Department of Political Science Undergraduate Course Descriptions Fall 2018

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1 Department of Political Science Undergraduate s Fall 2018 All information in this guide is tentative and subject to change. Check the Political Science Department Office for updates. Information on rooms and times for the classes listed can be obtained from the university-wide Time Schedule of Classes or from the Political Science office. Cross listed Courses: These may applied to a Political Science major or minor without a petition, regardless of the departmental prefix. For example, if you take African-American Politics as AAS 306, you do not need to petition to 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 petition to count that course towards your Political Science major or minor. Current information on rooms and times for classes can be obtained on your MySlice or from the Political Science office. PSC 121 m100 American National Government and Politics Instructor: Gavan Duffy Class #: Offered: T/Th 2:00 pm - 2:55 pm Frequency Offered: Every semester 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 # (Section 101) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 am Discussion # (Section 104) Fridays 8:25 am-9:20 am Discussion # (Section 105) Thursdays 3:30 pm-4:25 pm Discussion # (Section 106) Thursdays 5:00 pm-5:55 pm 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 mass media, civic participation, the Constitution, federalism, and public policy. Although we will cover the nuts and bolts of American government, our focus is on political science rather than civics, which means our task is to analyze and interpret political phenomena.

2 PSC 121 m200 American National Government and Politics Instructor: Christopher Faricy Class #: Offered: M/W 10:35 am-11:30 am Frequency Offered: Every semester 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 # (Section 201) Thursdays 3:30 pm-4:25 pm Discussion # (Section 202) Thursdays 5:00 pm-5:55 pm Discussion # (Section 203) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 am Discussion # (Section 204) Fridays 11:40 am-12:35 pm Discussion # (Section 205) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 am Discussion # (Section 206) Fridays 12:45 pm-1:40 pm 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 government, our focus is on political science rather than civics, which means our task is to analyze and interpret political phenomena. PSC 123 m100 Comparative Government and Politics Instructor: Margarita Estevez Abe Class #: Offered: M/W 11:40 am - 12:35 pm All students must also enroll in a discussion section listed for this course. Discussion # (Section 101) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 am Discussion # (Section 102) Fridays 11:40 am-12:35 pm Discussion # (Section 103) Thursdays 8:00 am-8:55 am Discussion # (Section 104) Thursdays 5:00 pm-5:55 pm Why are some countries democratic and others authoritarian? Do democracies provide citizens a better quality of life? Why do civil wars happen in some countries? What are the relations among history, culture, the economy and politics? These are some of the questions that we will cover in class. This is a

3 course intended to introduce students to politics around the world in a comparative perspective. We will examine some of the pressing issues in politics today, and survey the social science literature to see how the theories it develops helps us understand politics better. PSC 124 m100 International Relations Instructor: Terrell Northrup Class #: Offered: M/W 10:35 am - 11:30 am Frequency Offered: Every semester All students must also enroll in a discussion section listed for this course. Discussion # (Section 101) Fridays 12:45 pm-1:40 pm Discussion # (Section 102) Thursdays 9:30 am-10:25 am Discussion # (Section 103) Thursdays 3:30 pm-4:25 pm Discussion # (Section 104) Thursdays 5:00 pm-5:55 pm Discussion # (Section 105) Fridays 11:40 am-12:35 pm Discussion # (Section 106) Fridays 11:40 am-12:35 pm Meets with PSC 139 m001 This course introduces students to the main issues and actors in contemporary international relations, organized 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 rights, economic interdependence, nationalism, the global environment, and economic disparities. During section meetings, students are encouraged to explore and discuss how states, international institutions, and non-state actors shape current international affairs and future forms of global governance. PSC 124 m200 International Relations Instructor: Audie Klotz Class #: Offered: M/W 9:30 am - 10:25 am Frequency Offered: Every semester Note: All students must also enroll in a discussion section listed for this course. Discussion # (Section 201) Thursdays 5:00 pm-5:55 pm Discussion # (Section 202) Thursdays 3:30 pm-4:25 pm

4 Discussion # (Section 203) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 am Discussion # (Section 204) Fridays 12:45 pm-1:40 pm Discussion # (Section 205) Thursdays 3:30 pm-4:25 pm Discussion # (Section 206) Thursdays 5:00 pm-5:55 pm This course introduces students to the main issues and actors in contemporary international relations, organized 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 rights, economic interdependence, nationalism, the global environment, and economic disparities. During section meetings, students are encouraged to explore and discuss how states, international institutions, and non-state actors shape current international affairs and future forms of global governance. PSC 124 m300 International Relations Instructor: Francine D Amico Class #: Offered: M/W/F 11:40 am-12:35 pm Frequency Offered: Every semester * Restricted to first-year students residing in the International Relations Learning Community, Day Hall 3. For information on joining a learning community, please contact the SU Office of Learning Communities by or phone at This course introduces students to the main issues and actors in contemporary international relations, organized 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 rights, economic interdependence, nationalism, the global environment, and economic disparities. Students are encouraged to explore and discuss how states, international institutions, and non-state actors shape current international affairs and future forms of global governance. PSC 124 u100 International Relations Instructor: TBD Class #: Offered: T/Th 5:00 pm - 6:25 pm Frequency Offered: Every semester

5 This course introduces students to the main issues and actors in contemporary international relations, organized 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 rights, economic interdependence, nationalism, the global environment, and economic disparities. During section meetings, students are encouraged to explore and discuss how states, international institutions, and non-state actors shape current international affairs and future forms of global governance. PSC 125 m001 Political Theory Instructor: Glyn Morgan Class #: Offered: T/Th 5:00 pm-5:55 pm All students must also enroll in a discussion section listed for this course. Discussion # (Section 002) Fridays 8:25 am-9:20 am Discussion # (Section 003) Fridays 9:30 am-10:25 pm Discussion # (Section 004) Fridays 10:35 am-11:30 am Discussion # (Section 005) Fridays 11:40 am-12:35 pm Discussion # (Section 006) Fridays 12:45 pm-1:40 pm Discussion # (Section 007) Fridays 2:15 pm-3:10 pm Meets with PHI 125 This course surveys political theories across large stretches of historical time while closely examining some of the great and near-great works from Plato to the present. The examining instruments are what we think we know today about such topics as rationality, social organization, morality, justice, and critical interpretation. At the end of the course we should have a better understanding of arguments and texts in political theory, and whether and how contemporary political theorists continue the inquiries that began at earlier times in our history. A variety of resources will be used in our journey. Most of the time we will be reading conventional -- what I call linear -- texts that tell a story of political theory from the past to the present. In approximately the last third of the course we will study material from more recent approaches to politics that sometimes maintains, at other times rejects, the theoretical narratives dominating classical and modern thought. The aim here is to illuminate political thought with more recent insights and concepts, often drawn from the work of theorists who question what is taken for

6 granted in traditional theory on the nature of the self, the scope of rationality, and the organization of human communities. PSC 139 m001 International Relations (Honors) Instructor: Terrell Northrup Class #: Offered: M/W 10:35 am-11:30 am; Th 9:30 am-10:25 am Meets with PSC 124 m100 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. 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 200 m001 Arab-Israeli Conflict Instructor: Miriam Elman Class #: Offered: T/Th 2:00 pm-3:20 pm Frequency Offered: Special Offering For over a hundred years Arabs and Jews have engaged in what is arguably one of the modern world s most embittered and intractable disputes. This Arab-Israeli conflict has sparked major international wars between Israel and its neighbors along with many low-level clashes, and despite many peace initiatives a resolution of the conflict has remained elusive. This course assesses the origins, dynamics, and persistence of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The aim of the course is to provide students with a good understanding of the conflict, including its roots and complexities. The course explores the Arab-Israeli conflict both for its intrinsic importance and as a case study in contemporary world politics. Key questions that will be covered include: How did the conflict begin? Who won the various wars, and why did no military victory produce a stable solution? What strategies did various actors develop? What

7 historical, legal, and moral arguments does each side marshal to justify its position? How have regional dynamics and the Arab-Israeli conflict impacted the conflict between Israelis and the Palestinians? This course welcomes students who have no knowledge of the conflict, students who by personal background or interest already know a good deal, and all those who fall between these poles. It considers a variety of diverse viewpoints and interpretations about the Arab-Israeli conflict in an inclusive fashion. The goal is to develop an understanding of the conflict grounded in both empirical facts and scholarship. The course is designed to equip students with sufficient knowledge to be able to better analyze current events and to comprehend the interests and perspectives of key stakeholders. PSC 202 m100 Introduction to Political Analysis Instructor: Simon Weschle Class #: Offered: M/W 11:40 am-12:35 pm Frequency Offered: Every semester 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 # (Section 101) Fridays 10:35-11:30 am Discussion # (Section 102) Fridays 10:35-11:30 am Discussion # (Section 103) Fridays 12:45-1:40 pm Discussion # (Section 104) Fridays 12:45-1:40 pm 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 #: Offered: M/W 12:45 pm-2:05 pm Frequency Offered: Irregularly

8 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 The New Deal & American Politics Instructor: Steven White Class #: Offered: M/W 2:15 pm-3:35 pm Frequency Offered: Special Offering The New Deal transformed American politics, setting the framework for modern day debates about the role of the federal government in American society. This course examines the New Deal and its aftermath from a range of historical and theoretical perspectives, as well as original source materials. Among other topics, we will consider the crisis of the Great Depression; the international context of fascism, Nazism, and Communism; the development of major public policies like Social Security; the role of labor unions and business; the role of southern Democrats in limiting liberalism, especially when it seemed to involve issues of race; and the Second World War. We will also examine how the New Deal set into motion important shifts in party politics that still shape American politics today. PSC 300 m201 Money & Politics Instructor: Simon Weschle Class#: Offered: M/W 5:15 pm-6:35 pm Frequency Offered: Special Offering

9 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 300 m202 The Politics & Society of Japan Instructor: Margarita Estevez Abe Class#: Offered: M/W 2:15 pm-3:35 pm Frequency Offered: Special Offering Need new course description PSC 300 m204 Politics of North & South Korea Instructor: Frederick Carriere Class #: Offered: T/Th 3:30 pm-4:50 pm Frequency Offered: Special Offering This course explores the competition for national political legitimacy between North Korea and South Korea, the two political systems and regimes that emerged on the Korean Peninsula over half a century ago in the crucible of the Cold War. It offers an opportunity for students to make an in-depth comparative study of each country, its society and government through a diverse array of critical analyses of the contemporary issues that underscore their stark differences amidst underlying core similarities. The course materials will be drawn from scholarly works, news reports, and the instructor s firsthand experiences.

10 PSC 300 m301 Globalization in the Information Age Instructor: Terrell Northrup Class #: Offered: T/Th 12:30 pm-1:50 pm Frequency Offered: Special Offering Meets with IRP This course explores the global political, security, economic and cultural implications of the new information and communications technologies (ICTs). The Internet, mobile phones, and social media are changing the ways states, corporations, NGOs, civil society and individuals behave and interact with each other. Students will gain familiarity with the impacts of ICTs in three broad areas of international affairs: governance, economic development, and international and national security. Students will learn about specific topics including the digital divide, cyberactivism, cybercrime and cyberterrorism, the regulation of content on the Internet, surveillance, intellectual property, privacy, internet governance, global civil society, and the role of ICTs in economic development. PSC 300 m302 Refugees in International Politics Instructor: Lamis Abdelaaty Class #: Offered: T/Th 9:30 am-10:50 am Frequency Offered: Special Offering This course deals with the global politics of refugee issues, broadly defined to include the movement of people displaced by persecution, conflict, natural or human-made disasters, environmental change, or development projects. It is grounded in the international relations subfield, but students are expected to engage with ideas from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Topics covered include historical trends in, analytical approaches to, and the international legal framework-governing refugees. We also explore the causes, consequences, and responses by state and non-state actors to refugee flows. A series of examples from recent and current events are examined, including a case study on refugees and the Syrian civil war. PSC 306 m001 African American Politics Instructor: SN Sangmpam Class #: 13079

11 Offered: M/W 3:45 pm-5:05 pm Cross-listed with AAS 306 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 314 m001 Public Opinion & Electoral Behavior Instructor: Emily Thorson Class #: Offered: T/Th 12:30 pm-1:50 pm Frequency Offered: Irregularly This course will tackle a series of big questions about the role of citizens' attitudes and opinions in contemporary democracy: How do people make sense of the political world? How does public opinion shape policies? How can we understand today's politically polarized climate? We will consider the history of public opinion as well as how our understanding of it is changing in an era of Facebook and Twitter. The course will go beyond discussions of polling data to explore the role of media content, political talk, and social identities in shaping what we think about politics and public life. Students will write an original research paper about a public opinion topic of their choice. PSC Local Internship Instructor: Grant Reeher Class #: 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 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

12 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 324 m100 Constitutional Law I Instructor: Tom Keck Class #: Offered: T/Th 9:30 am-10:50 am Does the US Constitution authorize Congress to enact a law requiring all Americans to have health insurance? Does it require all states to allow same-sex couples to legally marry? Does it permit local governments to combat violent crime by banning the possession of handguns? Does it give the President free rein, as commander in chief of the US military, to authorize warrantless wiretapping of suspected terrorists? If you are interested in any or all of these questions, then this course is for you. In Constitutional Law I, you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the development of the American constitutional system from the founding through the mid-twentieth century. In Constitutional Law II, offered in the Spring, we will continue this inquiry right up to the present day. Recent versions of the syllabi are available on the instructor s website, though there will be a number of updates for the coming year. PSC 329 m001 The Modern American Presidency Instructor: Margaret Thompson Class #: Offered: T/Th 12:30 pm-1:50pm Cross-listed with HST 341 This course will analyze the evolution of the modern presidency and its present operation. The focus of our attention will be on the years since the Second World War, and especially on those since The decision-making process and operation of presidential administrations from Kennedy to Barack Obama will be studied in detail; we will also incorporate some preliminary assessment of the Trump Administration. We shall consider the various roles that the president plays in government, politics and society. The presidency as an institution and as an individual office will be examined to identify factors

13 that have contributed to the successes and failures of particular administrations. This course shall also examine the roles and influence of unelected officials (esp. senior White House staff), and popular attitudes toward both the symbolic and the practical presidency especially as they have been shaped by the traditional mass media and the new media (especially online interactivity). We will consider what lasting effects, if any, events during the last quarter century have had upon the presidency as an institution. Finally, we will leave space for discussion of breaking news and unexpected developments, especially those related to presidential politics. PSC 344 m001 Politics of the Middle East Instructor: Mehrzad Boroujerdi Class #: Offered: T/Th 3:30 pm-4:50 pm Cross-listed with MES 344 Our core objective in this course is to learn about the politics of the Middle East and different factors that have coalesced to shape the current political landscape of the region. For the past century, Middle Eastern politics has been marked by coups, revolutions, interstate wars, and sectarian conflict. The cost of political instability has been exorbitant for the countries in the region and most have witnessed episodic interruptions in their march toward social and economic progress. A conventional view attributes the predicament of the Middle Eastern countries to their culture, religion and geographical structures. The main purpose of this courses is to critically examine the above assumption by analyzing the role of political actors domestic and international - and institutions in shaping the political trajectory of the Middle East. PSC 354 m001 Human Rights & Global Affairs ***CANCELED*** Instructor: Lamis Abdelaaty Class #: Offered: T/Th 11:00 am-12:20 pm Frequency Offered: Irregularly The idea of human rights has become a powerful tool in struggles against oppression and discrimination. This growing popularity of claiming inalienable rights has also led to a formidable backlash both against

14 the very idea of rights and the groups that claim to advance them. The course introduces students to the history of human rights since 1948, highlights the role of international institutions and nongovernmental organizations, and discusses current human rights issues. Students will conduct their own original human rights research and describe both root causes of violations and the solutions that are most likely to address contemporary human rights challenges. PSC 355 m001 International Political Economy Instructor: Daniel McDowell Class #: Offered: T/Th 2:00 pm - 3:20 pm Prerequisite: None From the rise of Donald Trump s economic populism to Great Britain s Brexit from the European Union, it is impossible to deny the tenuous political underpinnings of economic globalization today. To borrow from Prof. Jeffry Frieden, globalization is a choice, not a fact. That is, the global economic integration we observe today is the product of governments policy decisions over a period of many decades. This course introduces the student to the field of international political economy (IPE). IPE studies how politics impacts the global economy and, in return, how the global economy impacts politics. There are two central questions that we will wrestle with in this class. First, what explains the international economic policy choices governments make? Second, what are the effects of those policy choices both within and across countries? Over the course of the session, we will engage with a number of key topics in IPE including: international trade, economic development, multinational corporations, international capital flows, exchange rates, sovereign debt, and financial crises. We will rely on two primary analytic tools: basic economic principles to explain how economic policies influence the distribution of income and political economy theories that explain how politicians set policies. Together, we will use these tools to help understand historical and contemporary phenomena. PSC 356 m001 Political Conflict Instructor: Gavan Duffy Class #: Offered: M/W 2:15 pm-3:35 pm This course introduces students to the analysis of political conflict, conceived as political contention that is uncontained within existing political institutions and typically violent. We read and discuss works

15 on several approaches currently used by NGOs, IGOs, states, multinational corporations, and scholars to make sense of such conflicts and to suggest strategies for resolving, settling, or otherwise containing them. In the final course project, each student will participate on a team that will research a political conflict, applying the analytical approaches discussed earlier in the term. Each team will present oral and written reports on its research and analysis. PSC 360 m001 Sustainability Science and Policy Instructor: Sherburne Abbott Class #: Offered: M/W 12:45 pm-2:05 pm Prerequisites: Instructor consent required Cross-listed with GEO Sustainability improving the well-being of the present and future generations in ways that conserve the planet s life support systems is a central challenge of the 21st century. This course consists of a combination of lectures, guest lectures, discussions, and team projects that are designed to facilitate an in-depth understanding of a complex, contemporary or grand challenge of sustainability that spans science (and technology), communications, and public policy, while considering advances in the underlying theory of sustainability science and its practice. This fall course will examine the grand challenge of climate change and sustainability what is known about climate change and its impacts, what motivates public understanding, attitudes, and behaviors about climate change, what actions are possible to avoid or manage its impacts, and what contributions these actions have made toward achieving goals for sustainability. PSC 364 m001 African International Relations Instructor: Horace Campbell Class #: Offered: T/Th 9:30 am-10:50 am Prerequisite: None Cross-listed/Meets with AAS 364 & PAI 500 The content of the course will explore both the place of the African peoples in the International System as well as the specific case of the impact of the decolonization of Africa, especially the Democratic

16 Republic of the Congo. In so far as the Congo in the central part of Africa borders over nine countries, the relations between the Congo and her neighbors will feature prominently in this course. In particular, the relations between the Congo and Angola in the Cold war and the militarization of the region will be analyzed. A historical framework will be developed to grasp the linkages of Africa in the international system from the period of the Berlin Conference and the genocidal practices set in motion from that period. The continuity in violence and genocide will be traded from the period of King Leopold down to the Rwanda Genocide of 1994, the issues of the militarism, genocide and international organizations relevant to the subject such as the OAU and the UN will be analyzed. The second part of the course will survey issues of war and peace in international relations in the context of the current search for peace in Africa. What is the meaning of contemporary forms of peacekeeping? The experiences of the United States in the Congo and in Somalia will be the basis for analyzing contemporary ideas of humanitarianism in Africa. In so far as the process of militarization accelerated in the cold war, there will be an examination of the legacies of the investment in military entrepreneurs such as Jonas Savimbi during the period of "constructive engagement" in Southern Africa. The battle of Cuito Cuanavale as well as the place of Cuba in Southern Africa will highlight the essence of the differences between sovereignty of states from the point of view of the colonized and this concept from the point of view of geo politics. The issues of Africa in the era of globalization and the controversy over the patenting of life forms will be the subjects of the concluding section of the course. PSC 365 m001 International Political Economy of the Third World Instructor: SN Sangmpam Class #: Offered: M/W 2:15 pm-3:35 pm Prerequisite: None Cross-listed with AAS 365 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 relations between the Third World and Western and former Soviet-bloc 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 Third World, trade, debt, multinational corporations, multilateral lending agencies (IMF, World Bank), strategies of development, and the prospects of a new international system.

17 PSC 373 m001 The Social Contract Tradition and its Critics Instructor: Kenneth Baynes Class #: Offered: T/Th 9:30 am-10:50 pm Prerequisite: None Cross-listed with PHI 317 This course will explore the idea of the social contract as a basis for political obligation and political authority as well as various criticisms of that view of the social contract. Readings will include both classic and contemporary texts, including Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Hume, Rawls, Pateman and Mills. PSC 382 m001 Contemporary Political Philosophy Instructor: Elizabeth Cohen Class #: Offered: T/Th 11:00 am-12:20 pm Prerequisite: None Cross-listed with PHI 417 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. Such issues will include: globalization, nationalism, distributive justice, citizenship, animal rights, and multiculturalism. Readings will include both abstract theoretical works written by authors including Rawls, Nozick and Isaiah Berlin as well as more concrete and immediately relevant political case studies. PSC 387 m001 Ethnic Conflict Instructor: Seth Jolly Class #: Offered: T/Th 9:30 am-10:50 pm Prerequisite: None

18 This course examines ethnicity and its effects on politics. Our primary goals are to understand what ethnicity is, how it ignites both domestic and international conflict, and what political tools exist to manage these conflicts. We will begin the semester by exploring various definitions of ethnicity. Then we will study the many manifestations of political conflict that can be attributed to ethnic divisions within a society. Finally, we will evaluate possible means of mitigating and managing ethnic conflict. In all three segments of the course, we will draw material from around the world, in particular Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. PSC 393 m001 Middle Eastern Political Systems Instructor: Hossein Bashiryeh Class #: Offered: M/W 3:45 pm-5:05 pm Frequency Offered: Irregularly Cross-listed with MES What are the determinants of the nature of political systems in the Middle East? This is the main question of the course, which we will try to answer first comparatively and in general and then specifically in the case of ten Middle Eastern nations. By political systems we mean not only the constitutional order, power structures and political institutions but also political processes, parties, state-civil society relations and oppositions. The main determinants include: geographical/geopolitical; demographic; historical; religious/legal factors; social cleavages and social forces, particularly the role of landed and business classes, new middle classes, working classes, tribes and ethnic groupings, religious establishments and the armies; and last but not least the role of leaders and founding fathers and their political visions and ideologies. Middle Eastern political systems have also been evolving in reaction to global economic, technological and communications developments. So in addition to the domestic determinants, the impact of the larger world system on the local political systems will also be taken into account. In the first eight weeks we will discuss these determinants in general across the region; in the remaining weeks we will discuss the political systems of ten nations in terms of the determinants. PSC 394 m001 Islamic Political Thought Instructor: Hossein Bashiryeh Class #: Offered: M/W 12:45-2:05 pm Frequency Offered: Irregularly

19 Cross-listed with MES The aim of this course is to study some of the major issues and discourses in Islamic political thought, especially those of more contemporary significance such as dissent, apostasy, intolerance, human obligations and rights, women's status, the status of minorities, war and peace, universal government and the idea of the Caliphate. PSC 396 m001 European Integration Instructor: Glyn Morgan Class #: Offered: M/W 5:15 pm-6:35 pm Frequency Offered: Irregularly Prerequisites: Every other year Cross-listed with GEO 396 For twenty years ( ), the process of European Integration was a spectacular success. Europe added new member states, expanded to include the former Communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, and introduced a common currency and a common Schengen boundary. Then starting in 2005, things started to go wrong. This course focuses on the strengths and weaknesses of the European project---a project to build a common system of governance. We focus on such issues as: Europe's Monetary Union; the Greek Crisis; the Refugee Problem; Germany's economic superiority; demographic decline; the failure to incorporate Europe's Muslim populations; the Geopolitical problems of dealing with Russia and the United States, and Brexit. PSC 400 m301 Ideas & Identity in World Politics Instructor: Gavan Duffy Class#: Offered: T/Th 5:00 pm-6:20 pm Frequency Offered: Special Offering Description to follow

20 PSC 400 m401 Freedom & Self Command Instructor: Laurence Thomas Class#: Offered: T/Th 5:00 pm-6:20 pm Frequency Offered: Special Offering Description to follow PSC 412 m001 Global Governance: The United Nations System Instructor: Francine D Amico Class #: Offered: T/Th 3:30-4:50 pm Meets with/cross-listed with IRP 495/412. This course is open to official PSC seniors only. The United Nations System. This course explores the theory and practice of global governance and international diplomacy through an in-depth study of the UN system. Class meetings analyze and critique assigned readings and discuss current UN-related events in a seminar format. Each student will undertake an in-depth research project to investigate one aspect of the UN system, such as security, development, peacekeeping, or human rights. Each student will submit an original research paper and present a formal evaluation of that piece of the UN puzzle in a public presentation at the conclusion of the semester. This course employs a professional development model for academic research. PSC 495 m001 Distinction Thesis I Instructor: Dimitar Gueorguiev Class #: Offered: W 3:45-6:30 pm Prerequisites: Permission from department must have an overall GPA of 3.5 for admittance 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

21 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.