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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.

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

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  • Political Science News

    Gueorguiev, McDowell study on capital controls in China published

    "Inside looking out: how international policy trends shape the politics of capital controls in China," co-authored by Dimitar Gueorguiev and Daniel McDowell, was published in The Pacific Review. Gueorguiev, McDowell, and co-author David Steinberg present evidence showing that the international policy context features heavily in domestic political debates about capital controls in China. They also show that information about other countries’ policy choices influences mass public attitudes about capital controls in China.

     

    Gadarian quoted in Scientific American on impact of COVID-19 on voting

    "If Democrats are taking more precautions because of the coronavirus, we may see them not turn out as much as they would have without the pandemic," says Shana Kushner Gadarian, associate professor of political science. "That is pretty disturbing." Gadarian was interviewed for the Scientific American article "Trump vs. Biden: How COVID-19 Will Affect Voting for President."

     

    Undergraduate Awards

    Check out the Political Science Undergraduate award winners for Spring 2020!