Department of Political Science
The Graduate ProgramMA in Political Science
The Three MA Programs
PhD in Political Science
Courses
Directed Study or Research
The following list reflects the 2007/2008 faculty.
Chair Walter D. Connor
Faculty
Edouard Bustin Professor of Political Science; Research Associate, African Studies Center, College of Arts & Sciences (Comparative Politics, International Relations). Doct. en Droit, Lic. Sc. Dipl., University of Liège (Belgium)
Walter C. Clemens Jr. Professor of Political Science, College of Arts & Sciences (International Relations, Comparative Politics). BA, University of Notre Dame; MA, Certificate of the Russian Institute; PhD, Columbia University
Walter D. Connor Chair, Department of Political Science, Professor of Political Science, Sociology, and International Relations, College of Arts & Sciences (Comparative Politics, International Relations). BA, College of the Holy Cross; MA, PhD, Princeton University
Neta Crawford Professor of Political Science and African American Studies, College of Arts & Sciences. BA, Brown University; MA, PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Joseph Fewsmith Professor of Political Science and International Relations, College of Arts & Sciences. BA, Northwestern University; PhD, University of Chicago
Irene L. Gendzier Professor of Political Science, College of Arts & Sciences (Comparative Politics). AB, Barnard College; MA, PhD, Columbia University
John Gerring Professor of Political Science, College of Arts & Sciences (American Politics, Political Theory). BA, MA, PhD, University of California, Berkeley
Liah Greenfeld University Professor; Professor of Political Science and Sociology. College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. BA, MA, PhD, Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel)
Robert H. Jackson Professor of Political Science and International Relations, College of Arts & Sciences (International Relations). BA, MA, University of British Columbia; PhD, University of California, Berkeley
Douglas Kriner Director of Undergraduate Studies, Department of Political Science; Assistant Professor of Political Science, College of Arts & Sciences (American Politics). BA, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; PhD, Harvard University
Cathie Jo Martin Professor of Political Science, College of Arts & Sciences (American Politics, Public Policy). BA, Carleton College; MSW, University of Washington; PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
David A. Mayers Professor of Political Science and History, College of Arts & Sciences. BA, Oberlin College; MA, PhD, University of Chicago
David Scott Palmer Professor of Political Science and International Relations, College of Arts & Sciences (Comparative Politics, International Relations). BA, Dartmouth College; MA, Stanford University; PhD, Cornell University
Sofia A. Perez Associate Professor of Political Science, College of Arts & Sciences (Comparative Politics, Public Policy). BA, MA, PhD, George Washington University
Christine H. Rossell Director of Graduate Students, Department of Political Science; Professor of Political Science, College of Arts & Sciences (Public Policy). BA, University of California, Los Angeles; PhD, University of Southern California
Virginia Sapiro Dean of Arts & Sciences, and Professor of Political Science, College of Arts & Sciences. BA, Clark University; MA, PhD, University of Michigan
James W. Schmidt University Professor; Professor of Political Science and History, College of Arts & Sciences (Political Theory). BA, Rutgers University; PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mark Silverstein Professor of Political Science, College of Arts & Sciences (American Politics). AB, MA, PhD, Cornell University; JD, Columbia University School of Law
Judith A. Swanson Associate Professor of Political Science (College of Arts & Sciences Political Theory). BA, Colorado College; MS, London School of Economics and Political Science (England); PhD, University of Chicago
Graham Wilson Professor of Political Science, College of Arts & Sciences. BA, PhD, Oxford University; MA, University of Essex
Betty H. Zisk Professor of Political Science, College of Arts & Sciences (American Politics, Public Policy). BA, Swarthmore College; MA, Haverford College; PhD, Stanford University
Associated Faculty
Beermann (LAW), Berger (IR), Corgan (IR), Dallek (HI), Eckstein (SO), Fleming (LAW), Grimes (IR), Haakonssen (PH), Keylor (HI), Loury (EC), Lukes (IR/UNI), Lyons (LAW), Norton (IR/AN), Smith (IR), Thacker (IR)
Emeriti
Daniel Cheever Professor Emeritus, Political Science and International Relations, College of Arts & Sciences. BA, MA, PhD, Harvard University
Howard Zinn Professor Emeritus of Political Science, College of Arts & Sciences. AB, New York University; MA, PhD, Columbia University
The Graduate Program
The Political Science department offers graduate instruction in the following fields:
- American Politics: the presidency, the judiciary, the legislative process, political parties, interest groups and social movements, American political development and political culture
- Comparative Politics: comparative political development and comparative public policy in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East, Africa, East Asia, and Latin America; theories of development, underdevelopment, and democratization
- Public Policy: U.S. national, comparative, urban, and methods in the study of public policy
- International Relations and Foreign Policy: history and theories of international relations, foreign relations of selected areas (United States, China, Latin America, the former Soviet Union, and Africa)
- Political Theory: historical and analytic approaches of the works of classic political philosophers; theories of justice, liberty, and authority
Cross-disciplinary work is encouraged, and graduate students may supplement the department’s offerings with courses in the Departments of Economics, History, International Relations, Philosophy, and Sociology. Thanks to a consortium arrangement with Boston College, Brandeis University, and Tufts University, students may also take courses at those institutions and use their library resources.
Students interested in the areas of comparative politics and international relations draw on the resources of the African Studies Center; the Institute for the Study of Conflict, Ideology, and Policy; the Institute for Economic Development; and interdisciplinary studies programs focusing on East Asia, Latin America, Russia, and Eastern Europe. Students with an interest in European politics may participate in lectures and seminars at the Center for European Studies at Harvard University, while those with an interest in American politics may participate in the activities of the Boston Area Workshop on American Political Development. The department’s regular offerings in political theory are supplemented by the Robert P. Benedict Lectures in the History of Political Philosophy, an endowed lecture series that brings a distinguished political philosopher to the campus for several weeks each spring.
Fifty-three students were registered in the graduate program in 2007—about one-half were taking courses, the rest working on dissertations. Typically, fewer than fifteen new graduate students enter the program each fall. Approximately 60% of our graduate students come from outside the United States, and many of our students regard the cosmopolitan character of the department—and of the Boston area in general—as an important factor in their graduate education.
Most of the department’s recent PhDs (approximately five graduate each year) are employed in academic or research institutions, in the United States or overseas. The others are divided, in roughly equal numbers, between the private and public sectors, working for consulting firms, business corporations, other nongovernmental organizations, and international, federal, state, or parastatal agencies.
More information is available from the department at 232 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215; 617-353-2540; e-mail: pograd@bu.edu; website: www.bu.edu/polisci.
Admission and Financial Assistance Political science applicants are accepted for the fall semester only. Financial aid is limited to PhD candidates. The deadline for aid applications is January 15. Applications for September admission without aid must be completed no later than February 1. Please note that applications, as well as credentials and supplementary materials, must be submitted by the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Please do not direct applications to the Department of Political Science.
Completed applications should be sent to the address below:
Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
705 Commonwealth Avenue
Room 112
Boston, MA 02215
617-353-2696
Graduate student financial aid is merit based. The department seeks to balance commitments to current students with the need to recruit outstanding applicants across the field of political science. The department’s principal source of financial aid takes the form of teaching fellowships. We are currently funded for a total of twelve teaching fellowships per year. Students entering the program with a BA are eligible for five years of financial aid. Those entering with an MA will be eligible for four years. Thus, the teaching fellowship financial aid is designed with the goal of supporting graduate students through to the completion of their dissertation, assuming the above timetable. Competition for teaching fellowships is limited to PhD students. Awards are made on the basis of merit (defined primarily as scholarly ability but including potential teaching ability as well), rather than on the basis of need. MA candidates are not eligible for financial aid from Boston University. Decisions to renew teaching fellowships are made annually by the Political Science Department faculty and are contingent on the student’s academic and teaching performance.
MA in Political Science
The department does not have a regular MA program and does not accept applications for that degree. Most students interested in the study of political science at the graduate level are admitted to the PhD program. The Graduate Program in Political Science does, however, admit a few students who wish to enroll in the MA Program for Professionals and the BA/MA program. We will also award an MA to a PhD student who requests it and has completed all the requirements for the PhD except the dissertation.
Please be aware that you must be registered as a student during any semester during which you complete any degree requirements. This means that you have to pay continuing student fees for that semester even if you are not registered for classes.
The Three MA Programs
The BA/MA Program This program is intended for outstanding students (see the GPA requirements in the undergraduate bulletin) who wish to pursue intensive study in a specialized area of political and social science beyond the level of the BA. Students must apply for admission to this program before March 1 of their junior year. (See the undergraduate program for more details about application requirements.) The work of a BA/MA candidate will be reviewed at the end of the first and second semesters following the student’s admission to the program. The reviewers will include the BA/MA Program Advisor and those professors with whom the student has worked. The committee will decide, after consultation with the student, whether the student shall continue in the BA/MA Program or be required to stop at the BA level.
MA Degree Requirements (Applicable only to BA/MA program.) Since the department does not have a regular MA program, the following requirements are applicable only to the BA/MA program. A student must successfully complete eight courses, including two graduate core courses. No more than two directed study courses can be included. Any incompletes must be cleared within the calendar year. A GPA of at least 3.2 must be maintained. The candidate must demonstrate proficiency at reading one foreign language by passing a 4th-semester-level college course or by examination. Every student must petition to have a language recognized. In the case of international students whose native language is not English, English will be accepted as a foreign language. Except in the case of students applying for the Post-Qualifier MA (i.e., Ph.D. candidates who have passed their comprehensive examinations) or students in the Program for Professionals, candidates for the MA degree must take and pass comprehensive examinations.
Post-Qualifier Master’s Degree PhD students who have successfully completed all the requirements for a PhD except the dissertation may request that a master’s degree be granted to validate the work accomplished.
Master’s Program for Professionals This program is one of educational enrichment for those already employed in a professional career, or enrolled in a professional school for training, in a related social science field such as law, social work, public administration, and journalism. It is not intended for students planning to work for the doctorate in political science.
Admission and Prerequisites To be considered for this program, a student must be employed in a professional career in a related social science field or be enrolled in a related social science, legal, or public affairs program. Applicants should indicate why they believe that graduate-level work in political science will augment their training or enrich their chosen careers. Applicants must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test.
Course Requirements A minimum of eight semester courses (32 credits) is required for the MA degree. At least two of these courses should be graduate-level core courses in the subfields of political science closest to the student’s vocational field. No more than two courses may be directed study. With the approval of the major advisor, students may take up to three courses in related social science departments. Courses of study are individually planned with the student’s major advisor. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences accepts the transfer of a maximum of two courses (8 credits) toward the master’s degree.
Language Requirement Students are required to show proficiency in a language other than their native language at the intermediate level (reading). Students must demonstrate a reading proficiency in one foreign language by passing a fourth-semester-level college course or by examination.
Evaluation of Performance Students must write a major policy paper under the supervision of a faculty member.
PhD in Political Science
Admissions Tests and Prerequisites Applicants must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Tests. Applicants should hold either a bachelor’s or master’s degree in political science or the equivalent. See the Graduate Program section, admissions procedures section, for GRE and TOEFL minimum scores on our website.
Course Requirements Sixteen semester courses (64 credits) at the graduate level for postbachelor’s PhD candidates and a minimum of eight such courses (32 credits) for post-master’s PhD candidates. Selection of these courses must be with the advance approval of the major professor and the director of graduate studies in the Department of Political Science.
Graduate students may receive Political Science credit for statistics courses up to a limit of eight credits if it is important to their area of specialization. This decision will be made in consultation with the director of graduate studies.
Credit will only be given for courses in which a grade of B– or better is received.
Students must be registered during any semester in which degree requirements are completed. Degree requirements include coursework, qualifying examinations, fulfillment of the language requirement, proposal defense and dissertation defense. Continuing student fees must be paid for the semester even if the student is not registered for classes. The continuing student fee for the 2008/2009 year is $2,284 per semester.
Post-bachelor’s Candidates Sixteen semester courses at the graduate level are required. Up to four courses may be taken outside the Political Science department. Graduate students are required to develop:
- a minimum level of competence in three of the five fields by taking three of the core courses (GRS PO 711, 741, 751, 771, 791)
- a high level of competence in one major and one minor field
- a mastery of one subfield within the major field in which dissertation work is planned
- Methodology—All students enrolled in the PhD program must fulfill a methodology requirement. This consists of two courses, GRS PO 840 Qualitative Methods and PO 841 Quantitative Methods (or an equivalent course in another department or university). Students should take these in their first or second semester in the PhD program. The second and third requirements are normally fulfilled through courses, seminars, and directed studies, as well as through independent reading by the student. In addition, students are encouraged to take courses offered in related disciplines such as economics, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and history. Such course selections vary according to the student’s overall program and must be planned in consultation with the student’s advisory committee.
Post-master’s Candidates Eight to twelve semester courses are required. The exact number depends on how closely the student’s prior work parallels the courses required for a PhD in political science. Students who come to Boston University to undertake the post-master’s PhD program or who have transferred credit from other graduate institutions are expected to take at least three of the core courses (GRS PO 711, 741, 751, 771, 791). Students may request that a comparable course or courses transferred from other institutions serve to satisfy the requirement of one or more of these core courses.
Language Requirements Demonstration of reading proficiency in one foreign language by passing a fourth semester-level college course or by examination. Every student must petition to have a language recognized. Approval of the language should be sought before the defense of the PhD dissertation proposal.
English, if it is a second language, can be used by foreign students to satisfy the language requirement.
Also, see Graduate School regulations in the Policies and Procedures section on this website regarding the program’s language requirement.
Qualifying Examinations After completing coursework (normally two years of full-time study for post-BA candidates), qualifying examinations are given in the major field, subfield, and minor field. Examinations take three days, one day for each of the three areas. These written examinations may be followed by a joint oral examination by the three examining professors, at their discretion. After passing the qualifying examinations and fulfilling the language requirement, students proceed to their dissertation work.
Post-Qualifier Master’s Degree Any student who has successfully completed all requirements for the 16-course PhD except the dissertation (coursework, one language and/or skill, and qualifying examinations) may request that a master’s degree be granted. This degree is in no sense terminal, but is simply to document work accomplished prior to the completion of the dissertation.
Dissertation Proposal Within nine months of completing qualifying examinations, a PhD candidate must submit and defend a dissertation proposal. The defense committee consists of three faculty members, and must include the faculty members who have been designated as the first, second, and third readers of the dissertation. For further information see the General Requirements for the PhD section on this website.
Dissertation Defense A completed dissertation must be submitted for defense no more than five years after the completion of the Qualifying Examinations. Before scheduling a defense of the dissertation, the student must submit an abstract of no more than 350 words that describes the dissertation’s thesis, methods, and general content. Because abstracts will be the principal means through which other scholars first make contact with the dissertation, it is important that the abstract provide as much information as possible about the dissertation and present it in a fashion that is understandable to readers who may not be familiar with the approach or the focus of the dissertation. A completed dissertation must be submitted for defense no more than five semesters after the completion of the qualifying examinations. The defense committee is composed of five faculty members, including the three faculty who approved the proposal, a fourth reader, and a chair. For further information see the General Requirements for the PhD section on this website. For the most up to date information go to our website.
Courses
Methods of Political ScienceGRS PO 699 Teaching College Political Science- I
The goals, contents, and methods of instruction in Political Science. General teaching-learning issues. Required of all teaching fellows. Staff. 2 cr, both sem.GRS PO 840 Political Analysis
Gerring. 4 cr, 1st sem.GRS PO 841 Quantitative Research Methods
Quantitative research methods and designs used in political analysis and policy evaluation. Students gain a basic knowledge of research design, research issues, survey questionnaire design, data file construction and analysis using the mainframe computer, statistical analysis with SPSS, and graphical presentation of data with SPSS and Excel. Rossell. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
United States Politics
CAS PO 510 American Politics and the Separation of Powers
Prereq: CAS PO 211 or consent of instructor. Examines inter-institutional dynamics in the American system of separated powers. Explicit focus on the relationships between the president, Congress, and judiciary, and on the strategies each employs to affect political outputs. Kriner. 4 cr, 2nd sem.CAS PO 512 Informal Political Processes
Prereq: consent of instructor. Study of informal political processes that link private demands and supports to formal institutions; emphasis primarily on media, political parties, and interest groups. Political communications in literature and the arts are also covered. Zisk. 4 cr, 1st sem.CAS PO 513 Development of American Constitutional Law
Prereq: CAS PO 211. A survey of the development of constitutional law and the exercise of power by the U.S. Supreme Court. Drawn entirely from decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court; principal theme is the development of national constitutions and power. Silverstein. 4 cr, 1st sem.CAS PO 518 American Politics and Use of Force
Prereq: CAS PO 211 and junior standing, or consent of instructor. Examines how domestic politics drive the use of force in the postwar United States. Explores how Congress, courts, interest groups, media, and public opinion define presidential action in times of crisis, as well as the kinds of crises that evoke action. Kriner. 4 cr, 1st sem.CAS PO 521 Democratic Governance
What is good governance, and what are its social and political bases? These questions, at the heart of political science since Aristotle, are addressed empirically, through case studies tracing the performance of democratic nation-states across several policy dimensions. Gerring. 4 cr, 2nd sem.CAS PO 544 Interest Groups, Public Opinion, and the Policy Process
Grad prereq: CAS PO 211 or consent of instructor. Focuses on public opinion and interest group activities as they affect the policy-making process in the United States. Attention is paid to the role of the media, of lobbying, litigation, and the electoral process. Wilson. 4 cr, 1st sem.
Seminars: American Politics
CAS PO 610 Research Seminar in American Politics
Prereq: CAS PO 211. Concepts and methods of research, writing, and analysis in the social sciences. Prepares students for post graduate work and includes a semester-long research project on a topic of individual interest in American politics, subject to instructor’s approval. Wilson. 4 cr, 2nd sem.CAS PO 625 Political Movements in America
Prereq: CAS PO 211 or consent of instructor. Study of historical and current political movements in the United States, including populism, environmentalism, civil rights, peace, and welfare. Why movements arise, why they fail, or why and how they are transformed; what role strategies, values, and leaders play; and what impact these movements have on political institutions and public policy. Zisk. 4 cr, 1st sem.GRS PO 711 Approaches to the Study of American Politics
Graduate core course. Introduces students to major theoretical, substantive, and methodological problems in the study of American politics by examining two sets of literature: scholarly debates and discussion of theory and research, and the concrete research of leading Americanists. Martin. 4 cr, 1st sem.GRS PO 811 Special Topics in American Government
Not offered 2008/2009
Public Policy
CAS PO 548 The Politics of Education
Overview of the origins of public schooling, the purpose of public education, and controversial educational policies and research. Rossell. 4 cr, 1st sem.
Seminars: Public Policy
GRS PO 741 Public Policy Analysis
Seminar in analytical concepts and rational policymaking models applies to each of several issue areas: education, welfare, health care, economy, and the environment in the United States and Europe. Rossell. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
Comparative Politics
CAS PO 523 Global Justice
Charts the course of human development over history and inquires why the quality of life varies so dramatically in the world today. Geographic, economic, cultural, and political factors are explored. Gerring. 4 cr, 2nd sem.CAS PO 550 Political Economy of Latin America
Prereq: CAS EC 101 and CAS EC 102; recommended: CAS EC 369. Historical and contemporary issues in Latin American political economy. Uses case studies and cross-regional comparisons to assess competing explanations. Analyzes the current political and economic situation facing Latin America in its quest for economic growth and development. Meets with CAS IR 590. Thacker. 4 cr, 1st sem.CAS PO 551 Comparative Political Development
An investigation of contemporary debates on democracy and the state, with implications for contemporary American society as well as that of developing nations. Gendzier. 4 cr, 1st sem.CAS PO 553 Political Economy of Mexico and NAFTA
Explores the dynamics of contemporary Mexicans’ political economy and Mexico’s participation in the North American Free Trade Agreement to understand the causes and effects of the profound transformation of Mexico in recent years. Addresses challenges that lie ahead. Meets with CAS IR 575.Thacker. 4 cr, 2nd sem.CAS PO 556 The Reemergence of Russia
Disintegration of the old Soviet system and signs of reemerging Russia; careers of Gorbachev and Yeltsin and their attack on the foundations of Stalinism; Moscow’s role in the 1989 revolutions; and the August 1991 coup d’etat. The legacy of communism in the present medical and ecological crises; current political developments. Lukes. 4 cr, 1st sem.CAS PO 557 The Changing Face of Eastern Europe
Domestic and foreign policies of Eastern European states, their relations with the former Soviet Union and with each other. Emphasis is on the period 1989–92, but recent events are presented with the historical contexts. Analysis of the formation and subsequent implosion of the Soviet sphere in Europe. The collapse of communism in Poland, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria, and its impact on the Soviet crisis, the Western alliance, and international relations. Meets with CAS IR 543. Lukes. 4 cr, 1st sem.CAS PO 558 Problems and Issues of Post-Mao China
An in-depth examination of politics in post-Mao China, this course focuses on several critical issues and uses various conceptual frameworks to try to understand why the reform process broke down and examines prospects for the future. Meets with CAS IR 585. Fewsmith. 4 cr, 2nd sem.CAS PO 560 Politics and Society in North Africa and the Middle East
An investigation of contemporary North Africa and the Middle East, with emphasis on current socioeconomic and political trends and tensions. Gendzier. 4 cr, 2nd sem.CAS PO 562 State and Public Purpose in Asia
Explores how noncommunist Asian governments have attempted to advance public purpose, and how organizational factors in countries’ governments affect their ability to do so. These questions are addressed in a comparative framework, considering theory and cases. Meets with CAS IR 520. Grimes. 4 cr, 2nd sem.CAS PO 564 From Slavery to Freedom: Abolition in Comparative Perspective
How did legalized slavery, a world-wide practice for thousands of years, end? The process of abolition in the Americas, Africa, and elsewhere is examined and compared to the later regulation of forced labor and to contemporary slavery. Meets with CAS AA 564. Crawford. 4 cr, 2nd sem.CAS PO 565 Government and Politics of Contemporary Africa
Analysis of independent black Africa; factors of continuity and change in modern Africa, problems of political order, and the ambiguities of independence. Case studies of individual countries are selected for additional emphasis on specific issues and problems of the developing countries. Bustin. 4 cr, 1st sem.CAS PO 566 Political Systems of Southern Africa
Analysis of the balance of political forces in the multiracial societies of southern Africa; emphasis on the problems of governmental stability, the prospects for integration and disintegration, the range of responses to interracial tensions, and their international repercussions. Bustin. 4 cr, 2nd sem.CAS PO 567 Latin American Politics
Not offered 2008/2009CAS PO 621 Seminar: The Political Economy of Advanced Industrialized Societies
Surveys forces contributing to national differences in social and economic policy; identifies current challenges to state sovereignty, such as globalization and immigration; and examines how nations from different welfare state regimes are coping with these threats to the nation-state. Martin. 4 cr, 2nd sem.GRS PO 750 Political Reform in the Middle East
Rollman. 4 cr, 2nd sem.GRS PO 751 Approaches to the Study of Comparative Politics
An intensive reading seminar on the political approaches to the study of comparative politics. Students get acquainted with the key epistemological and methodological writings that have formed the basic inquiry known today as comparative politics. Staff. 4 cr, 2nd sem.GRS PO 759 Japanese Political Economy
Not offered 2008/2009GRS PO 760 Problems and Issues of Contemporary Africa
Not offered 2008/2009GRS PO 767 Seminar: Latin American Comparative Politics
Not offered 2008/2009GRS PO 842 Comparative Development and Underdevelopment
A comprehensive course designed for graduate students interested in issues of development. Its principal objective is to provide a forum for the systematic consideration of a host of current practical problems and controversies in development, as well as to introduce students to theoretical trends in development studies. The emphasis is at once international and comparative. Gendzier. 4 cr, 2nd sem.GRS PO 853 Selected Topics in Comparative Politics
Grad prereq: GRS PO 840 and graduate standing, or consent of instructor. GRS PO 751 recommended. Seminar exploring the implications of European social theories for research in comparative politics. Surveys key debates among European theorists over such questions as the relationship between culture and power, political identity in postcolonial states, and cosmopolitanism. Perez. 4 cr, 1st sem.
International Relations
CAS PO 550 Political Economy of Latin America
Prereq: CAS EC 101 and CAS EC 102; recommended: CAS EC 369. Historical and contemporary issues in Latin American political economy. Uses case studies and cross-regional comparisons to assess competing explanations. Analyzes the current political and economic situation facing Latin America in its quest for economic growth and development. Meets with CAS IR 590. Thacker. 4 cr, 1st sem.CAS PO 556 The Reemergence of Russia
Disintegration of the old Soviet system and signs of reemerging Russia; careers of Gorbachev and Yeltsin and their attack on the foundations of Stalinism; Moscow’s role in the 1989 revolutions; and the August 1991 coup d’etat. The legacy of communism in the present medical and ecological crises; current political developments. Lukes. 4 cr, 1st sem.CAS PO 557 The Changing Face of Eastern Europe
Domestic and foreign policies of Eastern European states, their relations with the former Soviet Union and with each other. Emphasis is on the period 1989–92, but recent events are presented with the historical contexts. Analysis of the formation and subsequent implosion of the Soviet sphere in Europe. The collapse of communism in Poland, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria, and its impact on the Soviet crisis, the Western alliance, and international relations. Meets with CAS IR 543. Lukes. 4 cr, 1st sem.CAS PO 568 U.S. – Latin American Politics
Not offered 2008/2009CAS PO 574 Ethics and International Relations
Seminar examining and employing important approaches of international ethics to understand selected normative controversies of contemporary world politics. Is my country always right? Can war be justified? Is terrorism always wrong? What is the place of human rights in foreign policy? Jackson. 4 cr, 2nd sem.CAS PO 576 Decision Making in U.S. Foreign Policy
Examination of international crises from the perspective of the individual decision maker. Critical analysis and testing of the theoretical frameworks used to explain how states and statesmen behave in a crisis situation. Clemens. 4 cr, 1st sem.CAS PO 577 Negotiation and World Affairs
What makes for success/failure in negotiation? Examines how international actors use negotiations to advance their interests, resolve disputes, and mediate others. Case studies are drawn from crisis management, arms control, environmental controversies, and third-party interventions. Clemens. 4 cr, 2nd sem.CAS PO 578 The Foreign Policy of the People’s Republic of China
Explores the evolution of China’s perceptions of its role in the world. Emphasizes both China’s changing security and economic relationships within the international system, and its attempts to evolve from a regional to a world power. In addition to a critical examination of China’s relationships with the superpowers and Third World, this course examines China’s changing relationship to the world economy, with particular reference to technology and capital transfers. Meets with CAS IR 577. Fewsmith. 4 cr, 2nd sem.CAS PO 579 Japan in International Politics
Meets with CAS IR 579. International and domestic influences on Japan’s international behavior in the past as a predictor of Japan’s future role in international politics. Covers Japan’s role in the Cold War, post-war Asia, and the management of the global economy. Examines viability of the post-Cold War U.S.-Japan relationship. Berger. 4 cr, 2nd sem.CAS PO 580 Democracy in Latin America and Its Challenges
Provides an overview of democracy’s achievements and challenges in Latin America. Draws comparisons between stable and unstable democracies in the region, and analyzes the reasons for, and implications of, these differences. Meets with CAS IR 566. Blanco. 4 cr, 2nd sem.CAS PO 581 National Development and International Politics
Examines North-South relations in the post-war era, with emphasis on connections between internal and external dimensions of national and international development. Develops theoretical implications relevant for students of comparative politics, foreign policy, and international relations. Gendzier. 4 cr, 1st sem.CAS PO 586 Nationalism in Post Soviet Eurasia
Nationalism as a force for conflict and integration in the former USSR and the emerging states of central Eurasia. Origins, characteristics, and interactions of these lands. Is it possible to reconcile human rights, nationalist demands, and international peace? Clemens. 4 cr, 2nd sem.CAS PO 657 Problems in Comparative Political Analysis
Focuses on the problem of nationalism. Distinguishes between and compares types of nationalism, examines their origins, and analyzes their political, social, and economic implications using as examples England, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States. Particular emphasis on the possible role of national consciousness as a stimulus of radical political change. Also discussed is the extent to which various nationals may be affected by economic trends such as globalization and the emergence of supra-national identities. Meets with UNI SS 657. Greenfeld. 4 cr, 1st sem.Seminar: International Relations
CAS PO 504 Political and Cultural Foundations of Human Development
Prereq: junior standing or consent of instructor. Examines how the United Nations and Freedom House rank human development across different countries and civilizations; how revolutions in mass literacy, individual freedom, and respect for human dignity have shaped human development; benefits and threats from technology and globalization. Clemens. 4 cr, 1st sem.CAS PO 674 United States as a World Power
Open to juniors, seniors, and graduate students. Course material is organized along a debate format. Primarily concerned with twentieth-century U.S. foreign policy, although attention also given to eighteenth- and nineteenth-century issues. Crawford. 4 cr, 1st sem.GRS PO 676 Political Biography
This course uses political biographies and memoir literature to evaluate twentieth-century international relations and statecraft. Topics vary year to year. Possible topics include an examination of biographical literature related to WWII, the Cold War, and Third World political leaders. Mayers. 4 cr, 2nd sem.CAS PO 680 Science Fiction and World Politics
Crawford. 4 cr, 2nd sem.GRS PO 771 Approaches to the Study of International Relations
Graduate core course. Focuses on approaches and theories of international relations, rather than international events. Compares historical, descriptive, normative, and scientific approaches. Surveys a variety of theories on international conflict (e.g., war, arms races), and theories of international integration (e.g., alliances, trade). Jackson. 4 cr, 1st sem.GRS PO 786 Africa in International Relations
Deals with the preconditions of foreign policy autonomy, the encapsulation of African actors in the dynamics of non-African foreign policy conceptualizations, and the range of options available to African states—from neutrality to alignment and from dependency to collective action. Bustin 4 cr, 2nd sem.GRS PO 787 Latin American Policies of the United States
Examination of the key factors shaping past and present U.S. policies toward Latin America—including political, economic, and bureaucratic, as well as domestic, regional, and international factors. Includes case studies of contemporary issues to highlight decision-making processes, instruments of implemention, and policy consequences. Palmer. 4 cr, 1st sem.GRS PO 796 Ethics and the Use of Force
Not offered 2008/2009Political Theory
Note: Political theory courses at the 500 level or above taught in the University Professors Program count toward the political science graduate degree. For academic year 2008/2009, these courses include the following: Seminar: Political Theory
CAS PO 599 Freedom
Prereq: junior standing or two political philosophy courses. Seminar on ideas of freedom—political, economic, religious, moral, intellectual, and educational—focusing on works published during the eighteenth through twentieth centuries in Europe and America. Swanson. 4 cr, 1st sem.CAS PO 691 Seminar in Political Philosophy
Prereq: open to juniors, seniors, and graduate students. An in-depth study of a major political philosopher, historical period, or topic in political philosophy. Swanson. 4 cr, 2nd sem.GRS PO 791 Approaches to the Study of Political Theory
Graduate core course. An overview of some of the more significant opinions for the study of political theory today, with attention to both substantive and methodological issues. Swanson. 4 cr, 1st sem.Directed Study or Research
Instructor and hours arranged. Variable cr.
GRS PO 901, 902 Directed Study in Methodology
GRS PO 911, 912 Directed Study in American Politics
GRS PO 941, 942 Directed Study in Public Policy
GRS PO 951, 952 Directed Study in Comparative Politics
GRS PO 971, 972 Directed Study in International Relations
GRS PO 991, 992 Directed Study in Political Theory
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19 December 2008
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