Fall 2017

Theoretical, institutional, and functional aspects of American national, state, and local government and politics; contemporary issues. Recommended for freshmen and sophomores.

Gateway to the major in political science. Comparative analysis of political institutions and processes in selected industrial, developing and socialist countries, in terms of contrasting ideologies, parties, elites, and economies.

Interaction between law and politics; overview of the American legal system; value conflicts and public policy questions which arise within it.

Examination of the rules and realities of American politics, and the role politics plays in American life and culture. Not available for major credit to law students.

Examination of the challenges of environmental problem-solving at the personal, local, national and global scales, focused on the issue of climate change.

Overview of environmental policy, law and politics at the international, domestic and local levels. Social science gateway to the Environmental Studies major.

Methodological and theoretical problems of micro-analytic studies in political science. Techniques of data collection and assimilation.

Provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become active in politics based on understanding the history, theory, and practices of public participation.

Introduction to interest group and elite views of the American system, including recent interest group theory and findings and the general critiques of power distribution in American society.

Organization and function of political parties, nominations and elections, strategy and tactics of campaigning, professional candidate management finance, political machines, voting behavior.

Theories of development and nation-building; revolutionary and evolutionary modernization; role of history, culture, socioeconomic conditions in affecting political structures and functions.

Political development in the Middle East, emphasizing historical, cultural, and socioeconomic conditions affecting political structures and functions; modernization and countervailing social, economic and religious forces.

Institutions and processes of advanced societies; political culture, interest articulation and aggregation, the governmental process.

Theories of development and nation-building; revolutionary and evolutionary modernization; role of history, culture, socioeconomic conditions in affecting political structures and functions.

Basic concepts of Western political thought from Plato through the contract theorists.

Political theories and philosophies in modern times and their relation to public policy and social reform.

Selected topics in designated area of political science. Discussion of readings and presentation of papers.

Intensive experience in governmental and political offices. Minimum time requirement; evaluation by office and intern report required.

Course covering substantive law, evidence, public speaking and use of societal mores in courtroom advocacy. Open only to Mock Trial team members.

The citizen's political world; political socialization, opinion formation and dissemination; development of political cultures and subcultures; political mobilization; personality and politics.

Presidential coalition; sources of presidential power; recent leadership styles; decision-making within the presidency.

The political realities of selected environmental issues; resolving and implementing social priorities; interests, attitudes, strategies, and tactics of pressure groups; institutional biases and opportunities.

Intensive examination of critical issues of particular interest in the field of American politics.

A comparative perspective on social and cultural forces that affect American laws and policies concerning discrimination on the basis of race or ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, and disability.

Analysis of the depiction of law in film; use of film to explore topics in jurisprudence and the politics of law and courts. Recommended preparation: POSC 130

An examination of debates and controversies surrounding the nature and scope of civil rights and civil liberties. Recommended preparation: POSC 340 or POSC 440

Psychological forces shaping politics and persons, processes and interactions; emphasis on political socialization and cognitive and effective orientations to politics.

Choice of models in nation- building; party and other means of mass mobilization; elite recruitment and differentiation; peculiarities of cultures and subcultures; integration of ethnic and other minorities; political socialization and secularization; legitimization.

Comparison of relationships between rich and poor countries involving political and economic resources and prospects for development; impact on industrialized states; interdependence; new international economic order.

Twentieth century political philosophy dealing with major movements in psychological, existential, socialist, and nationalist thought as they bear upon the crisis of political authority in our time.

Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.

History of feminist theory and major perspectives of current feminist theory: liberal feminism, socialist/Marxist feminism, radical feminism, psychological feminism, spiritual feminism, and ecological feminism.

Research leading to the master's degree. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.

Practical principles for the long-term development of effective teaching within college disciplines. Intended for teaching assistants in Dornsife College.

Theoretical and methodological problems in American politics with emphasis on emerging research paradigms.

Research leading to the doctorate. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.