Active Course List

The course examines political processes, governmental institutions and policies of the countries of the Asian Pacific Rim, with special emphasis on China, Japan and the newly industrializing states of Southeast Asia.

This course is designed to acquaint undergraduate and graduate students with key concepts and issues in the study of African politics. The historical and cultural context of politics is explored, as well as topics of current importance in the field.

The course discusses government institutions, political developments, and policy making structures of contemporary Europe, including the former communist countries of East/Central Europe and the Balkans. It will also cover the on-going process of European integration (European Union) and democratization of the former Soviet bloc countries. Some of the topics covered will include elections, party systems, federalism and devolution, ethnic and minority policy, social policy, economic reforms, gender, and politics and cross-Atlantic relations with the U.S.

This course introduces students to key issues and concepts in the study of political and economic development. Both theoretical approaches and empirical data are presented. The course is also designed to enhance students' analytical and research skills.

This course explores topics in public law beyond what is covered in the existing curriculum. Students study specialized topics of current importance in the field. Specific topics will change depending on the term and instructor. May be retaken with a change of topic.

Legal procedures by which state and federal administrative agencies exercise legislative, judicial, and executive powers. Emphasis is placed on the constitutional position of administrative agencies, the rule making process, the power of agencies to decide rights and obligations concerning individual cases, and judicial control of administrative action.

Review of selected United States Supreme Court decisions, past and present, relating to the powers of the President, Congress, and the federal courts, as well as the division of power between the states and the federal government. Focus is on case briefing and the rationale which underlies the decisions.

Review of selected United States Supreme Court decisions interpreting important freedoms contained in the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment. Focus is on the rationale which underlies decisions and their impact on American political social processes. Provides an opportunity to exercise and develop individual analytical abilities through analysis of Court's reasoning.

This course examines major schools in American legal thought from the dawn of the 20th century to the present day. Our focus will lie with turn-of-the-century formalism; legal realism; the legal process school; law and economics; and critical legal studies. We will apply legal reasoning from these schools to selected controversal 20th-century Supreme Court cases on church-state issues, gay and lesbian rights, privacy rights, criminal defendants' rights and other issues as appropriate.

This course explores topics in public policy and public administration beyond what is covered in the existing curriculum. Students study specialized topics of current importance in the field. Specific topics will change depending on the term and instructor. May be retaken with a change of topic.

Politics of the natural environment (U.S. focus). Environmental and opposition values; roles of public opinion, Congress, presidency and courts in environmental policymaking. Policy areas include: air/water pollution, climate change, hazardous/nuclear waste, sustainable development, and common problems like overfishing.

A broadly based introduction to the issues, processes, and techniques of public sector labor relations.

The development of public personnel management in federal, state, and local governments; strategic planning and policy making, position management, staffing, performance management, workplace relations.

This course explores the interconnection between political systems, public policy, and food systems. Current food and agriculture policy is evaluated in light of political, economic, and societal conditions.

This course examines entertainment policy from historical, cultural, political, and societal perspectives. Among other topics, this course will use a public policy framework to examine the impact of local government policies like noise ordinances, copyright laws, 1st amendment issues of free expression and assembly, and the historical and cultural significance of music as a catalyst for social change.

This course examines the relationship between housing and health, with a focus on how housing policies and programs can affect the health and well-being of individuals and communities. The course covers the historical, theoretical, and empirical aspects of housing and health, as well as the current challenges and opportunities for improving both. The course also explores the role of stakeholders and institutions in shaping and implementing housing and health policies, such as government institutions, markets, society, and policymakers.

This course explores topics in political institutions and process beyond what is covered in the existing curriculum. Students study specialized topics of current importance in the field. Specific topics will change depending on the term and instructor. May be retaken with a change of topic.

This course examines public opinion in American politics. Topics include the definition, nature, and consequences of public opinion; political socialization; public opinion on selected issues; intergroup differences in public opinion, and public polling methods.

United States Congress and state legislatures, with some cross-national comparisons. Legislative structure, powers; districting, elections, representation, constituency relations; committee system, parties, law-making process, rules and procedure, decision-making, relations with executives and courts. Reforms.

Examination of executive politics in United States at a federal and state level, with some cross-national comparisons. United States Presidency and executive branch, governors and state executive branches, mayors, and other local executives.

An examination of the structure, jurisdiction, and processes of federal and state courts. Emphasis is placed on selection of judges and justices and on the dynamics of judicial decision-making.

This course examines politics in the American South. It examines the historical and cultural roots of Southern distinctiveness: traditionalistic political culture, racial conflicts, hostility toward organized labor, religious fundamentalism, tolerance of state violence, and social and moral conservatism. Major attention is paid to the realignment of white Southerners toward the Republican Party.

Theories and practices of complex public organizations.

This course explores topics important to the study of American politics. Specific topics may change depending on the term and instructor. May be retaken with a change of topic.

This course provides advanced data analysis skills to students working on their final research projects (thesis/APP/capstone). This course includes instruction in methods beyond those offered in core courses, as well as analysis related to students' individual research needs.