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Maxwell / Department of Political Science

  • Department of Political Science

    The Department of Political Science is devoted to the study of politics and government, domestically and abroad. This includes the study of political institutions that exercise government authority, including legislatures, courts, and administrative agencies; political organizations through which individuals and groups seek to reshape the political landscape, including parties, interest groups, and social movements; public policies that reflect governmental efforts to regulate the actions of individuals and corporations, including civil rights, immigration, and environmental policy; and the interactions between and among nation-states and transnational organizations that shape patterns of trade and development, conflict and cooperation, war and peace.

    At the undergraduate level, political science majors will be exposed to political inquiry across a broad array of substantive topics, while also concentrating in one of the following areas: American Politics & History, Law & Politics, Political Economy, Political Participation & Mobilization, Global Governance & Foreign Policy, Political Violence & Conflict, Public Policy, Parties & Elections, Comparative Politics, Citizenship & Democracy, or Political Thought & Philosophy.

    At the graduate level, doctoral students receive broad training in quantitative and qualitative methods of social science research, while also concentrating in two of the following substantive fields: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, Public Administration & Policy, Law & Courts, or Security Studies.

  • Commitment to Inclusion

    The Maxwell School stands in support of all who are demanding change in the face of racism, violence, and hate speech. We are committed to making our school, our university, and our communities more inclusive and just for all.

    There is absolutely no place for behavior or language that degrades any individual or group’s race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, disability, or religious beliefs.

  • Upcoming Events RSS Feed

    Due to public health concerns around COVID-19, all in-person public events are postponed or canceled until further notice.

  • Political Science News

    Thompson shares her thoughts on Biden, Harris with LocalSYR

    "President Biden served eight years as Vice President, so he was very much involved in the Obama Presidency," says Margaret Susan Thompson, associate professor of history and political science. "He saw things from the inside. But I think one of the things that’s going to make a big difference is his respect for and I think a reliance on expertise in a variety of fields." Thompson also believes Vice President Harris will play a big role over the next four years, especially because the Senate is so narrowly divided at this time. Watch the full interview via LocalSYR.com.

     

    Reeher talks to CNY Central about local benefits of a Biden presidency

    Professor Grant Reeher thinks a Biden presidency will be good for Central New York. "It might make it a little bit easier for John Katko to get the ear of the President if there's a major piece of legislation being negotiated," Reeher says. "We may be on his radar when he's thinking about the problems of small to mid-size cities. Are they getting the help from the federal government that they need? I think that is going to be a good thing for this area." Reeher was interviewed for the CNY Central story, "How CNY could benefit from Biden presidency."

     

    McDowell examines the yuan's potential to challenge the dollar in WPR

    In his latest piece, "Dollar Doomsayers Are Wrong—Again," published in World Politics Review, Associate Professor of Political Science Daniel McDowell explains why the Chinese yuan does not pose a threat to the dollar's reserve currency status. "Chinese financial reforms have undoubtedly boosted the yuan’s economic appeal over the past 10 years. Yet, at the same time, concerns about the Chinese political system are a major impediment to the yuan’s global competitiveness," says McDowell. "In the long run, the dollar is likely to outlive predictions of its demise not because of its inherent attractiveness, but because of its competitors’ flaws."

     

Department of Political Science
100 Eggers Hall
Syracuse, NY 13244-1020
Phone: +1.315.443.2416