Courses of Study:
Major (B.A.)
Combined B.A/M.A.
Master of Arts
Doctor of Philosophy
Department website: http://www.brandeis.edu/departments/politics/

Objectives

The undergraduate curriculum is designed to prepare students for careers in governmental and nongovernmental service, policy analysis, journalism, law and business, as well as for post-graduate work in political science. We are a department of "politics," and encourage students to engage important issues. We require students to familiarize themselves with the ways others have engaged important issues, from the classical philosophers whose works shape the Western political traditions to the modern political theorists and practitioners who shape the politics of the issues and places covered in our courses.

Politics courses are designed to develop an understanding of the various ways societies organize themselves to manage conflict and cooperation, and to make and implement public policy. Philosophical perspectives are provided primarily in the political theory courses; the U.S. system is studied primarily in the American politics courses; the politics of foreign countries are studied primarily in the comparative politics courses; and the relations among states are studied primarily in the international politics courses.

The Graduate Program in Politics offers three degree programs leading to the degrees of Master of Arts in political science, Doctor of Philosophy in political science, or a joint Doctor of Philosophy in political science and social policy (with The Heller Graduate School). The Graduate Program in Political Science is distinguished by methodological emphasis on analytical case study, including comparative case study, rather than abstract mathematical modeling or statistical analysis. Our substantive emphasis is on the politics of democratic and democratizing regimes. The graduate curriculum emphasizes linkages among the patterns of American political development, contemporary American politics, and the politics of other developed and developing democratic systems. The graduate curriculum also addresses the advanced industrial democracies of Western Europe and Japan, the democratizing states of Eastern Europe, and the international political, economic, and military-security relations among these states. Our Ph.D. students receive training in each of the major sub-field of political science, including qualitative research methods, through graduate-level "field seminars."

The graduate program features: (a) instruction in small seminars under close faculty supervision, (b) supervised independent study within the program, (c) supervised teaching assistantships, (d) opportunities for study in the consortium of universities in the Boston area, and (e) the opportunity to incorporate work in related and relevant fields, e.g., economics, history, and sociology.

How to Become an Undergraduate Major

Students are strongly encouraged to take at least two or three politics courses during their first two years at Brandeis. These courses, which will count toward the nine-course major requirement, are normally selected from among the introductory courses, but may include more advanced courses or seminars, after consultation with the departmental undergraduate advising head. Declaration of the major normally is completed during the second semester of the second year.

How to Be Admitted to the Graduate Program

The general requirements for admission to the Graduate School, given in an earlier section of this Bulletin, apply to candidates for admission to this area of study. Normally, the student's undergraduate training must be in a field of social sciences to be considered for admission to this program. Applicants are expected to take the Graduate Record Examination. Evidence of successful graduate study is highly desirable.

Faculty

Steven Burg, Chair
Comparative politics. Ethnic politics. East European politics. Conflict resolution.

Jeffrey Abramson
Political theory. Constitutional law. Media and politics.

Robert Art
International relations. U.S. foreign policy.

Seyom Brown
International relations. World politics.

Donald Hindley
Comparative politics. Southeast Asian and Latin American politics.

Jytte Klausen, Graduate Director
Comparative politics. Western Europe. Political economy of advanced industrial societies.

Martin Levin
American politics. Politics of administration.

George Ross
French and European politics.

Mireya Solis
International political economy. Japanese politics. Trade and foreign investment.

Steven Teles
American politics. Comparative public policy.

Ralph Thaxton
Comparative politics. East Asia. China. Comparative revolutions. Comparative democratic movements.

Eva Thorne
International political economy. International institutions and Third World development. Latin American politics.

Peter Woll, Undergraduate Advising Head
American politics and government. Administrative law. Congress.

Bernard Yack
Political theory. History of political thought. Nationalism. Cultural pluralism.

Requirements for the Undergraduate Major

A. All politics majors must complete satisfactorily at least nine semester courses from among politics and cross-listed courses. A minimum of five semester courses counted toward major credit must be taught by faculty of the Department of Politics. No course grade below a C- will be given credit toward meeting the requirement of nine courses for the major.

B. No course taken pass/fail may count toward requirements for the major.

C. With the approval of the departmental undergraduate advising head, students may receive politics credit for the major for up to two semester courses satisfactorily completed at the University outside of the politics department and its cross-listed courses. Such approval is subject to several limitations. First, as stated in (A), majors must complete satisfactorily at least five courses taught by politics department faculty. Second, approval will be given only where the nondepartmental courses are distinctly politics-oriented and exhibit a political science approach to the material. Third, in most circumstances, approval will not be given for any nondepartmental courses when a comparable course exists 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 apply up to four semester courses taught elsewhere toward fulfilling the requirements for the major. The five course requirement of (A), above, remains in effect.

E. All politics majors as part of the overall departmental requirement of nine courses, must complete satisfactorily (with a grade of C- or better) one course in each of the following subfields: American politics; comparative politics; and international politics. In addition, all politics majors must complete satisfactorily (with a grade of C- or better) one of the following courses in the political theory subfield: POL 10a (Introduction to Political Theory); HIST 183b (Community and Alienation: Social Theory from Hegel to Freud); POL 184a (Utopia and Power in Modern Political Thought); HIST 133a (Politics of the Enlightenment); or POL 195b (American Political Thought).

F. The department strongly recommends that majors complete introductory courses in at least three of the subfields by the end of the sophomore year. These introductory courses include POL 10a (Introduction to Political Theory), POL 11b (Comparative Government: Europe), POL 14b (Introduction to American Government), and POL 15a (Introduction to International Relations). Other courses may also serve as "introductions" to the subfields; majors should consult with their politics advisors when selecting courses.

G. All politics majors are required to complete one departmental seminar, usually during the junior and senior years, and are strongly urged to take at least two.

H. Admission to the departmental honors program requires completion of at least one departmental seminar, and a GPA in politics of at least 3.20 by the end of the junior year. Candidates for departmental honors are required to enroll in POL 99d under the direction of their thesis advisor and to participate in the honors colloquium under the direction of the head of the Politics Honors Program. Students enrolled in POL 99d can receive up to two course credits for their completed work, and this will count toward the nine-course requirement.

I. With the permission of the instructor, third- and fourth-year students may enroll in politics graduate courses for major credit.

Combined B.A./M.A. Program

This program is designed to enable exceptional undergraduates to earn two degrees simultaneously during their period of study at Brandeis University. Admission to the program requires an overall GPA of 3.33 and a GPA in politics of 3.50 (based on the completion of at least six politics courses, five of which having been taught by politics department faculty) by the end of their fifth semester (usually fall term of the junior year). Students must apply to the program through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences by March 1 of the junior year. Their applications will be considered along with those of external applicants to the M.A. Program. The program requires the completion of 38 courses, six courses beyond the 32 required for completion of the B.A. degree. These six courses will not be counted toward the completion of the nine courses required for the completion of the politics major. Students must complete the following: two Graduate Field Seminars; two upper-level politics courses (taken for graduate credit with the permission of the instructor and the Politics Graduate Director); POL 350a and 350b (Master's Project)--under the direction of a member of the politics faculty. A completed Master's Thesis will be accepted for simultaneous consideration for undergraduate honors in politics.

All candidates for the combined B.A./M.A. must complete all requirements for the program by the end of their eighth semester (for those entering as freshmen). If the requirements for the M.A. portion are not complete at that time then the student is eligible only for the B.A. degree.

Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts

The Department of Politics offers a Master of Arts program for part-time or full-time students. Full-time students will be expected to complete the course work in one year, and may take up to another year to complete a master's project. Part-time students, with the approval of the department, may take up to four years to complete the required courses and a Master's Project. Students desiring to continue their studies toward the Ph.D. must apply for admission to that program.

Students will be required to complete eight courses (with a grade of B- or better) as follows: one of the core field graduate seminars POL 213a (Comparative Political Institutions and Public Policy), 214a (The United States in World Politics), 215a (American Political Development), or 216a (Liberalism and Its Critics); five courses from more specialized offerings, i.e., from graduate-level courses (special topics courses or field seminars, as appropriate), seminars, and upper-level undergraduate courses (seminars and advanced lecture classes) that offer additional work for graduate credit; and a two-semester sequence of directed study culminating in a completed Master's Project, which can be an original research project, a comprehensive literature review (a critique of a subfield of political science), or another type of undertaking that is appropriate for the student's course of study.

Special Notes Relating to the Graduate Program

If the core seminar in the student's field is not taught the year the student is in residence, the graduate advisor (in consultation with the student and his/her advisor) will designate an alternative course that will provide the student an overview of that field.

If appropriate, students may substitute other classes to fulfill the course requirements. All substitutions must be approved by the student's advisor and the Politics Department Graduate Committee.

Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

The student must complete three years in residence and a minimum of 12 term courses. The graduate curriculum has two main parts: a core curriculum and a special area of competency. Each graduate student is required to take all five core courses: American Political Development, Liberalism and its Critics, Comparative Political Institutions and Public Policy, The United States and World Politics, and Research Methods and Methodology. In addition, students are required to take a Special Area of Competency Independent Study in their fourth semester.

There are six special areas of competency for students to choose from (these are not exhaustive and students may offer other special areas subject to approval of the Graduate Committee): American Political Development; American Foreign Policy: Defense, Economic, and Human Rights Issues; The Welfare State in Comparative Perspective; Law and Politics; Environmental and Regulatory Politics; and Democratic Citizenship and Ethnic Identity.

Within each special area chosen, students are expected to have a broad knowledge of the major theoretical and analytical approaches, a more intensive familiarity with one or more functional subareas, and, where appropriate, special expertise in particular geographic areas and historical periods.

The standard work load for full-time students is at least three courses in each term of their first two years of study. Fourth courses and audits are encouraged, but the load is deliberately set so that the student may supplement his or her regular course work with independent reading and scholarship. Reading courses will not be offered to first-semester students and will be discouraged generally during the first year. By the outset of the second year, students should have identified their special area of competency and should make this known to their advisor and the graduate advising head.

The development of college-level teaching competency is an integral part of the department's professional training for the Ph.D. All funded students are required to serve as Teaching Fellows, and to participate in the departmental graduate proseminar (POL 340), a year-long, non-credit course focused on professional development, including teaching competency.

Each student is required to either pass a language examination (normally administered within the program) designed to test for a reading knowledge of a foreign language sufficient to conduct doctoral dissertation research or pass with a B- or better course work in statistics approved by the graduate advising head.

Neither courses taken in conjunction with the language examination nor statistics courses may be counted for course credit toward the Ph.D.

At the end of each student's first year in the graduate program, there will be a consultation between the student and two members of the program to evaluate the student's academic progress to determine whether the student should be allowed to continue in the program and to help plan the student's subsequent work.

Normally, at the beginning of the fifth semester, a formal oral and written examination for candidacy for the Ph.D. is given covering the core curriculum and the student's special area of competency. Each student takes a written exam on the core curriculum (early September) and an oral exam on the core and special area of competency (mid-September).

Students who satisfactorily complete the Ph.D. qualifying examinations must submit a dissertation prospectus by the end of the sixth term in the program. Extension of this line requires approval by the department's graduate committee.

The dissertation will be completed under the supervision of an appropriate member of the department's faculty. The dissertation proposal must be sponsored by a committee of at least two members of the faculty appointed by the department's graduate advising head in consultation with the graduate committee. It is assumed that the writing of the dissertation will take at least one year and, barring exceptional circumstances, not more than two and one-half years. The student must successfully defend the dissertation at a Final Oral Examination conducted by his or her two departmental supervisors and another faculty member from outside the department or from another university.

Requirements for the Joint Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science and Social Policy (with The Heller Graduate School)

The student must complete three years in residence and complete a minimum of at least 18 courses. At least nine of these courses must be offered in the politics department. Four of the nine politics courses must be the core courses: American Political Development, Liberalism and Its Critics, Comparative Political Institutions and Public Policy, and The United States and World Politics. (The core course requirement of International Relations may be fulfilled with an appropriate substitute.) A minimum of nine courses must be taken in The Heller Graduate School.

Students must complete at least one statistics course (usually HS 401b (Research Methods).

For certain specializations, proficiency (as determined by examination) in a foreign language may be required. Language courses taken in preparation for the examination will not be counted for course credit toward the Ph.D. degree.

Students must fulfill comprehensive exam requirements in the politics department and The Heller Graduate School. Students must complete a "comprehensive paper" as required by The Heller Graduate School curriculum. For the politics department, students must complete a formal oral and written examination for candidacy for the Ph.D. covering the core courses and all elective politics courses. This examination is normally administered at the beginning of the student's fifth semester.

The student's dissertation committee will consist of five people: two faculty members each from the politics department and The Heller Graduate School and another faculty member from outside the department or outside the University. The student must successfully defend the dissertation at a Final Oral Examination conducted by his or her dissertation committee.

Courses of Instruction

(1-99) Primarily for Undergraduate Students

POL 10a Introduction to Political Theory
[ ss ]
Examination of classical political texts and modern writings for insights on central problems of political 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. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Mr. Abramson

POL 11b Introduction to Comparative Government: Europe
[ ss ]
Introduction to basic concepts in comparative politics through study of the government and politics of European democracies. Open to first-year students. Usually offered every year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Mr. Burg or Ms. Klausen

POL 14b Introduction to American Government
[ ss ]
Analysis of American political institutions; Congress, Presidency, Supreme Court, bureaucracy, political parties, pressure groups, and problems of governmental decision-making in relation to specific areas of public policy. Open to first-year students. Usually offered every semester. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Messrs. Teles or Woll

POL 15a Introduction to International Relations
[ ss ]
General introduction to international politics, emphasizing the essential characteristics of the international system as a basis for understanding the foreign policy of individual countries. Analysis of causes of war, conditions of peace, patterns of influence, the nature of the world's political economy, global environmental issues, human rights, and prospects for international organizations. Open to first-year students. Usually offered every semester. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Messrs. Art, Brown, or Ms. Solis

POL 98a Independent Study
Signature of the instructor required.
Usually offered every year.
Staff

POL 98b Independent Study
Signature of the instructor required.
Usually offered every year.
Staff

POL 99d Senior Research: Honors Thesis
Signature of the instructor required.
Students will consult with the head of the Politics Honors Program before being assigned to a professor for the supervision of their theses and will participate in a biweekly colloquium. Usually offered every year.
Staff

(100-199) For Both Undergraduate and Graduate Students

Note that advanced undergraduate courses may be taken for graduate credit, only with the approval of the graduate advising head.

American Politics

(POL 14b and POL 101a-126a)

POL 101a Parties, Interest Groups, and Public Opinion
[ ss ]
Role and organization of political parties, interest groups, and public opinion in the American political system. Emphasis on historical development and current political behavior in the United States in relation to American democratic theory. Comparison with other countries to illuminate U.S. practice. Usually offered every second year. Last offered in the fall of 2001.
Staff

POL 102b A Political Experience: The American Voter
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: One course in politics. Enrollment limited to 150. Seniors and juniors have priority for undergraduate admission.
Focuses on issues such as women as political candidates, problems of effective state governance in a multicultural and complex society, and the changing role of national governance in a transitional world. Topic for spring 2002: The American Voter. Usually offered every second year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Mr. Schneider

POL 103b Seminar: Political Leadership
[ ss ]
Examines political leadership through biographies, autobiographies, and biographical fiction. These are used to help us understand and compare different modes of political leadership, including the "apolitical-rationalist" (McGeorge Bundy), "political" (Lincoln, Johnson, Truman), and the ostensibly "non-political expert" (Robert Moses). Usually offered every year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Mr. Levin

POL 105a Elections in America
[ ss ]
Examines modern campaigns and elections to the United States presidency and Congress. Topics include the influence of partisanship, policy differences, and candidate images on the vote; the impact of money on campaigns; the role of the mass media; and the differences among presidential, Senate, and House elections. Usually offered every third year. Last offered in the fall of 2000.
Mr. Tamas

POL 107b Immigration Control and the Liberal State
[ ss ]
Enrollment limited to 20.
Examines immigration politics and policy in the United States, with some reference to European experiences. Applying theories of migration to empirical case studies, we devote particular attention to the conflicts that have arisen between liberal principles and policies of migration control. Special one-time offering. Will be offered in the spring of 2003.
Ms. Ellermann

POL 108b Social Movements in American Politics
[ ss ]
Analysis of American mass political movements and their influences on American politics. Topics include the relationship between social movements and interest groups, the evolution of social movements into political parties, and case studies of specific political movements. Usually offered every third year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Mr. Tamas

POL 110a Media Politics and Society
[ ss ]
A broad-based inquiry into the role of the media in contemporary American society, with special emphasis on the political impact of the media, the ethics of good reporting, the rise of new technologies, and current legal issues regarding freedom of the press. Usually offered every second year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Mr. Abramson

POL 111a The American Congress
[ ss ]
The structure and behavior of the Congress. Emphasis on the way member incentives for reelection, power on Capitol Hill, and good public policy shape Congress. Usually offered every second year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Staff

POL 112a National Government of the United States
[ ss ]
The roles played by Congress, the president, the bureaucracy, and the courts in policy-making at the national level. Contrasting perspectives, incentives, and capabilities of each institution; formation of coalitions across institutional lines; and changes in institutions over time. Usually offered every third year. Last offered in the fall of 2000.
Mr. Teles

POL 112b Seminar: Leadership Selection and Institutional Change
[ ss ]
Signature of the instructor required.
Emphasizes how major political figures are identified, recruited, and selected for key positions of institutional power within the United States and the impact that these choices have upon the functioning of those institutions. Usually offered every fourth year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Staff

POL 113b The American Presidency
[ ss ]
Philosophical and historical origins of the presidency, examining the constitutional role of the chief executive. Historical development of the presidency, particularly the emergence of the modern presidency during the 20th century. Contemporary relationships between the presidency and the electorate, as well as the other branches of government. Usually offered every second year. Last offered in the spring of 2001.
Staff

POL 114b The Politics of Poverty and Welfare Policy
[ ss ]
Enrollment limited to 25.
Examines the modern debate about the causes and remedies for persistent urban poverty, and places that debate in its historical and political context. Sources include works on poverty from sociology, economics, anthropology, history, and political science. Usually offered every fourth year. Last offered in the spring of 2000.
Mr. Teles

POL 115a Constitutional Law
[ ss ]
Analysis of core principles of constitutional law as formulated by the Supreme Court. Primary focus on the First Amendment, the Equal Protection and Due Process clauses, federalism, the commerce clause, and the separation of powers. Emphasis also on the moral values and political theories that form our constitutional system. Usually offered every year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Mr. Woll

POL 115b Seminar: Constitutional Law and Theory
[ ss ]
Signature of the instructor required.
Advanced research seminar on selected issues of constitutional law. Usually offered every year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Mr. Woll

POL 116b Civil Liberties in America
[ ss ]
The history and politics of civil liberties and civil rights in the United States, with emphasis on the period from World War I to the present. Emphasis on freedom of speech, religion, abortion, privacy, racial discrimination, and affirmative action. Readings from Supreme Court cases and influential works by historians and political philosophers. Usually offered every year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Mr. Abramson

POL 117a Administrative Law
[ ss ]
Signature of the instructor required.
The role of administrative agencies in lawmaking and adjudication. Emphasis on the problem of defining and protecting the public interest, as well as the rights of individuals and groups directly involved in administrative proceedings. Usually offered every second year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Mr. Woll

POL 119a Reinventing Government
[ ss ]
An examination of effective strategies that make government work. Particular emphasis on the problem of implementing innovation with the focus on the tools for managers to become innovators. Osborne's classic Reinventing Government is used as the standard to compare to its critique. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Levin

POL 120b Seminar: The New Politics of Public Policy-Making
[ ss ]
Has a new form of public policy-making developed in American national government over the past few decades? If so, what is its nature? Why, despite conservative presidential election victories, have new and expensive programs continued to be initiated? Usually offered every year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Mr. Levin

POL 122b Seminar: Policy Analysis and Policy Implementation
[ ss ]
Signature of the instructor required.
Development of a framework for policy analysis that integrates economic tools and political science thinking. Application of this "political economy" approach to several problems and cases. Usually offered every second year. Last offered in the fall of 2001.
Staff

POL 124a Race and Politics in the United States
[ ss ]
Enrollment limited to 30.
Focuses on how attributes of racial difference shape American political institutions and our civil and public life. Usually offered every second year. Last offered in the spring of 2001.
Mr. Teles

POL 125a Women in American Politics
[ ss ]
Addresses three major dimensions of women's political participation: social reform and women-identified issues; women's organizations and institutions; women politicians, electoral politics, and party identification. Covers historical context and contemporary developments in women's political activity. Usually offered every second year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Staff

POL 126b Seminar: Ideas and Intellectuals in Politics
[ ss ]
Enrollment limited to 25.
The role of ideas and intellectuals in politics from the perspectives of political theory, American, and comparative politics. Emphasizes the interaction of ideas, institutions, and interests, along with normative judgments as to the desirability of intellectuals as political actors. Usually offered every second year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Mr. Teles

Comparative Politics

(POL 11b and POL 127b-159a)

POL 127b Seminar: Managing Ethnic Conflict
[ ss ]
Comparative study of the sources and character of interethnic conflict, with emphasis on the processes by which groups become politicized, and the strategies and techniques for managing conflict in a democratic system. Usually offered every year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Mr. Burg

POL 128a The Politics of Revolution: State Violence and Popular Insurgency in the Third World
[ nw ss ]
Introduction to 20th-century revolutionary movements in the Third World, focusing on the emergence of peasant-based resistance and revolution in the world beyond the West, and on the role of state violence in provoking popular involvement in protest, rebellion, and insurgency. Usually offered every year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Mr. Thaxton

POL 129a East European Politics
[ ss ]
Politics and society in the post-Communist states of Eastern Europe, drawing general lessons about the relationships among social modernization, nationalism, and democratic transition. Usually offered every fourth year. Last offered in the fall of 1999.
Mr. Burg

POL 131b Social Movements in Latin America
[ ss ]
Origins, dynamics, and social and cultural impact of movements among indigenous groups, women, peasants, blacks in Latin America since the 1980s. Comparative study of other social movements in Latin America and elsewhere in the world. Usually offered every year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Ms. Thorne

POL 133a Japanese Political Economy
[ nw ss ]
Introduction to the politics and economics of Japan. Discusses the implications of the Japanese development model, and the recent wave of economic and political reforms in the country. Usually offered every year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Ms. Solis

POL 134b Japan and the World
[ nw ss ]
A historical overview and contemporary analysis of Japan's diplomatic and economic relations with the world, Usually offered every second year. Last offered in the fall of 2001.
Ms. Solis

POL 140a Politics of Africa
[ nw ss ]
Political transformation in Africa from the rise of nationalism to the search for effective governance and development. Case studies may include Nigeria, Tanzania, Cote d'IvÔire, Mali, Madagascar, and South Africa. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Seely

POL 144a Latin American Politics I
[ nw ss ]
Revolution, order, and regime transition in northern Latin America. Specific examination of the Mexican and Cuban revolutions and their outcomes. POL 144a is independent of POL 144b. Usually offered every year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Mr. Hindley

POL 144b Latin American Politics II
[ nw ss ]
Emphasis on elite control, military intervention, populist politics, and the uncertain process of democratization. Brazil and Argentina are examined specifically. POL 144b is independent of POL 144a. Usually offered every year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Mr. Hindley

POL 146b Revolutions in the Third World
[ nw ss ]
Studies revolutionary situations, revolutionary movements (successful and unsuccessful), and revolutionary regimes in the Third World since World War II. Specifically focuses on Indochina (including Vietnam), Bolivia, and Central America (including Nicaragua and El Salvador). Is at times offered as a seminar. Usually offered every year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Mr. Hindley

POL 147a The Government and Politics of China
[ nw ss ]
Introduction to major themes of Chinese politics, emphasizing the rise of the Chinese Communists and the post-1949 trends in domestic politics, while also surveying historical, 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 every second year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Mr. Thaxton

POL 148a Seminar: Contemporary Chinese Politics
[ nw ss ]
Signature of the instructor required.
A broad and in-depth understanding of 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 attention to the Tiananmen Protest Movement of 1989. Usually offered every second year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Mr. Thaxton

POL 150a Politics of Southeast Asia
[ nw ss ]
Introduction to the politics of modern Southeast Asia, with the focus on the indigenous peoples and their cultures, societies, and histories. The greatly changed and changing political systems of Indonesia and Thailand are examined individually in some depth. Usually offered every year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Mr. Hindley

POL 152a Seminar: The Political Economy of Advanced Industrial Democracies
[ ss ]
Introduction to the history and theory of political economy, paying particular attention to the relationship between capitalism and democracy. Analysis of the scope and role of government in the economies of the advanced industrial democracies (Western Europe and North America since 1945). Usually offered every second year.Last offered in the fall of 2001.
Ms. Klausen

POL 153a The New Europe: European Economic and Political Integration
[ ss ]
The institutions and policy-making processes of the European Union (EU). Western European political and economic integration since 1945 and the resurgence of European integration since the mid-1980s. Social policy issues, policy harmonization and economic integration, European citizenship, and the reorientation of national politics in response to community expansion. The future of European unity and national cultures. Usually offered every second year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Mr. Ross

POL 154a Seminar: Citizenship
[ ss ]
Enrollment limited to 25.
Liberal theory presumes the progress of history to be, in the words of John Stuart Mill, a gradual "doing away with privilege." The course examines the frontiers of social and political justice through readings drawn from literature, political science, and history. Usually offered every third year. Last offered in the spring of 2000.
Ms. Klausen

POL 155b German Political Development after 1945
[ ss ]
Examines the creation of the Federal Republic of Germany, the development of liberal political culture in Germany, and the extremist challenges. Reunification and Germany's relationship with Europe and international organizations are also discussed. Textbook material will mix German novels and films with political science texts. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Klausen

POL 156b West European Political Systems
[ ss ]
The comparative politics of Western Europe. Focuses on the development of political parties and social movements in Britain, France, and Germany--particularly since 1945--to determine how they affect policies and the citizenry's participation in modern democracies. Usually offered every third year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Ms. Klausen or Mr. Ross

POL 157b Building a New Europe: Politics, Economics, Societies, and Culture
[ ss ]
Survey of the most important contemporary issues in the creation of a new integrated Europe, including boundaries, economics, governance, defense, culture, and the future of European-U.S. relations. Discussions with leading European academics and policy practitioners. Usually offered every third year. Last offered in the spring of 2001.
Mr. Ross

POL 158b Comparative Perspectives on the Law and Politics of Group Rights
[ ss ]
Prerequisites: POL 11b or POL 14b.
The creation of new group rights for disadvantaged populations in democratic states through constitutional reform and affirmative action, and the legal and political dilemmas raised by efforts to implement these rights. Usually offered every second year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Ms. Klausen

POL 159a Seminar: The Politics of the Modern Welfare State: Women, Workers, and Social Citizenship
[ ss ]
Capstone course for Social Justice and Social Policy Program.
How voting and political mobilization have helped women's organizations and trade unions obtain social rights by means of welfare state expansion. Historical perspective on collective action and political reform movements, and their role in creating the modern welfare state in 20th-century Europe and United States. Strategies of political mobilization, interest groups, and the politics of the advanced welfare state. Usually offered every second year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Ms. Klausen

International Politics

(POL 15a and POL 160b-180b)

POL 160b World Politics since 1945
[ ss ]
The dominant issues, alignments, and antagonisms in world politics since the conclusion of World War II. The extent to which these configurations of world politics have been determined by systemic and structural forces and have been the product of deliberate human choice. Alternative future configurations of the world's political system. Usually offered every year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Mr. Brown

POL 161b Causes and Prevention of War
[ ss ]
Insights from world history, the social sciences, and political philosophy about the causes, prevention, and control of war. Students learn about current war/peace diplomacy through participation in a simulation. Usually offered every year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Mr. Brown

POL 163a Seminar: Human Rights and International Relations
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: POL 15a or equivalent.
How human rights issues are affecting and being handled by the nation-state system. Traditional vs. reformist views. Universalism vs. cultural relativism. Contemporary case studies. Usually offered every year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Mr. Brown

POL 167a United States and China in World Politics
[ ss ]
Issues in U.S.-China relations, including Taiwan and Tibet, the formation of a Greater China, military security and use of nuclear weapons, human rights, Chinese and American versions of nationalism and internationalism, and others. Usually offered every year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Mr. Thaxton

POL 168b American Foreign Policy
[ ss ]
Overview of America's foreign policy since 1945. Topics include the Cold War era, the economic competitiveness of the United States, the role of the United States in selected world regions, the role of human rights in U.S. foreign policy, the U.S. participation in the United Nations, post-Cold War foreign policy, and the making and implementing of foreign policy. Usually offered every year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Mr. Art

POL 172b Introduction to International Political Economy
[ ss ]
The politics and modern evolution of international economic relations, comprising trade, money, technological transfer, and natural resources. Also the role of states and transnational actors in international markets and the global differentiation of power, and distribution of wealth. Usually offered every year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Ms. Solis

POL 174b Seminar: Problems of National Security
[ ss ]
Analysis of the role and utility of military power in international politics. Selected case studies from the 20th century. Selected topics on post-Cold War military issues, including the spread of weapons of mass destruction, collective approaches to coercion, and the role of U.S. military power in world stability. Usually offered every year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Mr. Art

POL 175b Global Civil Society
[ ss ]
The role of international organizations in the contemporary global political and economic system, the ways in which they influence or contribute to major international policy issues, and the interactions between international organizations and global civil society. Usually offered every year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Ms. Thorne

POL 176a Seminar: International Crisis Management, Intervention, and Peacekeeping
[ ss ]
The evolution of international peacekeeping operations, the use of force under international law, and mechanisms for the peaceful resolution of international conflicts. Includes detailed case study of the crisis in former Yugoslavia. Usually offered every second year. Last offered in the spring of 2001.
Mr. Burg

POL 178a Seminar: International Politics of the Pacific
[ ss ]
Introduction to the Pacific area and its importance in international politics. Focus on East Asia, 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 of Japan as a political and economic force before and after World War II; the emergence of revolutionary China and China's participation in the world economy; the fate of "neutralist" states in Southeast Asia; and the role of Oceania in international trade and security. Usually offered every year. Last offered in the fall of 2001.
Mr. Thaxton

POL 180b Sustaining Development
[ nw ss ]
Prerequisite: Some familiarity with development issues. Enrollment limited to 20.
Explores different institutionalized approaches to development. Examines how institutions affect development in selected geographic areas, at levels ranging from local to national and international. Considers why similar policies when implemented in different ways may lead to quite distinct outcomes. Usually offered every year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Ms. Thorne

Political Theory and Methods

(POL 10a and POL 181b-196b)

POL 187b Conservative Political Thought
[ ss ]
Focuses on American and European thinkers, with an emphasis on critics of equality and unlimited commercial and civil liberty. Readings include political philosophy and literature. Authors may include Burke, Oadeshott, Calhoun, Conrad, Tocqueville, Augustine, Nisbett, Strauss, and C.S. Lewis. Usually offered every second year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Mr. Teles

POL 189a Marx, Nietzche and Twentieth Century Radicalism
[ ss ]
Comparison of two powerful and influential critiques of modern politics and society. Explanation of Marx's work, both for its own insights and as a model for radical theorists; and of Nietzche's work as an alternative conception of radical social criticism. Usually offered every year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Mr. Yack

POL 192b Seminar: Topics in Law and Political Theory
[ ss ]
Signature of the instructor required.
Interplay among law, morality, and political theory. Specific topics vary from year to year. Usually offered every year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Mr. Abramson

POL 194a Politics and the Novel
[ ss ]
Selected works of fiction as sources of political ideas and pictures of political and social life. How modern fiction helps us understand social change, societies in transition and decay, revolution, law, bureaucracy, and ethnicity. Authors such as Kafka, Conrad, Borges, Dostoevsky, Ford Madox Ford, Babel, Greene, Malraux, and Carpenter. Usually offered every second year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Mr. Levin

(200 and above) Primarily for Graduate Students

POL 212a Graduate Seminar: Research Methods and Methodology
A library intensive course.
Familiarizes students with the major research techniques of a qualitative nature for political science and addresses central issues in the logic of inquiry in social science. Issues and techniques include the case study method, the comparative method, counterfactual, and research design. Usually offered every second year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Staff

POL 213a Graduate Seminar: Comparative Political Institutions and Public Policy
Studies the ideas and institutions of representative democracy from a comparative perspective. Topics include parties and party systems, variations in constitutional government from presidentialism to parliamentarianism, the process and prerequisites of democratization, and the comparative politics of the welfare state. Usually offered every second year. Last offered in the fall of 2001.
Mr. Burg, Ms. Klausen or Mr. Ross

POL 213b Graduate Seminar: Selected Topics in Comparative Politics
Provides graduate students an opportunity to engage in research and discussion of selected issues in comparative politics. Usually offered every second year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Staff

POL 214a Graduate Seminar: International Relations
Examines the international relations of national political systems. Topics include the impact of evolving international institutions and norms on the course of world politics; the effects of security, economic, and environmental factors; and the interaction between domestic politics and foreign policy. Special attention is given to American foreign policy and the changing place of the United States in world politics. Usually offered every second year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Mr. Art

POL 214b Graduate Seminar: Selected Topics in World Politics
Provides graduate students an opportunity to engage in research and discussion of selected issues in the international dimensions of world politics. Each term it deals with a different topic in greater depth than is possible in the context of the program's field seminar in this area. Usually offered every second year. Last offered in the spring of 2002.
Mr. Brown

POL 215a Graduate Seminar: American Political Development
Examines the creation and evolution of national institutions in the United States. Themes include the influence of ideas on institutional development; the influence of institutional arrangements on conflicts and policies; and the changing nature of ideas and institutions, especially in such pivotal periods as the Founding, the Civil War, the Progressive Era, the New Deal, and the 1960s and 1970s. Usually offered every second year. Last offered in the spring of 2001.
Mr. Teles

POL 215b Graduate Seminar: Advanced Topics in American Politics
Provides graduate students an opportunity to engage in research and discussion of selected issues in American politics. Each term the seminar deals with a different topic in greater depth than is possible in the context of the program's field seminar in this area. Usually offered every second year.
Staff

POL 216a Liberalism and Its Critics
An intensive philosophical inquiry into the ideas that have shaped politics and government in the United States and Europe. Focuses on the liberal tradition and the way it has shaped the concepts of democracy, individual rights, and citizenship. Places liberalism in the context of comparative ideology to shed light on American "exceptionalism" and the degree to which European political systems offer a fundamentally distinct understanding of representative government. Usually offered every second year. Last offered in the fall of 2001.
Mr. Abramson

POL 216b Seminar: Advanced Topics in Political Theory
Provides graduate students an opportunity to engage in research and discussion of selected issues in political theory. Each term it deals with a different topic in greater depth than is possible in the context of the program's field seminar in this area. Usually offered every fourth year. Last offered in the spring of 1999.
Mr. Abramson

POL 280a Seminar: Comparative Institutions and Sustainable Development
Why similar policies using similar 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.
Staff

Supervised Study for Graduate Students

POL 302a and b Readings in Politics
Specific sections for individual faculty members as requested.
Offered every year.
Staff

POL 340d Proseminar
Required of all Ph.D. and M.A. students. Not for credit.
Year-long course that meets bi-weekly. Focuses on professional development, including teaching competency. Offered every year. Will be offered in the fall of 2002.
Mr. Klausen

POL 350a and b Master's Project
Master's project research and preparation. Usually offered every year.
Staff

POL 400d Dissertation Research
Independent research for the Ph.D. degree. Specific sections for individual faculty members as requested.
Staff

Cross-Listed Courses

American Politics

HS 104b
American Health Care

HS 110a
Wealth and Poverty

Comparative Politics

AAAS 175a
Comparative Politics of North Africa

NEJS 145b
The Making of the Modern Middle East

NEJS 197b
Political Cultures of the Middle East

SOC 123b
Crisis of the Welfare State

SOC 155b
Protest, Politics, and Change: Social Movements

SOC 161a
Society, State, and Power: The Problem of Democracy

International Politics

AAAS 163b
Africa in World Politics

LGLS 125b
International Law, Organizations, and Conflict Resolution

NEJS 147b
The Arab-Israeli Conflict

Political Theory and Methods

HIST 133a
Politics of the Enlightenment

HIST 181b
Red Flags/Black Flags: Marxism vs. Anarchism, 1845-1968

HIST 183b
Community and Alienation: Social Theory from Hegel to Freud

HIST 192b
Romantic and Existentialist Political Thought

HIST 195b
American Political Thought: From the Gilded Age through the New Deal