All information in this guide is tentative and subject to change. Check the Political Science Department Office for updates. 

Current Information on rooms and times for the classes listed can be obtained from the university-wide Time Schedule of of 
Classes or from the Political Science office.

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

PSC 121 m100 American National Government and Politics
Instructor: Baobao ZhangMark Brockway
Class #: 3065130588
Offered: TTu/Th 32:30 00 pm – 42:25 55 pm
Frequency Offered: Every semestersemester 
Prerequisites: None
This course is required for all students who are majoring in Political Science. 
Note: All students must also enroll in a discussion section listed for this course. 
Discussion # 32278 31758 (Section 101) Fridays Friday 10:35 am-11:30 amam 
Discussion # 32279 31759 (Section 103) Thursdays Thursday 5:00 pm-5:55 pm
Discussion # 32675 31940 (Section 105) Thursdays Thursday 5:00 pm-5:55 pm
Discussion # 32676 31941 (Section 106) Fridays Friday 9:30 am-10:25 amam 
Course Description
How does the American political system operate? This course provides an introduction to American political institutions, 
behaviors, and processes. Topics include (among other things) public opinion, elections, Congress, the presidency, the the 
mass media, civic participation, the Constitution, federalism, and public policy. Although we will cover the “nuts and bolts” bolts” 
of American government, our focus is on political science rather than civics, which means our task is to analyze and and 
interpret political phenomena. 

PSC 121 m200 American National Government and

...

Politics 
Instructor: Mark BrockwayScott Taylor 
Class #: 3121431088
Offered: TTu/Th 5:00 pm - 5:55 pmpm 
Frequency Offered: Every semestersemester 
Prerequisites: NoneNone 
This course is required for all students who are majoring in political science. 
Note: All students must also enroll in a discussion section listed for this course. 
Discussion # 31215 31089 (Section 201) Thursdays 3:30 pm-4:25 pm
Discussion # 33312 32328 (Section 202) Fridays 12:45 pm-1:40 pm
Discussion # 33313 32329(Section 203) Thursdays 6:300 30 pm-7:25 pmpm 
Discussion # 31216 31288 (Section 204) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25apmDiscussion # 31503 (Section 206) Thursdays 206) Thursdays 2:00 pm-2:55 pmDiscussion # 31609 (Section 207) Fridays 10:35 am-11:30 am
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) the Constitution, Congress, the presidency, 
the mass media, civic participation, and public policy. Although we will cover the “nuts and bolts” of American American 
government, our focus is on political science rather than civics, which means our task is to analyze and interpret political political 
phenomena.

PSC 123 m100 Comparative Government and Politics * 
Instructor: Erin HernYuksel Sezgin
Class #: 3149931284 
Offered: M/W 11:40 am - 12:35 pm
Frequency Offered: YearlyYearly 
Prerequisites: NoneNone 
Note: All students must also enroll in a discussion section listed for this course. 
Discussion # 31500 31285 (Section 101) Thursdays 3:30 pm-4:25 pmpm 
Discussion # 31501 31286 (Section 102) Thursdays 5:00pm00 pm-5:55 pm
Discussion # 32677 32942 (Section 103) Fridays 12:45pm45 pm-1:40 pmpm 
Discussion # 31502 31287 (Section 104) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 amam 
Course Description
Why are some countries wealthier than others? Why do some countries become democratic while others remain remain 
authoritarian? Do certain democratic institutions work better than others? Comparative politics is the study of variation in in 
political outcomes across and within countries. This course provides a broad introduction to the various topics covered covered 
under comparative politics, including issues of economic development, regime type, and management of social and and 
political conflict. This course presents theory and comparative case analysis to help students deepen their understanding understanding 
differences in important outcomes between countries and world regions.

PSC 124 m100 International Relations * 
Instructor: Terrie NorthrupMinju Kim 
Class #: 3065230589
Offered: M/W 11:40 am - 12:35 pmpm 
Frequency Offered: Every semestersemester 
Prerequisites: None
Note: All students must also enroll in a discussion section listed for this course.
Discussion # 30653 30590 (Section 101) Thursdays 9:30 am-10:25 am
Discussion # 30654 30591 (Section 102) Fridays 10:35 am-11:30 am
Discussion # 30655 30592 (Section 103) Thursdays 3:30 pm-4:25 pmpm 
Discussion # 30656 30593 (Section 104) Thursdays 123:30 pm-14:25 pm
Discussion # 31504 31289 (Section 105) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 amam 
Discussion # 31505 31290 (Section 106) Thursdays 2:00 pm-2:55 pmMeets with PSC 139 m001
Course Description
This course introduces students to the main issues and actors in contemporary international relations, organized around 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 human 
rights, economic interdependence, nationalism, the global environment, and economic disparities. During section section 
meetings, students are encouraged to explore and discuss how states, international institutions, and non-state actors actors 
shape current international affairs and future forms of global governance.

PSC 124 m300 International Relations * 
Instructor: TBDDan McDowell
Class #: 3085530778 
Offered: M/W 10:35 am - 11:30 amam 
Frequency Offered: Every semestersemester 
Prerequisites: None
Note: All students must also enroll in a discussion section listed for this course.
Discussion # 30856 30779 (Section 302) Fridays 12:45 pm-1:40 pm
Discussion # 32678 31943 (Section 304) Thursdays 9:30 am-10:25 am
Discussion # 31373 (Section 305) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 amDiscussion # 32679 31944 (Section 306) Thursdays 11:00 am-11:55 amam 
Discussion # 34297 32736 (Section 307) Fridays 10:35 am-11:30 amDiscussion # 34298 (Section 308) Thursdays 12:30 pm-1:25 pm
Course Description
This course introduces students to the main issues and actors in contemporary international relations, organized around 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 human 
rights, economic interdependence, nationalism, the global environment, and economic disparities.   Students are are 
encouraged to explore and discuss how states, international institutions, and non-state actors shape current international international 
affairs and future forms of global governance.

PSC 125 m001 Political

...

Theory 
Instructor: Dennis RasmussenGlyn Morgan
Class #: 3176531501
Offered: MTu/W 10:35 am -11:30 amTh 6:30 pm -7:25 pm 
Frequency Offered: Yearly Yearly 
Prerequisites: None
Cross-listed with PHI 125 m001
Note: All students must also enroll in a discussion section listed for this course. 
Discussion # 32991 32134 (Section 002) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 pm
Discussion # 32992 32135 (Section 003) Fridays 10:35 am-11:30 am
Discussion # 32993 32136 (Section 004) Fridays 12:45 pm-1:40 pm
Discussion # 32994 32137 (Section 005) Fridays 2:15 pm-3:10 pmMeets with PHI 125
Course Description
This course examines some of the most important thinkers and concepts of modern political philosophy, including the the 
rejection of ancient political philosophy and the rise of liberalism (Hobbes, Locke, and Mill) as well as critiques of the the 
liberal outlook in the name of nature and virtue (Rousseau), tradition and custom (Burke), equality and liberation (Marx), 
and creativity and greatness (Nietzsche). In addition to exploring the various conceptions of nature, human nature, justice, 
freedom, history, and the good life in the works of these thinkers, we will also use their arguments to reflect on the health health 
or illness of liberal democracy in today’s world.

PSC

...

200 m301 Gender and International Relations

...

* 
Instructor: Terrie NorthrupCaylayan Baser
Class #: 3121742066 
Offered: M/W 11:40 am-122:15 pm – 3:35 pm
Frequency Offered: YearlySpecial Offering
Prerequisites: None

Meets with PSC 124 m100

Note: All students must also enroll in a discussion section listed for this course.

Discussion # 33195 (Section 002) Thursdays 9:30 am-10:25 am

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. Learning methods include 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: Maraam Dwidar

Class #: 31115

Offered: M/W 2:15 pm-3:10 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 # 31116 (Section 101) Fridays 10:35-11:30 am

Discussion # 31117 (Section 102) Fridays 10:35-11:30 am

Discussion # 31118 (Section 103) Fridays 2:15 pm-3:10 pm

Discussion # 31119 (Section 104) Fridays 2:15 pm-3:10 pm

Discussion # 33749 (Section 105) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 pm

Discussion # 33750 (Section 106) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 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: Zachary Huitink

Class #: 33756the intricate relationship between gender and international relations (IR). It addresses the historical 
and contemporary dimensions of gender issues in global politics, including but not limited to war and conflict, diplomacy, 
international political economy, development, human rights, as well as mainstream and feminist theories of IR. Students 
will develop a critical understanding of how women and gender norms shape and are shaped by the international system, 
promoting critical analysis of gendered power dynamics in global affairs.

PSC 200 m401 Religion, Science, and Society
Instructor: Team taught: Christopher Junium with Mark Brockway
Class #: 33761 
Offered: Tu/Th 3:30 pm -4:50 pm
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: None
Meets with REL 200 m002 & EAR 200 m401
Course Description
Religion and science are the most powerful forces in society. Religion has dominated the minds and lives of humans for 
millennia and scientific advancement is the crowning achievement of human endeavors. They both also represent 
fundamentally different ways of seeing the world—one seems concerned with physical, empirical reality and the other 
connected with supernatural, unseen entities. But these powerful forces also appear to be inextricably connected in 
unending conflict. Religious people pass laws based on religious morality, science pushes back against religious viewpoints 
in education, and individuals and leaders eschew scientific evidence in favor of religious beliefs. Fights over climate 
change, stem cells, public health protocols, morality, religious dogma, and scientific facts permeate the globe. In this 
course we will tackle these issues head on and uncover the nature of the conflict between science and religion. How has 
religion and religious identity shaped scientific progress? How and why do people believe in science? What is the value 
and utility of religious devotion and belief? How do debates over science and religion play out in the public sphere? Our 
explorations of these questions will bring us to the issues and identities that make up the fabric of society giving us the 
tools to help understand and shape the world around us.

PSC 202 m100 Introduction to Political Analysis 
Instructor: Liwu Gan
Class #: 31002
Offered: M/W 2:15 pm - 3:10 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 # 31003(Section 101) Fridays 10:35 am -11:30 am 
Discussion # 31004 (Section 102) Fridays 10:35 am -11:30 am 
Discussion # 31005 (Section 103) Fridays 2:15 pm - 3:10 pm 
Discussion # 31006 (Section 104) Fridays 2:15 pm - 3:10 pm
Discussion # 32533 (Section 105) Fridays 9:30 am - 10:25 am 
Discussion # 32534 (Section 106) Fridays 9:30 am - 10:25 am 
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 231 m001 Canadian Politics
Instructor: Audie Klotz
Class #: 41907 
Offered: M/W 2:15 pm -3:35 pm
Frequency Offered: Irregularly 
Prerequisites: None
Course Description
Come learn more about our neighbor to the north! Can you identify a Canadian accent or some of the most famous 
"Americans" who are actually Canadians? Is there more to Justin Trudeau than fun socks? Did you know that Canada – not 
China, not Japan, not Europe – is the United States' largest trading partner? So, what’s at stake in the NAFTA debate? An 
introduction to Canadian politics, this course starts with some basics on political culture and historical geography before 
covering core features of government (parliament, courts, federalism, and parties). The second part of the course focuses 
on aspects of Canadian politics that are often regarded as distinctive: Quebec nationalism; immigration and 
multiculturalism; and indigenous rights. In the third section, we explore some current policy debates—which you will get to 
choose—thereby delving into policy-making processes. One introductory level course in Political Science would be useful 
but is not required. Canadians are welcome too; expect a wider comparative perspective than what you learned at home.

PSC 300 m101 Policy Implementation 
Instructor: Tomas Olivier
Class #: 32537
Offered: M/W 2:15 pm - 3:35 pm 
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: None 
Meets with PAI 305 m001
Course Description
This course is about how public policy gets put into action, with a focus on developing knowledge and skills essential for 
addressing some of society’s most complex problems. The course will help you understand what we really mean when we 
say “policy implementation,” as well as some realities of implementation as it is done in practice. The course will stress, in 
particular, the widespread roles of not only government but also the private and nonprofit sectors at all levels in the 
implementation process, and how these actors use policy tools like regulations, grants, vouchers, and public-private 
partnerships to get things done. Government and non-governmental actors have taken numerous approaches to achieving 
public policy goals, from (among many others) reducing poverty and improving education to ensuring public health and 
safety, protecting the environment, and recovering from disasters. What are the trade-offs of different strategies to 
pursuing goals like these, and why has the record of achievement been mixed? How do government, business, nonprofits, 
and individual members of the public contribute to implementation efforts? How can they work better with one another to 
make public policy successful? How do we assess whether policies have had their intended impacts on people and 
communities? Students will consider these questions through a mix of lecture, discussion, examples, and hands-on 
exercises, and develop abilities in areas including policy field mapping, logic modelling, planning, and applied 
implementation analysis.

PSC 300 m102 Free Speech 
Instructor: Thomas Keck
Class #: 41915
Offered: T/Th 2:00 pm - 3:20 pmpm 
Frequency Offered: Special Offering

Prerequisites: None

Meets with PAI 305.001

Course Description

This course is about how public policy gets put into action, with a focus on developing knowledge and skills essential for addressing some of society’s most complex problems. The course will help you understand what we really mean when we say “policy implementation,” as well as some realities of implementation as it is done in practice. The course will stress, in particular, the widespread roles of not only government but also the private and nonprofit sectors at all levels in the implementation process, and how these actors use policy tools like regulations, grants, vouchers, and public-private partnerships to get things done. Government and non-governmental actors have taken numerous approaches to achieving public policy goals, from (among many others) reducing poverty and improving education to ensuring public health and safety, protecting the environment, and recovering from disasters. What are the trade-offs of different strategies to pursuing goals like these, and why has the record of achievement been mixed? How do government, business, nonprofits, and individual members of the public contribute to implementation efforts? How can they work better with one another to make public policy successful? How do we assess whether policies have had their intended impacts on people and communities? Students will consider these questions through a mix of lecture, discussion, examples, and hands-on exercises, and develop abilities in areas including policy field mapping, logic modelling, planning, and applied implementation analysisPrerequisites: None 
Course Description
In this class, students will investigate when, where, why, and how courts have protected the freedom of speech, and when, 
where, why, and how courts _should_ protect the freedom of speech. In other words, we will critically evaluate the 
performance of courts in protecting free speech when it should be protected and allowing restrictions on speech when it 
should be restricted. Much of the class will focus on decisions issued by the U.S. Supreme Court, but we will also consider 
how courts in Europe and elsewhere have resolved similar disputes. We will pay particular attention to current legal 
conflicts regarding the appropriate scope of free expression on large social media platforms.

PSC 300 m103 Black Feminist

...

Policies 
Instructor: Jenn Jackson
Class #: 3330932327
Offered: M/W 2:15pm15 pm- 3:35 pmpm 
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: NoneNone 
Meets with WGS 300m003300 m003 
Course Description
This seminar critically examines key issues, assumptions, and debates in contemporary, post-civil rights Black Feminist Feminist 
thought, action, and behavior. As such, we will understand that Black Feminism is global and diasporic. We will begin with with 
a survey and broad analysis of Black Feminist history and origins. We will pay particular attention to how Black Feminists Feminists 
make use of standpoint theory, Black nationalism, Black liberalism, liberal feminism, Black Marxism, and radical feminist feminist 
thought. We will also investigate the simultaneity of race, gender, class, and sexual oppression and its relationship to to 
power. This means that we will draw connections between Black Feminist models and contemporary queer and trans trans 
politics. In this course, we will also focus on Black feminist understandings of intersectionality, the history of this analytical analytical 
frame, and how this framework has contributed to today’s politics. The particular questions we will analyze include but are are 
not limited to the following: How do we evaluate Black movements and leadership using a Black Feminist lens? What is is 
the relationship between racism, gender based oppression, homophobia, and classism in Black women’s lives? What forms forms 
of resistance do many Black women engage in? How do these decisions shape politics?

PSC 300 m104 US Intelligence Community *
Instructor: Robert Murrett
Class#: 3377632550
Offered: M/W 2:15 pm - 3:35 pm
Frequency Offered: Special OfferingOffering 
Prerequisites: NoneNone 
Meets with PAI 300m004 338 m001& IRP 300m001338 m001
Course Description
This course will focus on the practice, structure and governance of the intelligence field, and material that has a direct 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 review 
governance and oversight of the Intelligence Community (I.C), and in order to understand the full range of today’s 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 WMD 
Commissions and the subsequent executive and legislative changes implemented over the past decade.   The class will will 
participate in case studies, in which the students will evaluate, provide briefings and recommend decisions in realistic realistic 
scenarios, both in terms of analysis and intelligence-driven decision-making on policy and operational matters

PSC 300 m105

...

White Nationalism/Right

...

Populism 
Instructor: Margaret Thompson
Class#Class #: 4236042213
Offered: TTu/Th 113:00 am 30 pm – 124:20 pm50 pm 
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: Honors StudentsNone 
Meets with HST 300 .m002 and HNR 369.m010m002 
Course Description
This course will examine why White Nationalism and Right-wing Populism have become so prominent on the early 21st-century 21stcentury American political landscape. Although such tendencies have long been evident (consider the Second KKK in the the 
1920s and the Dixiecrats of the 1940s and '50s as two examples), we will explore why they have achieved such such 
significance in recent years. Among the questions we will consider are these:
To what extent is there continuity between earlier forms of right-wing radicalism and those we see today?
Was the emergence and ongoing influence of Donald Trump (and pro-Trump groups like QAnon, Proud Boys, Militias, 
and America First) a cause or consequence of the surge in such beliefs?
In what ways are US developments distinctive, and how are they part of a global authoritarianist wave?
How has social media enabled the development of movements like these?
We will begin by reading Richard Hofstadter's "The Paranoid Style in American Politics" and Ruth Ben-Ghiat's Strongmen
to provide historical and global context. The remainder of the term will focus on reading broadly in the emerging literature literature 
and journalistic explorations on this subject, and in extensive (and often student-led) class discussion.

PSC 300 m201

...

Pan Africanism * 
Instructor: Thomas KeckS N Sangmpam 
Class#: 4237633005
Offered: TM/Th W 3:30 pm – 4:50 pm

Frequency Offered: Special Offering

Prerequisites: None

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 m202 Making Democracy Work

Instructor: Margarita Estevez-Abe

Class #: 42370

Offered: T/Th 11:00 am-12:20 pm

Frequency Offered: Special Offering

Prerequisites: None

Course Description

Scholars used to believe that mature democracies would withstand economic and political crises. Today we are no longer so sure. Many mature democracies are witnessing the weakening of well-established political parties, a rise of political extremism (even political violence), spread of disinformation and the growing voter discontent. In fact, studies of democratic erosion and backsliding constitute a new burgeoning genre in political science. This course does three things. First, it considers what democracy is and why we need to defend it. Second, it considers possible reasons why democracy is under siege. Third, it considers what citizens can do to protect democracy. The course uses multiple types of materials including academic articles, documentary films, movies and personal interviews.

PSC 300 m401 Introduction to Original Research

Instructor:  Erin Hern

Class #: 42377

Offered: M/W 2:15 pm-3:35 pm

 Frequency Offered: Special Offering

Prerequisites: None

Course Description

How should a local government agency figure out the needs of its constituents? Why do Republicans and Democrats watch different sources of news? Are positive or negative campaign ads more effective? Whether your research question is relevant for the non-profit world, government functioning, or academic inquiry, answering these questions requires an understanding of original research methods: tools for gathering original data from people or primary sources in “the field”—in other words, IRL. This course will take you through practical instruction on best practices in interviews, surveys, ethnography, experiments, and more, culminating in a final research design. While the course draws explicitly on political science literature and methods, it is applicable across the social sciences.

PSC 300 m402 Politics of Shakespeare/Law/War

Instructor: Glyn Morgan

Class#: 42378

Offered: T/Th 6:30 pm-7:50 pm

Frequency Offered: Special Offering

Prerequisites: None

Course Description

This class rests on the premise that William Shakespeare (1564-1616) could not (to misappropriate a quote of Stanley Cavell) “be who he is—the burden of the greatest writer in the language, the creature of the greatest ordering of English—unless his writing” engaged with the most challenging and important political question of his age and ours. How does a Government establish peaceful relations in the face of religious disagreement, national rivalries, and social inequalities (of race, ethnicity, gender, and class)?  Political philosophers typically propose answers to that question by drawing upon a rational-cognitive mode of inquiry. Shakespeare employs a poetic-dramatic mode. We will read a number of philosophical and political texts widely-read in Shakespeare’s era—Machiavelli’s The Prince, Thomas More’s Utopia, James the First’s, True Law of Monarchies and Basilikon Doron, and the Essays of Montaigne and Seneca. We will also watch half a dozen or so of Shakespeare’s plays, including Measure for Measure, Julius Caesar, Henry V, Richard II, Macbeth, and The Tempest. Students will write three substantial essays.

PSC 300 u201 The Politics of Populism *

Instructor: Dan Jackson

Class#: 42317

Offered: T/Th 3:30 pm-4:50 pm

Frequency Offered: Special Offering

Prerequisites: None

Course Description

This course examines varieties of populism around the world, as well as the causes and effects of populist politics. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between populism and globalization.

PSC 303 m001 The Development of the American State

Instructor: Steven White

Class#: 42404

Offered T/Th 3:30 pm-4:50 pm

Frequency Offered: Special Offering

Prerequisites: None

Course Description

This course addresses major themes in the historical development of American politics, while also introducing students to the American political development (APD) approach to political science research. The first part of the course examines APD perspectives on the American national state and U.S. political culture. We will consider whether the American federal government is smaller or merely different than that of other countries, as well as the extent to which U.S. political culture is characterized by a distinctly individualistic liberalism. The second part of the course focuses on the development of major national political institutions, including Congress, the presidency, political parties, and interest groups. The third part of the course examines U.S. social policy and the question of why the American welfare state takes the form that it does. Among other topics, we will look at programs like Social Security and the debate over the national government's role in health care. We will conclude by examining how APD perspectives might help us make sense of contemporary American politics.

PSC 304 m001 The Judicial Process

Instructor: Domenic Trunfio

Class #: 30657

Offered: T/Th 3:30 pm-4:50 pm

Frequency Offered: Yearly

Prerequisites:  None

Course Description

This course will take an in-depth examination of the Criminal Justice System from arrest to appeal, taught by an experienced prosecutor. Students will get a practical, realistic view of criminal justice and the court system through readings, lectures, class discussion and guest speakers who work in the legal system. This course is designed to give students a basic understanding of constitutional law and criminal procedure and will attempt to improve analytical ability and critical thought process.  It will examine how the rights of those accused of a crime are balanced against the rights of those who are victims of crime.  This course will also explore how the judicial process affects average citizens, their communities and American society, and how the system is often inaccurately portrayed in the media and by Hollywood.

PSC 306 m001 African American Politics

Instructor: S.N. Sangmpam

Class #: 34214

Offered: M/W 12:45 pm-2:05 pm

Frequency Offered: Yearly

Prerequisites: None

Cross-listed with AAS 306

Course Description

This course is an examination of the African American Political experience in the United States with a focus on the nature of the American political system and the status of African Americans in it. The approach will be analytical and theoretical, but the main focus will be on the historical and contemporary political dynamic. Special attention will be given to the interplay of society, state, ideology, and political struggles.

PSC 308 m001 The Politics of U.S. Public Policy

Instructor: Sarah Pralle

Class #: 33302

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 317 m001 Local Internship

Instructor: Grant Reeher

Class #: 30658

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: William Lambright

Class #: 31120

Offered: M/W 3:45 pm-5:05 pm

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 319m001 Gender & Politics

Instructor: Jenn Jackson

Class #: 43402

Offered: T/Th 2:00 pm-3:20 pm

Frequency Offered: Yearly

Prerequisites: None

Cross-listed with WGS 319

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 320 m001 Comparative Law & Courts *

Instructor: Yuksel Sezgin

Class #: 42196

Offered: M/W 12:45 pm-2:05 pm

Frequency Offered: Yearly

Prerequisites: None

Course Description

This course will introduce students to major legal traditions of the world. Among the legal systems to be covered are the Common Law, Civil Law, Islamic Law, and African and Asian legal traditions. The course will specifically look at the role and function of courts in both national and international contexts (e.g., European Court of Human Rights, and the International Criminal Court).

PSC 325 m100 Constitutional Law II

Instructor: Thomas Keck

Class #: 31256

Offered: T/Th  9:30 am-10:50 am

Frequency Offered: Yearly

Prerequisites: Sophomore or above (taken PSC 324 preferred)

Course Description

This course, a continuation of the course sequence that began with Constitutional Law I (PSC 324), focuses on a variety of significant political and legal conflicts regarding the US Constitution from the mid-twentieth century to the present, including civil rights for racial minorities, women, and LGBT persons; reproductive rights; gun rights; religious freedom; free speech; and presidential power during wartime.

PSC 326.001 Foundations of American Political Thought

Instructor: Dennis Rasmussen

Class #: 33673

Offered: M/W 2:15 pm-3:35 pm

Frequency Offered: Yearly

Prerequisites: None

Cross-listed with HST 383

Course Description

This course examines American political thought through the mid-nineteenth century, concentrating on the founding debate, the development of Lincoln’s thought and the Civil War, and Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America. Topics include the nation’s founding documents, the challenges posed by the Anti-Federalists, the defense of the large republic in The Federalist, the problems presented by slavery, the proper role of a democratic statesman, and Tocqueville's hopes and worries about liberal democratic society and government (especially its American variant).

PSC 338.001 Race. Ethnicity & American Politics

Instructor: Steven White

Class #: 42410

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. Among other topics, we will examine public opinion, trends in partisanship and voting behavior, the link between traditional civil rights organizations and new social movements, debates about “pan-ethnicity,” descriptive and substantive representation in political institutions, and intersectionality.

PSC 341 m001 Politics of Africa *

Instructor: Horace Campbell

Class #: 32999

Offered: T/Th 11:00 am-12:20 pm

Frequency Offered: Irregularly

Prerequisites: None

Cross-listed with AAS 341 and meets with PAI 500

Course Description

The objective of the course is to introduce students to the foundations of the politics in Africa. The focus will be to bring to life the struggles for self-determination and self-emancipation in Africa. Empiricism and immediatism in the study of Africa reinforce the old conceptions of the need to civilize and modernize Africa, the need for ‘good governance’ and the establishment of a ‘reform agenda’ to bring Africa into the ‘global’ economy. The focus will be to bring to life the humanity of the African peoples and to understand the ideation system and social processes that had evolved in the process of developing a Healing Spirit.

How can the African knowledge systems inspire new political formations to repair humans and the natural environment? These questions are now more urgent in the face of daily warnings that humans have passed a tipping point with respect to the future of global warming and the attendant disasters. Drawing from the ideas of healing and the interconnections between humans and nature will lead us to study the importance of African Fractals. While there is the understanding that fractal geometry can take us into the far reaches of ‘modern computing,’ its patterns are common in African design and some of its basic concepts are fundamental to African knowledge systems. What has been understood in the fields of the natural sciences has not yet been grasped in the social sciences. One of the many challenges for us is to grasp how alternative approaches to knowledge can open new directions in the study of African politics and society. How are symbols and divination processes linked to a cosmology that influenced social and political relations? In what ways was the palaver a reflection of democratic relations in the village community? How did the matricentric production unit guarantee the autonomy of women? These questions arise in the present period as African scientists, activists, intellectuals and ordinary producers seek the ideas and organization necessary to break from domination and exploitation in order to develop new concepts of politics and community.

In this course, we will seek to deconstruct liberal conceptions of modernization, idealistic visions of the salvation of the market and the equation of democracy with elections. From the outset, the effort will be to interrogate the intellectual foundations of the present output on Africa from the academy. Questions of the politics of radical African feminism, genocidal politics, militarism and absolutism of the colonial order will form the foundation of the understanding of contemporary politics. In so far as the principal theoreticians of Modern Political Thought developed the ideas of citizenship and the state in the era of the victory of capitalist expansion, there will be an examination of the relationship between the ideas of the enlightenment and contemporary social and economic devastation of Africa. The core ideas of individualism and private accumulation will be interrogated in relation to the environmental destruction, the politics of underdevelopment, and the traditions of militarism, war and genocide.

Because there are 55 states in the African Union it would be unrealistic to cover this vast continent in one semester. Thus, the emphasis of the course will be on themes and methodological tools, which would sharpen our analytical skills. Students are encouraged to use their term paper to focus on one society.

The lectures and visual presentations will draw from the material and intellectual culture of the region to provide an understanding of the dynamic of African peoples.

PSC 347 m001 Politics of Russia *

Instructor: Brian Taylor

Class #: 42411

Offered: T/Th 5:00 pm-6:20 pm

Frequency Offered: Yearly

Prerequisites: None

Course Description

This course provides an overview of Russian politics. The course is divided into two, unequal parts. The first, shorter part is organized chronologically and covers the period up to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The goal for this part of the course is to provide some minimal, essential background for those who have never had a course in Russian or Soviet history. The second, longer part of the course is organized thematically and covers the three decades since the Soviet collapse.  We study the basic institutional structure of Russian politics, learn about Vladimir Putin and his worldview, investigate some important challenges facing Russia today, assess the political, economic, and social order created over the last three decades, and seek to understand Russia’s current place in the world and where the country is going.

PSC 352 m001 International Law *

Instructor: Audie Klotz

Class #: 34313

Offered: T/Th 11:00 am-12:20 pm

Frequency Offered: Irregularly

Prerequisites: None

Course Description

If might makes right, as skeptics often claim, why do states comply with most of their many international commitments? And why, if international law is fundamentally flawed, would states invest any resources in negotiating treaties and conventions in the first place? In this course, we go beyond cynical clichés, but without resorting to excessive optimism, by concentrating on questions embedded in the politics of international law, such as:

What leads to bilateral or multilateral agreements on certain issues but not others?

Why do some legal principles remain resilient in the face of criticism but others ebb?

When do states and non-state actors seek to bolster or undermine such commitments?

We will seek answers to these questions by looking at well-known legal disputes involving territorial boundaries, laws of war, human rights conventions, and environmental principles.

PSC 353 m001 International Organization *

Instructor: Sobia Paracha

Class #: 42372

Offered: T/Th 5:00 pm-6:20 pm

Frequency Offered: Irregularly

Prerequisites: None

Course Description

In this course we examine the origins and operations of international organizations in international relations.  We begin with an exploration of the membership, structure, purpose, and function of the United Nations Organization (UNO), then undertake a comparative analysis of three multipurpose regional intergovernmental organizations (IGOs):  the European Union (EU), the Organization of American States (OAS), and the African Union (formerly the Organization for African Unity-OAU).  We will also investigate several nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) engaged in work on human rights and globalization.  Our goal is to understand the role and significance of each organization in contemporary international relations.

PSC 357 m001 U.S. Foreign Policy *

Instructor: Ryan Griffiths

Class #: 33736

Offered: T/Th 12:30 pm-1:50 pm

Frequency Offered: Irregularly

Prerequisites: None

Course Description

A survey and critique of US foreign policy for advanced undergraduate majors in Political Science and International Relations. In this course we examine the evolution of foreign policy since the birth of the country. We investigate why American primacy came to be, what its consequences are, and what will drive US foreign policy in the future. Attention will be given to historical analysis, grand strategy, and a range of contemporary policy issues from the rise of China to the threat of terrorism. In addition, we will examine the challenges of decision-making from the perspective of the practitioner who must deal with problems of individual choice, small groups, bureaucratic politics, organizational constraints, and public opinion. The aim of the course is to give students the theoretical and analytical tools necessary to think critically about the past, present, and future of US foreign policy, and its implications for international relations.

PSC 377 m001 Religion & Politics *

Instructor: Mark Brockway

Class #: 42375

Offered: T/Th 3:30 pm-4:50 pm

Frequency Offered: Irregularly

Prerequisite: None

Meets with REL 300.001

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 throughout history, asking if efforts to separate these two fundamental human experiences have 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. Finally, we try and find the utility of religion in international institutions and NGOs, peacebuilding efforts, and transnational justice. How governments and citizens navigate religious and political institutions and identities is at the heart of our investigation.

PSC 381 m001 Islamic Law & Society *

Instructor: Yuksel Sezgin

Class #: 42198

Offered: M/W 2:15 pm – 3:35 pm

Frequency Offered: Irregularly

Prerequisites: None

Course Description

This course introduces classical and modern Islamic law that guides the lives of hundreds of millions of Muslims in the contemporary world. It explores classical Islamic law's origins, sources, institutions, and historical evolution and discusses Islamic constitutionalism, Islamic criminal laws, Islamic family laws, gender, political violence, Islamic banking, and human rights.

PSC 382 m001 Contemporary Political Philosophy

Instructor: Verena Erlenbusch Anderson

Class #: 42673

Offered: T/TH 11:00 am-12:20 pm

Frequency Offered: Yearly

Prerequisites: 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 392 m001 Islamism and Islamist Movements *

Instructor: Hossein Bashiriyeh

Class #: 33304

Offered: M/W 12:45 pm-2:05 pm

Frequency Offered: Irregularly

Prerequisites: None

Cross-listed with MES 392 and REL 362

Course Description

The purpose of this course is to explain various aspects of Islamism as a major contentious political ideology in the world today. Islamism has been described as a traditionalist, militant ideology and movement trying to preserve and reinvent a religious tradition against the forces of secularization, modernization, democratization and globalization. Since its emergence, Islamism has been challenging various aspects of Western modernity. It has emerged out of a deep sense of hostility and indignation and anger against various aspects of modern life. In this course we will study the origins, various generations, types, internal tendencies and trends, as well as the impact of Islamism and Islamist movements in a number of countries in the Middle East as well as in a number of non-Muslim nations.

PSC 395 m001 Democratization in the Muslim World *

Instructor: Hossein Bashiriyeh

Class #: 34293

Offered: M/W 3:45 pm-5:05 pm

Frequency Offered: Irregularly

Prerequisites: None

Cross-listed with MES 395.001

Course Description

The aim of this course is to study the ongoing process of democratization which has   begun recently in the Islamic world. With the rising wave of democratic transitions in the last quarter of the 20th Century, the question has been raised as to whether the world of Islam could also experience a similar development. As a matter of historical fact a number of Muslim nations are in a process of making a transition to at least electoral democracy and are striving to consolidate the new institutions despite formidable obstacles.  On the one hand a number of forces and variables favor democratization, but on the other hand several variables and forces impede the process. Like elsewhere, transition to democracy in the Muslim nations is taking different forms and modes, including reform from above, revolt from below and conclusion of pacts between regimes and oppositions. We assume that theories explaining transition to democracy elsewhere must be instrumental in understanding the process of democratization in the Muslim world as well. Hence, we will first review the general theories of democratization, in terms of their possible relevance to the study of democratization in the Muslim world.

PSC 400 m001 Poverty Policy

Instructor: Colleen Heflin

Class#: 33757

Offered: W 9:30 am -12:15 pm

Frequency Offered: Special Offering

Prerequisites: None

Meets with PAI 415m003 & SOC 400m002

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 public health crises impact people in poverty?

PSC 400 m201 Social Movements & Political Conflict

Instructor: Yael Zeira

Class#: 42417

Offered: T/Th 2:00 pm -3:20 pm

Frequency Offered: Special Offering

Prerequisites: None

Course Description

This course offers an introduction to the systematic study of social movements and nonviolent resistance. Drawing on research in both political science and sociology, we will study how and why social movements form, attract participants, select tactics, and engage in effective resistance against dominant political regimes and/or social orders. To do so, we will examine both the key theories developed to answer these questions, as well as prominent cases of nonviolent and/or unarmed resistance, including the American civil rights movement, the first Palestinian intifadah, and the South African anti-apartheid struggle. In addition, students will also study other social movement or protest campaign(s) of their choosing as part of an independent research paper due at the end of the semester.

PSC 400 m301 Revolutions

Instructor: Ryan Griffiths

Class#: 42418

OfferedT/Th 3:30 pm -4:50 pm

Frequency Offered: Special Offering

Prerequisites: None

Course Description

This class will explore the topic of revolution. It will examine theories for the cause of revolution, including greed, grievance, and the desire for independence. It will discuss the problem of collective action that revolutionaries face. It will also look at changing historical patterns with respect to revolutionary activity, the role that the international system plays, and the potential for revolution in contemporary global politics. Readings in the current academic literature, participation in class discussions, and submission of written assignments will provide students with an opportunity to think critically on these matters. The unit has both policy-oriented and theoretical dimensions, and it should complement other units of study in political science and international relations.

PSC 400 m401 Data Analytics for PoliSci

Instructor: Simon Weschle

Class#: 34311

Offered: M/W 2:15 pm -3:35 pm

Frequency Offered: Special Offering

Prerequisites: None

Course Description

Data and data analysis are increasingly important for political science research, but also in the public discourse and the workplace. In this class, you will learn how to conduct data analysis yourself. We’ll cover topics such as finding data, data cleaning and data manipulation, data visualization, and data analysis. Along the way, we’ll learn basic statistical functions and plots in the powerful (and free) statistical program R. Throughout, the class takes an applied approach, so students will develop their own research project and conduct their own data analyses.

PSC 435 m001 Humanitarian Action in World Politics *

Instructor: Lamis Abdelaaty

Class#: 34315

Offered: T/Th 12:30 pm-1:50 pm

Frequency Offered: Special Offering

Prerequisites: None

Course Description

This course deals with the global politics of humanitarianism. Topics covered include the historical evolution of humanitarian norms and principles, key actors in the humanitarian sector, and institutional frameworks governing humanitarian action. We also explore the challenges associated with emergency relief, development aid, and military intervention. The emphasis throughout the course is on critically assessing the underlying foundations, dilemmas, and consequences of international humanitarianism.

PSC 496 m001 Distinction Thesis II

Instructor: Daniel McDowell

Class #: 31374

Offered: W 3:45-6:30 pm

Frequency Offered: Yearly

Prerequisites: PSC 495 Distinction I

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.45 pm – 5:05 pm 
Frequency Offered: Special Offering 
Prerequisites: None 
Meets with AAS 312 m001
Course Description
This is an introduction to Pan Africanism. The course attempts to define the concept of Pan Africanism by inquiring into the 
origin of the commonalities shared by Africa and its Diaspora in the United States/Canada, the Caribbean/South America, and 
Europe.Because historically Pan Africanism has focused on the idea of the bond between Africans and the African Diaspora, we 
will perforce discuss the historical forces and stages that shaped this idea and the institutional framework within which it 
acquired strength. Yet Africa and the Diaspora face different types of problems and issues. Their reactions to these issues differ, 
if only because they are in geographically and economically differential zones. Therefore, we will also examine contemporary 
trends in the debate about Pan Africanism and its proposed new directions.

PSC 300 m202 Fighting Crime in Latin America *
Instructor: Jessie Trudeau 
Class#: 41924
Offered: M/W 3:45 pm – 5:05 pm
Frequency Offered: Special Offering 
Prerequisites: None 
Course Description
Latin America is both the most violent region in the world and the region that spends the highest share of their budget on 
public security. Despite the high spending, international drug cartels and prison gangs still subvert the rule of law and even 
govern residents in some areas. Public security policies at times exacerbate rather than solve problems: high levels of 
police violence and corruption have led citizens to fear or have little trust in law enforcement. At first glance, we might 
expect that all countries are waging war with organized criminal groups. Upon taking a closer look, we see stunning 
variation in the patterns of violence, types of criminal groups, and the state’s crime-fighting strategies across the region. 
What explains variation in violence across and even within countries in Latin America? Why does organized crime look so 
different from place to place? And what explains why some public security policies work better than others? To 
understand these questions, this course draws from cutting-edge research on crime, violence, and policing, and specific 
country-cases across the Americas.

PSC 300 m301 Nationalism and World Politics * 
Instructor: Ryan Griffiths 
Class#: 33704
Offered: Tu/Th 12:30 pm – 1:50 pm
Frequency Offered: Special Offering 
Prerequisites: None 
Course Description
Nationalism has been one of the most powerful forces of change over the last two centuries. This course will focus on the 
causes of nationalism, its persistence, and its consequences. Specific attention will be given to a number of topics 
including the relationship between nationalism and democracy, the malleability of national identities, the dangers that 
nationalist movements can pose, and the potential solutions to nationalist conflict. The aim of the course is to give 
students the theoretical and analytical tools necessary to think critically about nationalism and its role in world politics.

PSC 300 m303 War and Peace in the Nuclear Age *
Instructor: Francine D’Amico
Class #: 42157
Offered: Tu/Th 2:00 pm - 3:20 pm
Frequency Special Offering
Prerequisites: None 
Course Description
Is nuclear proliferation inevitable? Will conflict between countries with nuclear arsenals, such as the United States and the
Russian Federation or India and Pakistan, escalate to nuclear war? Can nuclear terrorism be prevented? Do “nuclear 
weapons free zones” (NWFZs) work? What security and environmental risks does our expanding reliance on nuclear 
energy as a power resource create? This course examines these life-and-death questions of the nuclear age, beginning with 
the development of nuclear weapons technology, considering efforts at nonproliferation and denuclearization, and 
concluding with an examination of contemporary weapons and energy policies around the globe.

PSC 303 m001 The Development of the American State
Instructor: Steven White
Class#: 33014
Offered Tu/Th 3:30 pm - 4:50 pm
Frequency Offered: Irregularly 
Prerequisites: None
Course Description
This course addresses major themes in the historical development of American politics, while also introducing students to 
the American political development (APD) approach to political science research. The first part of the course examines 
APD perspectives on the American national state and U.S. political culture. We will consider whether the American 
federal government is smaller or merely different than that of other countries, as well as the extent to which U.S. political
culture is characterized by a distinctly individualistic liberalism. The second part of the course focuses on the development 
of major national political institutions, including Congress, the presidency, political parties, and interest groups. The third 
part of the course examines U.S. social policy and the question of why the American welfare state takes the form that it 
does. Among other topics, we will look at programs like Social Security and the debate over the national government's 
role in health care. We will conclude by examining how APD perspectives might help us make sense of contemporary 
American politics.

PSC 305 u001 U.S. Congressional Politics
Instructor: Brock Titlow
Class #: 42573
Offered: Tu/Th 5:00 pm - 6:20 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 The Politics of U.S. Public Policy
Instructor: Brian Ohl
Class #: 32324 
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 317 m001 Local Internship 
Instructor: Grant Reeher
Class #: 30595
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 – Online Synchronous
Instructor: Takumi Shibaike 
Class #: 31007
Offered: M/W 3:45 pm - 5:05pm 
Frequency Offered: Regularly 
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 322 m001 International Security *
Instructor: Chengzhi Yin
Class #: 33776
Offered: Tu/TH2:00pm-3:20pm 
Frequency Offered: Regularly 
Prerequisites: None 
Course Description
This course is an introduction to the field of security studies within the discipline of Political Science. Topics to be covered 
include: the motivations for, and consequences of, nuclear proliferation; the origins of ethnic violence and the capacity for 
humanitarian intervention to successfully prevent mass killings and genocide; the likelihood that enlarged ‘zones of 
democracy’ will foster zones of peace; and the sources of terrorist violence and the implications of counter-terrorism 
policies. The course will also include ‘hot’ topics currently debated among scholars and policymakers, including piracy and 
other non-conventional forms of force; the out-sourcing of war; and the connection between climate change and violent 
conflict. Throughout the course, we will consider these topics via the lens of real-world examples and ‘case studies’. While 
these cases will be cross-regional, special focus will also be placed on the US role in fostering international security and 
contemporary US national security dilemmas.

PSC 325 m100 Constitutional Law II 
Instructor: Thomas Keck
Class #: 31122
Offered: Tu/Th 9:30 am - 10:50 am 
Frequency Offered: Regularly 
Prerequisites: Sophomore or above (taken PSC 324 preferred)
Course Description
This course, a continuation of the course sequence that began with Constitutional Law I (PSC 324), focuses on a variety 
of significant political and legal conflicts regarding the US Constitution from the mid-twentieth century to the present, 
including civil rights for racial minorities, women, and LGBT persons; reproductive rights; gun rights; religiousfreedom; 
free speech; and presidential power during wartime.

PSC 334 m001 Mexico and the United States *
Instructor: Matthew Cleary 
Class #: 41951
Offered: Tu/Th 3:30 pm - 4:50 pm 
Frequency Offered: Regularly 
Prerequisites: None
Cross-listed with LAS 335 m001
Course Description
This course focuses on the politics of modern Mexico, with special attention to relations between Mexico and the United 
States. We begin with an overview of the long history of U.S.-Mexican relations, including comparative colonial histories, 
the War (1846-48), and other conflicts up through the mid-20th century. However, the bulk of the course focuses on the 
historical roots and contemporary dynamics of various themes that are critical for understanding Mexico today, again 
with special attention to U.S.-Mexican relations. Topics of study include economic ties (e.g., the maquila industry, 
NAFTA/USMCA, and bilateral trade relations); the roots of migration and the effects of migration in both countries; 
Mexican democratization and inter-governmental relations; the drug trade; and the way that these bilateral issues are 
politicized and negotiated in both countries.

PSC 336 m001 Money & Politics
Instructor: Simon Weschle
Class #: 41955
Offered: Tu/Th 9:30 am – 10:50 am 
Frequency Offered: Regularly
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 341 m001 Politics of Africa * 
Instructor: Horace Campbell
Class #: 32140
Offered: Tu/Th 11:00 am - 12:20 am 
Frequency Offered: Regularly 
Prerequisites: None 
Cross-listed with AAS 341 m001/Meets with PAI 500 m001
Course Description
The objective of the course is to introduce students to the foundations of the politics in Africa. The focus will be to bring 
to life the struggles for self-determination and self-emancipation in Africa. Empiricism and immediatism in the study of 
Africa reinforce the old conceptions of the need to civilize and modernize Africa, the need for ‘good governance’ and the 
establishment of a ‘reform agenda’ to bring Africa into the ‘global’ economy. The focus will be to bring to life the humanity 
of the African peoples and to understand the ideation system and social processes that had evolved in the process of 
developing a Healing Spirit.
How can the African knowledge systems inspire new political formations to repair humans and the natural environment? 
These questions are now more urgent in the face of daily warnings that humans have passed a tipping point with respect to 
the future of global warming and the attendant disasters. Drawing from the ideas of healing and the interconnections 
between humans and nature will lead us to study the importance of African Fractals.While there is the understanding that 
fractal geometry can take us into the far reaches of ‘modern computing,’ its patterns are common in African design and 
some of its basic concepts are fundamental to African knowledge systems. What has been understood in the fields of the 
natural sciences has not yet been grasped in the social sciences. One of the many challenges for us is to grasp how 
alternative approaches to knowledge can open new directions in the study of African politics and society. How are 
symbols and divination processes linked to a cosmology that influenced social and political relations? In what ways was 
the palaver a reflection of democratic relations in the village community? How did the matricentric production unit 
guarantee the autonomy of women? These questions arise in the present period as African scientists, activists, 
intellectuals and ordinary producers seek the ideas and organization necessary to break from domination and exploitation 
in order to develop new concepts of politics and community.
In this course, we will seek to deconstruct liberal conceptions of modernization, idealistic visions of the salvation of the 
market and the equation of democracy with elections. From the outset, the effort will be to interrogate the intellectual 
foundations of the present output on Africa from the academy. Questions of the politics of radical African feminism, 
genocidal politics, militarism, and absolutism of the colonial order will form the foundation of the understanding of 
contemporary politics. In so far as the principal theoreticians of Modern Political Thought developed the ideas of 
citizenship and the state in the era of the victory of capitalist expansion, there will be an examination of the relationship
between the ideas of the enlightenment and contemporary social and economic devastation of Africa. The core ideas of 
individualism and private accumulation will be interrogated in relation to the environmental destruction, the politics of 
underdevelopment, and the traditions of militarism, war and genocide.
Because there are 55 states in the African Union it would be unrealistic to cover this vast continent in one semester. Thus, 
the emphasis of the course will be on themes and methodological tools, which would sharpen our analytical skills. Students 
are encouraged to use their term paper to focus on one society.
The lectures and visual presentations will draw from the material and intellectual culture of the region to provide an 
understanding of the dynamic of African peoples.

PSC 347 m001 Politics of Russia * 
Instructor: Brian Taylor
Class #: 41958
Offered: Tu/Th 3:30 pm – 4:50 pm 
Frequency Offered: Regularly 
Prerequisites: None 
Course Description
This course provides an overview of Russian politics. The course is divided into two, unequal parts. The first, shorter part is 
organized chronologically and covers the period up to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The goal for this part of 
the course is to provide some minimal, essential background for those who have never had a course in Russian or Soviet 
history. The second, longer part of the course is organized thematically and covers the three decades since the Soviet 
collapse. We study the basic institutional structure of Russian politics, learn about Vladimir Putin and his worldview, 
investigate some important challenges facing Russia today, assess the political, economic, and social order created over 
the last three decades, and seek to understand Russia’s current place in the world and where the country is going. 

PSC 352 m001 International Law * 
Instructor: Francine D’Amico 
Class #: 32741
Offered: Tu/Th 11:00 am - 12:20 pm 
Frequency Offered: Irregularly 
Prerequisites: None 
Course Description 
If might makes right, as skeptics often claim, why do states comply with most of their many international commitments? 
And why, if international law is fundamentally flawed, would states invest any resources in negotiating treaties and 
conventions in the first place? In this course, we go beyond cynical clichés, but without resorting to excessive optimism, by 
concentrating on questions embedded in the politics of international law, such as:
What leads to bilateral or multilateral agreements on certain issues but not others?
Why do some legal principles remain resilient in the face of criticism but others ebb?
When do states and non-state actors seek to bolster or undermine such commitments?
We will seek answers to these questions by looking at well-known legal disputes involving territorial boundaries, laws of 
war, human rights conventions, and environmental principles.

PSC 356 m001 Political Conflict * 
Instructor: Caglayan Baser
Class #: 42067
Offered: M/W 3:45 pm – 5:05 pm 
Frequency Offered: Regularly
Prerequisites: None 
Course Description
This course offers a comprehensive exploration of war, with a specific emphasis on civil conflicts. It surveys the main 
concepts and global trends of war-related conflict and delves into fundamental questions regarding the origins, dynamics, 
and consequences of these conflicts. By integrating a diverse array of perspectives, and combining international relations 
and comparative politics disciplines, the course equips students to develop a holistic understanding of conflicts’ nature 
and scope, critically evaluate existing research, and assess various methods of conflict analysis.

PSC 365 m001 IPE of the Third World * 
Instructor: S.N. Sangmpam 
Class #: 33678
Offered: M/W 12:45 pm – 2:05 pm 
Frequency Offered: Regularly 
Prerequisites: None
Cross-Listed with AAS 365 m001
Course Description
This course is about international political economy with special emphasis on the status of developing countries in it. 
Because international political economy cannot be understood without an understanding of the international system as a 
whole, we will perforce discuss the relationship between the "Third world" and other countries. But the main objective will 
be to convey some concrete knowledge about the political and economic problems developing countries face in these 
relations and various attempts to solve them. Among the issues to be discussed are the making of the international 
economic system, the "Third World," globalization and political responses to it, trade, debt, multinational corporations, 
multilateral lending agencies (IMF, World Bank), the politics and strategies of development, and the prospects of a new 
international system. Listed texts will be supplemented by other materials to be handed out throughout the semester.

PSC 373 m001 Social Contract Tradition
Instructor: Verena Erlenbusch-Anderson 
Class #: 33698
Offered: Tu/Th 9:30 am - 10:50 am 
Frequency Offered: Regularly
Prerequisite: None 
Cross-listed with PHI 317 m001
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 throughout 
history, asking if efforts to separate these two fundamental human experiences have 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. 
Finally, we try and find the utility of religion in international institutions and NGOs, peacebuilding efforts, and 
transnational justice. How governments and citizens navigate religious and political institutions and identities is at the 
heart of our investigation.

PSC 381 m001 Islamic Law and Society * 
Instructor: Yuksel Sezgin
Class #: 41853
Offered: M/W 12:45 pm – 2:05 pm
Frequency Offered: Regularly
Prerequisite: None 
Cross-listed with MES 381 m001/REL 361 m001
Course Description
This course introduces classical and modern Islamic law that guides the lives of hundreds of millions of Muslims in the 
contemporary world. It explores classical Islamic law's origins, sources, institutions, and historical evolution and discusses 
Islamic constitutionalism, Islamic criminal laws, Islamic family laws, gender, political violence, Islamic banking, and human 
rights.

PSC 388 m001 Globalization & the Rise of Populism * - Class Cancelled.

PSC 392 m001 Islamism and Islamist Movements * 
Instructor: Hossein Bashiriyeh
Class #: 32325
Offered: M/W 12:45 pm - 2:05 pm 
Frequency Offered: Regularly 
Prerequisites: None 
Cross-listed with MES 392 m001/REL 362 m001
Course Description
The purpose of this course is to explain various aspects of Islamism as a major contentious political ideology in the world 
today. Islamism has been described as a traditionalist, militant ideology and movement trying to preserve and reinvent a 
religious tradition against the forces of secularization, modernization, democratization and globalization. Since its 
emergence, Islamism has been challenging various aspects of Western modernity. It has emerged out of a deep sense of 
hostility and indignation and anger against various aspects of modern life. In this course we will study the origins, various 
generations, types, internal tendencies and trends, as well as the impact of Islamism and Islamist movements in a number 
of countries in the Middle East as well as in a number of non-Muslim nations.

PSC 395 m001 Democratization in the Muslim World *
Instructor: Hossein Bashiriyeh
Class #: 32734 
Offered: M/W 3:45 pm - 5:05 pm 
Frequency Offered: Regularly 
Prerequisites: None 
Cross-listed with MES 395 m001
Course Description
The aim of this course is to study the ongoing process of democratization which has begun recently in the Islamic world. 
With the rising wave of democratic transitions in the last quarter of the 20th Century, the question has been raised as to 
whether the world of Islam could also experience a similar development. As a matter of historical fact a number of Muslim 
nations are in a process of making a transition to at least electoral democracy and are striving to consolidate the new 
institutions despite formidable obstacles. On the one hand a number of forces and variables favor democratization, but 
on the other hand several variables and forces impede the process. Like elsewhere, transition to democracy in the Muslim 
nations is taking different forms and modes, including reform from above, revolt from below and conclusion of pacts 
between regimes and oppositions. We assume that theories explaining transition to democracy elsewhere must be 
instrumental in understanding the process of democratization in the Muslim world as well. Hence, we will first review the 
general theories of democratization, in terms of their possible relevance to the study of democratization in the Muslim 
world.

PSC 400 m001 Designing Surveys and Experiments
Instructor: Emily Thorson
Class#: 42058
Offered: Tu/Th 12:30 pm – 1:50 pm 
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: None 
Course Description
Surveys and experiments are an increasingly important part of not only political science, but also journalism, campaigns, 
and public policy. This class offers students hands-on experience designing, analyzing, and interpreting surveys and 
experiments. Students will work in groups to create an original survey experiment on a political topic of their choosing, 
then analyze and present the results. Topics in previous classes have included political advertising on Facebook, climate 
change, immigration, and protest movements.

PSC 400 m202 War & Conflict in the Middle East *
Instructor: Yael Zeira
Class#: 42068
Offered: Tu/Th 2:00 – 3:20 pm
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: None 
Meets with MES 400 m001
Course Description
This course offers an introduction to war and conflict in the Middle East. We will begin by examining general patterns and 
trends in war and conflict in the Middle East and comparing them to other world regions. We will then investigate the 
possible causes of war and conflict in the Middle East, such as oil, ethnicity, and geopolitics and outside intervention. Finally, 
we will study some wars and conflicts in depth in order to better understand their causes and consequences, including the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Lebanese civil war, the Iraq War, and/or the war in Syria. Students will also study a conflict 
or conflicts of their choosing as part of the required final research paper for this course. Prior coursework on the Middle 
East is recommended but not required.

PSC 400 m401 Data Analytics for PoliSci
Instructor: Simon Weschle
Class #: 42495 
Offered: T/Th 11:00 am – 12:20 pm 
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: None 
Course Description
Data and data analysis are increasingly important for political science research, but also in the public discourse and the 
workplace. In this class, you will learn how to conduct data analysis yourself. We’ll cover topics such as finding data, data
cleaning and data manipulation, data visualization, and data analysis. Along the way, we’ll learn basic statistical functions 
and plots in the powerful (and free) statistical program R. Throughout, the class takes an applied approach, so students 
will develop their own research project and conduct their own data analyses.

PSC 400 m402 Theories of Nationalism * 
Instructor: Ryan Griffiths
Class #: 33728 
Offered: Tu/Th 3:30 pm – 4:50 pm 
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: None 
Course Description
What is nationalism and how does it shape domestic and international politics? In this advanced seminar, we will explore a 
range of theories that explain the diverse and complex nature of nationalism. These include explanations for the origins of 
nationalism, whether it is modern or primordial, whether it is rational, if and to what extant an individual’s national identity 
is malleable, and how that identity is shaped by forces in politics and the media. We will consider the security issues that 
arise from nationalism, both within and between countries. We also examine nationalist secession movements in the 
contemporary world. Students are expected to write an original research paper on a topic of their choice.

PSC 420 m001 The East Asian Century *
Instructor: Chengzhi Yin
Class#: 42172
Offered: Tu/Th 3:30 pm - 4:50 pm
Frequency Offered: Regularly 
Prerequisites: None 
Course Description
This course provides an analytical perspective on foreign relations among East Asian states as well as foreign relations 
between East Asian states and states in other regions. It will examine the regional political, security, and economic 
structures in East Asia, the role of alliance relationships in the regional diplomacy, the strategic characteristics of the 
region’s great power relationship, and economic relationships in the region. From these different perspectives, this course 
seeks an understanding of the sources and consequences of state behavior in East Asia, and the implications for stability 
and development in East Asia. 

PSC 435 m001Humanitarian Action in World Politics *
Instructor: Lamis Abdelaaty
Class#: 32742
Offered: Tu/Th 12:30 pm - 1:50 pm
Frequency Offered: Regularly 
Prerequisites: None 
Course Description
This course deals with the global politics of humanitarianism. Topics covered include the historical evolution of 
humanitarian norms and principles, key actors in the humanitarian sector, and institutional frameworks governing 
humanitarian action. We also explore the challenges associated with emergency relief, development aid, and military 
intervention. The emphasis throughout the course is on critically assessing the underlying foundations, dilemmas, and 
consequences of international humanitarianism.

PSC 478 m001 Politics of China *
Instructor: Dimitar Gueorguiev
Class#: 42071
Offered: M/W 12:45 pm – 2:05 pm
Frequency Offered: Regularly 
Prerequisites: None 
Course Description
China’s rise is arguably the most important feature of the 21st Century. Its growth-driven model of single-party rule 
challenges democratic ideals nurtured since WWII and its expanding economic and political weight threatens the existing 
world order. At the same time, China’s larger-than-life presence belies a fragile domestic environment, riddled with 
rampant corruption, extreme pollution, and bubbling social tensions. How did China get to this point and where is it 
going? In this class, we explore China’s transition from an impoverished agriculture society to leading world power and 
assess how China's involvement in the global economy influences its domestic as well as its foreign policy aspirations. As 
such, this class should appeal to a broad audience, including those with personal or professional experience in China as 
well as those with no background in Chinese studies but with a curiosity and concern for the country and its future. 

PSC 496 m001 Distinction in Political Science II 
Instructor: Erin Hern 
Class #: 31204
Offered: W 12:45pm - 3 :30 pm 
Frequency Offered: Regularly 
Prerequisites: PSC 495 Distinction I
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.

PSC 500 m001 Representation and Diplomacy
Instructor: Francine D’Amico
Class#: 42214
Offered: W 9:30 am – 12:15 pm
Frequency Offered: Special Offering
Prerequisites: None 
Meets with PAI 500 m003
Course Description
The seminar will explore practices and policies around diplomatic representation in various contexts/countries (such as 
USA, Sweden, Brazil, et al.) and in global governance (UN system) and the lived experiences of diplomats serving in the 
foreign services of those countries/institutions. There are no required textbooks for this course. All assigned readings will 
be available through the SU Library SUMMON system or through our PAIA 500 course Blackboard. Several seminar 
sessions will include guest lectures by researchers/authors, some of whom – like me - are participants in the University of 
Göteborg’s “Gender in Diplomacy Program.” GenDip: Gender in Diplomacy, University of Gothenburg (gu.se