45 courses with the subject POLS, 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.
Course not otherwise included in the catalog listing but for which there may be special needs. May be repeated for credit as often as permitted and as subject matter changes. See department chair.
An introduction to the basic dynamics of American politics, including the forces that shape political behavior and institutions. Fall and Spring.
An introduction to the American legal system. Readings and discussions center on representative legal opinions in various areas including constitutional, criminal, contract, and property law, materials examining how cases are brought to court and the factors that shape judicial decisions. See department chair.
An introduction to classic works of political thought and the way ideas can be used to understand the political world. Close readings of select ancient, modern, and contemporary political thinkers explore such issues as the nature of politics. What is political power? What makes for a just political order? What is the relation between ends and means in politics? And what role ought citizens to play in a democratic society? Every year.
An introduction to the study of political institutions, processes, and outcomes within and across countries. Special emphasis is placed on important themes of contemporary comparative politics, including political regimes, democratization, political institutions, political culture, and conflict with examples drawn from different countries and historical periods. Every year.
Course not otherwise included in the catalog listing but for which there may be special needs. May be repeated for credit as often as permitted and as subject matter changes. See department chair.
An introduction to the basic concepts, theories and methods dealing with the study of international relations. The course emphasizes the current forces and trends that have shaped and are shaping the international system. Every year.
An introduction to political science inquiry and methodology, focusing on the process of making and supporting knowledge claims about political phenomena. The course serves as an introduction to the methods of political science, emphasizing the development of theories and the substantiation of causal claims with evidence. The methods covered include both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Instruction on research design, review of the literature, proper use of citations, as well as collection, use, and interpretation of data will be covered.
An exploration of U.S. immigration policy that will cover its history, development, and the different actors involved in that process. Topics covered include immigrant incorporation, the naturalization process, fiscal impacts of immigration, and enforcement, amongst others. See department chair.
A comparative exploration of political conflict and collective violence based on a comparative analysis of cases from different countries and time periods. Topics include social revolutions, regime change and democratization, ethnic conflict and civil war, as well as protest movements and state repression. See department chair.
Examines contemporary and historical debates surrounding the provision of reparations for Black Americans in the United States and the forms those reparations may take. While the primary focus of the class will be on reparations for slavery, Jim Crow segregation, and institutionalized racism in the US, we will also examine other forms of and debates around reparations throughout US history and cross-nationally to give context to this examination. We will end the semester with a close case study of Asheville’s resolution to provide reparations to Black residents. Class discussion will be supplemented with guest lectures from experts and advocates in the community. See department chair.
Explores the politics behind and around the US Census, the process by which the US government counts the number of people living in the United States every ten years. In this course, we will discuss who gets counted, how the process is conducted, and why the official count misses so much of the population. We will also dig into the implications this process has for redistricting & representation, federal funding allocations, the provision of government services, and how we think about race, ethnicity, and identity in American politics. The course will particularly focus on the most recent past census and upcoming population counts as lenses by which to understand the politics around this critical but flawed government process. See department chair.
This course will examine the role of the media in American politics through an exploration of its history and development over time. It will also engage with the rise of social media and its impact on the behavior of the American people, governmental actors, and political institutions. Topics covered include media ownership, framing, agenda-setting, polarization, political movements, and bias, amongst others. See department chair.
Explore how music has soundtracked social change from Billie Holiday to Kendrick Lamar. This seminar examines music as a tool to raise awareness, build community, and transform the way people think about the world. We’ll analyze how artists have challenged power structures, built solidarity across movements, and shaped public consciousness around a variety of political issues. Through collaborative discussion and student-led sessions, discover how the personal becomes political through song. See department chair.
Modern democratic government is unthinkable save in terms of parties. This course explores the role political parties play in the democratic process. It examines party formation, organization, influence, and electoral competition across varying institutional, economic, and cultural contexts. By comparing the processes used in democracies from different regions, the course seeks to evaluate how institutional arrangements affect the ability of parties to translate citizens’ preferences into policy outcomes. See department chair.
Exploration of the place of Latinxs in the American political system. Topics covered include Latinx civil rights, political incorporation, political attitudes and behavior, political representation, intergroup relations, and pan-ethnic identity. See department chair.
Uses findings from the fields of social and cognitive psychology to explain political phenomena. Particular attention is paid to the role of social categorizations in politics such as race and gender, and the use of cognitive shortcuts in decision making. While the lessons in the course can be applied across nations, most of the findings come from studies focused on U.S. politics. See department chair.
Explores the meaning of democracy in the American context and will attempt to evaluate how democratic the government of the United States is, and whether it lives up to its own founding ideals. These questions will be addressed by tracing debates and challenges that have persisted in American democracy from the founding to the contemporary period, including but not limited to: the role of race in American politics, the place of women in American politics, and the relationship between religion and American politics. Recommended
An analysis of presidential behavior that emphasizes the forces shaping the potential for success. Topics include the nature and exercise of presidential power; the influences of personality, political context, and government structure; and the various meanings of leadership. Recommended
Designed to introduce students to the study of campaigns and elections in the United States, this course will focus primarily on federal elections–both presidential and congressional. We will cover a variety of topics, including campaign strategies and finance, political advertisements, public opinion, electoral rules, and voting behavior. Students will be asked to think creatively about how to design and run an effective campaign and to analyze the effects of rules and procedures on the outcomes of elections. Students will be asked to partner with Buncombe County Election Services for voter mobilization efforts and election day poll working. Even years Fall.
Detailed examination of the congressional process. Emphasis on internal workings, relationships with other parts of political system, and their impact on public policy. Recommended
Major issues of contemporary constitutional law using case studies with an overview of context for these issues; the role of the Supreme Court. Recommended
Examines judicial decisions regarding the relation between the individual and the state. The course covers cases involving individual rights and First Amendment freedoms. Fall.
Examines the demographic, economic and political forces which shape the response of the United States to a major characteristic of globalization. Emphasis is placed on the legal and public policy issues facing the country. See department chair.
An introduction to the political science of law and courts. We evaluate law and the courts as political institutions and judges as political actors and policy-makers. Some of the topics we will cover are: what courts do, the power of courts, the constraints on judicial decision-making, judge/justice selection and appointment, conflict within the federal judicial hierarchy, case selection, and the role of ideology and constitutionalism on the courts. See department chair.
Two important questions are examined in this course: How much influence does money have in determining who seeks and wins elective office in the United States? How much do money and lobbying influence government actions and the public policy we see? Students will debate the role of money in politics by looking at interest group activity, campaign finance reform, and the behavior of elected officials. See department chair.
Through the use of oral histories, analysis of documents, and reflection on the political theory and practice of civic engagement and community building, this community service learning course examines the nature of power, politics and memory in community. See department chair.
Drawing on classic works of political theory and ideas from contemporary social science and humanities, the course explores the origins of democracy and its implications for the contemporary world. Issues examined include the origins of the franchise, the relationship of language to power, the role of myth making in establishing democratic regimes, and democracy’s relationship to law, culture, empire, and religion. See department chair.
Examines the role that politics plays in shaping the environments in which we live, and the way in which those environments then influence our politics. During the semester we will focus on the development of the U.S. suburbs, the resegregation of U.S. society in the middle of the 20th century, and the development of the urban-rural partisan divide. See department chair.
Explores the origins of racial categorization, the historical impact of race and class in the U.S., and the impact of these constructs on our politics today. In particular, this course will focus on the experience of historically marginalized groups, the contemporary rise of economic inequality, and the impact of racial attitudes on the class struggle within the U.S. See department chair.
A comparative examination of ideas that have shaped the political institutions and processes affecting African-Americans and Africans since 1619. Topics include racism, separatism, assimilation, accommodation, pluralism, nationalism, womanism, Pan-Africanism and Afrocentrism. See department chair.
Historical examination of the ideas that have influenced and shaped American institutions and the political process, from the Puritans to contemporary theorists. See department chair.
The major ideological movements that have influenced domestic and world politics, including the various shades of communism and socialism, racism, liberalism and anarchism. See department chair.
Examines the executive branch of the federal government in the implementation of laws as well as the executive’s role in creating and shaping public policy. The principles of public administration are explored in the context of the politics of bureaucracy. Special attention is given to the role the professional civil service plays in the policy making process, specifically, and in representative democracy, generally. Recommended
Examines the political conflicts and compromises resulting from different interpretations of environmental protection. Special emphasis is placed on the choices regarding the distribution of costs and benefits and the trade-offs between environmental goals and other public and private objectives. Recommended
Course not otherwise included in the catalog listing but for which there may be special needs. May be repeated for credit as often as permitted and as subject matter changes. See department chair.
Examines the evolving goals and methods and strengths and weaknesses of some of the most influential international organizations. Special emphasis is placed on the United Nations system. Recommended
Examines the political, social and legal dimensions of the modern human rights movement and its implications for international affairs and United States foreign policy. Analyzes contemporary debates on various issues including the hierarchy of rights, conflicts between individual rights and societal priorities, refugees, international migration, asylum, repatriation, and the challenges created by transition to democracy. See department chair.
Examines the institutions, processes and decision rules traditionally used to adjudicate disputes between nations but increasingly applied to conflicts involving individuals. Recommended
Focuses on exploring, illustrating and communicating compelling stories hidden in data. Part art, programming and statistical reasoning, data description and visualization skills have become critical for anyone who seeks to substantiate claims to knowledge. A proficiency in data analysis is essential for those pursuing careers in policy advocacy and evaluation, business consulting and management, or academic research in the fields of education, health, medicine, and the social sciences. This course introduces students to the open-source programming language R, statistical techniques to analyze data, and the fundamentals of creating data-analysis graphics. No prior background in programming is required or expected.
A semester-long internship with participating organizations, firms, government agencies, and community service or non-profit organizations.
Introduces students to the scientific document preparation system, LaTeX, and the BibTeX reference and citation management tool; students learn to produce publication quality documents including scholarly articles, presentations, posters, resumes, CVs, and formal letters. See department chair.
Course not otherwise included in the catalog listing but for which there may be special needs. May be repeated for credit as often as permitted and as subject matter changes. See department chair.
A research class in which students undertake supervised investigation of political phenomena using political science methods that can range from qualitative research designs such as case studies or experiential inquiries to quantitative statistical analyses. Students may also tackle normative or conceptual questions, as well as conduct legal analyses. All students will produce an original research thesis and present the findings of their projects in an oral presentation. The course fulfills the senior competency requirements for Political Science majors. An IP grade may be awarded at the discretion of the instructor.
Independent research under the supervision of a faculty mentor. An IP grade may be awarded at discretion of instructor. May be repeated for a total of 6 hours credit.
Source: University of North Carolina Asheville's catalog, linked per course · table learning_unit · CourseShelf publish 61
