Politics and Government

PG 111. Power and American Politics (W. Franklin,  Louthan, Nestor)
A comprehensive introduction to the American political system. Political foundations, the Declaration of Independence, and the Federal Constitution period; Federalist, pluralist, and democratic foundations of the American political style, political parties, the electoral system; pressure groups and public opinion; the Congress and the legislative-representative function; the contemporary presidency and the executive branch; the Supreme Court and judicial politics. The course also examines the policy-making process generally with reference to current political and governmental issues both throughout and at the conclusion of the course. F, S. (Group I)

PG 112. Global Issues (Choi, Kay)
Students in Global Issues will examine the evolving dynamics of the international system at an introductory level. This discussion focuses on facilitating international governance and cooperation relative to major contemporary international issues. The class examines the positive effects and challenges posed by the new distribution of power in the international system. Finally, we consider the quest for international peace and security. We will use these three major issue areas to introduce some of the critical issues facing a new generation of political science and global civic engagement. F., S. (Group I)

PG 113. Democracy, Dictatorship, and Political Change (Biser, J. Franklin)
A general comparative overview of the world’s political systems. This overview consists of two parts. First, students will assess how countries differ in terms of their political systems, governmental structures, patterns of political behavior, political culture, and patterns of political change. Second, the class will examine attempts to conceptualize and explain such differences. Rather than proceeding country-by-country, this course is organized around topics that are central to the field of comparative politics. However, students will gain some country-specific knowledge. F, S. (Group I, Diversity)

PG 260. Equality and American Politics (W. Franklin)
An examination of the pursuit of political equality in the United States. The course focuses primarily upon the post-1945 experiences of several groups: women, African Americans, Hispanics and, more recently, to a lesser extent upon the efforts by gays and lesbians, Asian Americans, and Native Americans. A thorough examination is undertaken of (a) the place of equality in the U.S. political ideology and beliefs; and (b) the various strategic environments and the choices made by these groups and their elites to obtain their respective objectives. F. (Group I, Diversity)

PG 261. American Politics and the Mass Media
(Not offered 2017-2018)
Examines how American politics is affected by the mass media in such areas as political participation, campaign politics, and public policy. Explores how new technologies help shape the role the media play in the relationship between citizens and government. Special emphasis is placed on understanding how political institutions and interest groups interact with the mass media. (Group I)

PG 279. The Conduct of Political Inquiry (J. Franklin, Nestor)
An overview of the political science discipline focusing on definitions of the discipline, epistemologies of the discipline, the function of concepts and concept-building, modes of advancing and verifying theoretical propositions, and techniques used to provide data out of which theoretical propositions are constructed. Through these foci, a series of themes emerges: the interrelationship between subject matter and method, the consequently changing character of the discipline, the scientific aspects of political science, the role of creativity in advancement of the discipline, and the essential task of theory-building. F, S. (Group I)

PG 280. Environmental Politics (Kay)
This course focuses upon environmental policies. It concentrates upon the interrelated matters of how environmental matters become, and are shaped as, political issues, the extent to which they do so, how environmental issues become a part of the political agenda, the political economy cleavage lines associated with environmental political issues, the institutional factors involved in making environmental policies, and the nature of the feedback process across time in environmental politics. While the majority of attention is on environmental politics and policies in the context of U.S. politics, selected examination will cover international and comparative materials. S. (Group I)

PG 300.34. Citizenship in an Age of Empire: Theories of Global Citizenship (Biser)
In Aristotle’s Politics, he defines a citizen as one “who has the power to take part in the deliberative or judicial administration of any state.” This definition, which emphasizes active participation in the institutions that govern our lives, is a central component of democratic theory. However, the political and economic realities of globalization pose daunting challenges to our conceptions of citizenship. What kinds of opportunities for participation exist in a world where the sovereignty of the nation-state is impinged upon by international economic and political institutions? In short, what are the rights and duties of a global citizen? This course investigates these questions through the lens of democratic theory. Although the challenges posed to democratic citizenship by globalization are often assumed to be purely modern—driven by recent advances in transportation and communication technologies—this course offers students a historical perspective on global citizenship by situating the concept in ancient Athens before turning to contemporary theories of citizenship. This is not a travel course. R-option. S. (Group I)

PG 344. Democratization in the Developing World (J. Franklin)
This course will focus on the causes and challenges of establishing and consolidating democracy. We will cover the countries that have established democracy in the post-World War II period, with emphasis on the most recent wave of democratization starting in the 1970s. Therefore, the course will cover mostly developing countries, rather than the advanced industrialized democracies in Western Europe and North America. Students will become experts on a particular country, reporting on how it progressed through the various phases of democratization, and putting its experience in the context of theories of democratization and democratic consolidation. S. (Group I, Diversity)

PG 346. European Politics (Kay)
The European continent has seen stark divisions as well as unprecedented convergence since World War II. This course examines the political systems of Europe, as well as the ongoing trends of democratization and European integration through the European Union. We will explore differences between Western and Eastern Europe as well as the growing convergence between the two regions. Special attention will be paid to particular countries, but the organization of the course is primarily topical rather than country by country. (Group I)

PG 347. Protest and Political Violence (J. Franklin)
This course will examine the variety of contentious actions that people participate in, ranging from peaceful protests to revolutions and other major episodes of political violence. Geographically, we will consider protest and political violence ranging from Latin America and other developing regions to post-industrial democracies such as the United States. We will also address three important analytical issues. First, we will analyze why people take the often risky step of opposing authority, and why people in other situations fail to resist. Second, we will examine why some movements and challenges are successful while others fail. Finally, we will address the government’s responses to such challenges. R-option. (Group I, Diversity)

PG 348. Latin American Politics (J. Franklin)
This course examines the political systems, social groupings and economic development of Latin America. It will examine the numerous differences in the countries of the region, while keeping in focus the common characteristics that unite them. The class will discuss who the important political actors are and the various “rules of the game” for governing. The class will also discuss the role of the military in politics, political instability and revolution, competing approaches to economic development, the wave of democratization that has swept the region, and the characteristics and prospects of these emerging in democracies. Students will have the opportunity to become knowledgeable about particular countries in Latin America, while also gaining a broader perspective of common problems and issues facing the region. R-option. F. (Group I, Diversity)

PG 349. East Asian Politics (Choi)

PG 350. Law and Courts (Esler)
An analysis of law and courts. Basic types, functions and determinants of law as well as major issues in jurisprudence. Organization and basic functions of American courts and theories of judicial decision making. The role of trial courts in criminal and civil procedures and the role of appellate courts in overseeing the activities of trial courts. The impact and role of courts in American politics. Particular focus on the roles of judges, attorneys, prosecutors, juries, police and interest groups in the judicial process. Prerequisite: PG 110, PG 111, or permission of instructor for underclassmen; open to upperclassmen without prerequisite. F. (Group I)

PG 351. American Constitutional Law (Louthan)
Analysis of the U.S. Constitution and the role of the Supreme Court in interpreting it. Analysis of the historical context in which the Constitution was created, the text of the Constitution and the intentions of its authors, and controversies over its ratification. Analysis of the role of the Supreme Court and the methods it uses to interpret the Constitution’s meaning. Most extensively, analysis of Supreme Court decisions in leading cases involving judicial, congressional, and presidential power, federalism, government regulation of the economy, and civil rights and liberties. Prerequisite: Sophomores, juniors, and seniors only. PG 350 recommended as a prerequisite. F. (Group I)

PG 352. Civil Rights and Liberties (Esler)
The role of the law and courts in promoting freedom and equality. Initial focus on the meaning of and issues related to the values of freedom, equality, and democracy. The focus then shifts to the Supreme Court’s interpretation of selected provisions of the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment. Specific topics include the incorporation doctrine, freedom of speech and religion, privacy, racial equality, gender equality, political and economic equality, and criminal defendant rights. Legal and political dimensions of these decisions will be given special attention. Prerequisite: PG 110, PG 111 or permission of the instructor. PG 351 is recommended as a prerequisite. S. (Group I)

PG 353. Congress and Legislative Process (W. Franklin)
The politics and public policy aspects of the national legislative branch of American government. The course examines the contemporary legislative and representative process including the committee system and seniority, party leadership, relations with the President and the Supreme Court, and relations with constituents and lobbyists. S. (Group I)

PG 354. The American Presidency (Nestor)
The nature and role of the American presidency. The historical development of the presidency is examined to lay the foundation for discussions of the sources of presidential power, the constitutional basis of the presidency, the role of the Executive Office and the bureaucracy. The relationship of the presidency and Congress and the problems of public policy making are reviewed. The course concludes with discussion of the politics of modern presidencies. (Group I)

PG 355. American Federalism and Public Policy (Nestor)
The relationship between public policy-making and the American federal system is explored from many vantage points. Emphasis is placed on the roles of local, state, and federal agencies in the operation of complex government programs in such policy areas as the environment, transportation, health care, social welfare, and education. The course also includes an examination of the major state and local government institutions (e.g., legislatures, governor-ships, municipalities). The political and governmental differences between inner cities, suburbia, and rural areas are frequently examined. R-option. (Group I)

PG 356. Public Administration 
Examines the similarities and differences between public and private administrative organizations; the importance of the social, economic, cultural, and political environments within which federal government agencies operate; and the public policymaking processes in which federal administrative agencies are involved. Organization theories, personnel administration, decision-making theories, and budgeting are also discussed. The course focuses on all of these elements through discussion of case studies on the careers of prominent American public administrators and on significant events and issues in recent years in U.S. public administration. (Group I)

PG 357. The United States Supreme Court: Current and Future (Louthan)
This course will focus on the United States Supreme Court as a political institution, with heavy emphasis on the current Court (with projections about future Courts). Topics include: the role of the Court in the judicial and political systems, Court participants (e.g., Justices, litigants, lawyers, supporting personnel, interest groups, etc.), Court processes (agenda-setting, scheduling, arguments, conferences, opinion writing, etc.) and judicial method (with emphasis on the styles associated with current Justices (e.g., originalists, textualists, fundamentalists, traditionalists, pragmatists, libertarians, deferrentialists, etc.) including the role in judicial method of “activism” versus “restraint,” the “living constitution” versus “constitution in exile,” “super-precedent,” change and continuity, and revolution and stability. This is a course on the Court, not on constitutional law. To the extent that legal issues are used as examples, they will be drawn almost exclusively from either the current agenda (e.g., abortion, affirmative action, death penalty, federalism, gun control, physician-assisted suicide, school prayer, and other religious observances, etc.) or possible future dockets (e.g., brain-scanning in criminal cases, data-mining computer programming and terrorism prevention, digital rights and intellectual property, reproductive cloning and genetic screening, etc.). Course format will be evenly divided between lecture and seminar. Prerequisite: Either PG 351 or PG 352 or permission of instructor. (Group I)

PG 358. Political Parties
Examines the historical development of the American party system, the trends within the parties and the party system since WWII, and the role of political parties in the most recent Presidential and Congressional elections. Emphasis is placed on the role of party identification in citizen voting behavior and the relationship between the party system and the social, economic, and cultural issues in American society. The relationship of interest groups to political parties is examined. The impact of new technologies (e.g., television) on political campaigns and the role of the parties is also analyzed. R-option. (Group I)

PG 359. Voting and Elections in the U.S. 
This course examines voting behavior, campaigns, and elections within the context of democratic politics. In a democracy, the consent of the governed is fundamental. Candidates for public office make their case to the people during the campaign season, and the people then vote their preferences on Election Day. Thus, voting, campaigns, and elections are inherently linked as the means through which the consent of the governed is achieved. In this course, we will explore the various factors that influence the electoral process. This includes the study of campaigns (presidential and congressional), candidate strategy and behavior, campaign advertising, and campaign finance. We will also address voter choice, including ideology and partisanship, as well as influences on political participation. Attention will also be given to recent developments in the current political environment. R-option. F. (Group I)

PG 360. International Politics (Choi, Kay)
International politics from the point of view of the international system and the nation-state. Topics include introduction to the major theoretical concepts of international relations, security studies, international political economy, and contemporary global politics. Consideration is given to both the history of international politics and using theoretical concepts to assess current and future global trends. R-option. F, S. (Group I)

PG 361. American Foreign Policy (Kay)
An overview of the domestic and international sources of American foreign policy. This course provides a detailed overview of the historical legacy of previous international experiences that shape contemporary foreign policy decision-making. Detailed study is given to the political and constitutional setting of foreign policymaking in Washington D.C., the bureaucratic role of institutions like the Department of State and Department of Defense, and the range of policy options available to decision-makers. Students examine the range of long-term strategic choices available to the United States as it continues to struggle with its post-Cold War grand strategy. F. (Group I)

PG 362. International Organizations (Kay)
Development of international organizations and the roles they perform in the context of expanding globalization of international relations. The course details the theoretical premises behind international organizations and places their historical development in that context. Specific case studies include the role of the United Nations and NATO. Issue areas of contemporary international organizations include international economic policy, environmental policy, human rights, peacekeeping, and arms control. New concepts of international organization such as the role of the Internet and grassroots movements in the context of the evolving state system are addressed. S. (Group I)

PG 363. Human Rights in International Perspective (J. Franklin)
An examination of the development of the international law of human rights by international organizations since 1945; Western and other important perspectives on human rights; and U.S. foreign policy with respect to civil, political, and economic and social human rights. Case studies of major human rights violations throughout the world and international reactions to those violations will constitute a major part of the seminar. (Group I, Diversity)

PG 364. International Political Economy (Choi)
This course is an upper-level course on International Political Economy (IPE), one of the significant subfields in the study of International Relations (IR). We explore the inevitable tensions and interactions between politics (the state) and the economy (the market) in the context of the study of IR. Among the specific issues to be addressed are the history and major theoretical perspectives of IPE; the politics of international trade and finance; the political outcomes of economic globalization; and the origins and prospects of regionalism. R-option. F. (Group I)

PG 365. Globalization – Structures, Processes, and Issues (Choi)
Globalization has emerged as one of the hot topics today and it is affecting nearly every aspect of our lives. This course is intended to introduce the various aspects of globalization to students in systematic and in-depth ways. In this course, we will examine basic questions and debates on globalization and related ideologies and processes. The course also addresses various forms of globalization (political, economic, cultural, ecological, etc.) and related issues. Lastly, resistance to and the futures of globalization are discussed. S. (Group I, Diversity)

PG 371. Power and Authority: Political Theory from the Canon to Fanon (Biser)
This is a course in the history of political thought. It focuses on selected writer from Plato to Aristotle, Machiavelli, Locke, Hobbes, Marx, Mill, Arendt and others. It examines classical political questions, such as what citizens owe the state and when they can or should rebel against it. How should polities be organized so as to further the goals of freedom and equality? Each of the thinkers discussed has made a significant contribution to the tradition of western political theory; however, the course also examines the way that these classical thinkers have excluded certain people (women, racial and ethnic minorities, etc.) from their conceptions of politics. R-option. S. (Group I)

PG 372. Democracy and its Critics (Biser)
This course is an examination of both classical and contemporary debates about democracy. What does it mean to be democratic? How does our modern conception of democracy differ from that of the Ancients? What are the dangers inherent in a democratic system? How easily can such a system be exported? In this course, we analyze the various conceptions of and justifications for democracy paying particular attention to the contemporary challenges that democracies face in the light of the rise of globalization. R-course. (Group I)

PG 373. Freedom, Equality, and Democracy in American Political Thought (Biser)
This course examines the sources and nature of American political thought, tracing its origins to the religious traditions of early settlers, as well as classical liberal and republican theory. Emphasis is on the character of American ideology and democracy, the relationship between religion and politics, as well as contemporary critiques of the American political system. R-course. F. (Group I)

PG 374. Political Theory, Science and Technology (Biser)
In the last one hundred years, rapid advances in science and technology have fundamentally transformed the world in which we live. For some thinkers, these advances promise a better future, one in which human beings might live happier, healthier, and more productive lives. Others, however, see modern science and technology as in tension with the values of democracy. How, these latter thinkers ask, is freedom realized in contemporary society? In what ways are science, rationality and technology tools for domination? For emancipation? This course examines the complex relationship between science, technology and politics from the perspective of political theorists such as Herbert Marcuse, Hannah Arendt, and Michel Foucault, as well as more recent theorists such as Donna Haraway and Bruno Latour. It pays particular attention to the question of how scientific and technological change can be open to democratic participation. R-course. (Group I)

PG 490. Independent Study (Staff)

PG 491. Directed Readings (Staff)

PG 495. Apprenticeship (Staff)

PG 499. Senior Seminar (Choi, Esler, Franklin)

  1. Readings, presentations, discussions, and papers on the history, theories, and issues of international or global relations with emphasis on international security and global political economy. (Choi) S.
  2. Readings, discussions and papers on the impact of American political institutions on contemporary political issues. (Esler, S. and  Franklin, F.)