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Member of the Division of Social Studies
Barb Trish, Chair, Dionne Bensonsmith, Robert Grey, Jimmy Casas Klausen,
Wayne Moyer, Russell Osgood, Ira Strauber, Eliza Willis
Political science courses focus on the processes by which societies
make decisions affecting the lives of their citizens. Questions raised by
political science include: Who has the power, how is it acquired, and how is it
used? What produces stability and what produces change in societies? What
is political leadership, and what forces shape the relations between leaders and
the led? How do societies through their governments attempt to deal with
basic problems? Political science offers students both a grasp of the various
answers provided for these questions and a sophisticated sense of how to choose
among these answers.
Since a core of central questions is common to virtually all the
department's courses, students of political science are expected to begin with the
introductory course, Political Science 101, in which these questions are pointedly raised.
This course provides the necessary background for further work in the various
fields of the discipline: American politics, comparative politics, international
politics, and political philosophy.
Political science majors should take statistics and courses in related
social studies--anthropology, economics, history, philosophy, and sociology. They
are encouraged to undertake interdisciplinary study combining social studies
with the humanities. Students have the option of doing work in a foreign language
to supplement their study of political science. Appropriate internships and experience off campus enhance the major. Students
will find courses in mathematics valuable to their major program in
political science.
Recent graduates in political science have undertaken careers in a number
of different fields. Law, government service, teaching, journalism, and social
work have proven especially attractive.
A minimum of 32 credits. With permission, up to eight of the 32
credits may be taken in related studies, at the 200-level or above, outside
the department.
Required are: Introduction to Political Science 101 and courses in each of the following areas:
- American politics (Political Science 216, 219, 237, 238, or 239)
- Comparative politics (Political Science 255, 261, 262, 273, or 275)
- International politics (Political Science 250 or 251)
In addition, eight credits of coursework are to be taken at the 300 level after
having completed the prerequisite at the 200 level. It is preferred
that students complete all of their 200-level work before undertaking
300-level courses, so students should try to reserve 300-level work for the third
and fourth years.
The following is the schedule of prerequisites: A 200-level course can
be used as a prerequisite for only one of two 300-level courses required
to fulfill distribution requirements.
- Political Science 305 (Political Science 219, 250, or 255).
- Political Science 310 (Political Science 216, 237, 238, or 239).
- Political Science 319 (Political Science 219).
- Political Science 350 (Political Science 250 or 251).
- Political Science 352 (Political Science 250 or 251).
- Political Science 354 (Political Science 250, 251, 261, 262, 273 or 275).
- Political Science 357 (any comparative politics course).
In addition to the required 32 credits, students are required to take statistics
(Mathematics 115 or 209)
or four semesters (or its equivalent) of a modern
foreign language, or two semesters of
ancient Greek or Latin.
To be considered for honors in political science, graduating seniors, in addition to meeting the
College's general requirements for honors, must achieve a GPA of 3.75 in the major and a GPA of 3.6 overall.
101 Introduction to Political Science (Fall or Spring) 4 credits
Designed to provide a general introduction to the major concepts and
themes of the discipline of political science, using examples from
contemporary American, comparative and international politics. Prerequisites: none. STAFF.
216 Politics of Congress* 4 credits
A study of the politics of Congress, including such topics as
congressional elections, party leadership, floor voting, congressional
committees, congressional policymaking, and reform proposals. Emphasis placed
on understanding theories of legislative behavior. Prerequisite: Political
Science 101 or permission of instructor. TRISH.
219 Constitutional Law and Politics (Fall) 4 credits+
An introduction to the role of the United States
Supreme Court as a policy-making institution in American politics and to how law
gives shape to, and is shaped by, struggles over the development of the
institutional structure of the polity, governmental powers, and citizens rights.
Prerequisite: Political Science 101 or permission of instructor. I. STRAUBER.
220 Nature, Functions, and Limits of the Law* 4 credits
Students in this course will study the means and ends of social
ordering through law. The class will explore what law is and is not and what it
is capable of doing within a social context. The course will consist of
the following units: 1) law as an instrument for remedying grievances; 2) law
as an instrument for defining and punishing crimes; 3) law as an
administrative-regulatory instrument; 4) law as a facilitator of private arrangements
between people; and 5) law as a way of promoting safety and human rights.
Prerequisite: Political Science 101 or permission of instructor. STAFF.
237 Political Parties (Fall) 4 credits+
An examination of the political party in U.S. politics. Considers the party
at three levels: the individual, the organization, and the system. Topics
include the development and evolution of parties, candidates and elections,
third parties, and the role of parties in the U.S. political system.
Prerequisite: Political Science 101 or permission of instructor. TRISH.
238 Campaigns and Elections* (Fall) 4 credits+
Study of U.S. campaigns and elections from both scholarly and
pragmatic perspectives. Emphasis on the implications of modern campaigns and
election for democracy in the U.S.. Students analyze contemporary politics in light
of the material covered. Offered during national election seasons.
Prerequisite: Political Science 101 or permission of instructor. STAFF.
239 The Presidency (Spring) 4 credits+
Consideration of the modern presidency as an institution and the president as
a critical political actor in politics. Topics include leadership, institutional
change, executive-legislative relations, decision-making, and presidential
selection. Prerequisite: Political Science 101 or permission of instructor. TRISH.
250 Politics of International Relations (Spring) 4 credits+
A study of the evolving relations between nations in the period since
1939, focusing on U.S. foreign policy. The crucial decisions of the Cold War
and post-Cold War evaluated against the standard of the rational national
actor, taking into account distortions caused by the bureaucratic,
bargaining, personality, psychological, societal, momentum, and communications
factors. Prerequisite: Political Science 101 or permission of instructor. MOYER.
251 International Political Economy* (Spring) 4 credits
Introduction to the study of political economy through the examination of
the pursuit of wealth and power in the international system. Evaluates
the strengths and weaknesses of different theoretical approaches as applied to
the issues of trade, international finance, and foreign investment.
Prerequisite: Political Science 101 or permission of instructor. Economics 111 is highly recommended. WILLIS.
255 Pluralist Systems: Comparative Politics of European Government:
East and West* (Fall) 4 credits+
Europe possesses a broad and very diverse range of political systems
and polities. In order to help students understand and appreciate this
diversity, students will be asked to explore the political systems and societies of a
broad range of European countries. Particular attention will be devoted to
Italy, Germany, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland. This range
of both West and East European countries should provide students with
an understanding not only of how more advanced political systems function,
but also of what types of political and institutional structures the newly
emerging democracies of Central Europe have chosen. Particular attention will be
paid to the way in which political outcomes differ depending on the
institutional and socioeconomic makeup of individual states. Prerequisite:
Political Science 101 or permission of instructor. STAFF.
261 State and Society in Latin America* 4 credits+
Examination of the diverse and common dilemmas facing Latin
America, using social scientific approaches. Topics include economic development
and political uncertainty. Prerequisite: Political Science 101 or permission of instructor. WILLIS.
262 African Politics* (Fall) 4 credits+
A study of typical Third World politics in an African context. A study of
behavior of political elites constrained both by the international context and by
limited resources. Topics include personalistic leadership, corruption, military coups,
civil wars, mass-elite interactions, and peasant autonomy. Prerequisite:
Political Science 101 or permission of instructor. GREY.
265 Issues in Democratic Political Theory (Spring) 4 credits
The purpose of this course is to explore some facets of the relationships between
citizenship, democracy, freedom, and liberalism. In particular, the course is
concerned with what "critical" citizens might consider to be relevant when
thinking about public affairs, their own interests, and the interests of others. Prerequisite: Political
Science 101 or permission of instructor. STRAUBER.
273 Politics of Russia* (Spring) 4 credits+
Analysis of the dynamics of Russian politics, beginning with the
historical background of communist rule in the Soviet Union. Primary focus on the
Putin era. Topics include: democracy, corruption, economic reform, and mass-elite
interactions. Prerequisite: Political Science 101 or permission of
instructor. GREY.
275 Politics of the People's
Republic of China* (Fall) 4 credits+
A study of the dynamics of politics in the People's Republic of China. After
a study of the history of communism in the PRC, the course examines the
role of political leadership, the communist party, the state bureaucracy,
the People's
Liberation Army, and elite-mass relations. Recent reforms in
the political and economic systems are analyzed. Some comparison with
the experience of the political system of the former USSR. Prerequisite:
Political Science 101 or permission of instructor. GREY.
305 Transnational Legal Institutions (Spring) 4 credits
Also listed as History 305. This course, in seminar form, will consider the workings of the European
Court of Justice, the International Court of Justice, International Arbitration,
and the proposed International Criminal Court. Prerequisite: Political Science
219, or 250, or 255, or permission of instructor. OSGOOD.
310 Advanced Seminar in American Politics (Spring) 4 credits
A research-oriented course in American politics. Students examine
research methods and their application to political questions/phenomena. Students
then devise and conduct an intensive research project. Throughout the course
there is an emphasis on quantitative political science. Prerequisites:
Mathematics 115 or 209, and Political Science 216, or 237, or 238, or 239; or permission of instructor. TRISH.
319 Advanced Seminar in Constitutional Law and Politics (Spring) 4 credits
The goal of the seminar is to study the role of the U.S. Supreme Court
as a means of change and conservation, both legal and social, in the 20th and 21st
centuries. The course addresses selected 14th amendment due process
and equal protection cases and doctrines, using both primary and secondary materials,
in order to evaluate the legal and political strengths and weaknesses of the
court as a means of change and conservation. Prerequisite: Political Science 219 or permission of instructor. I. STRAUBER.
350 International Politics of Land and Sea Resources* (Fall) 4 credits+
Analysis of the international politics of the conflict between the
developed nations of the North and the developing nations of the South for control of
the world's resources and over trade and
environmental issues. The impact of national decision-making processes, international organizations, cartels, and
multinational corporations. Case studies. Prerequisite: Political Science 250, or
251, or permission of instructor. MOYER.
352 Advanced Seminar on the U.S. Foreign Policymaking Process* (Fall) 4 credits+
An in-depth study of the U.S. foreign and defense policymaking
process, emphasizing international relations theory case studies of recent important decisions; discussion of the
role, structure, function, and power of the National Security Council,
State Department, Defense Department, and CIA; conflict between president
and Congress; impact of press, public opinion, lobbies, and elections.
Prerequisite: Political Science 250, or 251, or permission of instructor. MOYER.
354 Political Economy of Developing Countries (Fall) 4 credits
Following a brief examination of the main theoretical approaches taken in
the study of development, students apply these approaches to a comparison
of several less-developed countries. Emphasis on the interplay between
domestic and international factors in the path to industrialization. Prerequisite: Political
Science 250, or 251, or 261, or 262, or 273, or 275, or permission of instructor. Economics 111 is
highly recommended. WILLIS.
357 Diffusion of Democracy (Spring) 4 credits+
An analysis of the conditions under which and the processes by which
nations become and/or remain democracies. Prerequisite: any comparative
politics course except Political Science 255, or permission of instructor. GREY.
*Not offered every year.
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