting rights, gender discrimination, affirmative action, and the problems involved with proving discrimination that violates the Constitution. (Passavant, offered annually; subfield: AMER)
334 Civil Liberties This course analyzes key constitutional liberties like freedom of religion, the "wall of separation" between church and state, and freedoms of speech and press. It also addresses the USA PATRIOT Act's implications for civil liberties. It studies how governments are obliged to act and the constitutional limits placed on the way governments may act. (Passavant, offered annually; subfield: AMER)
335 Law and Society This course addresses the relationship of "law" and "society" -- does law stand above society and adjudicate disputes in a neutral manner, or do law and society bleed into each other such that law is corrupted by social interests and therefore invariably "political" in the way that it is used to address disputes? Additionally, how does law frame our perception of such issues as ownership and value? How does law affect "who gets what"? What are the implications of these findings for America's belief in liberalism and the value of liberalism's individual rights? Substantive areas of focus may include the problems of objectivity in interpretation, whether legal rights matter, conflicts between rights to free speech and private property in the area of Intellectual Property law, the consequences for law and freedom posed by "gated communities," or other topical issues. (Passavant, offered alternate years; subfield: AMER)
348 Racism and Other Hatreds What is the role of conflicts and hatreds in politics? This course looks at various politicized hatreds around the world, based on race, nation, and religion. Students explore hatreds in a variety of contexts: anti-Chinese and anti-Black racism in the U.S.A; anti-Semitism in Europe; ethnic hatreds in Africa; and look at topics such as the role of science; the relationship between race and class; and the nature of nationalism. The aim of the course is to understand how social conflicts can best be organized to create a more democratic society. (Ost, offered alternate years; subfield: COMP)
363 Digital Networks That globally networked communications media are radically changing the world is widely accepted. What these changes mean, however, is widely debated. This course focuses on these debates, asking whether networked media enhance democratic practices or facilitate new forms of political control and economic exclusion. It takes up issues of privacy, surveillance, virtual communities, speed, and the differing logics of networks. (Dean, offered alternate years; subfield: TH)
366 Theories of American Democracy This survey of American democratic theory covers a variety of competing ideas about politics, political identities, and political institutions. The class examines not only such issues as the roles of states and markets, but also how to balance collective goods with individual freedoms, obligations to citizenship and charity, and how particular narratives and myths have structured an American national identity. Readings span American history from the Puritans to the "New Right," from Benjamin Franklin to Malcolm X, and come in a variety of forms – e.g., manifestos, essays, speeches, memoirs, novels, Supreme Court decisions, and movies. (Staff, offered alternate years; subfield: TH)
375 Feminist Legal Theory This course examines the gender(s) of law. Students prepare court cases and feminist legal analyses to investigate the relationship between power and law as it establishes the boundaries separating public from private, straight from gay, qualified from unqualified, madonna from whore. Topics include workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, prostitution, pornography, abortion, rape, and child custody. (Dean, offered alternate years; subfield: TH)
380 Theories of International Relations Theories of international relations are plentiful and debatable. This course examines a number of theory traditions in the study of international relations and involves the student in efforts to further develop the theory and/or to test some of its claims empirically. The theories selected vary from semester to semester, but come from such areas as structural realism, liberal internationalism, globalism, constructivism, and world systems. (Dunn, offered every year; subfield: IR)
387 States and Markets This course investigates and problematizes the role of the state in promoting rapid economic growth and development. Specifically, students will focus on understanding and critiquing the fierce debate between developmental state theorists, neo-liberal economists, and the market-enhancing synthesizers. The course will deal alternately with different specific cases and countries, including the Tiger Economies and the Big Emerging Asian Markets, comparative European economies, and the emerging Russian developmentalist state. (Yadav, Ost, offered alternate years; subfield: IR, COMP)
394 Identity Politics in International Relations This course examines how concepts of identity form and matter in the international system. Students consider how national, ethnic, and other identities are shaped by international incentives and constraints such as trade interests, security, cultural flows, media, communication networks, and international norms like human rights or environmental protection. Examining a range of topics varying with the latest world events, students also develop a theoretical basis for understanding the significance of identity politics in world affairs. (Staff, Dunn, offered alternate years; subfield: IR)
SEMINAR DESCRIPTIONS
POL 401 Junior-Senior Research Topics Seminar
Majors in Political Science must enroll in a seminar their junior year and a seminar their senior year. The seminars address a range of topics, often in accordance with the current scholarly interests of the Political Science faculty. Therefore, the topics do vary as they address timely issues of research in the field. What unites the seminars is their pedagogy. There is a focus on student participation, and the workload is substantial. Typically, students will read a book a week (or the equivalent in articles). The main assignment is a "seminar length" research paper on a topic of the student's choosing. The purpose of the seminar is to give students an opportunity to do some of their best work at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. It is intended to provide something of a "capstone experience" in the study of Political Science for our majors. For some, seminar research becomes a first step towards an honors project. Additionally, the seminars give students a taste of what graduate school might be like as they are concluding their undergraduate careers—to give students a taste of, and preparation for, the next academic level. Seminars are generally limited to Political Science majors, unless there is available space and the professor signs in a non-major.
Seminar Topics Include:
450 Independent Study
495 Honors
