34 courses with the subject PSCI, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
PSCI 1000Great Questions of Modern Politics4
Goals: Introduce students to the field of Political Science and the most pressing, relevant political questions of our time. Begin developing fundamental skills important for succeeding in the major or minor. Content: Overview of disciplinary/interdisciplinary subfields, significant research, and major debates within the field. Department members, as guest speakers, share their interests and areas of expertise. Taught: Annually
Goals: To introduce students to analytical concepts and frameworks for the study of American national government and politics, especially as it relates to the question of who gets what, how, and why. Content: The constitutional framework; political values and public opinion; the role of parties, interest groups and mass media; Congress, the judiciary and the presidency; the policy process in selected substantive areas such as social welfare, health care, defense, foreign policy, economic management, and/or civil liberties. Taught: Annually
Goals: Introduce students to the study of public policy and policy analysis and provide a strong understanding of relevant ethical issues and political theory. Content: Begin developing foundational skills important for evaluating public policy. Highlight fundamentals of the American political and legal systems. Explore ethical implications of policy decision-making. Taught: Annually
Goals: Analyze the fundamentals of American government and politics using a series of applied research projects, undercover examinations, and field studies. Develop skills in research and investigation alongside a deeper understanding of the American political system. Content: Evaluate political attitudes and the role of polarization in the functioning of the U.S. government. Examine how mass media has evolved and how social media shapes contemporary political views like populism and conspiracy theories. Analyze how American political institutions are evolving and what these changes mean for public policy, advocacy, and political beliefs. Taught: Annually
Goals: To introduce students to major issues in contemporary international relations and varying approaches to studying them, including the role of the state and non-state actors and sources of conflict and cooperation in world politics. Content: Realism (and its variants), Liberalism (and its variants), Marxism, Social Constructivism, Postmodernism, and Feminism; the nature of war and peace, the challenges the “global south” faces, environmental politics, cultural differences and their impact on global politics, state and human security, nationalism and ethnic conflict, international organizations, and transnational crime, including terrorism. Taught: Annually
PSCI 1500Parties and Elections in the United States4
Goals: To achieve a sound understanding of the impact and role of political parties, voting, and elections upon American government and public policy. Content: The role of parties and elections in democratic politics, party organization and leadership, campaigns, money and the media, voters and nonvoters, party change, and political realignment. Taught: Alternate years
Goals: To achieve a clear understanding of the role of the presidency in the U.S. Political system. To explore how the presidency has been affected by political, social, and economic developments. Content: Presidential selection process; White House decision making; the role of presidential personality and style; White House relations with Congress, the bureaucracy, political parties, and pressure groups; role of the presidency in selected policy areas such as national security and economic policy; the impact of public opinion and mass media on the presidency; the problem of presidential power–too much or too little? Taught: Alternate years
Goals: To explore the theory and practice of international political economy and the intersection of political science and economics. To understand the evolution of the international monetary system and international trade policy. To consider the interaction of political authority and markets in the global economy. Content: Neo-classical growth models; dependency theory; politics of growth and industrialization; comparative perspective of industrialization (e.g., developmental successes and failures); international regimes; financial crises and structural adjustments. Taught: Alternate years
Goals: To achieve a sound understanding of the pattern and process of American foreign policy in a changing world and to comprehend the analytic perspectives that enhance such understanding. Content: Patterns of post-1945 foreign policy during the Cold War; social, economic, and ideological sources of U.S. policy; the foreign policy-making process; challenges to American policy in a post-Cold War world; the politics of globalization and counter-terrorism. Taught: Alternate years
Goals: Analyze significant issues, controversies, and debates in the field of contemporary security studies. Examine a variety of security issues across multiple regions. Content: Possible topics include civil wars, cyber warfare, transnational crime, refugee crises, and nuclearization. Taught: Alternate years
PSCI 1430 is recommended. Students should have a basic familiarity with what is happening around the world and how issues are linked to each other at the global level, especially concerning human and state security. Credits: 4
PSCI 3100American Constitutional Law and Political Mobilization4
Crosslisted: Also listed as LGST 3100 Goals: To study the role of the courts in the development of the American Constitution. To introduce students to the “rule of law” concept in Anglo American judicial history. Content: Study of the United States Constitution and U.S. Supreme Court cases on separation of powers, federalism, civil liberties and civil rights. Taught: Annually
Goals: To engage in advanced study in a specialized topic in the field of political science. Content: An intensive study of a specific area of political science, which could address any of the main disciplinary subfields: political theory, methods, international relations, comparative or domestic politics. Topics vary from year to year.
Goals: Introduce students to health care policy, emphasizing the creation of US health care delivery systems with special focus on recent policy changes from the 1990s to the present. Content: Topics include health care cost and financing, benchmarks for evaluation, factors affecting health and health care policy, the Affordable Care Act, assessing the effectiveness and implementation of health care policy, and examining alternative policy options within a comparative perspective. Taught: Annually
Goals: Examine the constitutional and legal rules governing health care policy in the US. Content: Cover the role of the national, state, and local governments in health care policy, including privacy laws and discrimination. Evaluate rules regarding the regulation of health care practices, prescription drugs, and other aspects of US public health administration and implementation.
Goals: Give students an understanding of 1) food as an element of US political culture, 2) food activism and advocacy, 3) policymaking processes that shape the US farm bill, 4) the cultural, economic, and political factors that influence food policy decisions, and 5) the consequences of those policies. Use food as a way to critically assess US politics and the power of policymaking and justice movements to meet needs and drive real change. Content: Study the US food system with a special focus on the political and policymaking answers to the guiding question: What is “good food”? Explore how different political actors (e.g., farmers, agricultural workers, consumers, activists and policymakers) engage with government and each other around often-conflicting goals: nutrition and public health, agricultural and environmental sustainability, food safety, access and affordability, food worker safety, and food justice.
Goals: To analyze the relative power and impact of women and other unconventional leaders in contemporary politics. To examine the most formidable hurdles to, and most promising opportunities for, gender political equality. Content: Current research and theories about women and gender in domestic and global political contexts. Covers gender politics as it relates to political culture, changes in media, political institutions and influential public policies. Taught: Annually
Goals: To introduce fundamental concepts of politics and contemporary methods of political analysis and research. Content: The development of political science as a discipline, various theories and approaches in political analysis, methods of research in political science, and practical experience in empirical analysis. Taught: Annually
Goals: To examine the competing theories of the causes of civil and ethnic conflicts, to analyze processes that may lead to major human suffering when these conflicts turn into horrific wars, and to discuss possible ways to alleviate short- and long-term human suffering these conflicts create. Content: Emphasis on theoretical works and selected case studies from the contemporary world. students are expected (1) to define, understand, and use concepts and terms relevant to the study of civil and ethnic conflict; (2) to analyze and think critically about the effects of different forces on these types of conflicts with the appreciation that societies have different cultural, economic, sociological, and historical settings; (3) to suggest ways to reduce, if not totally eliminate, the negative influence of these conflicts on individuals and collectivities, and finally (4) to have a working knowledge of challenges that these types of conflicts hold for the future of world politics. Extensive case studies will be drawn from various parts of the world. Taught: Annually
PSCI 3580Connections and Collisions: Middle East in Contemporary Global Politics4
Goals: To examine politics and society in the contemporary Middle East, within the context of the region’s historical, cultural, and economic environment. To understand both the major themes and issues in Middle Eastern politics and the diverse experiences of individual countries (e.g., Egypt, Israel, Syria, Saudi Arabia). Content: Islam, Arab, and Ottoman Empire, the colonial legacy and nationalist movements, Arab nationalism, the Arab-Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Iranian Revolution, the impact of ethnic and religious diversity on politics, the “Arab Spring” and the like. By the end of the semester, students are expected to be able to think critically about the Middle East, to rigorously examine the ties between the past and the present in analyzing today’s problems in the region; to have a good grasp of the diversity present in the Middle East; and to have a working knowledge of opportunities and challenges that this region holds for the peace and security in the world. Taught: Annually
Crosslisted: Also listed as GIST 3650 Goals: Through this course, students will develop research, critical thinking, and team-building skills; students will also gain perspectives on the role of international organizations and nongovernmental organizations in the international community. Students will gain an appreciation for diverse cultures, modes of negotiation and conflict resolution, and the professional nature of diplomacy. Content: This course is designed to help prepare students to serve as delegates to the National Model United Nations Conference in New York. Students will also have the opportunity to visit other international agencies and NGOs (non-governmental organizations) in New York as well as volunteer with organizations in the Twin Cities. Topics discussed in the class will include: the nature of diplomacy, how nations interact, the operations of the United Nations system, the role of NGOs, and case studies of individual countries which the team will represent at the simulation in New York. Students will engage in mock debates and discussions of UN policy initiatives. By discussing the work of the UN and NGOs, students will also gain an understanding of a variety of transnational issues such as arms control, security, HIV/AIDS, environmental protection, child labor, etc. Taught: Spring semester
PSCI 3610Politics and Policy in the Asian Pacific Region4
Goals: To explore politics, government, and society in the Asian Pacific region. To understand both the major themes and issues in Asian Pacific politics and the diverse experiences of individual countries. Content: National legacy, state or nation building, constitution and government structure; policy processes and the relationship between government and society; the impact of external and regional forces on individual countries.
Goals: To understand the nature and significance of the main currents of American political thought from the 17th century to the present; to explore the historically developing relationships between liberalism, capitalism, democracy, conservatism, and radicalism in the United States. Content: Careful study of mainstream thinkers and documents (Jefferson, Lincoln, the Constitution) as well as dissident voices (Frederick Douglass, Emma Goldman, the anti-Federalists). Emphasis on the social and economic context of political thought. Taught: Alternate years
Goals: To examine various political ideologies from a comparative and historical perspective. To consider the manner in which ideas are transformed into action. Content: Examination of the foundation, content, and impact of recognized ideologies such as socialism, communism, anarchism, fascism, feminism, environmentalism, and liberalism. Taught: Annually
Goals: To comprehend the nature and significance of the tradition of Western political thought; to develop the skills to critically analyze and evaluate contributions to the field; to explore the relevance of political theory for understanding contemporary politics and clarifying one’s own political perspective. Content: Analysis of the tradition of political discourse from Plato and Aristotle in ancient Greece to Marx and Mill in the 19th century, including such thinkers as Machiavelli, Locke, and Rousseau. Emphasis on issues related to democratic theory, economy and property, and political change. Taught: Alternate years
Goals: Analyze and evaluate public policy using theoretical, empirical and social scientific methodologies. Content: Develop intermediate skills important for evaluating public policy. Learn how to read, evaluate and utilize methodologies that are useful in analyzing public policy.
PSCI 1200 and one of the following methods courses - CJFS 3140, ECON 1200, GIST/HIST 3020, or PSCI 3540 Credits: 4
PSCI 3680Politics and Society in Developing Areas4
Goals: To examine politics in developing countries from a comparative perspective and to study existing approaches to issues of political legitimation and stability, economic development, and the relationship between politics and economics in the non-Western world. Content: The colonial legacy and the emergence of states in the developing world, approaches to studying the non-Western state, processes of political development, the nature of political leadership and problems of political legitimation, theories of political change and economic development, and the role of developing countries in the world. Taught: Alternate years
PSCI 3690Politics of Urban and Metropolitan America4
Goals: To introduce analytical concepts and frameworks for the study of urban and metropolitan problems. Content: The emergence of metropolitan American and urban political systems. Special focus on ethnic and racial politics; local political engagement; community elites; urban political economies; political problems of metropolitan areas; urban reform and planning. Taught: Alternate years
Goals: To learn how to think critically and analytically about the formulation and implementation of public policy. To acquaint students with some of the more important concepts, issues, and problems in public administration. Content: Policy formation and analysis; causes and consequences of policy selection and design; effective leadership; challenges associated with bureaucracy, successful administration and policy implementation; understanding and formulating research on public policy and administration. Taught: Annually
PSCI 3710Political, Economic, and Social Development in China4
Goals: To examine two distinctive pathways of political, social, and economic development in China (Chinese mainland and Taiwan). To explore political, economic, and social structures in the region. To consider the impact of Chinese development on the region and Sino-U.S. relations. Content: Post World War II political history of modern China; the similarities and differences of China’s and Taiwan’s political, social, and economic developmental strategies; governmental, social, and economic institutions and patterns; the transformation of relations between state and society; relations with the United States. Taught: Alternate years
PSCI 3720Political Violence: War, Revolution, and Terrorism4
Goals: To examine the theory and practice of various types of political violence and their transforming impact on state, society, and the world. To understand what factors drive people to revolt and the relationship between power and violence. To consider the impact of the state’s reaction to political violence. Content: The causes of political violence; patterns of violent activity; issues of political symbolism, coercion, and legitimacy; state and people’s strategies for dealing with political violence (e.g., revolution and counterrevolution; terrorism and counterterrorism); analyses of global terrorism in the 21st century. Taught: Alternate years
PSCI 3730Democracy, Authoritarianism, and Democratization4
Goals: To explore the theory and practice of democracy, authoritarianism, and democratization in various regions and states of the world. Content: Definitions of democracy; types of authoritarian states and power structures; theory or models of regime change; process of democratic transformation (e.g., liberalization, transition, and consolidation); patterns of regime change (top down or bottom up), “economics first” or “politics first” or dual transition theories. Taught: Alternate years
Goals: To explore the intersection of political science and social psychology and analyze how citizens think and feel about politics. To examine thought processes of political leaders, probing to discover why leaders make decisions that they do. To learn about research areas associated with political psychology and ways scholars go about testing their theories about political behavior. Content: Personality and politics, right and left wing authoritarianism, stereotyping and prejudice, political culture, emotion and persuasion, influence of mass media, groupthink, interplay of public opinion and elite decision making, methodologies associated with political psychology (for instance, experimentation and survey research). Taught: Annually
Goals: To enable majors to synthesize prior learning in Political Science through a senior capstone experience. To provide opportunities for intensive research and discussion of select topics in contemporary U.S. and global politics. Content: Topics will rotate annually. Each year the seminar will focus on a specific, substantive area of politics and policy, at international, national, or local levels. Examples of topics include economic globalization, the impact of welfare reform, and advanced topics in democratic theory and social justice. Students will be expected to engage in and present the results of a major research project that integrates the central learning goals of the discipline with the substantive focus of the seminar. Taught: Annually
Goals: To enable senior majors to explore connections between theory and practice in Political Science by combining academic analysis and learning with field experience. Content: Seniors taking this course will be expected to obtain a semester internship in the Twin Cities (120 hours of work) with either a governmental agency, non-profit, international NGO, political organization, or business. The course will be the “academic” portion of the internship. Each week students will be reading current articles in political science and discussing them in light of their internships. Students will engage in applied research on a topic related to their internship and be responsible for completing a substantial research paper by the end of the semester. The writing process will include creating a research proposal, outline, and drafts of the project. Other assignments will include a weekly internship journal and oral presentation of the research project at the end of the semester. Please
