Undergraduate Study

Fall 2020 Courses

All information in this guide is tentative and subject to change. Check the Political Science Department Office for updates. Information on rooms and times for the classes listed can be obtained from the university-wide Time Schedule of Classes or from the Political Science office.

“Cross listed” Courses: These may applied to a Political Science major or minor without a petition, regardless of the departmental prefix. For example, if you take African-American Politics as AAS 306, you do not need to petition to apply it to your Political Science major.

"Meets With” Courses": If you take a “Meets With” course under a departmental prefix other than PSC, you will need to petition to count that course towards your Political Science major or minor.

Courses with international content are designated with an asterisk [*].

Current information on rooms and times for classes can be obtained on your MySlice or from the Political Science office.

PSC 121 m100 American National Government and Politics

Instructor: TBD
Class #: 10597
Offered: T/Th 2:00 pm - 2:55 pm
Frequency Offered: Every semester
Prerequisites: None
This course is required for all students who are majoring in Political Science.

All students must also enroll in a discussion section listed for this course.
Discussion # 10921 (Section 101) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 am
Discussion # 21777 (Section 102) Fridays 10:35 am-11:30 am
Discussion # 21778 (Section 103) Thursdays 11:00am-11:55am
Discussion # 10922 (Section 104) Fridays 8:25am-9:20am
Discussion # 10923 (Section 105) Thursdays 3:30 pm-4:25 pm
Discussion # 10924 (Section 106) Thursdays 5:00 pm-5:55 pm

Course Description
How does the American political system operate? This course provides an introduction to American political ideas, institutions, behaviors, and processes. Topics include (among other things) public opinion, elections, Congress, the presidency, the mass media, civic participation, the Constitution, federalism, and public policy. Although we will cover the “nuts and bolts” of American government, our focus is on political science rather than civics, which means our task is to analyze and interpret political phenomena.

PSC 121 m200 American National Government and Politics

Instructor: Christopher Faricy
Class #: 11246
Offered: M/W 10:35 am-11:30 am
Frequency Offered: Every semester
Prerequisites: None
This course is required for all students who are majoring in political science.

All students must also enroll in a discussion section listed for this course.
Discussion # 11247 (Section 201) Thursdays 3:30 pm-4:25 pm
Discussion # 11248 (Section 202) Thursdays 5:00 pm-5:55 pm
Discussion # 11249 (Section 203) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 am
Discussion # 11250 (Section 204) Fridays 8:25 am-9:20 am
Discussion # 11926 (Section 205) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 am
Discussion # 11927 (Section 206) Fridays 12:45 pm-1:40 pm

PSC 123 m100 Comparative Government and Politics *

Instructor: Margarita Estevez Abe
Class #: 11928
Offered: M/W 11:40 am - 12:35 pm
Frequency Offered: Yearly
Prerequisites: None

All students must also enroll in a discussion section listed for this course.
Discussion # 11929 (Section 101) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 am
Discussion # 11930 (Section 102) Fridays 10:35 am-11:30 am
Discussion # 11931 (Section 103) Thursdays 8:00 am-8:55 am
Discussion # 11932 (Section 104) Thursdays 5:00 pm-5:55 pm

Course Description
Why are some countries democratic and others authoritarian? Do democracies provide citizens a better quality of life? Why do civil wars happen in some countries? What are the relations among history, culture, the economy and politics? These are some of the questions that we will cover in class. This is a course intended to introduce students to politics around the world in a comparative perspective. We will examine some of the pressing issues in politics today, and survey the social science literature to see how the theories it develops helps us understand politics better.

PSC 124 m100 International Relations *

Instructor: Terrell Northrup
Class #: 10598
Offered: M/W 10:35 am - 11:30 am
Frequency Offered: Every semester
Prerequisites: None

All students must also enroll in a discussion section listed for this course.
Discussion # 10925 (Section 101) Fridays 12:45 pm-1:40 pm
Discussion # 10926 (Section 102) Thursdays 9:30 am-10:25 am
Discussion # 10927 (Section 103) Thursdays 3:30 pm-4:25 pm
Discussion # 10928 (Section 104) Thursdays 5:00 pm-5:55 pm
Discussion # 11278 (Section 105) Fridays 10:35 am-11:30 am
Discussion # 11279 (Section 106) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 am

Meets with PSC 139 m001

Course Description
This course introduces students to the main issues and actors in contemporary international relations, organized around three major topical perspectives: world structure and theoretical views of that structure; international political economy; and international conflict, cooperation and security. It will focus on current debates around global topics such as human rights, economic interdependence, nationalism, the global environment, and economic disparities. During section meetings, students are encouraged to explore and discuss how states, international institutions, and non-state actors shape current international affairs and future forms of global governance.

PSC 124 m200 International Relations *

Instructor: Audie Klotz
Class #: 10599
Offered: M/W 9:30 am - 10:25 am
Frequency Offered: Every semester
Prerequisites: None

Note: All students must also enroll in a discussion section listed for this course.
Discussion # 10959 (Section 201) Thursdays 5:00 pm-5:55 pm
Discussion # 10960 (Section 202) Thursdays 3:30 pm-4:25 pm
Discussion # 10961 (Section 203) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 am
Discussion # 10962 (Section 204) Fridays 12:45 pm-1:40 pm
Discussion # 12281 (Section 205) Thursdays 3:30 pm-4:25 pm
Discussion # 12282 (Section 206) Thursdays 5:00 pm-5:55 pm

PSC 124 m300 International Relations *

Instructor: Francine D’Amico
Class #: 10976
Offered: M/W/F 11:40 am-12:35 pm
Frequency Offered: Every semester
Prerequisites: None

Note: Restricted to first-year students residing in the International Relations Learning Community, Day Hall 3. For information on joining a learning community, please contact the SU Office of Learning Communities by email or phone at 315-443-2079.

Course Description
This course introduces students to the main issues and actors in contemporary international relations, organized around three major topical perspectives: world structure and theoretical views of that structure; international political economy; and international conflict, cooperation and security. It will focus on current debates around global topics such as human rights, economic interdependence, nationalism, the global environment, and economic disparities. Students are encouraged to explore and discuss how states, international institutions, and non-state actors shape current international affairs and future forms of global governance.

PSC 125 m001 Political Theory

Instructor: Glyn Morgan
Class #: 11753
Offered: T/Th 5:00 pm-5:55 pm
Frequency Offered: Yearly Prerequisites: None

All students must also enroll in a discussion section listed for this course.
Discussion # 13048 (Section 002) Fridays 8:25 am-9:20 am
Discussion # 13049 (Section 003) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 pm
Discussion # 13050 (Section 004) Fridays 10:35 am-11:30 am
Discussion # 13051 (Section 005) Fridays 10:35 am-11:30 am
Discussion # 13052 (Section 006) Fridays 12:45 pm-1:40 pm
Discussion # 13053 (Section 007) Fridays 2:15 pm-3:10 pm

Meets with PHI 125

Course Description
This course focuses on the works of four great political thinkers—Socrates, Plato, Thomas Hobbes, and John Stuart Mill. We will draw out their views on fundamental questions of political theory, including: what is the relationship between justice and happiness? What can the state do to make us happy? Why do we even need a state? Is the family a desirable social unit? Does the state or parents have ultimate authority over children? Does human freedom require democracy?

PSC 139 m001 International Relations (Honors) *

Instructor: Terrell Northrup
Class #: 11756
Offered: M/W 10:35 am-11:30 am; Th 9:30 am-10:25 am
Frequency Offered: Yearly
Prerequisites: None

Meets with PSC 124 m100

Course Description
This course explores diverse world views and theoretical perspectives on issues in contemporary international relations, including foreign policy, global political economy, international conflict and cooperation, international law & organizations, and global issues such as health and the environment. Lectures, readings, analytic writing, case analysis, and group discussion. This course is offered ONLY for students currently enrolled in the Syracuse University Renee Crown Honors Program. Students not enrolled in the Crown Honors program must enroll in PSC 124 International Relations. Academic credit is given for PSC 124 or PSC 139, but not both.

PSC 202 m100 Introduction to Political Analysis

Instructor: Simon Weschle
Class #: 11340
Offered: M/W 11:40 am-12:35 pm
Frequency Offered: Every semester
Prerequisites: None
This course is required for all students who are majoring in political science.

All students must also enroll in a discussion section listed for this course.
Discussion # 11341 (Section 101) Fridays 10:35-11:30 am
Discussion # 11342 (Section 102) Fridays 10:35-11:30 am
Discussion # 11343 (Section 103) Fridays 12:45-1:40 pm
Discussion # 11344 (Section 104) Fridays 12:45-1:40 pm

Course Description
The purpose of this course, required for political science majors, is to build skills for conducting, interpreting, and presenting political science research. These skills include: basic research and data collection practices, techniques for measuring political science concepts quantitatively, hypothesis testing, interpretation of statistical evidence, and the presentation of findings in a clear and compelling manner. Tying these components together is a thematic focus on important political science concepts such as democracy, power, or representation.

PSC 300 m101 Policy Implementation

Instructor: Zach Huitink
Class #: 12747
Offered: T/Th 2:00 pm-3:20 pm
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: None

Meets with PST 300.002

Description
This course explores how governments put public policy into action, with particular attention toward how tools like regulations, grants, vouchers, and public-private partnerships are used to address increasingly complex societal problems. What are the trade-offs of alternative strategies to achieving a given public policy goal – whether reducing poverty, improving education, protecting the environment, or preventing terrorism and cyber attacks – and why do governments have such mixed records achieving these goals? What roles do businesses, nonprofits, and individual members of the public play in the policy implementation process? How can these stakeholders work effectively with one another to achieve policy impacts? How do we assess whether policies have had their intended impacts on people and communities? How can we make public services easier to access and use? Students will consider these questions through a mix of discussion, case studies, and hands-on exercises, and develop knowledge and skills in areas such as implementation analysis and project planning.

PSC 300 m102 Creation of the U.S. Constitution

Instructor: Dennis Rasmussen
Class #: 21666
Offered: M/W 2:15 pm-3:35 pm
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: None

Course Description
This course will examine the creation of the basic framework for America’s government and laws, the U.S. Constitution. The first half of the course will focus on the debates at the Philadelphia Convention of 1787, which formulated and proposed the Constitution, and the second half will focus on the ratification debates between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists in 1787-88. A study of these debates allows us to see the choices that were made—as well as the arguments behind the choices that were made—in the creation of the world’s longest-lasting and most influential national constitution.

PSC 300 m103 Education Policy

Instructor: Ying Shi
Class #: 21669
Offered: W 9:30 am-12:15 pm
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: None

Meets with PAI 300.001

Course Description
This course introduces students to the education policy landscape in the U.S. We begin with an overview of how schools work and the roles of key actors at the federal, state, and local levels. We then discuss the standards of evidence alongside empirical tools and data sources that are relevant for identifying policy problems. Next the course walks through a set of education policy issues, including school funding and accountability reforms. Students will have the opportunity to investigate specific dimensions of education policy such as low-performing schools and achievement gaps, use evidence to diagnose potential problems, and develop solutions.

PSC 300 m104 U.S. Intelligence Community

Instructor: Robert Murrett
Class #: 21489
Offered: M/W 2:15 pm-3:35 pm
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: None

Meets with PAI 300.003 and IRP 300.001

Course Description
This course will focus on the practice, structure and governance of the intelligence field, and material that has a direct bearing on its current posture. Students will study the functional elements of intelligence tradecraft (human intelligence, signals intelligence, imagery analysis, etc.), and engagement with international counterparts. The course will review governance and oversight of the Intelligence Community (I.C), and in order to understand the full range of today’s intelligence activities, students will examine the evolution of the I.C. since its inception in 1947 through the present day. Key phases and specific events will be explored, including I.C. efforts throughout the Cold War, The Cuban Missile Crisis, The Vietnam Conflict, the Church Committee, the Balkans Conflicts, pre and post-9/11 operations, the 911 and WMD Commissions and the subsequent executive and legislative changes implemented over the past decade. The class will participate in case studies, in which the students will evaluate, provide briefings and recommend decisions in realistic scenarios, both in terms of analysis and intelligence-driven decision-making on policy and operational matters.

PSC 300 m201 Politics and Society of Japan *

Instructor: Margarita Estevez-Abe
Class#: 13066
Offered: M/W 5:15 pm-6:35 pm
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: None

Course Description
This course is about Japan’s economy, politics and society. It focuses on: (i) Japan’s extreme demographic aging—its origins and current & future problems; and (ii) changing geopolitics in East Asia.

PSC 300 m202 Modernization & Democratization in South Korea*

Instructor: Frederick Carriere
*Canceled*

PSC 300 m203 Money & Politics

Instructor: Simon Weschle
Class#: 21667
Offered: M/W 2:15 pm-3:35 pm
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: None

Course Description
Money and politics are inextricably linked. Citizens in many countries are regularly asked for bribes to get basic government services. Interest groups or wealthy individuals try to use money to influence political decisions. Politicians, in turn, need resources to finance election campaigns, or they use their position to enrich themselves. And voters are thought to be more likely to vote for candidates who run expensive campaigns or hand out gifts. In this course, we will look at political science research on money and politics in different countries around the world. We will try to answer the following questions: How much money is there in politics, and how can we measure it? What is the money used for? What influence does it have? What are the consequences? And finally, should we try to reduce money on politics, and if so what ways to do so can be successful?

PSC 300 m204 Politics of North & South Korea *

Instructor: Frederick Carriere
Class #: 12587
Offered: T/Th 2:00 pm-3:20 pm
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: None

Course Description
This course explores the impact of the unprecedented flurry of summit diplomacy during 2018-2019 on the unfolding relations between North Korea and South Korea. It includes an in-depth comparative study of the politics of these two states, which emerged from the crucible of the Cold War over half a century ago and are locked in a competition for legitimacy as the sole representative of the Korean Nation. Their guiding developmental paradigms of ‘democratization’ and ‘marketization’ are contrasted along with their ‘love-hate’ relationships with the United States. The goal is to assess the prospects for an eventual resolution of the intractable conflict between these two states on the Korean Peninsula.

PSC 300 m205 Islam, Law & Politics

Instructor: Jeannette Jouili
Class #: 22153
Offered: T/Th 9:30 am-10:50 am
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: None

Meets with REL 300.003 and MES 300.002

Course Description
The emergence of modern Islamic political movements worldwide has not only had a profound impact on contemporary global geo-politics but has also triggered heated debates around the question of the compatibility of Islam with liberal democracy. This course investigates the "vexed" relationship between Islam and politics, profoundly influenced by the experience of colonialism, and standing in complex relationship to concepts such as the modern nation-state, democracy, liberalism, or secularism. The course combines empirically grounded studies on the multiple facets of past and contemporary Muslim politics in Muslim-majority and minority contexts with a more theoretical investigation of modern Islamic political thought; here we examine the intellectual origins of Islamic politics, its arguments, and the challenges it poses to its liberal counterparts, but also its conundrums and contradictions.

PSC 300.m401 Capitalism: For & Against *

Instructor: Dennis Rasmussen
Class #: 20433
Offered: M 9:30 am – 12:15 pm
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: None

Course Description
Are capitalist societies just or are they full of inequality and exploitation? Do they give people freedom or oppress them in one way or another? Do they encourage virtue or vice, excellence or mediocrity, happiness or misery? Are there other types of society that would be preferable? What might be done to improve capitalist societies? This course will address these questions through an examination of some of the seminal philosophical discussions of commerce, private property, and economic inequality. It will focus principally on the works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Adam Smith, Karl Marx, Friedrich Hayek, John Rawls, and Robert Nozick.

PSC 305 m001 U.S. Congressional Politics

Instructor: Maraam Dwidar
Class #: 21672
Offered: M/W 3:45 pm-5:05 pm
Frequency Offered: Irregularly
Prerequisites: None

Course Description
This course is about the politics of the United States Congress. We will discuss the historical and contemporary functions of the U.S. Congress, with a focus on representation, elections, political parties, special interest groups, inter-branch relations, and the changing character of legislative politicking and policymaking. As we do so, we continuously consider the questions of how and why certain policy topics rise and fall on the agenda of the U.S. Congress over time.

PSC 308 m001 Politics of U.S. Public Policy

Instructor: Sarah Pralle
Class #: 21651
Offered: T/Th 2:00 pm-3:20 pm
Frequency Offered: Irregularly
Prerequisites: None

Course Description
This course examines the process of policymaking in the United States. We will ask such questions as, how do particular issues become framed as public policy priorities and placed on the political agenda. How are certain policy alternatives chosen for consideration to the exclusion of others? Why are some issues considered to be appropriate for government action, and others left to market forces? How do democratic institutions shape the policymaking process? And we'll consider how policies can be designed so that they play a positive role in solving problems and shaping our society. As we grapple with these concerns, we will focus on a number of case studies. While these questions are often approached in a technical fashion, as if public policy was created and implemented in a scientific laboratory, our approach will acknowledge that public policy is inherently political and cannot be understood apart from the political processes and institutions in which it is created and implemented.

PSC 309 m001 Interest Group Politics

Instructor: Maraam Dwidar
Class #: 21673
Offered: M/W 5:15 pm-6:35 pm
Frequency Offered: Irregularly
Prerequisites: None

Course Description
This course is about the politics of organized interests in the United States. We will discuss the formation and role of organized interests in U.S. politics — both historical and contemporary — with an emphasis on equality and representation, collective action, competition and cooperation, political and policy influence, and social movements. As we do so, we will continuously call into question the power that these groups allegedly enjoy, and will make regular connections to current events, including the role of special interests in salient debates over climate change, public health, and social and economic justice.

PSC 310 m001 Refugees in International Politics *

Instructor: Lamis Abdelaaty
Class #: 20024
Offered: T/Th 9:30 am-10:50 am
Frequency Offered: Irregularly
Prerequisites: None

Course Description
This course deals with the global politics of refugee issues, broadly defined to include the movement of people displaced by persecution, conflict, natural or human-made disasters, environmental change, or development projects. It is grounded in the international relations subfield, but students are expected to engage with ideas from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Topics covered include historical trends in, analytical approaches to, and the international legal framework-governing refugees. We also explore the causes, consequences, and responses by state and non-state actors to refugee flows. A series of examples from recent and current events are examined, including a case study on refugees and the Syrian civil war.

PSC 312 m001 The New Deal & American Politics

Instructor: Steven White
Class #: 21227
Offered: T/Th 3:30 pm-4:50 pm
Frequency Offered: Irregularly
Prerequisites: None

Course Description
The New Deal transformed American politics, setting the framework for modern day debates about the role of the federal government in American society. This course examines the New Deal and its aftermath from a range of historical and theoretical perspectives, as well as original source materials. Among other topics, we will consider the crisis of the Great Depression; the international context of fascism, Nazism, and Communism; the development of major public policies like Social Security; the role of labor unions and business; the role of southern Democrats in “limiting liberalism,” especially when it seemed to involve issues of race; and the Second World War. We will also examine how the New Deal set into motion important shifts in party politics that still shape American politics today.

PSC 317.001 Local Internship

Instructor: Grant Reeher
Class #: 10600
Offered: M/W/F 11:40 am-12:35 pm
Frequency Offered: Every semester
Prerequisites: The internship program is intended for juniors and seniors only

Course Description
The course is based on a local internship experience in politics, public affairs, or the law. Placements are found at the beginning of the semester based on a list provided by the professor. Students also meet once a week in the classroom for organizational discussions, Q&A sessions with local political figures, and advice from professional development experts. Interested students are advised to review a FAQ sheet and recent syllabus, which can be found in 100 Eggers Hall or by contacting the professor.

PSC 318 m001 Technology, Politics, and Environment

Instructor: Harry Lambright
Class #: 21658
Offered: M/W 8:00am-9:20am
Frequency Offered: Yearly
Prerequisites: None

Course Description
This course analyzes the relation of government to policymaking in the domain of environment, where technology and politics intersect in many crucial ways. Attention is given primarily to politics and administration of environmental policy in the US at all levels of government. Comparative and international aspects of the problem are also examined. Particular emphasis is given to the processes by which policy is formulated, implemented and modified.

PSC 319 m001 Gender & Politics

Instructor: Jenn Jackson
Class #: 21662
Offered: M/W 2:15 pm-3:35 pm
Frequency Offered: Yearly
Prerequisites: None

Course Description
This course examines the intersection of gender and politics in the United States with an emphasis on women and formal political processes like elections, political institutions and legislation, public opinion formation, running for elected office, and political participation. We will begin the course by examining gender formation, the history of gender in political struggle, gender as an organizing category for both politics and Political Science, and the work of conforming to or transgressing gender norms in electoral politics. In the remainder of the course, we will cover the following topics: gender in society; media, politics, and gendered expectations and stereotypes; women’s social movements; gender and power, political engagement and political participation; voice, choice and party identification; the gender gap in running for office; political representation and policy-making; the effects of public policy on gender; and the political intersection of gender with race, class, sexual orientation, and embodiment.

In this course, we will use gender and identity politics as a way to enter debates about inclusion and democracy in political life. Although gender is the primary lens through which we will examine efforts of underrepresented groups to achieve equality, students are encouraged to examine how gender is mediated by multiple and overlapping identities such as race, class, sexuality, and religion both within the U.S. and in other national contexts.

PSC 324 m100 Constitutional Law I

Instructor: Tom Keck
Class #: 11030
Offered: T/Th, 3:30 pm- 4:50 pm
Frequency Offered: Yearly
Prerequisites: None

Course Description
Does the US Constitution authorize Congress to enact a law requiring all Americans to have health insurance? Does it require all states to allow same-sex couples to legally marry? Does it permit local governments to combat violent crime by banning the possession of handguns? Does it give the President free rein, as commander in chief of the US military, to authorize warrantless wiretapping of suspected terrorists? If you are interested in any or all of these questions, then this course is for you. In Constitutional Law I, you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the development of the American constitutional system from the founding through the mid-twentieth century. In Constitutional Law II, offered in the Spring, we will continue this inquiry right up to the present day. Recent versions of the syllabi are available on the instructor’s website, though there will be a number of updates for the coming year.

PSC 329 m100 The Modern American Presidency

Instructor: Margaret Thompson
Class #: 21434
Offered: T/Th, 12:30 pm- 1:50 pm
Frequency Offered: Yearly
Prerequisites: None

Cross-listed with HST 341.001

Course Description
This course will analyze the evolution of the modern presidency and its present operation. The focus of our attention will be on the years since the Second World War, and especially on those since 1960. The decision making process and operation of presidential administrations from Kennedy to Barack Obama will be studied in detail; we will also discuss the Trump administration to and through the 2020 election. We shall consider the various roles that the president plays in government, politics and society. The presidency as an institution and as an individual office will be examined to identify factors that have contributed to the successes and failures of particular administrations. This course shall also examine the roles and influence of unelected officials (esp. senior White House staff), and popular attitudes toward both the symbolic and the practical presidency—especially as they have been shaped by the traditional mass media and the “new media” (especially online interactivity). We will consider what lasting effects, if any, events during the last quarter century have had upon the presidency as an institution. Finally, we will leave space for discussion of breaking news and unexpected developments, especially those related to presidential politics.

PSC 338 m001 Race, Ethnicity, & American Politics

Instructor: Steven White
Class #: 21228
Offered: T/Th 5:00 pm-6:20 pm
Frequency Offered: Irregularly
Prerequisites: None

Course Description
This course examines race and ethnicity in American politics, with particular attention to African Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans as voters, activists, and policymakers.

PSC 344 m001 Politics of the Middle East *

Instructor: TBD
Class #: 12567
Offered: T/Th 5:00 pm-6:20 pm
Frequency Offered: Yearly
Prerequisites: None

Cross-listed with MES 344

Course Description
Our core objective in this course is to learn about the politics of the Middle East and different factors that have coalesced to shape the current political landscape of the region. For the past century, Middle Eastern politics has been marked by coups, revolutions, interstate wars, and sectarian conflict. The cost of political instability has been exorbitant for the countries in the region and most have witnessed episodic interruptions in their march toward social and economic progress. A conventional view attributes the predicament of the Middle Eastern countries to their culture, religion and geographical structures. The main purpose of this courses is to critically examine the above assumption by analyzing the role of political actors – domestic and international - and institutions in shaping the political trajectory of the Middle East.

PSC 354 m001 Human Rights & Global Affairs *

Instructor: Lamis Abdelaaty
Class #: 21653
Offered: T/Th 12:30 pm-1:50 pm
Frequency Offered: Irregularly
Prerequisites: None

Course Description
The idea of human rights has become a powerful tool in struggles against oppression and discrimination. This growing popularity of claiming inalienable rights has also led to a formidable backlash both against the very idea of rights and the groups that claim to advance them. The course introduces students to the history of human rights since 1948, highlights the role of international institutions and non-governmental organizations, and discusses current human rights issues. Students will conduct their own original human rights research and describe both root causes of violations and the solutions that are most likely to address contemporary human rights challenges.

PSC 355 m001 International Political Economy *

Instructor: Daniel McDowell
Class #: 21655
Offered: T/Th 11:00 am-12:20 pm
Frequency Offered: Yearly
Prerequisites: None

Course Description
From the rise of Donald Trump’s economic populism to Great Britain’s “Brexit” from the European Union, it is impossible to deny the tenuous political underpinnings of economic globalization today. To borrow from Prof. Jeﬀry Frieden, globalization is a choice, not a fact. That is, the global economic integration we observe today is the product of governments’ policy decisions over a period of many decades. This course introduces the student to the field of international political economy (IPE). IPE studies how politics impacts the global economy and, in return, how the global economy impacts politics. There are two central questions that we will wrestle with in this class. First, what explains the international economic policy choices governments make? Second, what are the effects of those policy choices both within and across countries? Over the course of the session, we will engage with a number of key topics in IPE including: international trade, economic development, multinational corporations, international capital flows, exchange rates, sovereign debt, and financial crises. We will rely on two primary analytic tools: basic economic principles to explain how economic policies influence the distribution of income and political economy theories that explain how politicians set policies. Together, we will use these tools to help understand historical and contemporary phenomena.

PSC 360 m001 Sustainability Science and Policy

Instructor: Sherburne Abbott
Class #: 12566
Offered: M/W 12:45 pm-2:05 pm
Frequency Offered: Yearly
Prerequisites: None

Cross-listed with GEO 360.001

Course Description
Sustainability—improving the well-being of the present and future generations in ways that conserve the planet’s life support systems—is a central challenge of the 21st century. This course consists of a combination of lectures, guest lectures, discussions, and team projects that are designed to facilitate an in-depth understanding of a complex, contemporary or “grand” challenge of sustainability that spans science (and technology), communications, and public policy, while considering advances in the underlying theory of sustainability science and its practice. This fall course will examine the grand challenge of climate change and sustainability—what is known about climate change and its impacts, what motivates public understanding, attitudes, and behaviors about climate change, what actions are possible to avoid or manage its impacts, and what contributions these actions have made toward achieving goals for sustainability.

PSC 364 m001 African International Relations *

Instructor: Horace Campbell
Class #: 12288
Offered: T/Th 9:30 am-10:50 am
Frequency Offered: Yearly
Prerequisite: None

Cross-listed/Meets with AAS 364 & PAI 500

Course Description
The content of the course will explore both the place of the African peoples in the International System as well as the specific case of the impact of the decolonization of Africa, especially the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In so far as the Congo in the central part of Africa borders over nine countries, the relations between the Congo and her neighbors will feature prominently in this course. In particular, the relations between the Congo and Angola in the Cold war and the militarization of the region will be analyzed. A historical framework will be developed to grasp the linkages of Africa in the international system from the period of the Berlin Conference and the genocidal practices set in motion from that period. The continuity in violence and genocide will be traded from the period of King Leopold down to the Rwanda Genocide of 1994, the issues of the militarism, genocide and international organizations relevant to the subject such as the OAU and the UN will be analyzed. The second part of the course will survey issues of war and peace in international relations in the context of the current search for peace in Africa. What is the meaning of contemporary forms of peacekeeping? The experiences of the United States in the Congo and in Somalia will be the basis for analyzing contemporary ideas of humanitarianism in Africa. In so far as the process of militarization accelerated in the cold war, there will be an examination of the legacies of the investment in military entrepreneurs such as Jonas Savimbi during the period of "constructive engagement" in Southern Africa. The battle of Cuito Cuanavale as well as the place of Cuba in Southern Africa will highlight the essence of the differences between sovereignty of states from the point of view of the colonized and this concept from the point of view of geo politics. The issues of Africa in the era of globalization and the controversy over the patenting of life forms will be the subjects of the concluding section of the course.

PSC 377 m001 Religion & Politics

Instructor: Mark Brockway
Class #: 22141
Offered: T/Th 5:00 pm - 6:20 pm
Frequency Offered: Irregularly
Prerequisite: None

Cross-listed/Meets with REL 300.004

Course Description
Religions and governments are arguably the two most important and powerful forces that connect people and societies. Religious ideas garner the following of billions, political leaders have transformed nations, and each wields incredible influence over the thoughts and actions of individuals. As two powerful forces, they often cooperate and collide with momentous consequences. We begin by examining the tumultuous relationship between religion and politics in the United States, asking if the nation's efforts to separate these two fundamental human experiences has been successful or worthwhile. In the second part of the course, we examine the wide variety of strategies that religions and governments pursue to coexist throughout the world. From the theocracies of Iran and Vatican City to the militant secularism of France and China, governments use religion (or irreligion) to influence individuals, justify policies, and bolster claims to their own legitimacy. How governments and citizens navigate religious and political institutions and identities is at the heart of our investigation.

PSC 382 m001 Contemporary Political Philosophy

Instructor: Verena Erlenbusch-Anderson
Class #: 12649
Offered: T/Th 11:00 am-12:20 pm
Frequency Offered: Yearly
Prerequisite: None

Cross-listed with PHI 417

Course Description
This course examines the works of prominent contemporary theorists of politics through the lens of basic issues central to the organization of social and political life. In particular, we will consider the costs and benefits of digital technology with regard to the democratic process as well as its effects on equality and fundamental rights like freedom and privacy. Readings will include both theoretical works and immediately relevant political case studies.

PSC 387 m001 Ethnic Conflict

Instructor: Seth Jolly
Class #: 21656
Offered: T/Th 11:00 am-12:20 pm
Frequency Offered: Yearly
Prerequisite: None

Course Description
This course examines ethnicity and its effects on politics. Our primary goals are to understand what ethnicity is, how it ignites both domestic and international conflict, and what political tools exist to manage these conflicts. We will begin the semester by exploring various definitions of ethnicity. Then we will study the many manifestations of political conflict, such as ethnic riots and genocide, that can be attributed to ethnic divisions within a society. Finally, we will evaluate possible means of mitigating and managing ethnic conflict. In all three segments of the course, we will draw material from around the world, in particular Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America.

PSC 391 m001 Revolutions in the Middle East*

Instructor: Hossein Bashiryeh
Class #: 21675
Offered: M/W 5:15 pm-6:35 pm
Frequency Offered: Irregularly
Prerequisites: None

Cross-listed with MES 391.001

Course Description
Whereas revolutions are more or less abating in other regions of the world today, the Middle East still finds itself in the throes of revolution. A new wave of revolutionary upheavals has begun since January 2011 and continues to shape the politics of the region. In theoretical terms, four aspects of these political revolutions need to be studied: 1) Taxonomy; 2) Etiology; 3) Morphology, and 4) Teleology. Hence, in the first few weeks of the course we will study the major theories of revolution. Then in light of the theoretical discussion, we will explain the new wave of revolutions in the Middle East in terms of their causes and consequences. In every historical case we will discuss the following sequence of processes:
1- The pre-revolutionary authoritarian stability;
2- How crises emerge and provide opportunities for collective action;
3- Oppositions, and their modes of mobilization;
4- The complex interactions between authorities and oppositions including the possibility of repression, accommodation, and revolution;
5- Post-revolutionary power struggles.

PSC 393 m001 Middle Eastern Political Systems *

Instructor: Hossein Bashiryeh
Class #: 12569
Offered: M/W 3:45 pm-5:05 pm
Frequency Offered: Irregularly
Prerequisites: None

Cross-listed with MES 393.001

Course Description
What are the factors that hinder the development of well-functioning political systems in the Middle East? This is the main question of the course. Political development is usually defined in terms of 1) national unification and the consolidation of national identity; 2) the development of legitimate authority; 3) the development of channels of popular participation in politics and the rise of a civil society; 4) political and administrative efficiency; 5) equitable distribution of resources or the development of a basic welfare state. In trying to answer the main question, we argue that several factors impede political development in the region. These include: 1) Structural ones like geographical/geopolitical, demographic, historical, and religious factors; 2) Social forces, particularly the landed classes, tribes, ethnic groups and sects. In the first part of the course, we will discuss these obstacles in general across the region; in the second part, we will explain the political systems in the region in terms of the impact of various obstacles.

PSC 394 m001 History of Islamic Political Thought *

Instructor: Hossein Bashiryeh
Class #: 11933
Offered: M/W 12:45-2:05 pm
Frequency Offered: Irregularly
Prerequisites: None

Cross-listed with MES 394.001

Course Description
The aim of this course is to study some of the major issues and discourses in Islamic political thought, especially those of more contemporary significance such as dissent, apostasy, intolerance, human obligations and rights, women's status, the status of minorities, war and peace, universal government and the idea of the Caliphate.

PSC 396 m001 European Integration *

Instructor: Glyn Morgan
Class #: 21677
Offered: M/W 5:15 pm-6:35 pm
Frequency Offered: Irregularly
Prerequisites: Every other year

Cross-listed with GEO 396

Course Description
For twenty years (1985-2005), the process of European Integration was a spectacular success. Europe added new member states, expanded to include the former Communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, and introduced a common currency and a common Schengen boundary. Then starting in 2005, things started to go wrong. This course focuses on the strengths and weaknesses of the European project---a project to build a common system of governance. We focus on such issues as: Europe's Monetary Union; the Greek Crisis; the Refugee Problem; Germany's economic superiority; demographic decline; the failure to incorporate Europe's Muslim populations; the Geopolitical problems of dealing with Russia and the United States, and Brexit.

PSC 400 m101 Poverty Policy

Instructor: Colleen Heflin
Class#: 20012
Offered: M 9:30 am-12:15 pm
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: None

Meets with PAI 400.002/SOC 400.003

Course Description
This seminar will examine the nature and extent of poverty in the U.S., its causes and consequences, and the antipoverty effects of existing and proposed government programs and policies. The following questions will be addressed: What is poverty? Why is poverty so persistent? Why are poverty rates for minorities so high? What are the dynamics of rural poverty? What are the goals and purposes of social welfare programs? How has welfare reform changed the playing field? Is marriage a viable antipoverty strategy? Is there a culture of poverty? How are immigration and demographic trends changing the U.S. demographic profile? How do the current economic and housing crises impact people in poverty?

PSC 400 m401 Field Research Methods

Instructor: Erin Hern
Class#: 21680
Offered: T/Th 2:00 pm-3:20 pm
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: None

Course Description
This course is designed to lead students through the process of designing a research project that includes original data collection through field work. Students will learn the basics of how to conduct surveys and interviews, work in archives, and conduct ethnography. The course begins with how to select a research question, consider various explanations, define and operationalize variables, and design the most appropriate research strategy to answer those questions. The course focuses on balancing ideal strategies with practicality, dealing with the unpredictability of the field environment, and logistical planning in addition to the academic elements of research design. The course is oriented toward practical instruction for students who would like to conduct original research.

PSC 412 m001 Global Governance: The United Nations System *

Instructor: Francine D’Amico
Class #: 13426
Offered: T/Th 2:00-3:20 pm
Frequency Offered: Yearly
Prerequisites: None

Meets with/Cross-listed with IRP 495/412. This course is open to official PSC seniors only.

Course Description
The United Nations System. This course explores the theory and practice of global governance and international diplomacy through an in-depth study of the UN system. Class meetings analyze and critique assigned readings and discuss current UN-related events in a seminar format. Each student will undertake an in-depth research project to investigate one aspect of the UN system, such as security, development, peacekeeping, or human rights. Each student will submit an original research paper and present a formal evaluation of that piece of the UN puzzle in a public presentation at the conclusion of the semester. This course employs a professional development model for academic research.

PSC 469 m001 Global Migration *

Instructor: Audie Klotz
Class #: 21654
Offered: M/W 12:45 pm-2:05 pm
Frequency Offered: Yearly
Prerequisites: None

Course Description
People increasingly move across international borders. Some seek jobs in more prosperous regions; others flee political persecution, war, or ecological disasters. What are the social, economic and political consequences of these transnational population pressures? How should national governments and international institutions meet these new challenges? Are immigration restrictions justified? Can international institutions provide better or supplementary responses?

PSC 495 m001 Distinction Thesis I

Instructor: Emily Thorson
Class #: 11588
Offered: W 3:45 pm-6:30 pm
Frequency Offered: Yearly
Prerequisites: Permission from department – must have an overall GPA of 3.5 for admittance

Course Description
The program requires the student to produce a senior thesis that reflects an understanding of the contemporary literature relevant to the thesis topic, advances an original argument, and presents evidence appropriate to the underlying inquiry. The thesis should generally be modeled after a typical academic journal article in the field of Political Science. The thesis will be read and evaluated by a committee of three, consisting of the main advisor and two additional readers. Two of the readers must be members of the Political Science department. One of the readers may be a graduate student in Political Science. An oral defense will determine if the thesis meets the departmental requirements for distinction.