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Political Science
Courses
For course descriptions not found in the 2005-2006 General
Catalog, please contact the department for more information.
Lower-Division
10. Introduction to Political Science: American Politics (4) This
course surveys the processes and institutions of American politics.
Among the topics discussed are individual political attitudes and
values, political participation, voting, parties, interest groups,
Congress, presidency, Supreme Court, the federal bureaucracy, and
domestic and foreign policy making.
11. Introduction to Political Science: Comparative Politics
(4) The nature of political authority,
the experience of a social revolution, and the achievement of an
economic transformation will be explored in the context of politics
and government in a number of different countries.
12. Introduction to Political Science: International Relations
(4) The issues of war/peace, nationalism/internationalism,
and economic growth/redistribution will be examined in both historical
and theoretical perspectives.
13. Power and Justice (4) An exploration
of the relationship between power and justice in modern society.
Materials include classic and contemporary texts, films and literature.
27. Ethics and Society (4) (Same
as Phil. 27) An examination of ethical principles (e.g., utilitarianism,
individual rights, etc.) and their social and political applications
to contemporary issues such as abortion, environmental protection,
and affirmative action). Ethical principles will also be applied
to moral dilemmas familiar in government, law, business, and the
professions. Satisfies the Warren College ethics and society requirement.
Prerequisites: CAT 2 and 3, DOC 2 and 3, MCWP 40 and 50, Hum. 1
and 2, MMW 2 and 3, WCWP 10A-B, or WARR 11A-B.
30. Political Inquiry (4) Introduction
to the logic of inference in social science and to quantitative
analysis in political science and public policy including research
design, data collection, data description and computer graphics,
and the logic of statistical inference (including linear regression).
40. Introduction to Law and Society (4) This
course is designed as a broad introduction to the study of law as
a social institution and its relations to other institutions in
society. The focus will be less on the substance of law (legal doctrine
and judicial opinions) than on the process of law–how legal
rules both reflect and shape basic social values and their relation
to social, political, and economic conflicts within society.
87. Freshman Seminar (1) The Freshman
Seminar Program is designed to provide new students with the opportunity
to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member in a small
seminar setting. Freshman seminars are offered in all campus departments
and undergraduate colleges, and topics vary from quarter to quarter.
Enrollment is limited to 15 to 20 students, with preference given
to entering freshmen. May not be used to fulfill any major or minor
requirements in political science.
90. Undergraduate Seminar (1) Selected
topics to introduce students to current issues and trends in political
science. May not be used to fulfill any major or minor requirements
in political science.
Upper-Division
Minimum requirement for all upper-division courses is at least
one quarter of lower-division political science, or upper-division
standing.
American Politics
100A. The Presidency (4) The role
of the presidency in American politics. Topics will include nomination
and election politics, relations with Congress, party leadership,
presidential control of the bureaucracy, international political
role, and presidential psychology.
100B. The U.S. Congress (4) This
course will examine the nomination and election of congressmen,
constituent relationships, the development of the institution, formal
and informal structures, leadership, comparisons of House with Senate,
lobbying, and relationship with the executive branch.
100C. American Political Parties (4) This
course examines the development of the two major parties from 1789
to the present. Considers the nature of party coalitions, the role
of leaders, activists, organizers, and voters, and the performance
of parties in government.
100DA. Voting, Campaigning, and Elections (4) A
consideration of the nature of public opinion and voting in American
government. Studies of voting behavior are examined from the viewpoints
of both citizens and candidates, and attention is devoted to recent
efforts to develop models of electoral behavior for the study of
campaigns. The role of mass media and money also will be examined.
100E. Interest Group Politics (4) The
theory and practice of interest group politics in the United States.
Theories of pluralism and collective action, the behavior and influence
of lobbies, the role of political action committees, and other important
aspects of group action in politics are examined. Prerequisite:
sophomore standing.
100H. Race and Ethnicity in American Politics (4) This
course examines the processes by which racial and ethnic groups
have/have not been incorporated into the American political system.
The course focuses on the political experiences of European immigrant
groups, blacks, Latinos, and Asians.
100J. Race in American Political Development (4) Readings
examine how the multiracial character of the United States has shaped
the broad outlines of American politics. Cases include the founding/the
Constitution, southern politics, social organization in formerly
Mexican regions, the New Deal, consequences of limited suffrage.
100K. Railroads and American Politics (4) The railroads
transformed the economy and politics of the United States in the
nineteenth century. The railroads were the first
big businesses and their sheer size lead inevitably to conflict
with governments at all levels. This conflict shaped modern politics.
Prerequisite: upper-division standing. 102C. American Political Development (4) Examines
selected issues and moments in the political history of the United
States, comparing competing explanations and analyses of U.S. politics.
Likely topics include the founding, “American exceptionalism,”
change in the party system, race in U.S. politics, the “new
institutionalism.”
102E. Urban Politics (4) (Same as
USP107) This survey course focuses upon the following six topics:
the evolution of urban politics since the mid-nineteenth century;
the urban fiscal crisis; federal/urban relationships; the “new”
ethnic politics; urban power structure and leadership; and selected
contemporary policy issues such as downtown redevelopment, poverty,
and race.
102F. Mass Media and Politics (4) This
course will explore both the role played by mass media in political
institutions, processes and behaviors, and reciprocally, the roles
played by political systems in guiding communication processes.
102G. Special Topics in American Politics (4) An
undergraduate course designed to cover various aspects of American
politics.
102J. Advanced Topics in Urban Politics (4) (Same
as USP 110) Building upon the introductory urban politics course,
the advanced topics course explores issues such as community power,
minority empowerment, and the politics of growth. A research paper
is required. Students wishing to fulfill the paper requirement with
field research should enroll in the subsequent PS 102JJ course (offered
Summer Session 2). Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
102JJ. Field Research in Urban Politics (2) (Same
as USP 111) To be taken with the approval of the PS 102J instructor,
this course allows students to do original field research on topics
in urban politics. This course is offered in Summer Session 2 subsequent
to a 102J course. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. May not
be used to fulfill any major or minor requirements in Political
Science.
103A. California Government and Politics (4) (Same
as USP 109) This survey course explores six topics: 1) the state’s
political history; 2) campaigning, the mass media, and elections;
3) actors and institutions in the making of state policy; 4) local
government; 5) contemporary policy issues; e.g., Proposition 13,
school desegregation, crime, housing and land use, transportation,
water; 6) California’s role in national politics.
103B. Politics and Policymaking in Los Angeles (4) (Same
as USP 113) This course examines politics and policymaking in the
five-county Los Angeles region. It explores the historical development
of the city, suburbs, and region; politics, power, and governance;
and major policy challenges facing the city and metropolitan area.
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
104A. The Supreme Court and the Constitution (4) An
introduction to the study of the Supreme Court and constitutional
doctrine. Topics will include the nature of judicial review, federalism,
race, and equal protection. The relation of judicial and legislative
power will also be examined.
104B. Civil Liberties—Fundamental Rights (4) This
course will examine issues of civil liberties from both legal and
political perspectives. Topics will include the First Amendment
rights of speech, press, assembly, and religion; other “fundamental”
rights, such as the right to privacy; and some issues in equal protection.
Conflicts between governmental powers and individual rights will
be examined.
104C. Civil Liberties—The Rights of Criminals and Minorities
(4) Examines the legal issues surrounding
the rights of “marginal” groups such as aliens, illegal
immigrants, and the mentally ill. Also includes a discussion of
the nature of discrimination in American society.
104D. Judicial Politics (4) Introduction
to the study of law and courts as political institutions and judges
as political actors, including the role of the judiciary in our
constitutional system and decision making both within the Supreme
Court and within the judicial hierarchy.
104F. Seminar in Constitutional Law (4) This
seminar will provide an intensive examination of a major issue in
constitutional law, with topics varying from year to year. Recent
topics have included equal protection law and the rights of civilians
in wartime. Students will be required to do legal research on a
topic, write a legal brief, and argue a case to the seminar. Prerequisites:
PS 104A/B; department stamp.
104I. Law and Politics—Courts and Political Controversy
(4) This course will examine the role
of the courts in dealing with issues of great political controversy,
with attention to the rights of speech and assembly during wartime,
questions of internal security, and the expression of controversial
views on race and religion. The conflict between opposing Supreme
Court doctrines on these issues will be explored in the context
of the case studies drawn from different historical periods.
104L. Positive Political Theory of Law (4) We
will discuss modern theories of the origins of law and legal behavior.
104M. Law and Sex (4) How law regulates and
impacts sexuality and orientation with focus on constitutional
law in areas of privacy,
free speech, association,
regulation of sexual conduct under criminal law pornography,
procreation, reproductive rights, and regulation of family status.
Prerequisite: upper-division standing. Credit will not be
allowed for students who have taken Political Science 102G “law
and sex” in the following quarters: spring 2002, (section
A00); spring 2001 (section A00); fall 1999 (section A00).
106A. Politics and Bureaucracy (4) This
course explores the problematic relationships between politics and
bureaucracy. The theoretical perspectives of Weber, the marxists,
and pluralists will be employed to understand the character of American
bureaucratic development in the twentieth century. Prerequisite:
upper-division standing.
108. Politics of Multiculturalism (4) This
course will examine central issues in debates about race, ethnicity,
and multiculturalism in the United States. It will look at relations
not only between whites and minorities, but also at those among
racial and ethnic communities.
Political Theory
110A. Citizens and Saints: Political Thought from Plato to Augustine
(4) This course focuses on the development
of politics and political thought in ancient Greece, its evolution
through Rome and the rise of Christianity. Readings from Plato,
Aristotle, Augustine, Machiavelli, and others.
110B. Sovereigns, Subjects, and the Modern State: Political
Thought from Machiavelli to Rousseau (4) The
course deals with the period which marks the rise and triumph of
the modern state. Central topics include the gradual emergence of
human rights and the belief in individual autonomy. Readings from
Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and others.
110C. Revolution and Reaction: Political Thought from Kant to
Nietzsche (4) The course deals with the
period which marks the triumph and critique of the modern state.
Central topics include the development of the idea of class, of
the irrational, of the unconscious, and of rationalized authority
as they affect politics. Readings drawn from Rousseau, Kant, Hegel,
Marx, Nietzsche, and others.
110DA. Freedom and Discipline: Political Thought in the Twentieth
Century (4) This course addresses certain
problems which are characteristic of the political experience of
the twentieth century. Topics considered are revolution, availability
of tradition, and the problems of the rationalization of social
and political relations. Readings from Nietzsche, Weber, Freud,
Lenin, Gramsci, Dewey, Oakeshott, Arendt, Merleau-Ponty.
110EA. American Political Thought from Revolution to Civil War
(4) The first quarter examines the origins
and development of American political thought from the revolutionary
period to the end of the nineteenth century with special emphasis
on the formative role of eighteenth-century liberalism and the tensions
between “progressive” and “conservative” wings
of the liberal consensus.
110EB. American Political Thought from Civil War to Civil Rights
(4) The second quarter examines some
of the major themes of American political thought in the twentieth
century including controversies over the meaning of democracy, equality,
and distributive justice, the nature of “neoconservatism,”
and America’s role as a world power.
110EC. American Political Thought: Contemporary Debates (4) This
course explores contemporary issues in American political thought.
Topics may include liberalism and rights, gender and sexuality,
race and ethnicity, cultural diversity, and the boundaries of modern
citizenship. Readings include political pamphlets, philosophical
treatises, court decisions, and works of literature.
110H. Democracy and Its Critics (4) This
course will examine the historical development of the ideal of democracy
from Periclean Athens to the present in the light of criticism by
such thinkers as Plato, Tocqueville, and Mosca and difficulties
encountered in efforts to realize the ideal.
110J. Power in American Society (4) This
course examines how power has been conceived and contested during
the course of American history. The course explores the changes
which have occurred in political rhetoric and strategies as America
has moved from a relatively isolated agrarian and commercial republic
to a military and industrial empire.
110N. Theories of Nationalism (4) Nationalist
ideologies. Examination of the rhetoric of nationalist mobilization.
Theories about the relationship between nationalist movements and
democracy, capitalism, warfare, and the state.
110T. Modern Political Ideologies (4) An
examination of some of the ideas and values associated with major
social and political movements in Europe and the United States since
the French Revolution. Topics will vary and may include liberalism,
populism, democarcy, communism, nationalism, fascism, and feminism.
112A. Economic Theories of Political Behavior (4) An
introduction to theories of political behavior developed with the
assumptions and methods of economics. General emphasis will be upon
theories linking individual behavior to institutional patterns.
Specific topics to be covered will include collective action, leadership,
voting, and bargaining.
113B. Chinese and Japanese Political Thought I (4) Examines
philosophical traditions of ancient and modern China and Japan,
to understand how these have been reflected in Chinese and Japanese
development. Course will be in English; however, students with
Chinese
or Japanese language skills will have opportunity to use these.
Graduate students will be required to complete a seminar-length
research paper; undergraduate students will write a paper. Prerequisites:
upper-division standing for 113B.
114B. Marxist Political Thought (4) An
introduction to Marxist thought from its roots in the western tradition
through its development in non-western contexts. Emphasis is placed
on how adaptations were made in Marxism to accommodate the specific
challenges of each environment.
115A. Gender and Politics (4) Our
understanding of politics, power, conflict, and quality continue
to be challenged and transformed by considering gender as it intersects
with nationality, race, class, and ethnicity. We will consider the
importance of gender in each of the subfields of political science.
116A. Feminist Theory (4) Readings
in historical and contemporary feminist theory; development of gender
as a category of political analysis; alternative perspectives on
core concepts and categories in feminist thought.
116B. Advanced Feminist Theory (4) Advanced
critical analysis of contemporary feminist theory; emphasis on the
interrelationships among discourses of gender, race, ethnicity,
class, and sexuality in the work of different feminist theorists;
alternative perspectives on feminist political strategies and practices.
Prerequisite: PS 115B or PS 116A.
117. Violence and Social Order (4) This
course explores the relationship between violence and the elements
of social order, including social hierarchies, group boundaries,
power, and authority. Topics include both classic and contemporary
works in political theory, as well as some fiction and journalism.
118B. The Political Theory of Liberation Theology (4) A
comparative study of liberation theologies, including Continental,
Latin American, South African, and East Asian. Prerequisite:
PS 118A.
119A. Special Topics in Political Theory (4) An
undergraduate course designed to cover various aspects of political
theory.
Comparative Politics
120A. Political Development of Western Europe (4) An
examination of various paths of European political development through
consideration of the conflicts which shaped these political systems:
the commercialization of agriculture; religion and the role of the
church; the army and the state bureaucracy; and industrialization.
Stress will be on alternative paradigms and on theorists.
120B. The German Political System (4) An
analysis of the political system of the Federal Republic of Germany
with an emphasis on the party system, elections, executive-legislative
relations, and federalism. Comparisons will be made with other West
European democracies and the Weimar Republic.
120C. Politics in France (4) This
course will examine the consequences of social and economic change
in France. Specific topics will include institutional development
under a semi-presidential system, parties, and elections.
120D. Germany: Before, During, and After Division (4) Consideration
of political, economic, and security factors that have kept Germany
at the center of European developments for more than a century.
120H. European Integration (4) This
course reviews the origins and development of the European Community/European
Union and its institutions, theories of integration and the challenges
inherent in the creation of a supranational political regime.
120I. Politics in Italy (4) This
course will provide a comparative perspective on the development
and functioning of the Italian political system. It includes analysis
of political institutions, ideological traditions, parties and elections,
political elites in the policy process, and the evolving importance
of Italy within European integration.
120K. Politics of Developing Countries (4) This
course critically examines central concepts and theories of development,
and assesses their utility in understanding political, economic,
and social change in three regions of the developing world: Latin
American, sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia.
121. Government and Politics of the Middle East (4) This
course examines general themes affecting the region (social structure
and regime type, religion and modernization, bonds and tensions),
the character of major states, and efforts to resolve the conflict
between Israel and its Arab and Islamic neighbors. Prerequisite:
upper-division standing.
121B. Politics in Israel 4) An
interdisciplinary study of Israel as both a unique and yet a common
example of a modern democratic nation-state. We will examine Israel’s
history, its political, economic, and legal systems, social structure
and multicultural tensions, the relation between state and religion,
national security, and international relations.
122B. The Political Trial: Comparative Perspectives on the Politics
of Justice (4) A study of the political
drawing on cases selected from the French and Russian Revolutions,
the Nuremberg and Tokyo War Crimes Trials, revolutionary China and
Cuba, and the Vietnam War era. The course will examine critically
the relationship between politics and the administration of justice
across time, culture, and political systems.
125. The Politics of Conservation in Developing Countries (4) Conservation
in developing countries concerns resources that are extremely important
to policymakers, militaries, environmental organizations, communities,
and individuals. This course examines these groups’ struggle
for control over wildlife and forests—from the capital to the
village—on several continents.
125A. Communities and the Environment (4) A
popular new idea in environmental protection is to include local
communities in conservation efforts. But what are these communities?
What challenges do they face in governing their own resources? This
course uses both theory and case studies to explore the political
economy of community-based conservations.
126AA. Fundamentals of Political Economy: Modern Capitalism
(4) This course explores how economic
factors affect political institutions and how political action affects
economic behavior in the United States and Western Europe. Particular
attention is given to relations between business and labor, economic
policy choices, and the impact of international trade. Prerequisite:
PS 11 or consent of instructor.
126AB. Politics and Economics in Eastern Europe (4) This
course explores the interrelationship of politics and economics
in Eastern Europe, analyzing the historic evolution of the area,
the socialist period, and contemporary political and economic change
there.
130AA. The Soviet Successor States (4) An
overview of the historical background and contemporary politics
of the fifteen successor states of the Soviet Union.
130AC. Seminar: Post-Soviet Politics (4) Undergraduate
research seminar on the Post-Soviet Union. Issues and research areas
will vary each time the course is offered. Prerequisite: consent
of instructor.
130AD. The Politics of the Russian Revolution (4) An
examination of the dynamics of the Russian Revolution from 1905
through the Stalinist period and recent years in light of theories
of revolutionary change. Emphasis is placed on the significance
of political thought, socio-economic stratification, and culturo-historical
conditions.
130H. Vietnam: The Politics of Intervention (4) This
course will examine the interventions of foreign powers in Vietnam
between 1945 and 1975 (including France, the United States, China,
and the Soviet Union) and the effects of intervention.
131C. The Chinese Revolution (4) An
analysis of the dynamics of the Chinese Revolution from the fall
of the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911) to the present. Emphasis is
placed on the relationship between political thought and the dynamics
of the revolutionary process.
132C. Political Development and Modern China (4) Political
development has dominated the study of comparative politics among
U.S. academicians since the revival of the Cold War in 1947. This
course examines critically this paradigm and its Western philosophical
roots in the context of the experience of modern China.
133D. Political Institutions of East Asian Countries (4) This
course discusses the following major topics in three East Asian
countries (Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan) from a comparative perspective:
(a) economic and political development (b) political institutions
(c) public policies.
133DD. Comparative Analysis of East Asian Institutions (4) This
seminar is designed to be advanced follow-up to PS 133D. It examines
present-day East Asian government institutions in much
greater depth. Prerequisite: PS 133D.
133F. Governments and Politics of Southeast Asia (4) This
course looks at one of the world’s most dynamic and complex
regions. The course has three parts: a review of the history and
politics of the region; a country-by-country study of several Southeast
Asian states; and a look at major challenges facing the region.
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
134AA. Comparative Politics of Latin America (4) Comparative
analysis of contemporary political systems and developmental profiles
of selected Latin American countries, with special reference to
the ways in which revolutionary and counter-revolutionary movements
have affected the political, economic, and social structures observable
in these countries today. Analyzes the performance of “revolutionary”
governments in dealing with problems of domestical political management,
reducing external economic dependency, redistributing wealth, creating
employment, and extending social services. Introduction to general
theoretical works on Latin American politics and development. Prerequisite:
PS 11 or consent of instructor.
134B. Politics in Mexico (4) General
survey of the Mexican political system as it operates today. Emphasis
on factors promoting the breakdown of Mexico’s authoritarian
regime and the transition to a more democratic political system.
Changing relationship between the state and various segments of
Mexico society (economic elites, peasants, urban labor, and the
Church). New patterns of civil-military relations.
134N. Politics in Central America (4) Focused
examination of political conflict in one or more countries of the
region, emphasizing issues, ideology, and process in grassroots
political organization. Limited coverage of international politics.
136A. Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict (4) Appropriate
case studies from around the world will be selected.
136B. Comparative Politics and Political Culture (4) This
course is designed to provide undergraduates with a sound introduction
to cultural interpretations of power and politics. The course will
also attempt to render an explicit account of the process of theory
formation in social science. Special attention will be given to
Africa and Asia.
136C. Comparative Bureaucracy (4) Politics
of the administrative state in the world’s democracies. How
political institutions influence governance across different types
of democratic institutional environments.
groups in Great Britain;
and 3) parties and interest groups in Italy. Prerequisite: PS
11 or consent of instructor.
138D. Special Topics in Comparative Politics (4) An
undergraduate course designed to cover various aspects of comparative
politics.
139A. Politics of the Ancient World Order (4) An
introduction to the domestic and international political orders
of the ancient West. Primary focus will be on the strengths and
limitations of comparative and international relations theories
when applied to the ancient world of city-states, kingdoms, and
empires.
International Relations
140A. International Law and Organizations (4) International
law and organizations are central to the efforts to create a world
order to limit armed conflict, regulate world economy, and advance
programs for economic redistribution among nations, and set minimum
standards of human rights. This course explains the theory of international
law and organizations that is accepted by diplomats and compares
this viewpoint to the analysis of social scientists concerning the
past record and likely future of world order concerning conflict,
economic redistribution, and human rights.
142A. United States Foreign Policy (4) United
States foreign policy from the colonial period to the present era.
Systematic analysis of competing explanations for U.S. policies—strategic
interests, economic requirements, or the vicissitudes of domestic
politics. Interaction between the U.S., foreign states (particularly
allies), and transnational actors are examined. Prerequisite:
PS 12 or consent of instructor.
142B. U.S. Foreign Economic Policy (4) Seeks
to explain U.S. foreign economic policies. Topics include: globalization—benefits
and costs, winners and losers; interest group influence on trade
policy; domestic and international institutions; multinational corporations;
exchange rates; currency crises; environment and labor standards.
142I. National and International Security (4) A
survey of theories of defense policies and international security.
142J. National Security Strategy (4) A
survey of American strategies for national defense. Topics may include
deterrence, coercive diplomacy, limited war, and unconventional
warfare.
142K. Politics and Warfare (4) This
course offers an exploration of general theories of the origins
of warfare; the impact of the state on war in the modern world;
and the micro-foundations of combat and compliance in the context
of the costs of war and military mobilization. The course should
be of special interest to students in international relations and
comparative politics.
142L. Insurgency and Terrorism (4) “Terrorism”
uses “illegitimate” violence to achieve political goals.
This course uses philosophical, historical, and contemporary material
from distinct cultures to understand which actions are defined as
“terrorist,” who uses them, why, and when, as well as
the determinants of their effectiveness.
142M. U.S. Foreign Policy/Regional Security (4) Lectures
and readings examine U.S. foreign policy in Europe, Latin America,
and East Asia with attention to current problems with specific nations
(e.g., Bosnia) and issues (e.g., terrorism). This course integrates
historical, comparative, and foreign perspectives on regional security
dynamics. Credit will not be given to students who took PS 154 Special
Topic/International Relations with the subtitle U.S. Foreign Policy/Regional
Security, in spring 1998, spring 2001, or fall 2002.
142N. American Defense Policy (4) An introduction to analytic
techniques for assessing policy options in the field of national
security. Prerequisite: upper-division
standing.
144AB. Selected Topics in International Political Economy (4) This
course will consider major theories purporting to explain and predict
the workings of the international order from the point of view of
political economy. An extended discussion of one aspect of the economic
order (e.g., the multinational corporation) will serve as the test
case. PS 144AA and one quarter of economics recommended. Prerequisite:
PS 12.
144E. The Politics of International Trade (4) Examines
theories of trade and protectionism, focusing both on relations
among advanced industrial nations and on relations between developed
and developing countries. Topics include standard and strategic
trade theory, nontariff barriers to trade, export-led growth strategies,
regional trade agreements, and the future of the WTO.
144F. The Politics of International Trade and Finance (4) Examines
the welfare and distributional aspects of international trade and
finance as they relate to the politics of economic policymaking.
Topics include: globalization in historical perspective; origins
and consequences of trade policy; exchange-rate arrangements; international
capital flows; currency crises; economic development.
145A. International Politics and Drugs (4) This
course examines the domestic and international aspects of the drug
trade. It will investigate the drug issues from the perspectives
of consumers, producers, traffickers, money launderers, and law
enforcement. Course material covers the experience of the United
States, Latin America, Turkey, Southeast Asia, Western Europe, and
Japan.
145B. Conflict and Cooperation in International Politics (4) Course
on how countries overcome problems of conflict and cooperation in
their dealings with one another. Focuses on theories of emergence
of cooperation among states and applies these to various issue-areas.
Subjects examined include international monetary relations, military
alliances, economic sanctions, human rights, arms control, international
trade, and others. Prerequisite: PS 12.
146A. The U.S. and Latin America: Political and Economic Relations
(4) An analytical survey of U.S. relations
with Latin America from the 1820s to the present, with particular
emphasis on the post-Cold War environment. Topics include free trade
and economic integration; drugs and drug trafficking; illegal migration
and immigration control. Focus covers U.S. policy, Latin American
reactions, dynamics of cooperation, and options for the future.
146E. U.S.-Latin American Relations: Security Issues (4) This
course will examine the history of security relations in the western
hemisphere. They will be considered in global, regional, and rational
contexts. International institutions, economic relations, domestic
politics, and military issues will be examined for their contribution
to explaining the evolution of the inter-American security agenda
from independence to the post-Cold War. Prerequisite: PS 12.
150A. Politics of Immigration (4) Comparative
analysis of attempts by the United States, western Europe, and Japan
to initiate, regulate and reduce immigration from Third World countries.
Social and economic factors shaping outcomes of immigration policies,
public opinion toward immigrants, anti-immigration movements, and
immigration policy reform options in industrializedcountries.
152. Foreign Policy Analysis (4) This
upper-division course focuses on the comparative study of foreign
policies in contemporary and historical world affairs. Competing
theoretical approaches drawn from international, domestic, and individual
levels of analyses will be examined. War, security, alliances, and
international crises will be used to evaluate the utility of competing
approaches. Prerequisite: PS 12.
154. Special Topics in International Relations (4) An
undergraduate course designed to cover various aspects of international
relations.
Policy Analysis
160AA. Introduction to Policy Analysis (4) (Same
as USP 101) This course will explore the process by which the preferences
of individuals are converted into public policy. Also included will
be an examination of the complexity of policy problems, methods
for designing better policies, and a review of tools used by analysts
and policy makers. Prerequisite: PS 10 or 11.
160AB. Introduction to Policy Analysis (4) In
this course, students will use their knowledge of the political
and economic foundations of public policy making to conduct research
in a wide variety of public policy problems. Prerequisite: PS
160AA.
162. Environmental Policy (4) This
course will explore contemporary environmental issues such as global
warming, endangered species, and land use. Students will be asked
to analyze various policy options and to write case analyses. Policies
may be debated in class.
163. Analyzing Politics (4) Politics
are understood as the combination of individual preferences and
decisions into collective choices. What are the issues involved
in aggregating individual preferences, what is the choice of rules—formal
and informal—for doing so.
165. Special Topic: Policy Analysis (4) An
undergraduate course designed to cover various aspects of policy
analysis.
166F. The American Welfare State (4) (Same
as USP 112) This course examines the building of the welfare state
in the twentieth century. Topics include the legacy of progressivism,
the New Deal and Great Society; Reaganite retrenchment; social programs,
party and electoral dynamics; and the welfare state’s impact
on groups and the class structure.
167A. Seminar: Public Policy Analysis (4) Students
are asked to analyze various policy options related to contemporary
American policy issues. Students are also required to do directed
research on policy issues, to write case analyses based on their
findings, and to debate policy alternatives in class. Prerequisite:
PS 10 or 11.
168. Policy Assessment (4) The use
of real data to assess policy alternatives. Introduction to benefit/cost
analysis, decision theory, and the valuation of public goods. Applications
to health, environmental, and regulatory economic policy making.
Research Methods
181A. Field Research Methods for Migration Studies:
Seminar (4) Introductory survey of methods
used by social scientists to gather primary research data on international
migrant and refugee populations, including sample surveys, unstructured
interviewing, ethnographic observation, and archival research. Basic
fieldwork practices and problem-solving techniques will also be
covered. Students planning to take the continuation of this course,
Political Science 181B, should note that conversational fluency
Spanish is a requirement for Political Science 181B. Prerequisites:
upper-division status, permission of instructor.
181B. Field Research Methods for Migration Studies: Practicum
(12) Continuation of Political Science
181A. Students will apply one or more data collection methods learned
in Political Science 181A to collect data from a sample of international
migrants, refugees, or returned migrants in a high-migration community.
Students participate in team field research, write a detailed individual
report on the fieldwork experience and submit a detailed outline
of a research paper to be based on data from the fieldwork, required
of students who take the continuation of this course, Political
Science 181C. Prior to fieldwork, students will read intensively
about the research site and write a literature review essay. Prerequisites:
upper-division status, Political Seicnec 181A, conversational fluency
in Spanish, permission of instructor.
181C. Field Research Methods for Migration Studies: Data Analysis
(4) Continuation of Political Science
181B. Students will analyze primary data that they have helped to
collect in a field research site and write a major paper based on
these data for publication as a section of a co-authored report
on the field research project. Methods for organizing and processing
field research data for analysis, techniques of quantitative data
analysis, and report preparation conventions will be covered. Prerequisites:
upper-division status, Political Science 181B, permission of instructor.
Special Studies
191A-B. Senior Honors Seminar: Frontiers of Political Science
(4-4) This course is open only to seniors
interested in qualifying for departmental honors. Admission to the
course will be determined by the department. Each student will write
an honors essay under the supervision of a member of the faculty.
194. Research Seminar in Washington, D.C. (4) (Same
as Com/Gen 194; USP 194, HIST 193, SocE 194, ERTH 194, COGS 194)
Course attached to six-unit internship taken by students participating
in the UCDC program. Involves weekly seminar meetings with faculty
and teaching assistant and a substantial research paper. Prerequisites:
participating in UCDC program.
197I. Political Science Washington Internship (6) This
internship is attached to the UC in DC Program. Students participating
in the UC in DC Program are placed in an internship in the Washington,
DC, area for twenty-four hours per week. Prerequisites: must
be enrolled in the UC in DC Program.
199. Independent Study for Undergraduates (2 or 4) Independent
reading in advanced political science by individual students. (P/NP
grades only.) Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
Graduate
All graduate courses are categorized as either seminars or independent
study.
Seminars
200. Political Science: Scope and Methods (4) This
course examines a variety of approaches to the study of politics,
focusing on their intellectual history, canonical works that illustrate
their major themes, and methodological critiques and defenses.
The
course seeks to clarify how interesting and important questions
are discovered and how appropriate research is designed and executed.
(Not offered in 2005-06.)
200A. Foundations of Political Science (4) An
introduction to the theoretical concepts in the discipline of political
science that are commonly used across various sub-fields. Each week
will introduce the core concept(s) and discuss applications from
several, if not all sub-fields in the department.
200B. Democracy (4) An
overview of the normative and positive issues associated with modern
democracies. The appeal and the social, political, and economic
arrangements of democracies will be explored.
200C. States and Markets (4) An
overview of the normative and positive issues associated with decentralized
(market) versus centralized (political) mechanics of allocation.
The appropriate role of government in the economy will be explored.
203. Math for Political Science (4) Mathematical
skills necessary for doing graduate work in political science.
Topics
include optimization, linear algebra, probability, set theory,
and formal logic. (Not offered in 2005-06.)
204A. Research Design (4) This
course will study various approaches to knowledge accumulation in
social science. A basic outline of scientific method will be used
to examine the difference between theories as assumptions and axioms
and hypotheses as "if-then" statements derived from theory.
Experimental, quasi-experimental, and qualitative designs will be
discussed.
204B. Quantitative Methods I (4) The
use of quantitative methods (particularly multiple regression and
its extensions) in political science. Emphasis on understanding
the methods and using them in political science applications.
204C. Game Theory 1 (4) This
course introduces students to the rudiments of decision theory and
game theory. Emphasis will be placed on modeling and solving games.
210A. Systems of Political Thought: Thucydides to Augustine
(4) This course is a preparation
for the field examination in political theory. It will provide an
intensive and critical introduction to European political thought
from Thucydides to Augustine. Some of the secondary literature on
this period will also be explored.
210B. Systems of Political Thought: Machiavelli to Rousseau
(4) This course is a preparation
for the field examination in political theory. It will provide an
intensive and critical introduction to European political thought
from Machiavelli to Rousseau. Some of the secondary literature on
this period will also be explored.
210C. Systems of Political Thought: Kant to Nietzsche (4)
This course is a preparation
for the field examination in political theory. It will provide an
intensive and critical introduction to European political thought
from Kant to Nietzsche. Some of the secondary literature on this
period will also be explored.
210D. Systems of Political Thought: Contemporary (4) This
course is a preparation for the field examination in political theory.
It will provide an intensive and critical introduction to twentieth-century
political thought. Some of the secondary literature on this period
will also be explored.
211A. American Political Thought (4) This
course explores American debates over political ideals, institutions,
and identity from the Puritans to the present. Themes will include
freedom and slavery, sovereignty and representation, individual
and community, diversity and equality. Readings will vary from year
to year. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor.
215. The Self and the Political Order (4) The
course deals with the interrelationship of understandings of the
political order and understandings of the self. The course will
focus on the two great theorists of modernity, Rousseau and Nietzsche.
Extensive readings from primary and secondary sources. Prerequisite:
graduate standing or consent of instructor.
219. Special Topics in Political Theory (4) This
seminar is an examination of the different approaches to the study
of political theory. Issues and research areas will vary each time
the course is offered. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent
of instructor.
220. Comparative Politics: State and Society (4) This
course will provide a general literature review in comparative politics
to serve as preparation for the field examination. Prerequisite:
graduate standing in any discipline in the social sciences or humanities,
or consent of instructor.
221. Comparative Politics: Institutions (4) This
is a second course in comparative politics designed as a preparation
for the field examination. It will focus on the comparative study
of political institutions. Prerequisite: graduate standing in
any discipline in the social sciences or humanities, or consent
of instructor.
222. Measuring Democracy (4) Research
seminar that focuses on the problems of measurement, operationalization,
and validity in the comparative study of types, causes, and consequences
of democracy.
224A. Elections in Consolidating Democracies (4) Course
looks at elections in consolidating democracies with an eye to
evaluating existing theories of elections with new data.
Also explores new empirical patterns in countries around the
world, especially Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and
the Soviet successor states. Prerequisite: graduate student
standing or consent of instructor.
225. The Politics of Divided Societies (4) Research
seminar that surveys the theoretical literature on divided societies
in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America, particularly
conflict and peacemaking in multiethnic countries. Cases to be studied
in depth will be selected in accordance with students’ area
and country interests. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent
of instructor.
226. Authoritarian Politics (4) Research
seminar that surveys the theoretical literature on non-democratic
political systems. Readings draw from cases in Africa, Asia, Europe,
and Latin America. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent
of instructor.
228. Comparative Bureaucracy (4) This
course examines the politics of the administrative state in the
world’s democracies. The course focuses on how political institutions
affect the nature of governance in democracies.
229. Special Topics in Comparative Politics (4) This
seminar is an examination of the different approaches to the study
of comparative politics. Issues and research areas will vary each
time the course is offered. Prerequisite: graduate standing or
consent of instructor.
230A. The Mexican Political System (4) An
interdisciplinary graduate seminar covering selected aspects of
Mexican politics, economic development, and social change. Attention
to both domestic and international factors affecting Mexico’s
transition to a more democratic system. Materials to be drawn from
literatures in anthropology, economics, history (twentieth century),
political science, sociology, urban studies, and communication.
Topics vary from year to year partly reflecting research interests
of participating students. Students are expected to write substantial
research papers or thesis proposals. Prerequisite: graduate standing
or consent of instructor.
231D. Politics of the Soviet Successor States (4) A
colloquium surveying major controversies in the analyses of Soviet
and post-Soviet politics. Prerequisite: graduate standing or
consent of instructor. Cannot also receive credit for PS 231.
231E. Politics of Development (4) This
course provides an overview of previous and current efforts to explain
political and economic development in non-western settings. Prerequisite:
graduate standing or consent of instructor.
>232C. Political Development and Modern China (4) Political
development has dominated the study of comparative politics among
U.S. academicians since the revival of the Cold War in 1947. This
course examines critically this paradigm and its Western philosophical
roots in the context of the experience of modern China. Prerequisite:
graduate standing or consent of instructor.
235A. Latin American Politics (4) Introductory
reading seminar on Latin American politics to acquaint students
with leading schools of thought, provide critical perspective on
premises and methodology, and identify themes for further inquiry.
Themes include authoritarianism, revolution, democratization, regional
conflict, and emergence of middle-level powers.
236. Immigration Policy and Politics (4) An
interdisciplinary seminar covering origins, consequences, and characteristics
of worker migration from Third World countries (especially Mexico,
Central America, and the Caribbean basin) to the United States,
from the nineteenth century to the present.
240. International Relations Theory (4) A
survey of the principal theories and approaches to the study of
international relations. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent
of instructor.
243. International Security (4) A
colloquium surveying the major theoretical controversies in the
study of international and national security. Prerequisite: graduate
standing or consent of instructor.
244A. European Integration (4) This
seminar provides perspectives on the theories and politics of European
integration. Analysis will focus on the development of the European
Union, the functioning of core institutions, and the challenges
of creating a supranational political regime.
245. International Political Economy (4) A
seminar surveying the major theoretical controversies in the study
of international political economy. Prerequisite: graduate standing
or consent of instructor.
247A. Quantitative International Relations (4) Explores
empirical research in international relations with special emphasis
on international conflict. Topics covered include theories on the
causes of war, the distribution of power and conflict, formal and
informal alignment, interdependence and conflict, linkages between
domestic and international processes, and issues of research design.
Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor.
247B. Formal Models in International Relations (4)
Explores formal analytic and primarily
game-theoretic research in international relations with emphasis
on conflict and bargaining. Topics include: causes of war and peace,
conventional and nuclear deterrence, crisis bargaining, arms race,
and two-level games.
248. Special Topics in International Relations (4) (Same
as IRGN 290) This seminar is an examination of the different approaches
to the study of international relations. Issues and research areas
will vary each time the course is offered. Prerequisite: graduate
standing or consent of instructor.
250. American Politics (4) This course
will provide a general literature review in American politics to
serve as preparation for the field examination. Prerequisite:
graduate standing in any discipline in the social sciences or humanities,
or consent of the instructor.
251. American Political Institutions (4) A
critical examination of major contributions to the theoretical and
empirical literature on the U.S. Congress, presidency, and federal
bureaucracy. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor.
252. American Politics: Behavior Theoretical
and empirical perspectives on voting and other forms of political
participation, parties, interest groups, and public opinion in the
United States. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of
instructor.
253. Research in State Politics (4) This seminar will survey
the existing literature in state politics with an eye toward proposing
new research designs. Topics will
include the variation across states in electoral systems, campaign
finance laws, political culture, legislative institutions, judicial
arrangements, and policy outcomes. Prerequisite: graduate
standing or consent of instructor. 254. American Political Development (4) This
course examines the historical evolution of the American state with
particular attention to theories of political development. Special
topics include the development of the party system, electoral and
policy realignments, and the evolution of national political institutions.
Prerequisite: graduate standing in any discipline of the social
sciences or humanities or consent of instructor.
255. Urban Politics (4) Examines
central works on the development of political institutions in U.S.
cities; analyses of community power structures; who governs, why,
and to what ends; processes and prospects for minority empowerment;
the prominence of “growth machines”; the political economy
of contemporary cities. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent
of instructor.
256. Jurisprudence and Public Law (4) An
introduction to the field, including discussion of major jurisprudential
theories (Dworkin, Ely, etc.) and constitutional controversies (e.g.,
abortion, the First Amendment). Prerequisite: graduate standing.
256A. Judicial Politics (4) Judicial
politics is the study of law and courts as political institutions
and judges as political actors, focusing on decision-making and
power relations within courts, within the judicial hierarchy, and
within the constitutional system.
257. Voting and Elections (4) This
course is designed to acquaint graduate students with the central
themes and issues in the study of voting in national elections.
Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor.
258. Advanced Topics in Jurisprudence and Public Law (4) This
seminar will explore a single broad topic in depth, using both case
material and discussions of the topic in empirical and theoretical
literature. Examples of topics include race and the law; and sexuality,
gender, and the law. Intended for graduate students preparing general
exams in jurisprudence and public law, American politics, and political
theory.
259. Special Topics in American Politics (4) This
seminar is an examination of the different approaches to the study
of American politics. Issues and research areas will vary each time
the course is offered. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent
of instructor.
273B. Game Theory and Political Applications (4) This
course builds on the concepts and methods in 273A, exploring the
use of formal models in political science. Prerequisite: PS 273A
or consent of instructor.
282A-B-C. Workshop on State and Society (4-4-4) Examination
of recent research in American politics, comparative politics, and
political theory concerning the relationship of politics to society;
development and presentation of research projects by graduate students;
presentations of research projects by faculty. Second-year students
present seminar paper; third-year students present dissertation
prospectus; candidates make yearly presentations of dissertation
research. Prerequisite: PS 202 or consent of instructor.
283A-B-C. Workshop in International Relations (4-4-4) Examination
of recent research in international politics; development and presentation
of research projects by graduate students; presentations of research
projects by faculty. Second year students present seminar paper;
third year students present dissertation prospectus; candidates
make yearly presentation of dissertation research. Prerequisite:
PS 202 or permission of instructor.
284. Workshop on Scientific Communication (4) Forms
of scientific communication, practical exercise in scientific writing
and short oral communication, and in criticism and editing; preparation
of illustrations, preparation of proposals; scientific societies,
and the history of scientific communication. Examples from any field
of science, most commonly political science, economics, and law.
Prerequisite: PS 202 or consent of instructor.
286A-B-C Workshop in Political Analysis (4-4-4) Students
will read and critique new research articles in political analysis.
Students will present these critiques to the workshop. Students
will also present their own methodological analyses to the workshop.
Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor.
Independent Study
298. Directed Reading (1-12) Guided
and supervised reading in the literature of the several fields of
political science.
299. Dissertation Research (1-12) Independent
work by graduate students engaged in research and writing of second-year
paper and doctoral dissertation, under direct supervision of adviser.
500. Apprentice Teaching (1-4) A
course in which teaching assistants are aided in learning proper
teaching methods by means of supervision of their work by the faculty:
handling of discussions, preparation, and grading of examinations
and other written exercises, and student relations. Twenty-four
units of teaching apprenticeship meets the department teaching requirement
for the Ph.D. degree.
501. Seminar on Teaching Development—American Politics
(1-4) A seminar designed for graduate
students serving as teaching assistants in American politics, includes
discussion of teaching theories, techniques, and materials, conduct
of discussion sessions, and participation in examinations, under
the supervision of the instructor in charge of the course. Prerequisite:
graduate standing.
502. Seminar on Teaching Development—Comparative Politics
(1-4) A seminar designed for graduate
students serving as teaching assistants in comparative politics,
includes discussion of teaching theories, techniques, and materials,
conduct of discussion sessions, and participation in examinations,
under the supervision of the instructor in charge of the course.
Prerequisite: graduate standing.
503. Seminar on Teaching Development—International Relations
(1-4) A seminar designed for graduate
students serving as teaching assistants in international relations,
includes discussion of teaching theories, techniques, and materials,
conduct of discussion sessions, and participation in examinations,
under the supervision of the instructor in charge of the course.
Prerequisite: graduate standing.
504. Seminar on Teaching Development—Political Theory (1-4) A
seminar designed for graduate students serving as teaching assistants
in political theory, includes discussion of teaching theories, techniques,
and materials, conduct of discussion sessions, and participation
in examinations, under the supervision of the instructor in charge
of the course. Prerequisite: graduate standing.
Political Science Courses
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