(file last updated: [8/10/1998 - 15:27:25])
Undergraduate Concentration
Politics courses are designedto develop an understanding of the various ways societies organizethemselves to manage conflict and cooperation, and to make andimplement public policy. Philosophical perspectives are providedprimarily in the political theory courses; the U.S. systemis studied primarily in the American politics courses;the politics of foreign countries are studied primarily in thecomparative politics courses; and the relations among countriesare studied primarily in the international politics courses.The material in each of these subfields is interrelated with theother three.
Graduate Program in Politics
The graduate program in politicsoffers three degree programs leading to the degrees of Masterof Arts in Politics, Doctor of Philosophy in Politics, or a jointDoctor of Philosophy in Politics and Social Policy (Heller School).These programs are designed to prepare candidates for careersin teaching, research, or government. Grounded in the study ofinstitutions and history of American politics, the program emphasizesscholarly research and writing on American political development,liberalism and its critics, comparative political institutionsand public policy, and the United States in world politics.
The graduate program features:(a) instruction in small seminars under close faculty supervision,(b) supervised independent study facilities within the program,(c) supervised teaching assistantships, (d) opportunities forstudy in the consortium of universities in the Boston area and(e) the opportunity to incorporate work in related and relevantfields, e.g., economics, history, and philosophy.
There are no prerequisites.Declaration of the concentration normally is during the secondsemester of the second year.
Students are strongly encouragedto take two or three politics courses during their first two yearsat Brandeis. These courses, which will count toward the nine-courseconcentration requirement, are normally best selected from theintroductory courses.
The general requirements foradmission to the Graduate School, given in an earlier sectionof this Bulletin, apply to candidates for admission tothis area of study. Normally, the student's undergraduate trainingmust be in a field of social sciences to be considered for admissionto this program. Applicants are expected to take the GraduateRecord Examination.
Sidney Milkis, Chair
American government. Presidency.Parties.
Jeffrey Abramson, UndergraduateAdvising Head
Political theory. Constitutionallaw. Media and politics.
Robert Art
International relations. U.S.foreign policy.
Seyom Brown
International relations. Worldpolitics.
Steven Burg
Comparative politics. Ethnicpolitics. East European politics. Conflict resolution.
Donald Hindley
Comparative politics. SoutheastAsian and Latin American politics.
Jytte Klausen
Comparative politics. WesternEurope. Political economy of advanced industrial societies.
Martin Levin (Director,Gordon Public Policy Center)
American politics. Politicsof administration.
Ruth Morgenthau
Comparative politics. Development.Africa.
Garrison Nelson
American government. Congress.Political leadership. Public policy.
Mark Roosevelt
Policy analysis. Public policy.
George Ross
French and European politics.
Mireya Solis
International political economy.Japanese politics. Trade and foreign investment, North and CentralAmerica.
Deborah Stone
Public policy. Health carepolicy.
Ralph Thaxton
Comparative politics. China.Peasants and revolution.
Peter Woll
American politics and government.Administrative law. Congress.
A.All politics concentrators must complete satisfactorily at leastnine semester courses from among the politics and cross-listedcourses. A minimum of five semester courses counted toward concentrationcredit must be taught by members of the Department of Politicsfaculty. No course grade below a C- will be given credit towardmeeting the concentration requirement of nine courses.
B.No course taken pass/fail may count toward the concentration requirements.
C.With the approval of the departmental undergraduate advising head,students may receive politics concentration credit for up to twosemester courses satisfactorily completed at the University outsideof the politics department and its cross-listed courses. Suchapproval is subject to several limitations. First, as stated in(A), concentrators must complete satisfactorily at least fivecourses taught by politics department faculty. Second, approvalwill be given only where the nondepartmental courses are distinctlypolitics-oriented and exhibit a political science approach tothe material. Third, in most circumstances, approval will notbe given for any nondepartmental courses when a comparable courseexists within the politics department or its cross-listed offerings.
D.With the approval of the departmental undergraduate advising head,transfer students and those taking a year's study abroad may applyup to four semester courses taught elsewhere toward fulfillingthe concentration requirements.
E.All politics concentrators must complete satisfactorily (witha grade of C- or better) one course in each of the following subfields:American Politics; Comparative Politics; and International Politics.In addition, all politics concentrators must complete satisfactorily(with a grade of C- or better) one of the following courses inthe political theory subfield: POL 10a (Introduction to PoliticalTheory); HIST 183b (Community and Alienation: Social Theory fromHegel to Freud); POL 184a (Utopia and Power in Modern PoliticalThought); HIST 133a (Politics of the Enlightenment); or POL 195b(American Political Thought). Courses taken to fulfill these subfieldrequirements count as well toward fulfilling the overall departmentalrequirement of nine courses.
F.The department strongly recommends that concentrators completeintroductory courses in at least three of the subfieldsby the end of the sophomore year. These introductory coursesinclude POL 10a (Introduction to Political Theory), POL 14b (Introductionto American Government), POL 15a (Introduction to InternationalRelations), and POL 11b (Comparative Government: Europe). Othercourses may also serve as "introductions" to the subfields;concentrators should consult with their politics advisors forsuch appropriate courses.
G.All politics concentrators are required to complete one departmentalseminar, usually during the junior and senior years, and are stronglyurged to take at least two.
H.Admission to the departmental honors program requires completionof at least one departmental seminar, and a GPA in politicsof at least 3.20 by the end of the junior year, or permissionof the undergraduate advising head. Candidates for departmentalhonors are required to enroll in POL 99d under the direction oftheir thesis advisor and to participate in the honors colloquiumunder the direction of the head of the Politics Honors Program.Students enrolled in POL 99d can receive up to two course creditsfor their completed work, and this will count toward the nine-courserequirement.
I.With the permission of the instructor, third and fourth-year studentsmay enroll in politics graduate courses for concentration credit.
The Department of Politicsoffers a Master of Arts program for part-time or full-time students.Full-time students will be expected to complete the course workin one year, and may take up to another year to complete a master'sproject. Part-time students, with the approval of the department,may take up to four years to complete the required courses anda Master's Project. Students desiring to continue their studiestoward the Ph.D. must apply for admission to that program.
Course Requirements
Students will be required tocomplete eight courses (with a grade of B- or better) as follows:one of the core field graduate seminars POL 213a (ComparativePolitical Institutions), 214a (U.S. in World Politics), 215a (AmericanPolitical Development), or 216a (Liberalism and Its Critics);five courses from more specialized offerings, i.e., fromgraduate-level courses, seminars, and upper-level undergraduatecourses (seminars and advanced lecture classes) that offer graduatecredit; and a two-semester sequence of directed study culminatingin a completed Master's Project, which could be an original researchproject, a comprehensive literature review (a critique of a subfieldof political science), or another type of undertaking that isappropriate for the student's course of study.
Degree of Master of Arts
If the core seminar in thestudent's field is not taught the year the student is in residence,the graduate advisor (in consultation with the student and his/heradvisor) will designate an alternative course that will providethe student an overview of that field.
If appropriate, students maysubstitute other classes to fulfill the course requirements. Allsubstitutions must be approved by the student's advisor and thePolitics Department Graduate Committee.
Program of Study
The student must complete threeyears in residence and a minimum of 12 term courses. The graduatecurriculum has two parts: four core courses and "clusters"of electives. Each graduate student is required to take all fourcore courses: American Political Development, Liberalism and itsCritics, Comparative Political Institutions and Public Policy,and The U.S. in World Politics. There are six clusters of electivesfor students to choose from: American Political Development; AmericanForeign Policy: Defense, Economic, and Human Rights Issues; TheWelfare State in Comparative Perspective; Law and Politics; Environmentaland Regulatory Politics; and Democratic Citizenship and EthnicIdentity.
Within each cluster chosen,students are expected to have a broad knowledge of the major theoreticaland analytical approaches, and special expertise in particulargeographic areas, policy issues, and/or historical periods.
The standard work load forfull-time students is at least three courses in each term of theirfirst two years of study. Fourth courses and audits are encouraged,but the load is deliberately set so that the student may supplementhis or her regular course work with independently motivated readingand scholarship. Reading courses will not be offered to first-semesterstudents and will be discouraged generally during the first year.By the end of the first year, students should have identifiedtheir cluster of interest and should make this known to theiradvisor and the graduate advising head.
Research Tools Requirement
Each student is required toeither pass a language examination (normally administeredwithin the program) designed to test for a reading knowledge ofa foreign language sufficient to conduct doctoral dissertationresearch or pass with a B- or better course work in statisticsapproved by the graduate advising head.
Neither courses taken in conjunctionwith the language examination nor statistics courses may be countedfor course credit toward the Ph.D.
Evaluation of First Year
At the end of each student'sfirst year in the graduate program, there will be a consultationbetween the student and two members of the program to evaluatethe student's academic progress and help plan the student's subsequentwork.
Qualifying Examinations
Normally, at the beginningof the fifth semester, a formal oral and written examination forcandidacy for the Ph.D. is given covering core curriculum andthe student's cluster. Each student takes two written field examinations--onefor the core curriculum and one for the cluster field--(one eachweek) and a follow-up oral examination at the end of the two-weekperiod. Students must notify the graduate advising head in writingat least one month prior to the two-week period in which he orshe intends to take the examinations.
Each student must completethe Ph.D. qualifying examinations and submit a dissertation prospectusby the end of his or her sixth term in the program. Any extensionmust be granted specifically by the department's graduate committee.
Dissertation and Defense
The dissertation will be completedunder the supervision of an appropriate member of the department'sfaculty. The dissertation proposal must be sponsored by a committeeof at least two members of the faculty appointed by the department'sgraduate advising head in consultation with the graduate committee.It is assumed that the writing of the dissertation will take atleast one year and, barring exceptional circumstances, not morethan two and one-half years. The student must successfully defendthe dissertation at a Final Oral Examination conducted by hisor her two departmental supervisors and another faculty memberfrom outside the department or from another university.
Teaching Assistantships
Training and experience inteaching college-level courses is emphasized in the Ph.D. program.After the first term, each student on a fellowship stipend willbe expected to serve as a teaching assistant for five courses,and a research assistant for one term.
Program of Study
The student must complete threeyears in residence and complete a minimum of at least 18 courses.At least nine of these courses must be offered in the Politicsdepartment. Four of the nine politics courses must be the corecourses: American Political Development, Liberalism and Its Critics,Comparative Political Institutions and Public Policy, and TheU.S. in World Politics. (The core course requirement of InternationalRelations may be fulfilled with an appropriate substitute.) Aminimum of nine courses must be taken in the Heller Graduate School.
Research Tools Requirement
Students must complete at leastone statistics course (generally covered by HS 401b (ResearchMethods).
For certain specializationsproficiency (as determined by examination) in a foreign languagemay be required. Language courses taken in preparation for theexamination will not be counted for course credit toward the Ph.D.degree.
Qualifying Examinations
Students must fulfill comprehensiveexam requirements in both the Politics department and the HellerGraduate School. Students must complete a "comprehensivepaper" as required by the Heller School curriculum. For thePolitics department, students must complete a formal oral andwritten examination for candidacy for the Ph.D. covering the corecourses and all elective politics courses. This examination isnormally administered at the beginning of the student's fifthsemester.
Dissertation and Final OralExamination
The student's dissertationcommittee will consist of five people: two faculty members eachfrom the politics department and the Heller School and anotherfaculty member from outside the department or outside the university.The student must successfully defend the dissertation at a FinalOral Examination conducted by his or her dissertation committee.
Introductory Courses (POL10a-15a)
POL 10a Introduction toPolitical Theory
[ ss ]
Examination of classical politicaltexts and modern writings for insights on central problems ofpolitical discourse such as power and authority, human nature,freedom, obligation, justice, and the organization of the state.Open to first-year students. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Abramson
POL 11b Introduction toComparative Government: Europe
[ ss ]
Enrollment limited to 40.
Introduction to basic conceptsin comparative politics through study of the government and politicsof European democracies. Open to first-year students. Usuallyoffered every year.
Ms. Klausen
POL 14b Introduction toAmerican Government
[ ss ]
Analysis of American politicalinstitutions; Congress, Presidency, Supreme Court, bureaucracy,political parties, pressure groups, and problems of governmentaldecision-making in relation to specific areas of public policy.Open to first-year students. Usually offered every semester.
Mr. Nelson or Mr. Woll
POL 15a Introduction toInternational Relations
[ cl27 cl40ss ]
General introduction to internationalpolitics, emphasizing the essential characteristics of the internationalsystem as a basis for understanding the foreign policy of individualcountries. Analysis of causes of war, conditions of peace, patternsof influence, the nature of the world's political economy, globalenvironmental issues, human rights, and prospects for internationalorganizations. Open to first-year students. Usually offered everysemester.
Mr. Art or Mr. Brown
POL 98a Independent Study
Signature of the instructorrequired.
Usually offered every year.
Staff
POL 98b Independent Study
Signature of the instructorrequired.
Usually offered every year.
Staff
POL 99d Senior Research:Honors Thesis
Signature of the instructorrequired.
Students will consult withthe head of the Politics Honors Program before being assignedto a professor for the supervision of their theses and will participatein a biweekly colloquium. Usually offered every year.
Staff
Note that advanced undergraduatecourses may be taken for graduate credit, only with the approvalof the graduate advising head.
American Politics
(POL 14b and POL 101a-126a)
POL 101a Parties, InterestGroups, and Public Opinion
[ ss ]
Role and organization of politicalparties, interest groups, and public opinion in the American politicalsystem. Emphasis on historical development and current politicalbehavior in the United States in relation to American democratictheory. Comparison with other countries to illuminate U.S. practice.Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Milkis
POL 102b A Political Experience
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: One coursein politics. Seniors and juniors have priority for undergraduateadmission. Enrollment limited to 150.
Focuses on issues such as womenas political candidates; problems of effective state governancein a multi-cultural and complex society, and the changing roleof national governance in a transitional world.
Staff
POL 108b Seminar: Libertyand Equality in American Politics
[ cl20 ss]
Signature of the instructorrequired. Preference given to junior and senior concentrators.
How competing conceptions ofliberty and equality have affected American political life. Readingsinclude The Federalist Papers, Tocqueville's Democracyin America, Mill's On Liberty and material on freedomof the press, freedom of religion, desegregation, affirmativeaction, and emergency powers. Usually offered in odd years.
Staff
POL 110a Media Politicsand Society
[ ss ]
A broad-based inquiry intothe role of the media in contemporary American society, with specialemphasis on the political impact of the media, the ethics of goodreporting, the rise of new technologies, and current legal issuesregarding freedom of the press. Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Abramson
POL 111a The American Congress
[ ss ]
The structure and behaviorof the Congress. Emphasis on the way member incentives for reelection,power on Capitol Hill, and good public policy shape Congress.Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Nelson
POL 112a National Governmentof the United States
[ cl44 ss]
The roles played by Congress,the president, the bureaucracy, and the courts in policy-makingat the national level. Contrasting perspectives, incentives, andcapabilities of each institution; formation of coalitions acrossinstitutional lines; and changes in institutions over time. Usuallyoffered every third year. Last offered in the fall of 1997.
Mr. Nelson
POL 112b Seminar: LeadershipSelection and Institutional Change
[ ss ]
Signature of the instructorrequired.
Emphasizes how major politicalfigures are identified, recruited, and selected for key positionsof institutional power within the United States and the impactwhich these choices have upon the functioning of those institutions.
Mr. Nelson
POL 113b The American Presidency
[ ss ]
Philosophical and historicalorigins of the presidency, examining the constitutional role ofthe chief executive. Historical development of the presidency,particularly the emergence of the modern presidency during the20th century. Contemporary relationships between the presidencyand the electorate, as well as the other branches of government.Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Milkis
POL 114a The Courts andPublic Policy
[ ss ]
Policy-making by the federalcourts since 1954. Topics include the institutional capacity ofthe courts, alliances with other institutions, and effects onthe party system. Policy issues include desegregation, votingrights, toxic torts, the environment, welfare, and reform of prisonsand mental hospitals. Usually offered in even years.
Staff
POL 115a ConstitutionalLaw
[ ss ]
Analysis of core principlesof constitutional law as formulated by the Supreme Court. Primaryfocus on the First Amendment, the Equal Protection and Due Processclauses, federalism, the commerce clause, and the separation ofpowers. Emphasis also on the moral values and political theoriesthat form our constitutional system. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Woll
POL 115b Seminar: ConstitutionalLaw and Theory
[ ss ]
Signature of the instructorrequired.
Advanced research seminar onselected issues of constitutional law. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Woll
POL 116b Civil Libertiesin America
[ ss ]
The history and politics ofcivil liberties and civil rights in the United States, with emphasison the period from World War I to the present. Emphasis on freedomof speech, religion, abortion, privacy, racial discrimination,and affirmative action. Readings from Supreme Court cases andinfluential works by historians and political philosophers. Usuallyoffered every year.
Mr. Abramson
POL 117a AdministrativeLaw
[ ss ]
Signature of the instructorrequired.
The role of administrativeagencies in lawmaking and adjudication. Emphasis on the problemof defining and protecting the public interest, as well as therights of individuals and groups directly involved in administrativeproceedings. Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Woll
POL 119a Reinventing Government
[ ss ]
An examination of effectivestrategies that make government work. Particular emphasis on theproblem of implementing innovation with the focus on the toolsfor managers to become innovators. Osborne's classic ReinventingGovernment is used as the standard to compare to its critique.Usually offered every year.
Mr. Levin
POL 120b Seminar: The NewPolitics of Public Policy-Making
[ ss ]
Has a new form of public policy-makingdeveloped in American national government over the past few decades?If so, what is its nature? Why, despite conservative presidentialelection victories, have new and expensive programs continuedto be initiated? Usually offered every year.
Mr. Levin
POL 121a Seminar: ExecutivePower and American Democracy
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: POL 113b orthe equivalent. Signature of the instructor required.
This course will explore thephilosophical and historical roots of executive power in Americangovernment. It will examine the tension between executive powerand popular rule, in the philosophical traditions that informedthe creation of the American presidency and the historical developmentsthat have modified or, possibly, radically transformed executivepower in the United States. Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Milkis
POL 122b Seminar: PolicyAnalysis and Policy Implementation
[ ss ]
Signature of the instructorrequired.
Development of a frameworkfor policy analysis that integrates economic tools and politicalscience thinking. Application of this "political economy"approach to several problems and cases. Usually offered everyyear.
Mr. Roosevelt
POL 123b The Politics ofUrban Criminal Justice
[ cl6 ss]
The behavior of police, prosecutors,and trial court judges in urban areas. Special emphasis on therelationship between these officials and the political systemsof the urban areas. Evaluation of these officials' behavior andespecially its effect on their clients. Usually offered in oddyears.
Mr. Levin
POL 125a Women in AmericanPolitics
[ ss ]
Addresses three major dimensionsof women's political participation: social reform and women-identifiedissues; women's organizations and institutions; women politicians,electoral politics, and party identification. Covers historicalcontext and contemporary developments in women's political activity.
Staff
Comparative Politics
(POL 11b and POL 127b-159a)
POL 127b Seminar: ManagingEthnic Conflict
[ cl10 cl27cl40 wi ss ]
Comparative study of the sourcesand character of interethnic conflict, with emphasis on the processesby which groups become politicized, and the strategies and techniquesfor managing conflict in a democratic system. Usually offeredevery year.
Mr. Burg
POL 128a The Politics ofRevolution: State Violence and Popular Insurgency in the ThirdWorld
[ cl29 nwss ]
Introduction to 20th-centuryrevolutionary movements in the Third World, focusing on the emergenceof peasant-based resistance and revolution in the world beyondthe West, and on the role of state violence in provoking popularinvolvement in protest, rebellion, and insurgency. Usually offeredevery year.
Mr. Thaxton
POL 129a East European Politics
[ cl25 ss]
Politics and society in thepost-Communist states of Eastern Europe, drawing general lessonsabout the relationships among social modernization, nationalism,and democratic transition. Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Burg
POL 130b Politics in Russiaand Ukraine
[ cl25 ss]
Survey of politics in Russiaand Ukraine. Examines the emergence of democratic political institutions,and the social forces that favor and hinder democratic development.Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Burg
POL 140a Politics of Africa
[ nw ss ]
Political transformation inAfrica in the 20th century; from the rise of nationalism to thesearch for effective governance and sustainable development. Casestudies include Nigeria, Tanzania, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, andSouth Africa. Usually offered every year.
Mrs. Morgenthau
POL 141a Politics of SouthernAfrica
[ nw ss ]
Study of clashing nationalismsand international relations. Regime changes in South Africa, theend of apartheid, democratization, and the prospects for development.The search for stability in Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe,and Botswana. Usually offered in even years.
Mrs. Morgenthau
POL 144a Latin AmericanPolitics I
[ cl3 cl24nw ss ]
Revolution, order, and regimetransition in northern Latin America. Specific examination ofthe Mexican and Cuban revolutions and their outcomes. POL 144ais independent of POL 144b. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Hindley
POL 144b Latin AmericanPolitics II
[ cl24 nwss ]
Emphasis on elite control,military intervention, populist politics, and the uncertain processof democratization. Brazil and Argentina are examined specifically.POL 144b is independent of POL 144a. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Hindley
POL 145b Research Seminar:Topics in Latin American Politics
[ ss ]
Signature of the instructorrequired.
Students research topics ofcontemporary significance in Latin American politics. Usuallyoffered in even years.
Mr. Hindley
POL 147a The Governmentand Politics of China
[ cl41 nwss ]
Introduction to major themesof Chinese politics, emphasizing the rise of the Chinese Communistsand the post-1949 trends in domestic politics, while also surveyinghistorical, sociological, and cultural influences in Chinese politics.Attention to the nature of the traditional state, impact of colonialism,national revolution, and the course of contemporary state development.Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Thaxton
POL 147b Seminar: The ModernChinese Revolution
[ nw ss ]
Signature of the instructorrequired.
In-depth exploration of origins,processes, and consequences of the modern Chinese revolution,focusing specifically on Western social science theories and interpretationsof the revolution. Provides a comprehensive and comparative perspectiveon revolution in 20th-century China and revolutionary movementsin other parts of the globe. Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Thaxton
POL 148a Seminar: ContemporaryChinese Politics
[ cl41 nwss ]
Signature of the instructorrequired.
A broad and in-depth understandingof key issues in contemporary Chinese politics--China after 1949.Emphasis on the role of the state in promoting economic development,social betterment, political stability, and justice. Special attentionto the Tiananmen Protest Movement of 1989. Usually offered ineven years.
Mr. Thaxton
POL 149b Politics of SouthAsia
[ nw ss ]
Introduces South Asian politicsand society. Regional colonial histories will be followed by detailedtreatment of Partition, national independence, and creation ofBangladesh. Discusses the major contemporary political systems,including wars, military rule and democracy, ethno-political strife,and human rights.
Staff
POL 150a Politics of SoutheastAsia
[ cl3 cl27cl38 nw ss ]
Introduction to the politicsof modern Southeast Asia, with the focus on the indigenous peoplesand their cultures, societies and politics; the impact of andadaptation to the West; and the origins and nature of the currentpolitical systems. Indonesia and Thailand are examined individuallyin some depth. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Hindley
POL 151b Seminar: Nationalismand Development
[ cl27 cl32nw ss ]
Signature of the instructorrequired.
How nationalism takes shape.Why developing states differ. Consideration of explanatory modelsand quantitative and qualitative indicators. Varying patternsof demographic change, rural development, urbanization, and migration.How government can promote or distort development. Case studies.Usually offered every third year. Last offered in the fall of1996.
Mrs. Morgenthau
POL 153a The New Europe:European Economic and Political Integration
[ ss ]
The institutions and policy-makingprocesses of the European Union (EU). Western European politicaland economic integration since 1945 and the resurgence of Europeanintegration since the mid-1980s. Social policy issues, policyharmonization and economic integration, European citizenship,and the reorientation of national politics in response to Communityexpansion. The future of European unity and national cultures.Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Ross
POL 154a Citizenship
[ ss ]
Enrollment limited to 25.
Liberal theory presumes theprogress of history to be, in the words of John Stuart Mill, agradual "doing away with privilege." The course examinesthe frontiers of social and political justice through readingsdrawn from literature, political science, and history. Usuallyoffered in even years.
Mr. Ross
POL 156b West European PoliticalSystems
[ ss ]
The comparative politics ofWestern Europe. Focuses on the development of political partiesin Britain, France, and Germany-
-particularly since 1945--todetermine how they affect policies and the citizenry's participationin modern democracies. Usually offered every third year. Lastoffered in the spring of 1996.
Ms. Klausen
POL 159a Seminar: The Politicsof the Modern Welfare State: Women, Workers, and Social Citizenship
[ cl15 cl44ss ]
How voting and political mobilizationhave helped women's organizations and trade unions obtain socialrights by means of welfare state expansion. Historical perspectiveon collective action and political reform movements, and theirrole in creating the modern welfare state in 20th-century Europeand United States. Strategies of political mobilization, interestgroups, and the politics of the advanced welfare state. Usuallyoffered in odd years.
Ms. Klausen
International Politics
(POL 15a and POL 160b-180b)
POL 160b World Politicssince 1945
[ ss ]
The dominant issues, alignments,and antagonisms in world politics since the conclusion of WorldWar II. The extent to which these configurations of world politicshave been determined by systematic and structural forces and havebeen the product of deliberate human choice. Alternative futureconfigurations of the world's political system. Usually offeredin odd years.
Mr. Brown
POL 161b Causes and Preventionof War
[ ss ]
Prerequisites: POL 127band POL 160b. Signature of the instructor required.
Insights from world history,the social sciences, and political philosophy about the causes,prevention, and control of war. Students learn about current war/peacediplomacy through participation in a simulation. Usually offeredevery year.
Mr. Brown
POL 163a Seminar: HumanRights and International Relations
[ cl40 ss]
Prerequisite: POL 15a orequivalent. Signature of the instructor required.
How human rights issues areaffecting and being handled by the nation-state system. Traditionalvs. reformist views. Universal vs. cultural relativism. Contemporarycase studies. Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Brown
POL 165a Seminar: InternationalRelations and the Global Environment
[ cl16 cl40ss ]
Signature of the instructorrequired.
Analysis of the global commonsenvironmental problems--those that affect all states and requiretheir concerted and cooperative efforts to solve--such as thegreenhouse effect, use of the seas, pollution, overpopulation,and food supplies. Focus on the scientific, economic, and internationalpolitical aspects of the problems selected for analysis. Usuallyoffered every year.
Mr. Art
POL 166b Seminar: Issuesin International Political Economy
[ ss ]
Signature of the instructorrequired.
Contemporary theoretical andempirical issues in international political economy. Topics includeinternational policy coordination, business-government relations,and the economic dimensions of security issues. Usually offeredevery year.
Staff
POL 168b American ForeignPolicy
[ ss ]
Overview of America's foreignpolicy since 1945. Topics include the Cold War era, the economiccompetitiveness of the United States, the role of the United Statesin selected world regions, the role of human rights in UnitedStates foreign policy, the United States participation in theUnited Nations, post-Cold War foreign policy, and the making andimplementing of foreign policy. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Art
POL 170b Seminar: The Low-IncomeStates and the Global System
[ nw ss ]
Signature of the instructorrequired.
Political liberalization andeconomic change. Constraints on domestic policies placed by theBretton Woods institutions and other international actors. Domesticeffects of changing commodity prices, energy and water supplies,trade, technology, and environment. Case studies. Usually offeredevery third year. Last offered in the spring of 1993.
Mrs. Morgenthau
POL 172b Introduction toInternational Political Economy
[ ss ]
The politics and modern evolutionof international economic relations, comprising trade, money,technological transfer, and natural resources. Also the role ofstates and transnational actors in international markets and theglobal differentiation of power, and distribution of wealth. Usuallyoffered every year.
Staff
POL 173b International Lawand Politics of the Environment
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: POL 15a. Signatureof the instructor required.
A survey of the field: theregimes for climate, biodiversity, ozone depletion, intentionaloil pollution, etc. The relative roles of states, non-governmentalorganizations, and firms will be covered as will the environmentalramifications of international trade (e.g., NAFTA). We will analyzethese legal regimes from a variety of perspectives, drawn primarilyfrom political, economic, and legal theory. Usually offered everyyear.
Staff
POL 174b Seminar: Problemsof National Security
[ wi ss ]
Analysis of the role and utilityof military power in international politics. Selected case studiesfrom the 20th century. Selected topics on post-Cold War militaryissues, including the spread of weapons of mass destruction, collectiveapproaches to coercion, and the role of U.S. military power inworld stability. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Art
POL 176a Seminar: InternationalCrisis Management, Intervention, and Peacekeeping
[ cl27 ss]
Prerequisite: POL 127b orPOL 160b. Signature of the instructor required.
The evolution of multilateralefforts to secure international peace since World War II, withspecial emphasis on international peacekeeping operations, theuse of force under international law, and mechanisms for the peacefulresolution of international conflicts. Includes detailed casestudy of the crisis in former Yugoslavia. Students will participatein a war/peace/crisis management simulation game. Usually offeredin odd years.
Mr. Burg
POL 177a Environmental Cooperation:the Domestic and International Nexus
[ cl16 ss]
What effects do differencesin domestic politics have on environmental cooperation? This courseseeks to bridge the gap between the study of international anddomestic environmental affairs by emphasizing the comparativestudy of the domestic and international environmental policiesof the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Staff
POL 178a Seminar: InternationalPolitics of the Pacific
[ ss ]
Introduction to the Pacificarea and its importance in international politics. Focus on EastAsia, South and Southeast Asia, Oceania, and the Western Pacific.Topics include Soviet and U.S. expansion into the Pacific World,with special attention to America's stake in Asia; the rise ofJapan as a political and economic force before and after WorldWar II; the emergence of revolutionary China and China's participationin the world economy; the fate of "neutralist" statesin Southeast Asia; and the role of Oceania in international tradeand security. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Thaxton
POL 179a Seminar: Politicsand Hunger
[ cl14 cl16cl32 nw ss ]
Signature of the instructorrequired.
The persistence of hunger andmalnutrition in a world full of grain. Why is agricultural growthnot enough to end hunger. How to promote food production andequitable access. How food policy can affect the rise and fallof governments. Readings focus on international, national, andlocal efforts to produce food and buy and sell it at acceptableprices. Case studies. Usually offered every year.
Mrs. Morgenthau
Political Theory and Methods
(POL 10a and POL 181b-196b)
POL 184a Utopia and Powerin Modern Political Thought
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A historical and philosophicalexamination of the relationship between utopian ideals and powerpolitics, from the Renaissance to recent times, with special emphasison the moral dilemmas facing revolutionaries. Usually offeredin odd years.
Mr. Hulliung
POL 192b Seminar: Topicsin Law and Political Theory
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Signature of the instructorrequired.
Interplay among law, morality,and political theory. Specific topics vary from year to year.Usually offered every year.
Mr. Abramson
POL 194a Politics and theNovel
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Selected works of fiction assources of political ideas and pictures of political and sociallife. How modern fiction helps us understand social change, societiesin transition and decay, revolution, law, bureaucracy, and ethnicity.Authors such as Kafka, Conrad, Borges, Dostoevsky, Ford MadoxFord, Babel, Greene, Malraux, and Carpenter. Usually offered ineven years.
Mr. Levin
POL 195b American PoliticalThought
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Signature of the instructorrequired.
This course intends to considersome of the fundamental questions raised by modern democraticlife through a careful study of some of the best writings of Americanpolitical thinkers. We will focus our inquiries on the principlesunderlying self-government and on the character of the citizenryin a republic rather than on the structure of governmental institutions.Usually offered in odd years.
Messrs. Hulliung and Milkis
Seminars for Graduate Students
POL 210a Graduate Seminar:Special Topics in International Political Economy
Examines the internationalrelations of the global economy--trade, finance, foreign economicpolicy--and those theoretical perspectives that seek to explainthe form and texture of the international political economy andnational actions within it. Usually offered in odd years.
Staff
POL 213a Graduate Seminar:Comparative Political Institutions and Public Policy
Studies the ideas and institutionsof representative democracy from a comparative perspective. Topicsinclude parties and party systems; variations in constitutionalgovernment from presidentialism to parliamentarianism; the processand prerequisites of democratization; and the comparative politicsof the welfare state. Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Burg or Ms. Klausen orMr. Ross
POL 213b Graduate Seminar:Selected Topics in Comparative Politics
(Formerly POL 203b)
Provides graduate studentsan opportunity to engage in research and discussion of selectedissues in comparative politics. Usually offered in even years.
Staff
POL 214a Graduate Seminar:Field Seminar in International Relations
Examines the internationalrelations of national political systems. Topics include the impactof evolving international institutions and norms on the courseof world politics; the effects of security, economic, and environmentalfactors; and the interaction between domestic politics and foreignpolicy. Special attention is given to American foreign policyand the changing place of the United States in world politics.Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Art
POL 214b Graduate Seminar:Selected Topics in World Politics
(Formerly POL 204b)
Provides graduate studentsan opportunity to engage in research and discussion of selectedissues in the international dimensions of world politics. Eachterm it deals with a different topic in greater depth than ispossible in the context of the program's field seminar in thisarea. Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Brown
POL 215a Graduate Seminar:American Political Development
Examines the creation and evolutionof national institutions in the United States. Themes includethe influence of ideas on institutional development; the influenceof institutional arrangements on conflicts and policies; the changingnature of ideas and institutions, especially in such pivotal periodsas the Founding, the Civil War, the Progressive Era, the New Deal,and the 1960s and 1970s. Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Milkis
POL 215b Graduate Seminar:Advanced Topics in American Politics
(Formerly POL 205b)
Provides graduate studentsan opportunity to engage in research and discussion of selectedissues in American politics. Each term the seminar deals witha different topic in greater depth than is possible in the contextof the program's field seminar in this area. Usually offered inodd years.
Staff
POL 216a Liberalism andIts Critics
An intensive philosophicalinquiry into the ideas that have shaped politics and governmentin the United States and Europe. Focuses on the liberal traditionand the way it has shaped the concepts of democracy, individualrights, and citizenship. Places liberalism in the context of comparativeideology to shed light on American "exceptionalism"and the degree to which European political systems offer a fundamentallydistinct understanding of representative government. Usually offeredin odd years.
Mr. Hulliung
POL 216b Seminar: AdvancedTopics in Political Theory
(Formerly POL 206b)
Provides graduate studentsan opportunity to engage in research and discussion of selectedissues in political theory. Each term it deals with a differenttopic in greater depth than is possible in the context of theprogram's field seminar in this area. Usually offered in evenyears.
Mr. Abramson
POL 280a Seminar: ComparativeInstitutions and Sustainable Development
Why similar policies usingsimilar material resources, but different institutional paths,may lead to quite different outcomes. How different institutions(local, national, international, governmental, and nongovernmental)shape development performance, including production, poverty levels,and sustainability of the environment. Usually offered every year.
Mrs. Morgenthau
Supervised Study for GraduateStudents
POL 302a and b Readingsin Politics
Specific sections for individualfaculty members as requested.
Offered every year.
Staff
POL 350a and b Master'sProject
Master's project research andpreparation. Usually offered every year.
Staff
POL 400d Dissertation Research
Independent research for thePh.D. degree. Specific sections for individual faculty membersas requested.
Staff
American Politics
American Jobs and Wages: TheParadox of Wealth and Poverty
Seminar: Governance
Comparative Politics
Comparative Politics of NorthAfrica
The Great Powers and the MiddleEast
The Making of the Modern MiddleEast
NEJS 197b
Politics and the Culture of the ContemporaryMiddle East
Crisis of the Welfare State
Protest, Politics, and Change:Social Movements
Society, State, and Power:The Problem of Democracy
International Politics
Africa in World Politics
International Law, Organizations,and Conflict Resolution
The Arab-Israeli Conflict
Political Theory and Methods
Politics of the Enlightenment
Red Flags/Black Flags: Marxismvs. Anarchism, 1845-1968
Advanced Topics in Social Theoryand Intellectual History
Community and Alienation: SocialTheory from Hegel to Freud
Romantic and ExistentialistPolitical Thought