Courses in American Political Systems

Pos 509 (Pub 509) Citizen Participation and Public Policy (4)
The historic origins of the increasingly used statutory mandate for “citizen participation” as a requisite test of legitimacy, both in the formulation and implementation of public policy; a survey of applications in federal and state law and impact on the subjects and objects of public policy.

Pos 509R Readings in Citizen Participation and Public Policy (2)
Same as Pos 509. (Readings course) 

Pos 510 (Pub 510) Minorities and the Politico-Legal System (4)
Selected minority problems that appear in connection with the politico-legal system. Legislative, administrative, and judicial responses and exploration of alternative public policy options.

Pos 520 American Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations (4)
The seminar focuses upon the theoretical, constitutional and political dimensions of the federal system in the United States. Particular emphasis is placed upon intergovernmental relations and the increasing use of preemption powers by the Congress to restructure national-state relations. The need for a general theory of federalism — incorporating dual, cooperative, and coercive elements — is examined and the problem-solving capabilities of the system are analyzed.

Pos 520R Readings in American Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations (2)
Same as Pos 520. (Readings course)

Pos 521 Field Seminar in the American Political System (4)
The basic substantive, methodological, and normative concerns of the contemporary scholars of the American political system. Offered jointly by the faculty in American politics.

Pos 522 State Government (4)
The values and trends conditioning the constitutional framework and intergovernmental relations of state government with national, local, and other state governments as they have evolved into the patterns prevalent today. The organization and functions of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches are examined with emphasis on the significant changes in their respective roles in policy formation and implementation, together with the interaction between the formal and the informal political institutions of state government. Selected problems of function, structure, and area are considered, as found in such topics as finance, education, health and welfare, regulation of economic enterprise, and planning.

Pos 522R State Government (2)
Same as Pos 522. (Readings course)

Pos 523 (Pln 523, Pub 523) Urban Community Development (3-4)
Examination of policies and programs designed to reduce social and economic distress in U.S. communities. Focuses on local and neighborhood-based efforts to address problems of inadequate housing, unemployment, lack of community services and facilities, crime etc. Considers role of government, private sector, and nonprofit organizations in community revitalization.

Pos 524 Community Politics (4)
Development of theories about the distribution of power at the local level. Literature on stratification, technological change, and political and social institutions is examined along with numerous community studies.

Pos 524R Community Politics (2)
Same as Pos 524. (Readings course) 

Pos 528 (Pln 528, Pub 528) U.S. Housing Policy (4)
United States housing policies since the New Deal, especially their distributional impact and their ability to expand housing production. Emphasizes policy options available to state and local governments and community organizations to expand affordable housing and revitalize inner-city neighborhoods.

Pos 530 Founding the American National Government (4)
The core of the course will focus on the records of the Federal Convention (with an emphasis on the roles of national and state governments, Congress, and the Presidency), as well as on the ratification debates between Federalists and Anti-Federalists. To fill out the course, we shall also look briefly at the political theory of the American Revolution, government under the Articles of Confederation, the Bill of Rights, and the implementation of the Constitution during the government's early years. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.

Pos 530 Founding the American National Government (2)
Same as Pos 530. (Readings course) 

Pos 531 The Legislative Process (4)
This is basically a reading seminar about the U.S. Congress with some forays into state and local legislative politics. Topics will vary, but typically will include theories of representation, congressional history, elections, careers, committees, leadership, House-Senate differences and a review of the major approaches to studying and evaluating the legislative process.

Pos 531R Readings in Legislative Process (2)
Same as Pos 531. (Readings course) 

Pos 532 The Chief Executive (4)
The increasing importance of the chief executive in American governments at all levels. The roles, responsibilities, and powers of chief executives are analyzed and the centrality of the executive in the political process is stressed.

Pos 532R Readings in the Chief Executive (2)
Same as Pos 532. (Readings course) 

Pos 533 Women and Politics (4)
Examines women as participants and citizens in the American political system. Topics include 1) women's political involvement at the elite level; 2) gender and mass politics (e.g., voting, public opinion); and 3) public policy areas of particular concern to women.

Pos 533R Women and Politics (2)
Same as Pos 533. (Readings course) 

Pos 534 American Political Parties (4)
Intensive study of political parties and party systems in the United States. Attention is devoted to both state and national politics, and parties are analyzed in terms of their structure, functions, and roles in the political system.

Pos 534R American Political Parties (2)
Same a Pos 534. (Readings course) 

Pos 535 Congress and the Presidency (4)
Specific topics may vary from year to year, but typical ones would include: the President's legislative role; Congress' role in foreign and national security policy; the budget as a vehicle for interbranch conflict; and proposals for institutional reform. Short, theme papers and a longer research paper will be required. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

Pos 538 Political Behavior (4)
Survey of both methodological and substantive studies of political behavior. Areas covered include electoral, legislative, judicial, and community behavior and political socialization.

Pos 538R Political Behavior (2)
Same as Pos 538. (Readings course) 

Pos 539 Seminar on Campaign and Elections (4)
Election campaigns are complex sets of events. Some events seem accidental. Others are the goal-driven decisions of variety of actors - candidates, potential candidates, parties, consultants, advocacy organizations, the media, voters, and others. Each actor affects the others. All function in a context shaped by election rules, as well as by larger structural considerations (governmental, constitutional, economic, technological and social.) This seminar will change from year to year, but the potential breadth of the subject does not. Ultimately, we want to consider how campaigning might matter - - not only to election outcomes, but to the relationship between citizens, elected officials and governing.

Pos 539R Readings on Seminar on Campaign and Elections (2)
Same as Pos 539. (Readings course)

Pos 540 (Pln 540, Pub 540, Soc 540) Urban Policy in the United States (4)
Characteristics of political behavior that are peculiar to, or more strongly pronounced in, urban settings including factions and bossism, city-town-county tensions, politics of planning, zoning, and other decisions, ward and precinct organization activity, and voting behavior. Cities in the Capital District are used for laboratory work.

Pos 542 The Politics of Organized Interests (4)
Examines the major types of organized interests, including membership groups, trade associations, and institutions. Considers creation, internal administration, influence on policymakers, financial power, and political impact of organized interests. Emphasis is on state and federal interest organizations in the United States.

Pos 542R The Politics of Organized Interests (2)
Same as Pos 542. (Readings course)

Pos 544 American Political Development (4)
A study of the historical shaping of American politics. Encompassing institutions, public policies, political culture, and political economy, American Political Development uncovers patterns of political stability and change. It explores critical episodes in American political history in a theoretically-informed fashion. The issues at the center of scholarship in American Political Development are important not only to students of American Politics but also to students of Comparative Politics and Political Theory.

Pos 551 Democratization (4)
The causes and effects of democratization are central to political science and recently have taken on added empirical importance. This course will explore theoretically and empirically these causes and effects drawing from the various democratization literatures including political economy, contentious politics, post communism, gender, ethnicity and area studies.

Pos 551R Democratization (2)
Same as Pos 551. (Readings course)

Pos 561 Nationalism and Nation-Building (4)
Classical and recent scholarly debates regarding nationalism and nation-building; theoretical and historical evolution of nationalism, nationalist movements, and nation-building; some of the most salient contemporary issues related to the national question, including the effects of globalization and the resurgence of nationalist movements in the post-Cold War era.

Pos 561R Nationalism and Nation-Building (2)
Same as Pos 561. (Readings course) 

Pos 625 Problems of Metropolitan Areas (4)
Selected metropolitan problems are analyzed and solutions proposed. Each student is responsible for presenting to the seminar a proposed solution for a major metropolitan problem.

Pos 631 Legislative Internship (4)
Active participation in the legislative process through work in a staff position in the New York State Legislature. Students also attend a series of occasional seminars to discuss the legislative process and their work experiences, prepare an annotated bibliography indicating a substantial knowledge of the academic literature related to the legislative process, and write a research paper dealing with the legislative process or some aspect of substantive policy development.

Pos 632 Topics in Legislative Research (4)
This course is intended to permit students who have already had graduate level courses in American Government and Politics to pursue topics in legislative politics for research. The course normally will combine common readings with student presentations. See the annual departmental listings for details about any given year’s offering. Prerequisite: Previous graduate course on the legislative process or permission of the instructor.

Pos 632R Readings in Legislative Research (2)
Same as Pos 632. (Readings course) 

Pos 667 (Pad 667, Pub 667) Politics of Environmental Regulation (4)
Evaluation of environmental regulation in the United States and considers the response of political and administrative institutions to complex problems such as toxic wastes. Comparative perspectives on Western and Eastern Europe and Japan.

Pos 667R Politics of Environmental Regulation (2)
Same as Pos 667. (Readings course) 

Pos 702 (Pad 702) Politics and Administration (4)
Comprehensive perspective on the political dimension of public administration in industrial democracies, especially the United States. Relationships between administrative agencies and chief executives, legislative bodies, courts, media, and interest groups examined. Issues raised by federalism and privatization probed. Focus on whether bureaucracy can be kept safe for democracy.

Pos 718 Seminar in Government, Politics, and the Mass Media (4)
Seminar discussing selected topics in the relationship between government, politics and the mass media, public information services, and reporting of public affairs. Prerequisite: A course in state and local government.

Pos 734 Campaign Internship (4)
Designed for students who wish to work in election campaigns and relate their experience to the academic study of political parties, campaigns, and elections. Students are expected to do substantial reading of the academic literature in the field and to write a research paper which relates the campaign work experience to selected theoretical frameworks discussed by scholars in the field. Pos 734 is open only to graduate students. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

Pos 749 Seminar in American Political System (4)
Examination of selected topics in the American political system.

Pos749R Seminar in American Political System (2)
Same as Pos 749. (Readings course) 

Courses in Comparative Political Systems

Pos 550 Field Seminar in Comparative Political Systems (4)
Survey of the basic substantive, methodological, and normative concerns of contemporary scholars of comparative political systems. Offered jointly by the faculty in comparative politics.

Pos 552 Comparative Communist and Post-Communist Systems (4)
Examination of the literature on the comparative study of communism and the disintegration of communist systems: to identify common and distinctive characteristics of the ruling-party systems in the Soviet Union, China, East Europe, Yugoslavia, and Cuba; to assess different approaches to the comparative analysis of communist countries; and to evaluate hypotheses that purport to describe and explain political behavior within these nations, including their transformation to post-communist orders.

Pos 552R Readings in Comparative Communist and Post-Communist Systems (2)
Same as 552. (Readings course) 

Pos 553 (Pad 664) Politics in Developing Countries (4)
Examines theories and practice of development to understand the persistence of poverty in the less developed world. Assesses major international aid agencies and non-governmental organizations.

Pos 553R Readings in Politics in Developing Countries (2)
Same as Pos 553. (Readings course)

Pos 554 (Pad 554) Political Violence, Insurgency, and Terrorism (4)
This course examines the relationships among, and differences between the following activities in the international political system: political violence, insurgency, and terrorism. The course will include a consideration of the causes of these activities, their effects on national and international politics, and an evaluation of governmental responses to them.

Pos 554R Readings in Political Violence, Insurgency, and Terrorism (2)
Same as Pos 554. (Readings course) 

Pos 555 (Pad 555, Pub 555) Disaster, Crisis and Emergency Management and Policy (4)
Study of the policies designed to prepare for, respond to, mitigate, and recover from natural and technological disasters, accidents, or terrorist attacks. Surveys government, non profit, and private sector activities in emergency and crisis management and policy.

Pos 556 Authoritarian and Comparative/Representative Regimes in Latin America (4)
A review of the ideological foundations, sources of support, and administrative styles of authoritarian and competitive/representative regimes. Power elites are examined to evaluate their programs and proposals, as well as the extent of the elites' effectiveness to implement them. Special attention will be paid to elite recruitment and to systematic response to societal demands.

Pos 556R Authoritarian and Comparative/Representative Regimes in Latin America (2)
Same as Pos 556. (Readings course) 

Pos 560 Comparative European Politics (4)
The interplay of ideology, political learning, citizen-participation, elites, and political culture in modern industrial societies. Eastern and Western Europe considered within a common conceptual framework and in terms of a common set of problems.

Pos 560R Comparative European Politics (2)
Same as Pos 560. (Readings course) 

Pos 563 Government and Politics in the People's Republic of China (4)
Deals with the relationship between ideology, institutions, and political leadership in the People's Republic of China since its founding in 1949; and with the implications of that relationship for public policy in China under Communist rule. These matters are examined against the backdrop of the end of dynastic rule in China in 1911 and the republican interregnum, 1911-1949.

Pos 563R Government and Politics n the People's Republic of China (2)
Same as Pos 563. (Readings course)

Pos 564 Russian Domestic Politics (4)
Historically and topically organized course focusing on major works in political science dealing with Soviet domestic politics. Emphasizes the contributions of the literature to understanding soviet political behavior and to the discipline of political science, especially the politics of economic and social change in the post-Stalinist USSR and post-Soviet Russia.

Pos 564R Readings in Russian Domestic Politics (2)
Same as Pos 564. (Readings course)

Pos 576 Globalization, International Cooperation, and Violent Global Movements (4)
Globalization is largely driven by ideas of free trade and international cooperation. While globalization facilitates goods moving across national borders, it also allows detrimental movements across borders — drugs, crime, weapons and terrorist activities. This course explores how international cooperation evolves and how it might counter harmful global movements.

Pos 576R Readings in Globalization, International Cooperation, and Violent Global Movements (2)
Same as Pos 576. (Readings course)

Pos 577 (Pad 577) Information Technology, Globalization and Global Governance (4)
Examines the role of information technology in globalization, democratization, diplomacy, security and international development.  Reviews previous episodes of transformative changes in communications to place contemporary changes in a broader historical context and considers theoretical explorations of the relationship between information technologies and global politics. 

Pos 591 Russian Foreign Policy (4)
This course examines why, how, and with what results tsarist Russia, the Soviet Union, and the Russian Federation pursued various goals in a changing international arena. Emphasis is on the Cold War and contemporary periods. Domestic and international influences on Russian foreign policy and policymaking; diplomatic, economic, military, and ideological activities; geostrategic, demographic, ethnic, and scientific-technological factors; and interactions among legacies, institutions, and decisions will be analyzed.

Pos 591R Readings in Russian Foreign Policy (2)
Same as Pos 591. (Readings course)

Pos 663 (Pad 663, Pub 663) Comparative Policy Systems (4)
This seminar investigates why some industrial societies have addressed challenges such as economic management and social welfare more effectively than others. It compares both policies and institutional structures charged with implementation in countries including France, Japan, and Britain. Privatization and prospects for international cooperation are explored.

Pos 663R Comparative Policy Systems (2)
Same as Pos 663. (Readings course) 

Pos 787 Seminar in Comparative Political Systems (4)
Selected topics in comparative political systems.

Pos 787R Readings in Comparative Political Systems (2)
Same as Pos 787. (Readings course)

Courses in International Relations

Pos 566 Ethnic Conflict (4)
Since the end of the cold war, ethnicity has served as a key source of identity conflict. This course will examine on the domestic and international aspects of ethnic conflict and the possibilities for management offered by a variety of institutional arrangements and international intervention.

Pos 566R Ethnic conflict (2)
Same as Pos 566. (Readings course) 

Pos 570 Field Seminar in International Political Systems (4)
A survey of the substantive, methodological, and normative concerns of contemporary scholars of international relations. Offered jointly by the faculty in international relations as the basic foundation course.

Pos 571 International Political Economy (4)
An introduction to competing theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of international political economy. The course will examine the utility of these different theoretical approaches and attend to major current issues in the field. Prerequisite(s): As specified for M.A. or Ph.D. students.

Pos 571R Readings in International Political Economy (2)
Same as Pos 571. (Readings course)

Pos 572 Comparative Foreign Economic Policy (4)
An exploration of the response of advanced capitalist states to pressures generated by the international political economy. Specific state responses, the domestic constellation of social forces, state-organization, and position in the world economy, are analyzed in a comparative framework with respect to policy formulation and economic performance. Prerequisite(s): As specified for M.A. and Ph.D. students.

Pos 573 American Foreign Economic Policy (4)
Examination of the underlying principles, creation and implementation of America's foreign economic policy. After examining the global economic environment, the course will turn to issues in American foreign economic policy and theories that explain the nature of policy choices. Prerequisite(s): As specified for M.A. and Ph.D. students.

Pos 574 Political Economy of North-South Relations (4)
An enquiry into the political economy of relations between advanced industrial states and the developing world. The course begins by studying how the underdeveloped regions were initially integrated into the world economy, then it turns to the key substantive issues in North-South relations. Questions of reform and justice in international politics will also be addressed. Prerequisite(s): As specified for M.A. or Ph.D. students.

Pos 575 Energy Policy, Domestic and International (4)
Critical questions raised: the pricing of oil on world markets by OPEC and consuming nations; the intervention policies of multinational firms, the U.S., and foreign governments; and the subsidizing of alternative energy sources within open-market economies. Research paper required.

Pos 580 Strategic Doctrine, Force Posture, and Arms Control (4)
A study of the origins and developments of strategic doctrines, force postures and arms control since World War II. Topics include deterrence, mutual assured destruction, warfighting, limited nuclear war, and arms control negotiations. Prerequisite(s): As specified for M.A. and Ph.D. students.

Pos 581 (Pub 581) Comparative Defense Policy (4)
Examines how different countries tailor grand strategy and military doctrine to their conception of national security. Draws from cases in Europe, North America, and Asia in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Pos 582 Global Security (4)
An introduction to competing theoretical approaches to the study of international security that considers alternative conceptual approaches, such as societal security and human security.  Reviews the evolution of nuclear deterrence and explores issues of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons proliferation, asymmetric warfare and homeland security. Prerequisite(s): As specified for M.A. and Ph.D. students.

Pos 583 International Law and Organization (4)
An analytical survey of the development, precedents, and limitations of international law and a survey of the integration of political communities at a regional or supranational level. Topics include an evaluation of the United Nations, common principles of organization for international organizations, and uses of law.

Pos 583R International Law and Organization (2)
Same as Pos 583. (Readings course) 

Pos 584 American Foreign Policy Formulation and Implementation (4)
A study of the foreign policy making and diplomacy of the United States, the objectives and formulation of policy goals and procedures and the domestic constraints on U.S. statecraft. Prerequisite(s): As specified for M.A. or Ph.D. students.

Pos 584R Readings in American Foreign Policy Formulation and Implementation (2)
Same as Pos 584. (Readings course) 

Pos 590 Superpower Relations in a Changing World (4)
Consideration of U.S.-Soviet relations since World War II. It focuses on the military rivalry, economic interaction, rivalry in the Third World, and reactions to changes in the international environment. Prerequisite(s): As specified for M.A. and Ph.D. students.

Pos 591 Foreign Policies of the Soviet Union and Its Successor Countries (4)
Analysis of Soviet foreign policy, 1917-1991, and the foreign policies of the USSR's successor countries, especially Russia, with extensive reading and writing on selected topics and consistent emphasis on actual behavior and domestic determinants of international activities. Particular attention to the United States, Western and Eastern Europe, and China and Japan, and to Russia's relations with other successor countries of the USSR. Prerequisite(s): Undergraduate study of Soviet history or politics or consent of instructor.

Pos 591R Readings in Russian Foreign Policy (2)
Same as Pos 591. (Readings course) 

Pos 592 The Foreign Policy of the People's Republic of China (4)
Examines the roots of Chinese Communist foreign policy in Chinese history, along with case-study materials pertaining to Chinese Communist foreign policy vis-a-vis key countries and regions since the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949. Attention is paid particularly to the political, economic, and military/strategic aspects of Chinese Communist foreign policy in the post-Cold War era.

Pos 593 International Relations of Latin America (4)
A review of the foreign policies of those Latin American nation-states which attempt to play a significant role at the supra-national level. The readings and discussion will include regional exchanges, as well as relations with the developed nations and with the rest of the Third World.

Pos 593R Readings in International Relations of Latin America (2)
Same as Pos 593. (Readings course)

Pos 597 (Pub 597) The Politics of Economic Integration (4)
The origin and implementation of policies leading to expansion of political authority over progressively large territorial areas and investigates theories of integration and imperialism purporting to explain such phenomena. Case studies of integration and/or disintegration include the political systems of Germany, USA, EEC, COMECON.

Pos 623 Africa in World Politics (4)
This seminar explores the role that African states play in international affairs, and the paradigms or prisms through which other international actors view them. Seminar themes include theoretical models, African unity, Africa's role in the global economy and the North-South dialogue, Africa's relations with the Great Powers in a post-cold war world, and the implications of technology, marginalization, and conflict for the future of African states. Case studies of Nigeria and South Africa are examined.

Pos 623R Africa and World Politics (2)
Same as Pos 623. (Readings course) 

Pos 624 African Politics (4)
Analysis of the main challenges confronting African political systems. The principal themes of the course include the colonial impact, models of political and economic development, ethnicity and militarism, and the contemporary crises stemming from the pressures of population on food resources, as well as the dissolution of apartheid.

Pos 624R Readings in African Politics (2)
Same as Pos 624. (Readings course)

Pos 666 (Pad 666, Pub 666) International Environmental Policy (4)
Considers alternative explanations for global environmental dilemmas, including population growth, poverty and runaway technology and the way in which each factor has shaped environmental policy.

Pos 789 Seminar in International Politics (4)
The focus will be designed by the instructor. Prerequisite(s): As specified for M.A. or Ph.D. students.

Pos 789R Seminar in International Political Systems (2)
Same as Pos 789. (Readings course) 

Courses in Public Policy and Administration

Pos 502 (Pub 502) Philosophical Reasoning in Public Policy (4)
Philosophical examination of the logic of normative reasoning, the relationship between knowledge and action, the character of moral and political values, and other problems that bear on the analysis of public policy. Concepts such as authority, accountability, justice, legitimacy, and power will be analyzed in terms of their relevance for understanding considerations involved in public choice. Emphasis on the relationships between philosophical reasoning, social scientific inquiry, and public discourse. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

Pos 504 (Pub 504) Political Theory and Public Affairs (4)
Introduction to Public Policy.

Pos 505 (Pub 505) Quantitative and Algorithmic Reasoning in Public Policy Analysis (4)
Use and misuse of quantitative and computer reasoning in shaping, defending and critiquing public policy arguments. Students should have already been exposed to the major methods used in quantitative analysis, including multivariate statistics, computing, and an introduction to management science techniques. Builds skill in mastering quantitative reasoning to argue actively public policy positions. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

Pos 506 (Pub 506) Implementation and Impact (4)
Examination of the process by which policies are put into effect; alterations during that process; effects intended and unintended; and feedback into further policy making. Implementation and impact of legislative, administrative, and judicial policies in particular policy areas.

Pos 506R Readings in Implementation and Impact (2)
Same as Pos 506. (Readings course)

Pos 513 (Pub 513) Field Seminar in Public Policy (4)
A survey of the substantive, methodological, and normative concerns found in the study of public policy. Offered jointly by the faculty in public policy.

Pos 525Q (A Wss 525, Pub 525Q, E Aps 525) Feminist Thought and Public Policy (4)
Examination of the implications of public policy research and implementation from a feminist perspective; the coherence or lack of it amongst different models of public policy formation, different perspectives on specific public policy issues, and different orientations within the women's movement.

Pos 604 (Pub 604, Wss 604) Inequality and Public Policy (4)
This course addresses the formulation and implementation of public policies that seek to end inequalities based on gender, race, class, sexual identity and/or other categories of marginalization.  Theoretical and case study readings focus on the challenges, paradoxes and successes of a variety of social change initiatives.  Prerequisite: Wss 525 (Feminist Thought and Public Policy) recommended.

Pos 605 (Pad 605) Politics of Migration and Membership (4)
Surveys dilemmas faced by local, national and international policymaking bodies addressing population movement.  Attention on the political and policy dimensions, including debates about national identity, immigration policy, political rights of immigrants, and integration (assimilation) policies.  U.S., international and comparative contexts examined. 

Pos 606 (Pad 606, Pub 606) Social Capital and Public Policy (4)
This course examines how social capital -- the structure of social ties, norms and networks within social groups -- affect the development and effectiveness of public policy. The course addresses the role of networks in structuring opportunity and inequality; efforts to transform social capital into political action; and the ability of policy to effectively tap into the beneficial aspects of social networks as well as curb negative effects like discrimination. Particular attention is paid to issues of racial and economic inequality.

Courses in Political Theory

Pos 500 Political Philosophy (4)
A topical inquiry into political concepts and normative discourse. The course may be repeated up to three times provided permission of student’s advisor is obtained and the subject matter is different each time it is repeated.

Pos 500R Readings in Political Philosophy (2)
Same as Pos 500. (Readings course) 

Pos 501 Field Seminar in Political Theory (4)
The basis substantive, methodological, and normative concerns of contemporary scholars of political theory. Offered jointly by the faculty in political theory.

Pos 512 Political Theory and Analysis (4)
Consideration of the relationship between contemporary political analysis and traditional political and social theory; the philosophy and methodology of the social sciences and the natural sciences; and the problems of explanation, values, and the relationships between theory and empirical investigation.

Pos 512 Political Theory and Analysis (2)
Same as Pos 512. (Readings course) 

Pos 515 American Political Theory (4)
This seminar will examine the history of American political theory from the founding to the contemporary period. It will study major thinkers and movements, and trace the origins and transformation of central concepts in the American experience. Texts will be presented from such figures as Paine, John Adams, Madison, Hamilton, Jefferson, the Antifederalists, the Jacksonians, Emerson, Thoreau, Calhoun, Lincoln, Sumner, Bellamy, Veblen, Henry Adams, Croly, Dewey, Mills, and the Pluralists. Attention will also be given to leading contemporary commentaries (e.g., Louis Hartz, Gordon Wood, and John Patrick Diggins.)

Pos 515R Readings in American Political Theory (2)
Same as Pos 515. (Readings course) 

Pos 543 (Pub 543) Science, Technology, and Public Policy (4)
Fundamental political questions about the nature, genesis, and operation of technological societies. Political theory provides the foundation for a historical reassessment of technique's impact on political society and ecological design. Examination of "autonomous" technology; denaturation of concepts as diverse as modernization, industrialization, mechanization, and progress.

Pos 565 (Wss 565) Feminist Theory (4)
Examination of key changes in feminist theory from the late 1960s to the present. Assessment of changes in the way feminists have thought about such topics as: motherhood, sexuality, the origin and nature of women's oppression, class, race, and differences among women. Attention to the political implications of changes in theory. Written analysis required on feminist theory in relation to the foundation of traditional disciplines studied by students.

Pos 567 Contentious Politics: Theory and Research (4)
Contentious politics focuses on politics outside of the normal boundaries of institutionalized politics. From protests to riots and revolutions, contentious politics have often led to major shifts in domestic political orders. This course will explore key theories and methods in the study of contentious politics.

Pos 567R Contentious Politics: Theory and Research (2)
Same as Pos 567. (Readings Course)

Pos 603 Contemporary Political Theory (4)
A critical exposition of political and social thought from the mid-nineteenth century to the present with emphasis on the socialist and radical tradition, existentialism, the foundations of modern social science, pluralism, liberalism, bureaucracy and elites, and the problems of mass society, community, and alienation.

Pos 603R Readings in Contemporary Political Theory (2)
Same as Pos 603. (Readings course) 

Pos 701 Tutorial in Political Theory (4)
Tutorial organized around specialized topics reflecting a particular faculty member's current research interest.

Pos 701R Readings in Political Theory (2)
Same as Pos 701. (Readings course) 

Courses in Public Law

Pos 526 American Constitutional Law: Federalism and Separation of Powers (4)
Supreme Court cases analyzed in terms of constitutional issues, judicial doctrines, and theoretical principles. Cases on issues of judicial review, federal-state relationships, and separation of powers.

Pos 526R Federalism and Separation of Powers (2)
Same as Pos 526. (Readings course) 

Pos 527 American Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights (4)
Supreme Court cases analyzed in terms of constitutional issues, judicial doctrines, and theoretical principles. Cases on issues of equal protection, political rights, civil liberties, and unenumerated rights like abortion.

Pos 527R Readings in American Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights (2)
Same as Pos 527. (Readings course) 

Pos 529 (Pub 529) Law and Policy (4)
Examination of the role of the courts in the public policy process and in substantive policy fields; integrates the literature of law and policy and applies it to such areas as mental health care, corrections, human resources, education, and housing policy.

Pos 529R Law and Public Policy (2)
Same as Pos 529. (Readings course)

Pos 537 The Legal Process (4)
Central aspects of the legal process, the meaning of law and law's functions, legal education and practice, and basic procedural matters.

Pos 541 Field Seminar in Public Law (4)
The basic substantive, methodological, and normative concerns of contemporary scholars of public law. Offered jointly by the faculty in public law.

Pos 610 Jurisprudence (4)
The problems and concepts of the philosophy of law with a particular focus on major thinkers and schools of thought.

Pos 610R Readings in Jurisprudence (2)
Same as Pos 610. (Readings course) 

Pos 628 Administrative Law (4)
Examination of the procedural law of administrative action, primarily through selected judicial opinions, both federal and state. Attention to legislative and executive control of administration, development of policy through agency adjudication and rule-making, with a focus on judicial review of agency action.

Pos 681 Legal Environment of Court Management (4)
Introduction to those aspects of legal doctrine and procedure having a direct bearing on judicial administration. Emphasizes civil and criminal procedure and the role of courts and judges in the litigation process. Elements of jurisdiction are discussed.

Pos 682 Administrative Environment of Court Management (4)
The major organizational and management issues in judicial administration. Topics include the role of professional administration in the court environment; court organization and financing and the movement toward unified court systems; case management and delay reduction in trial and appellate courts; the Jury system and problems in juror management; change in the courts and the problems of initiating reform.

Pos 729 Seminar in Public Law (4)
Examination of selected topics in public law. Student may repeat course if seminar has different subject matter.

Pos 729R Seminar in Public Law (2)
Same as Pos 729. (Readings course)

Pos 749S (Crj 740) Seminar on Specific Problems in the Criminal Justice System (2-4)
Twenty-five years ago, race riots in many cities (worst of all Newark and Detroit) led President Johnson to set up the National Commission on Civil Disorders chaired by Illinois Governor Otto Kerner. President Johnson asked the Commission: What happened? Why? And what should we do about it? Two million plus copies of the Kerner report were published and widely read. In May 1993, the Rockefeller Institute of Government held a Symposium to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Kerner commission report. This graduate seminar will read and discuss the original report and the report on the 1993 symposium, along with related books and articles on civil disorders and urban issues.

Pos 765 (Com 635) Media and the Courts (4)
Examination of media coverage and treatment of trial and appellate courts; attention to both print and electronic media. Readings in the literature and discussion in seminar setting. Regular attention to current newspaper and television coverage of courts.

Pos 765R Readings in Media and the Courts (2)
Same as Pos 765. (Readings course) 

Pos 786 Seminar in Judicial Process (4)
Examination of key elements of the judicial process in trial and/or appellate courts, at the federal and state levels: judicial selection, operation of courts, judges' decision-making, and judges' interaction with other legal actors (lawyers, staff). Analysis of the courts' role in the legal/political system. Student may repeat course if seminar has different subject matter.

Courses in Empirical Methodology

Pos 514 Introduction to the Discipline of Political Science (2)
This course, which is taken in the fall of the first year of the PhD program, provides an introduction to the intellectual history and professional structure of the discipline of political science and its six major subfields.  In the seminar, students and faculty will examine major historical debates and turning points in the discipline.  During the second half of the course, the faculty from each subfield will examine the implications of these debates on the subfield’s history and current research.

Pos 516 Introduction to Political Inquiry (4)
This course is designed as an introduction to study design, strategies, data collection and measurement in empirical political science.  This course will introduce students to a wide range of methods of inquiry, including qualitative case studies, large-N statistical analysis, survey research, formal models, laboratory experiments, computer simulations, content analysis, and interviews.  This course will examine the strengths and weaknesses of individual approaches, as well as the benefits of multi-method designs.  Finally, the course will explore ethical considerations in research.

Pos 517 (Pad 517) Empirical Data Analysis (4)
Introduction to a variety of data-analysis techniques ranging in complexity from simple table construction and interpretation to causal analysis. Within this range are coding, scale and index construction, multidimensional scaling, levels of measurement, measures of association, correlation and regression, panel and cohort analysis, and Markov chains. Introduction to computer technology and functional software. Basic competence in statistics necessary. Prerequisite: One course in statistics or consent of instructor.

Pos 518 (Pad 518) Regression Analysis (4)
This course will give students familiarity with multivariate regression analysis, including Ordinary Least Squares and other regression methods. Prerequisites: Pos 517 or Pad 505 or Pub 505 or equivalent

Pos 519 (Pad 519) Advanced Statistical Methods (4)
The course will give students familiarity with advanced statistical techniques currently used by political scientists. Topics may include a) advanced regression analysis; b) time series regression; c) categorical data analysis; d) maximum likelihood estimation; and e) other statistical techniques. Prerequisites: Pos 517 or Pad 505 or Pub 505 or equivalent

Pos 618 Qualitative Methods (4)
This course examines qualitative research and how it fits in the broader discipline of political science.  It covers the contributions and limitations of qualitative research; the nuts and bolts of conducting qualitative research; and how to analyze the results.  Prerequisites:  Pos 516, Pos 517 or equivalent.

Pos 670 (Pad 670) Research Methods in Historical Institutionalism (4)
This class will introduce students to research methods in historical institutionalism, an approach to studying policy and government that has swept through the Social Sciences. Doctoral students will have an opportunity to learn about the research process and work on an in-depth piece of original research.

Pos 695 Selected Problems in Political Science Research: Research and Writing Seminar Part I (2)
This course, which is taken in the fall of the second year of the PhD program, is designed to actively guide students toward the completion of a major research paper, fit for submission to an academic conference or journal.  During the semester, students will examine the elements of a persuasive argument, identify an important research question, conduct an extensive literature review, and develop a research design.  This research design will be executed the following spring in Pos 696.

Pos 696 Selected Problems in Political Science Research: Research and Writing Seminar Part II (2)
This course, which is taken in the spring of the second year of the PhD program, focuses on the implementation of the research design created in Pos 695.  Students will conduct original research under the guidance of a course instructor and faculty mentor from their subfield.  During the semester, students will also examine the review process in the discipline and present their final results in a research conference.  Prerequisite: Pos 695.

Courses in Research and Dissertation

Pos 599 Selected Topics in Political Science (1)
Investigation of selected topics in Political Science. Specific topics selected and announced by individual instructors when offered. May be repeated once if selected topic is substantively different.

Pos 697 Selected Problems in Political Science Research (2-6)
Introduces students to selected problems in research methodology. Each student will complete a research project.

Pos 698 Master's Essay (4-6)

Pos 740 Seminar on Dissertation and Research Proposal Writing (4)
Using the student's own topic, this seminar takes the student from preproposal memorandum through concept paper to full-length dissertation/research proposal. Attention is given to theoretical framework of proposal; elements of research design including choice of research site, subjects, and instruments; human subjects review; calendar; budget; and proposal review. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

Pos 798 Readings in Political Science (2-8)
Individual directed reading program in selected topics and problems in political science.

Pos 897 Independent Research in Political Science (2-12)
Individual work in preparation for the qualifying examinations for the Ph.D. in political science. A student registering for Pos 897 indicates the portion of the total semester-load devoted to it by listing an appropriate number of "load equivalent units" instead of credits. Prerequisite: Consent of department chair or departmental advisor to doctoral students.

Pos 899 Doctoral Dissertation (1)

Load graded.  Appropriate for doctoral students engaged in research and writing of the dissertation.  Prerequisite: Admission to doctoral candidacy.