Fall 2023

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.

Multidisciplinary survey of gender assumptions in relation to sexuality, mental health, social and political relations, and artistic expression.

Overview of human rights controversies across the globe. Introduction to techniques of analysis for social issues, interdisciplinary research methods, and interpretation of complex political problems.

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

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

Evolution of contemporary institutions; differing views of community power; major policies; state and federal relations to local governments; metropolitan community problems.

Examines political attitudes, behavior and participation of Asian Americans in diverse U.S. society.

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

Development of constitutional law by the courts; leading cases bearing on major constitutional issues; the federal system; powers of government; civil liberties.

Discussion of the relationship between women and the law in light of feminist jurisprudence, U.S. Supreme Court decisions and cross-cultural perspectives.

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.

The Chinese revolution; social, political, and economic developments in post-1949 China; China after Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung).

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.

An evaluation of the ways in which different ideologies, institutions, and policies contribute to differences in political power between men and women.

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.

Analysis of the political behavior and roles of ethnic and racial groups in the American political system; policy issues and patterns of political action are examined.

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.

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.

Intensive examination of special topics in the field of law and public policy.

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

Intensive examination of critical issues of particular interest in the field of political thought.

Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.