Historical survey and analysis of fundamental concepts in political theory.

Historical and conceptual analysis of selected political ideas such as justice, liberty, rights, political obligation, or the state; including an examination of one or more major schools or bodies of political thought from ancient to contemporary times.

Debates about the meaning of human rights and their importance.

Rules that structure access to power and policy-making process across countries; changes over time; and major political effects. Topics include the electoral system, presidentialism, government formation, legislative committees, federalism, and the courts.

Current theories of and methodological approaches to international relations.

Political and military issues as they intersect at the international level, such as war, terrorism, alliances, and intervention.

Examination of emerging conceptions of human security, important elements of which include good governance, food, water, political, economic, and environmental security. Definition, measurement, and politics of human security. Relationship to domestic and international policy-making and advocacy.

International cooperation to resolve economic, social, and political transnational problems.

Examination of security issues in the Middle East and the responses of regional actors and external powers.

(Also offered as ECON 5128.) Explores the conceptual bases, measurement, and policy applications of economic rights. Specific topics will include: child labor, the right to development, non-governmental initiatives, and the institutionalization of economic rights (e.g., constitutionalization versus statutory implementation versus discretionary policies).

Advanced study of selected topics. Intensive examination of research literature dealing with particular aspects of American politics.

The institutions and policy-making process of American government.

The political behavior of the American public, including public opinion, voting behavior, and other forms of participation.

The politics of American race, gender and ethnicity, with a focus on disadvantaged groups and their influence on the political process.

(Also offered as WGSS 5410.) Major debates at the core of black feminist theory, emphasizing the ways in which interlocking systems of oppression uphold and sustain each other in contemporary U.S. politics.

Selected topics in public law, the administration of justice, and jurisprudence.

The judicial decision-making process in terms of methods and models developed in the framework of the behavioral sciences.

An exploration of the theories and process of constitutional interpretation in the United States, with an emphasis on the role the Supreme Court plays in defending and enforcing civil liberties.

The scope of political science, modes of inquiry, the role of concepts and theory. Graduate students are urged to take the course in their first semester.

Introduction to the data analysis techniques most often used by political scientists. Requires no previous background in statistics.

A survey of qualitative research methods. Training in use of case studies, comparative historical approach, interviewing and focus groups, ethnography and interpretive methods.

Introduction to research methods and designs in political science. Students will develop and conduct original research projects. Intended for master’s students in their first semester.

Exploration of careers that involve researching and thinking about politics. Required for 5th Year M.A. students. Does not fulfill Methods or Subfield course requirements for POLS Ph.D. students.

Writing workshop facilitates prospectus and dissertation writing.

Intersections of politics and popular culture. Examination of cultural texts for political meaning and for dialogue with academic political science.

International relations theory and speculative fiction as interpretations and interrogations of war, peace, politics, knowledge, and imagination.

(Also offered as ANTH 5800.) Exploration of how race and the human sciences emerged out of the theological, epistemological, and political upheavals that resulted in the Euromodern world.