Spring 2025

Political Science (POSC)

• http://dornsife.usc.edu/politicalscience/
• D class assignments for undergraduates available in VKC-214; Phone: (213) 740-3621.
• D class assignments for graduate students available in VKC-327; Phone: (213) 740-1695.
• D class assignments for undergraduates please email poir@usc.edu

POSC 110g: Ideology and Political Conflict (4.0 units)

Modern political ideologies; their assumptions, perceptions, and prescriptions regarding political stability and social injustice:anarchism, communism, socialism, liberalism, conservatism, and fascism.

• General Education: This course satisfies the university's general education requirement.
• Note: Register for lecture and one discussion

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
51910R	001	Lecture	2:00-3:20pm	Mon, Wed	127 of 143	Anthony Kammas	THH201
51911R	001	Discussion	9:00-9:50am	Friday	15 of 25		DMC109
51912R	001	Discussion	12:00-12:50pm	Friday	23 of 25		DMC256
51913R	001	Discussion	9:00-9:50am	Thursday	25 of 25		DMC161
51925R	001	Discussion	10:00-10:50am	Friday	23 of 25		DMC257
51927R	001	Discussion	11:00-11:50am	Friday	23 of 25		DMC161
51928R	001	Discussion	8:00-8:50am	Thursday	18 of 25		DMC160

POSC 130g: Law, Politics and Public Policy (4.0 units)

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

• General Education: This course satisfies the university's general education requirement.
• Note: Register for lecture and one discussion

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
51930R	001	Lecture	12:30-1:50pm	Tue, Thu	143 of 143	Samuel Zacher	SAL101
51931R	001	Discussion	9:00-9:50am	Monday	25 of 25		DMC206
51932R	001	Discussion	10:00-10:50am	Friday	20 of 25		SOSB37
51933R	001	Discussion	11:00-11:50am	Monday	24 of 25		DMC160
51934R	001	Discussion	11:00-11:50am	Wednesday	25 of 25		DMC200
51935R	001	Discussion	10:00-10:50am	Wednesday	25 of 25		DMC257
51938R	001	Discussion	11:00-11:50am	Friday	24 of 25		SOSB37

Crosslist POSC 326: Case Studies in Modern Leadership (2.0-4.0 units, max 6)

Study of a single leader or small set of leaders, including the strengths and weaknesses that distinguish them and the cultural forces that nurture them.

• Crosslist: This course is offered by the MDA department but may qualify for major credit in POSC. To register, enroll in MDA 325.
• Note: Students are required to attend all in-person course meetings. Course lecture dates and times are as follows: Friday, April 18, 3-4:50 PM; Saturday, April 19, 9:30 AM-2:20 PM; Wednesday, April 23, 3:30-4:50 PM; Thursday, April 24, 3:30-4:50 PM; Friday, April 25, 3:30-4:50 PM; Monday, April 28, 3:30-4:50 PM; Tuesday, April 29, 3:30-4:50 PM; Wednesday, April 30, 3:30-4:50 PM; Thursday, May 1, 3:30-4:50 PM and Friday, May 2, 3:30-4:50 PM. For more information, please visit dornsife.usc.edu/mda325.

Section	Session	Units	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
42225R	973	2.0	Lecture	TBA	TBA	21 of 100	Steven Lamy	OFFICE

POSC 340: Constitutional Law (4.0 units)

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

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
51980R	001	Lecture-Discussion	6:00-8:50pm	Wednesday	43 of 60	George Newhouse	DMC156	Word (252626 KB)

POSC 347: Environmental Law (4.0 units)

Introduces students to central concepts and theories in environmental law and regulation; analyzes present environmental laws and regulations.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
51987R	001	Lecture	8:00-9:20am	Tue, Thu	50 of 50	Erik Hanson	DMC102

POSC 356: Politics in the People's Republic of China (4.0 units)

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

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
51997R	001	Lecture	2:00-4:50pm	Monday	48 of 48	Stanley Rosen	DMC150

POSC 366: Terrorism and Genocide (4.0 units)

Comparative analysis of the determinants of political violence, terrorism, and genocide and their social and moral consequences; application of theories to contemporary case studies.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
52001R	001	Lecture	12:30-1:50pm	Tue, Thu	48 of 48	Sherry Zaks	DMC102

POSC 371: European Political Thought II (4.0 units)

Western political thought since the French Revolution. Rise of Marxist socialism, communism, anarchism, fascism, National Socialism, other doctrines; the democratic tradition; new theories of the state.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
52010R	001	Lecture	10:00-11:50am	Mon, Wed	85 of 85	Anthony Kammas	WPHB27

POSC 392: Honors II: Undergraduate Thesis (4.0 units)

Thesis written under supervision, based on research begun in Honors I.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
52030D	001	Lecture	2:00-4:50pm	Wednesday	0 of 15	Jeb Barnes	SOSB38

POSC 395: Directed Governmental and Political Leadership Internship (2.0-8.0 units, max 8)

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

Section	Session	Units	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
52040D	001	2.0-8.0	Lecture	TBA	TBA	2 of 40	Iva Bozovic	OFFICE
52045D	001	2.0	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 20	Nicole Pompilio	DMC263
52047D	001	4.0	Lecture	TBA	TBA	2 of 15	Iva Bozovic	OFFICE

POSC 398: Trial Advocacy: Theory and Practice (1.0-4.0 units, max 8)

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

Section	Session	Units	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
52050D	001	1.0	Lecture	7:00-8:50pm	Tue, Thu	0 of 25	Olu Orange	DMC151
52053D	001	2.0	Lecture	7:00-8:50pm	Tue, Thu	0 of 25	Olu Orange	DMC152
52056D	001	4.0	Lecture	7:00-8:50pm	Tue, Thu	0 of 25	Olu Orange	DMC156

POSC 421: Ethnic Politics (4.0 units)

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.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
52065R	001	Lecture	10:00-11:50am	Tue, Thu	19 of 19	Christian Phillips	DMC107

POSC 428: Latino Politics (4.0 units)

Analysis of the historic and contemporary roles of Latinos in the American political system; patterns of political participation and representation are examined.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
52084R	001	Lecture	9:30-10:50am	Tue, Thu	19 of 19	Estefania Castaneda Perez	VPD107

POSC 432: Politics of Local Criminal Justice (4.0 units)

Roles and behavior of major legal and political participants in the criminal justice system including the police, the legal profession, judges, and the public.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
52090R	001	Lecture	6:30-9:20pm	Wednesday	58 of 58	Catherine Ballard	SOSB4	PDF (89083 KB)

POSC 436: Environmental Politics (4.0 units)

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

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
52097R	001	Lecture	12:00-1:20pm	Mon, Wed	20 of 19	Samuel Zacher	DMC207

POSC 439: Critical Issues in American Politics (4.0 units, max 12)

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

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
The Politics of US Immigration and Enforcement
52105R	001	Lecture	3:30-4:50pm	Tue, Thu	45 of 45	Estefania Castaneda Perez	DMC102
Sexuality and Politics
52155R	001	Lecture	9:30-10:50am	Tue, Thu	19 of 19	Sara Angevine	THH205

POSC 442m: The Politics of Human Differences: Diversity and Discriminat (4.0 units)

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.

• Diversity: This course satisfies the university's diversity requirement.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
52108R	001	Lecture	9:30-10:50am	Tue, Thu	19 of 19	Varun Karekurve-Ramachandra	ZHS360

POSC 444: Civil and Political Rights and Liberties (4.0 units)

An examination of debates and controversies surrounding the nature and scope of civil rights and civil liberties.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
52110R	001	Lecture	6:00-8:50pm	Monday	28 of 48	Heather Pickerell	DMC156

POSC 449: Political Psychology (4.0 units)

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

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
52120R	001	Lecture	2:00-4:50pm	Wednesday	19 of 19	Dennis Chong	DMC158

POSC 452: Critical Issues in Law and Public Policy (4.0 units, max 12)

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

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
Thinking about Law and Politics through Formal Theory
52130R	001	Lecture	10:00-11:20am	Mon, Fri	19 of 19	Joanna Huey	MHP102
Human Rights
52132R	001	Lecture	2:00-3:20pm	Tue, Thu	19 of 19	Steve Swerdlow	LVL13

POSC 453: Political Change in Asia (4.0 units)

Modernization and political development in China and Japan; Asia's economic "miracles" (Taiwan, Japan, Korea, etc.); nationalism and communist movements in East and Southeast Asia.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
52135R	001	Lecture	12:00-1:50pm	Wed, Fri	18 of 19	Jinhee Choung	THHB10

POSC 456: Women in International Development (4.0 units)

How various developmental theories analyze the role of women as producers and how Third World women are increasing their role in development.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
52137R	001	Lecture	2:00-4:50pm	Thursday	19 of 19	Eliz Sanasarian	LVL16

POSC 469: Critical Issues in Comparative Politics (4.0 units, max 12)

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

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
Redistributive Politics in the Global South
52148R	001	Lecture	2:00-4:50pm	Thursday	15 of 19	Monica Unda Gutierrez	DMC110
Politics and Film
52153R	001	Lecture	2:00-4:50pm	Tuesday	19 of 19	Stanley Rosen	THHB10

POSC 479: Critical Issues in Political Thought (4.0 units, max 12)

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

• Note: World Poverty

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
52160R	001	Lecture	10:00-11:20am	Wed, Fri	5 of 19	Jinhee Choung	THHB10

POSC 490x: Directed Research (1.0-8.0 units, max 12)

Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.

• Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Junior, Senior

Section	Session	Units	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
52170D	001	2.0-8.0	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 15	Sally Pratt	OFFICE
52175D	001	4.0	Lecture	TBA	TBA	1 of 5	Sally Pratt	OFFICE
52169D	001	1.0	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 25	Sally Pratt	OFFICE

POSC 499: Special Topics (2.0-4.0 units, max 8)

Section	Session	Units	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
Field and Survey Experiments
52180R	001	4.0	Lecture	8:00-9:20am	Tue, Thu	5 of 19	Pablo Argote Tironi	THH117	Word (39480 KB)