Courses of Study
Sections
Department of Politics
Last updated: November 25, 2009 at 4:02 p.m.
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 postgraduate 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.
Graduate Program in Politics
The graduate program in politics offers two degree programs leading to the Master of Arts in political science and Doctor of Philosophy in political science. 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 "large-n" statistical analysis. 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, the democratizing states of Eastern Europe, and the international political, economic, and military-security relations among these states. PhD students receive training in each of the major subfields of political science, including both qualitative and quantitative 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, for example, economics, history, and sociology.
Comparative politics. Ethnic politics. East European politics. Conflict resolution.
Robert Art
International relations. U.S. foreign policy.
Kerry Chase
International political economy.
Michal Ben-Josef Hirsch
International relations. Middle East politics.
Shai Feldman
International relations. Middle East politics.
Mari Fitzduff
Conflict resolution. Coexistence.
Jill Greenlee
American politics. Women in politics.
Donald Hindley
Comparative politics. Southeast Asian and Latin American politics.
Jytte Klausen
Comparative politics. Western Europe. Political economy of advanced industrial societies.
Daniel Kryder, Graduate Director
American political development.
Martin Levin
American politics. Politics of administration.
Mingus Mapps (on leave academic year 2009-2010)
Race and American politics. Race, inequality, and public policy.
Marion Smiley
Moral, social, and political philosophy.
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.
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 under A above, majors must complete satisfactorily at least five courses taught by politics department faculty. Second, approval will be given only where the nondepartmental courses include 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. Cross-listed courses to not require approval to be counted toward the politics major.
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. Students who study abroad for one semester may apply up to two semester courses. The five-course requirement of A, above, remains in effect.
E. All politics majors must, as part of the overall departmental requirement of nine courses, complete satisfactorily (with a grade of C or better) one course in each of the following subfields: political theory, American politics; comparative politics; and international politics.
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 (Introduction to Comparative Government: Europe), POL 14b (Introduction to American Government), and POL 15a (Introduction to International Relations). Majors should consult with their politics advisors when selecting courses. All politics majors are required to complete one departmental seminar, usually during the junior or senior years, and are strongly urged to complete at least two.
G. Admission to the departmental honors program requires completion of at least five courses in politics, including one departmental seminar, and a cumulative GPA in politics of at least 3.50 by the end of the junior year. Candidates for departmental honors are required to (1) enroll in POL 99d (or POL 99a in the fall and POL 99b in the spring) under the direction of their thesis adviser; (2) participate in the honors colloquium under the direction of the head of the politics honors program; (3) complete the politics major; and (4) complete a senior thesis that meets credentials for honors work (consult the department Web site for the full listing of criteria). Students enrolled in POL 99a and 99b or 99d can receive up to two course credits for their completed work, and this will count toward the nine-course requirement.
H. With the permission of the instructor, third- and fourth-year politics majors may enroll in politics graduate-level courses for credit toward the major.
Students considering a minor in politics are strongly encouraged to take at least two politics courses during their first two years at Brandeis. At least one of these should be an introductory course. Students should contact the departmental undergraduate adviser in order to initiate the process of declaring a minor.
A. All politics minors must complete satisfactorily at least five semester courses from among politics and cross-listed courses. A minimum of four semester courses counted toward minor credit must be taught by faculty of the Department of Politics.
B. No course grade below C will be given credit toward the minor. No course taken pass/fail may be counted toward the minor.
C. Not more than two introductory politics courses (POL 10a, 11b, 14b, or 15a).
D. At least one departmental seminar course.
E. Politics minors are not eligible for the departmental honors program, or for enrollment in politics graduate courses.
Course Requirements
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 211a (Political Theory), POL 213a (Comparative Political Institutions and Public Policy), POL 214b (Selected Topics in World Politics), POL 215a (American Political Development), or POL 216a (Liberalism and Its Critics); five courses from more specialized offerings,which are 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.
If the core seminar in the student's area of interest is not taught the year the student is in residence, the graduate adviser (in consultation with the student and his/her adviser) 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 adviser and the politics department graduate committee.
The student must complete three years in residence and a minimum of twelve 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: POL 211a (Political Theory), POL 212a (Research Methods and Methodology), POL 213a (Comparative Political Institutions and Public Policy), POL 214a (Selected Topics in World Politics), POL 215a (American Political Development). In addition, students are required to take a Special Area of Competency Independent Study in their fourth semester.
There are several 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 sub-areas, 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 adviser and the graduate advising head.
Teaching Requirement
The development of college-level teaching competency is an integral part of the department's professional training for the PhD All funded students are required to serve as teaching fellows and to participate in the departmental graduate proseminar (POL 340d), a yearlong, noncredit course focused on professional development, including teaching competency.
Research Tools Requirement
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 B- or higher additional course work in statistics (beyond POL 212a) 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 PhD.
Evaluation of the First Year
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.
Qualifying Examinations
Normally, at the beginning of the fifth semester, a formal oral and written examination for candidacy for the PhD is given covering the core curriculum and the student's special area of competency. Each student takes a written exam and an oral exam on the core.
Students who satisfactorily complete the PhD qualifying examinations must submit a dissertation prospectus by the end of the sixth term in the program. Extension of this deadline requires approval by the department's graduate committee.
Dissertation and Defense
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.
Course Subgroupings
Introductory Courses (POL 10a through POL 15a)
American Politics (POL 14b and POL 101a through POL 126a)
Comparative Politics (POL 11b and POL 127a through POL 159a)
International Politics (POL 15a and POL 160b through POL 180b)
Political Theory and Methods (POL10a and POL 181b through POL 192b)
Seminars for Graduate Students (POL 212a through POL 216b)
Supervised Study for Graduate Students (POL 302a and above)
Courses of Instruction
(1-99) Primarily for Undergraduate Students
POL
10a
Introduction to Political Theory
[
ss
]
Open to first-year students.
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. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Yack or Staff
POL
11b
Introduction to Comparative Government: Europe
[
ss
]
Open to first-year students.
Introduction to basic concepts in comparative politics through study of the government and politics of European democracies. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Burg or Ms. Klausen
POL
14b
Introduction to American Government
[
ss
]
Open to first-year students.
Analysis of American political institutions: Congress, the presidency, Supreme Court, bureaucracy, political parties, pressure groups, and problems of governmental decision making in relation to specific areas of public policy. Usually offered every semester.
Ms. Greenlee or Mr. 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.
Mr. Art or Mr. Chase
POL
98a
Independent Study
Tutorial study on specialized topics, outside the regular curricular offerings of the departments, on interest to students and appropriate politics faculty person. Requires agreement between student and supervising faculty member on the specific topic and syllabus of readings and assignments for the tutorial, including written work required for the course (normally the equivalent of a term research paper). Students may count up to two such courses toward completion of the major. Usually offered every year.
Staff
POL
98b
Independent Study
See POL 98a. Usually offered every year.
Staff
POL
99a
Senior Research: Honors Thesis
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
POL
99b
Senior Research: Honors Thesis
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
POL
99d
Senior Research: Honors Thesis
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
POL
100b
Political Science Methods: Research, Design, and Modes of Analysis
[
qr
ss
]
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or higher.
An introduction to nonstatistical research methods for analyzing political processes. Moves from selecting problems to composing a focused research question, examining relevant theory, conceptualizing variables, generating hypotheses, research design, research operations, and analysis. Uses examples from comparative, international, and American politics. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Kryder
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.
Staff
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.
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.
Staff
POL
108a
Social Movements in American Politics
[
ss
wi
]
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.
Mr. Kryder
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.
Staff
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.
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.
Staff
POL
112b
Democracy in America
[
ss
]
Examines how political culture, theory, institutions, and processes define democracy in America beginning with eighteenth century constitutional framework. Also looks at the development of constitutional limits and prescriptions. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Woll
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 twentieth century. Contemporary relationships between the presidency and the electorate, as well as the other branches of government. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Kryder
POL
114b
The Politics of Poverty and Welfare Policy
[
ss
]
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.
Staff
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.
Mr. Woll
POL
115b
Seminar: Constitutional Law and Theory
[
ss
]
Advanced research seminar on selected issues of constitutional law. Usually offered every year.
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.
Staff
POL
117a
Administrative Law
[
ss
]
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.
Mr. Woll
POL
118b
Courts, Politics, and Public Policy
[
ss
]
Prerequisite: POL 14b.
Analyzes the political role of American courts, examining the politics of judicial appointments, the role of legal mobilization and strategy, and the capacity of courts to produce social change. Focuses on political science case studies that place the actions of courts in the larger framework of American politics. Usually offered every second year.
Staff
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 Politics of Public Policymaking
[
ss
]
Has a new form of public policymaking 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.
Mr. Levin
POL
122b
Seminar: Policy Analysis and Policy Implementation
[
ss
]
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.
Staff
POL
123a
Political Psychology
[
ss
]
Course open to juniors, seniors, and graduate students.
Explores public opinion, political socialization, and political behavior through the lens of psychology. Applying psychological theory to traditional topics in political science is emphasized. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Greenlee
POL
124a
Race and Politics in the United States
[
ss
]
Focuses on how attributes of racial difference shape American political institutions and our civil and public life. Usually offered every second year.
Staff
POL
124b
Race, Inequality, and Social Policy
[
ss
]
Explores the causes and consequences of economic, social, and political inequality in the United States. Examines trends from the perspective of both liberal and conservative social scientists. Asks what forms of inequality matter and what should be done about them. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Mapps
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; and women politicians, electoral politics, and party identification. Covers historical context and contemporary developments in women's political activity. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Greenlee
POL
126b
Seminar: Ideas and Intellectuals in Politics
[
ss
]
The role of ideas and intellectuals in politics from the perspectives of political theory, and 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.
Staff
POL
127a
Ending Deadly Conflict
[
ss
wi
]
Prerequisite: POL 127b or permission of the instructor.
Examines strategies for ending violent internal (primarily ethnic) conflicts, with emphasis on identifying conditions conducive to negotiated settlements. Case studies are examined in light of analytical literature. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Burg
POL
127b
Seminar: Managing Ethnic Conflict
[
ss
wi
]
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or higher.
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.
Mr. Burg
POL
128a
The Politics of Revolution: State Violence and Popular Insurgency in the Third World
[
nw
ss
]
Introduction to twentieth-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.
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.
Mr. Burg
POL
130a
Globalization and the Challenge of Democratization in Asia
[
ss
]
Prerequisite: Preference given to declared politics, international and global studies, and east Asian studies majors.
A study of Asia's rise in the global political community, with special attention to why and how different Asian nations have embraced democratic and authoritarian models of development, the promise and perils of each model, both for social justice and political stability, and the place of each nation in the new world order. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Thaxton
POL
130b
Women in Latin American Politics
[
ss
]
Examines feminism in Latin America and the meaning and role of gender and gender ideology in the principal regime types in Latin America. Topics include the interaction between gender and class, ethnicity/race, regional solidarity, and national and international and politics. Special one-time offering, spring 2010.
Ms. Thorne
POL
131b
Social Movements in Latin America
[
ss
]
Origins, dynamics, and social and cultural impact of movements among indigenous groups, women, peasants, and 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.
Ms. Thorne
POL
132b
Political Economy of Latin America
[
ss
]
Examines the paradox that increasing economic, technological, and democratic development in Latin America has produced greater inequality and deeper economic crisis, and the popular responses to these developments. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Thorne
POL
133a
Contemporary Politics in the Middle East
[
nw
ss
]
Examines the Western impact on the Middle East state system, and the key challenges to the stability of these states and to the regional order. Topics include Arab nationalism; religion and minorities, the Arab-Israeli conflict and other issues. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Rubin
POL
133b
Transitional Justice and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
[
ss
]
The role of transitional justice in processes of democratic transition, conflict resolution, and post-conflict resolution. Special one-time offering, spring 2010.
Ms. Ben-Josef Hirsch
POL
134a
Strategies of Islamic Political Activism in the Arab Middle East
[
ss
]
Islamic oriented, social and political movements in the Middle East politics, both violent and on-violent, ranging from the populist Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt to salafi-jihadist organizations such as Al-Qaeda. Particular attention to understanding developments since 9/11 and the war in Iraq. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Rubin
POL
135b
Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinians: Between War and Peace
[
ss
]
Discusses the interrelationship between Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian national movement from the Balfour Declaration and the establishment of the British Mandate over Palestine until the present. Special one-time offering, spring 2008.
Mr. Susser
POL
136b
Politics and Society in Modern France
[
ss
]
France since 1945, with emphasis on the Fourth and Fifth Republics, and the roles of France in the development of contemporary Europe. Usually offered every year.
Staff
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.
Staff
POL
142a
U.S.-Israeli Relations: Interests, Values, Lobbies, and the "Special Relationship"
[
ss
]
This course subjects the U.S.-Israeli relationship to theoretically-informed, and historically-grounded critical evaluation. It examines strategic interests, cultural factors, and the activities of domestic and foreign lobbies. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Ben-Josef Hirsch
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.
Mr. Hindley
POL
144b
Latin American Politics II
[
nw
ss
]
Emphasis on elite control, the military, the political role of 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.
Mr. Hindley
POL
145b
The Islamic Challenge: Politics and Religion in the West
[
ss
]
Few issues have caused more public furor than the accommodation of Islam in Europe and the United States. It is often overlooked that Muslims are developing the institutions of their faith in societies that offer everyone the freedom of choice and expression. This seminar looks at religious discrimination as a barrier to the civic and political inclusion of Muslim immigrants, the responses of governments, courts, and the general public, and what we know about the balance among "fundamentalist, " "moderate," and "progressive" Muslim viewpoints. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Klausen
POL
146b
Seminar: Topics in Revolutions in the Third World
[
nw
ss
]
May be repeated for credit with permission of the instructor.
Explores revolutionary situations, revolutionary movements (successful and unsuccessful), and revolutionary regimes in the Third World since World War II. Specific topics may vary from year to year. Usually offered every year.
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.
Mr. Thaxton
POL
147b
Seminar: The Modern Chinese Revolution
[
nw
ss
]
In-depth exploration of origins, processes, and consequences of the modern Chinese revolution, focusing specifically on Western social science theories and interpretations of the revolution. It also provides comprehensive and comparative perspective on revolution in twentieth-century China and revolutionary movements in other parts of the globe. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Thaxton
POL
148a
Seminar: Contemporary Chinese Politics
[
nw
ss
]
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.
Mr. Thaxton
POL
149a
Germany and European Unification
[
ss
]
Course to be taught at Brandeis summer program in Berlin.
Examines the political structure, formation, and development of the European Union, as well as Germany's role in the process of European unification. With special emphasis on the analysis of the political challenges that lie ahead, examines the integration of Eastern European countries and its consequences. Usually offered every summer.
Mr. Maleck
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.
Mr. Hindley
POL
151a
Seminar: Cultural Pluralism and Democratic Governance
[
ss
wi
]
Prerequisites: Sophomore or junior class standing and at least two prior politics courses.
How liberal democracies respond to the social and political challenges of linguistic, cultural, religious, racial, and gender differences. Examines legal, political, and normative issues arising out of these differences, and the implications of various responses for the stability of a liberal democratic state. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Burg
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.
Ms. Klausen
POL
153a
The New Europe: European Economic and Political Integration
[
ss
]
The institutions and policymaking 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.
Staff
POL
154a
Seminar: Citizenship
[
ss
]
Liberal theory presumes the progress of history to be, in the words of John Stuart Mill, a gradual "doing away with privilege." Examines the frontiers of social and political justice through readings drawn from literature, political science, and history. Usually offered every third year.
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.
Ms. Klausen
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.
Staff
POL
158b
Comparative Perspectives on the Law and Politics of Group Rights
[
ss
]
Prerequisite: 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.
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 twentieth-century Europe and the United States. Strategies of political mobilization, interest groups, and the politics of the advanced welfare state. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Klausen
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.
Staff
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.
Staff
POL
162b
Seminar: Use of Force, Ethical Issues
[
ss
]
Examines when it is legitimate to resort to force (jus ad bellum), and what rules should govern how wars are fought (jus in bello). Explores the Just War tradition of thinking about the jus ad bellum and jus in bello issues, including efforts of military establishments and international lawyers to adapt the tradition to new political circumstances and military capabilities. Usually offered every year.
Staff
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.
Staff
POL
163b
Gender in International Relations
[
ss
]
An introduction to the "gendered lenses" used to observe and study international politics. Addresses the (separate but related) questions of women's experiences in international politics and the influence of gender on international political relations. Usually offered every second year.
Staff
POL
164a
Conflict and Peacemaking in the Middle East
[
ss
]
Evolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the efforts to resolve it. Focuses on key documents and developments with particular emphasis on the Palestinian-Israeli dimension, and the different narratives adopted by the parties on the conflict. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Feldman
POL
165a
Seminar: Globalization and Governance in the Trading System
[
ss
]
Examines three tiers of governance in the trading system: the rules and authority of international agencies such as the World Trade Organization; the policymaking functions of national political institutions; and the role and influence of corporations, labor unions, citizen groups, and other private actors. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Chase
POL
166b
Seminar: The Middle East in International Relations
[
ss
]
Prerequisite: POL 15a or equivalent.
Explores how the concepts, theories, and paradigms from the field of International Relations can be used to understand the politics of the Middle East. usually offered every second year.
Mr. Feldman
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.
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.
Mr. Art
POL
169b
U.S. Policy in the Middle East
[
ss
]
Provides students with an understanding of the evolution of U.S. policy in the Middle East and the manner in which the local parties have perceived it. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Feldman
POL
170a
Arms Control in the Middle East
[
ss
]
Explores and analyzes the theories behind, dynamics within, and problems encountered with arms control as part of regional security in the Middle East. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Feldman
POL
172b
Introduction to International Political Economy
[
ss
]
Prerequisite: POL 15a.
The politics and modern evolution of international economic relations, comprising trade, money, multinational productions, and development. 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.
Mr. Chase
POL
173a
U.S. Foreign Economic Policy
[
oc
ss
wi
]
Presents the history and politics of the foreign economic policy in the United States. Emphasis is on political and economic considerations that influence the domestic actors and institutions involved in the formulation of policy. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Chase
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 last fifty years. 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.
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.
Ms. Thorne
POL
176a
Seminar: International Intervention
[
ss
]
The evolution of international law and practice in use of force for the resolution of conflicts. Case study of major post-cold war cases of international intervention, including humanitarian intervention. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Burg
POL
177b
National Security Strategy: The Case of Israel
[
ss
]
Examines key concepts in national security studies and accesses their relevance to Israel's pursuit of national security. Evaluates the extent to which Israel's strategy is typical of small states facing numerically superior neighbors. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Feldman
POL
178a
The Rise of East Asia and the Pacific in the Global Political Economy
[
ss
]
An introduction to East Asia and the Pacific in the global political economy. The focus is on the major players in East Asia--China, Japan, the two Koreas, and Vietnam--and their relations with India, Oceania, and the United States. Topics include the challenges posed to key global economic actors, including the United States, Japan, Australia, and India, by the rise of authoritarian China--as a global actor. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Thaxton
POL
180b
Sustaining Development
[
nw
ss
]
Prerequisite: Some familiarity with development issues.
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.
Ms. Thorne
POL
182a
Liberal Political Thought
[
ss
]
An exploration of the history of liberal thought as well as contemporary critics and defenders of liberalism, focusing primarily on American and European authors. Authors may include Locke, Smith, Montesquieu, Mill, Tocqueville, Dewey, Rawls, Hayek, Shklar, MacIntyre, Oakeshott, Sandel, Walzer, and Okin. Usually offered every fourth year.
Mr. McCarty
POL
183b
Rhetoric and Deception in Politics: From Plato and Aristotle to Bush and Obama
[
ss
]
Examines rhetoric and deception in democratic politics. Explores whether rhetoric elevates or distorts discourse, whether lying is ever permissible, what circumstances might render lies permissible, and whether deception might in some ways be politically, morally, or psychologically necessary. Special one-time offering, spring 2010.
Mr. McCarty
POL
186b
Classical Political Thought
[
ss
]
Major ancient political philosophers and the meaning and implications of their work for contemporary political issues. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Yack
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, Oakeshott, Calhoun, Conrad, Tocqueville, Augustine, Nisbett, Strauss, and C. S. Lewis. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Yack
POL
189a
Marx, Nietzsche, 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 Nietzsche's work as an alternative conception of radical social criticism. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Yack
POL
190b
Seminar: Democratic Theory
[
ss
]
Explores in depth the nature, virtues, and limitations of democracy as a way of organizing political affairs. Brings together classic texts, for example, Rousseau's Social Contract, with more recent topical readings on topics like democracy and nationalism. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Yack
POL
192b
Seminar: Topics in Law and Political Theory
[
ss
]
Interplay among law, morality, and political theory. Specific topics vary from year to year. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Yack or Staff
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.
Mr. Levin
POL
195b
Shakespeare and Politics: Classes and Ethnicity
[
ss
]
Shakespeare as sources for understanding selected work of the role of leaders and followers, elites and masses, class and ethnicity, social change, the relations between disparate social orders, and societies ins transition. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Levin
(200 and above) Primarily for Graduate Students
POL
211a
Graduate Seminar: Political Theory
Core course in political theory, required of all Politics Ph.D. students.
Explores a few themes, such as justice, freedom, and community, by means of careful reading of a selection of classical and contemporary texts. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Yack
POL
212a
Graduate Seminar: Research Methods and Methodology
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.
Mr. Kryder
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.
Mr. Burg or Ms. Klausen
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.
Mr. Burg or Ms. Klausen
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.
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.
Mr. Art or Mr. Chase
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.
Mr. Kryder or Mr. Mapps
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.
Ms. Greenlee, Mr. Kryder, or Mr. Mapps
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.
Mr. Yack or Staff
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.
Mr. Yack or Staff
POL
302a
Readings in Politics
Specific sections for individual faculty members as requested.
Offered every year.
Staff
POL
302b
Readings in Politics
Usually offered every year.
Staff
POL
340d
Proseminar
Required of all PhD and MA students. Not for credit.
Year-long course that meets biweekly. Focuses on professional development, including teaching competency. Offered every year.
Staff
POL
350a
Master's Thesis
Master's thesis research and preparation. Usually offered every year.
Staff
POL
350b
Master's Thesis
Usually offered every year.
Staff
POL
400d
Dissertation Research
Independent research for the PhD degree. Specific sections for individual faculty members as requested.
Staff
Cross-Listed in Politics: American Politics
AAAS
82a
Urban Politics
[
ss
]
Examines urban politics in the United States from the early twentieth century to the present. Topics include urban political machines; minority political participation; the evolution of American suburbs; and racial, economic, and political inequities that challenge public policymaking. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Mapps
AAAS
114b
Race, Ethnicity, and Electoral Politics in the United States
[
ss
]
Explores the role that racial and ethnic politics play in American political campaigns and elections. Readings provide historical, theoretical, and empirical overviews of racial and ethnic politics in four contexts: political parties, presidential elections, congressional campaigns, and state legislative contests. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Mapps
HS
104b
American Health Care
[
ss
]
Examines and critically analyzes the United States health care system, emphasizing the major trends and issues that have led to the current sense of "crisis." In addition to providing a historical perspective, this course will establish a context for analyzing the current, varied approaches to health care reform. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Altman
HS
110a
Wealth and Poverty
[
ss
]
Examines why the gap between richer and poorer citizens appears to be widening in the United States and elsewhere, what could be done to reverse this trend, and how the widening disparity affects major issues of public policy. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Shapiro
Cross-Listed in Politics: Comparative Politics
AAAS
175a
Comparative Politics of North Africa
[
nw
ss
]
Explores the formation and development of political cleavages and cleavage systems, and of mass-based political groups, analyzing the expansion of mass political participation, elections, the impact of the military on political groups, and international factors. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Nyangoni
NEJS
185b
The Making of the Modern Middle East
[
hum
nw
ss
]
Open to all students.
Discusses the processes that led to the emergence of the modern Middle East: disintegration of Islamic society, European colonialism, reform and reaction, and the rise of nationalism and the modern states. Usually offered every second year.
Staff
SOC
123b
Crisis of the Welfare State
[
ss
]
The basic programs of the "welfare state" are being challenged everywhere. Can societies such as ours support extensive public pension programs, health care, and income support for the poor and unemployed? This fundamental question is discussed with reference to contemporary American society. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Ross
SOC
155b
Protest, Politics, and Change: Social Movements
[
ss
]
Utilizes case studies of actual movements to examine a variety of approaches to contentious politics. Covers collective behavior, resource mobilization, rational choice, and newer interactive models. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Cunningham
SOC
161a
Society, State, and Power: The Problem of Democracy
[
ss
]
Examines the ways in which power is exercised in different political regimes and social systems and considers the problem of democracy. The major focus of the course will be present-day advanced industrial societies, with particular consideration of the United States. Usually offered every fourth year.
Mr. Ross
Cross-Listed in Politics: International Politics
AAAS
163b
Africa in World Politics
[
nw
ss
]
Explores the impact of African states in world affairs; the African and Afro-Asian groups in the United Nations; relations with Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and the Americas; the Afro-Asian movement; nonalignment; the Organization of African Unity; and Pan-Africanism. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Nyangoni
LGLS
125b
International Law and Organizations
[
ss
]
Introduction to international law, its nature, sources, and application, for example, its role in the management of international conflicts. Topics may include international agreements, international organizations including the United Nations and the International Court of Justice, states and recognition, nationality and alien rights, territorial and maritime jurisdiction, international claims, and the laws of war and human rights. Usually offered every second year.
Staff
NEJS
189a
The Arab-Israeli Conflict
[
hum
ss
]
Consideration of Arab-Jewish relations, attitudes, and interactions from 1880 to the present. Emphasis on social factors and intellectual currents and their impact on politics. Examines the conflict within its international setting. Usually offered every third year.
Staff
Cross-Listed Politics: Political Theory & Methods
HIST
133a
Politics of the Enlightenment
[
ss
]
This course may not be repeated for credit by students who have taken USEM 6b in previous years.
The Enlightenment as a source of the intellectual world we live in today. Examination of some of the political, philosophical, and scientific writings of the philosophers. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Hulliung
HIST
181b
Red Flags/Black Flags: Marxism vs. Anarchism, 1845-1968
[
ss
]
From Marx's first major book in 1845 to the French upheavals of 1968, the history of left-wing politics and ideas. The struggles between Marxist orthodoxy and anarchist-inspired, left Marxist alternatives. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Hulliung
HIST
183b
Community and Alienation: Social Theory from Hegel to Freud
[
ss
]
The rise of social theory understood as a response to the trauma of industrialization. Topics include Marx's concept of "alienation," Tönnies's distinction between "community" and "society," Durkheim's notion of "anomie," Weber's account of "disenchantment," and Nietzsche's repudiation of modernity. Usually offered every fourth year.
Mr. Hulliung
HIST
192b
Romantic and Existentialist Political Thought
[
ss
]
Readings from Camus, Sartre, Beckett, and others. Examination and criticism of romantic and existentialist theories of politics. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Hulliung
HIST
195b
American Political Thought: From the Gilded Age through the New Deal
[
ss
]
Topics include the Mugwumps, Populists, Progressives; Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson; the New Nationalism and the New Freedom; the continuities and discontinuities of the New Deal and the Progressive Era. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Hulliung
PHIL
111a
What Is Justice?
[
hum
]
Prerequisite: One course in philosophy or political theory or permission of the instructor.
What is justice and what does justice require? The course examines theories of justice, both classical and contemporary. Topics include liberty and equality, "who gets what and how much," welfare- and resource-based principles of justice, justice as a virtue, liberalism, multiculturalism, and globalization. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Smiley
PHIL
116a
Topics in Political Philosophy
[
hum
]
Prerequisite: PHIL 1a, PHIL 17a, or POL 10a.
Explores social contract theories of political obligation, the right to rebel against the state, and the possibility of a global political community. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Smiley
PHIL
118a
War and Morality
[
ss
]
Prerequisite: One course in philosophy or POL 10a.
Explores a variety of moral questions associated with both war in general and particular kinds of warfare. How, if at all, does war differ from murder? Under what conditions can a particular war be justified? Where do we draw the line between defensive and offensive actions? Can a just war be restricted morally with respect to its tactics? Is torture ever justified? What is the moral status of "innocents" in arguments about the justifiability of particular modes of warfare? What, if anything, is special about terrorism? How--according to what principles--can we ascribe responsibility for harm in wartime? Does collective responsibility for war crimes make sense? Is pacifism a coherent doctrine? a justifiable practice? Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Smiley