52 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.
POLS 002American Politics (AP)1
How do American institutions and political processes work? To what extent do they produce democratic, egalitarian, or rational outcomes? The course examines the exercise and distribution of political power. Topics include presidential leadership and elections; legislative politics; the role of the Supreme Court; federalism; parties, interest groups, and movements; public policy; the politics of class, race, and gender; voting; mass media; and public discontent with government. Social sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE. Fall 2026. Reeves. Spring 2027. Reeves. Fall 2027 Reeves. Spring 2028 Schwarz.
This course teaches students how to analyze and compare the politics and societies of countries around the world. Topics vary by instructor but may include the origins of the contemporary system of nation-states, the consolidation and breakdown of democratic and authoritarian political regimes, the ways that the “rules of the game” in politics structure competition and favor certain groups over others, the politics of economic development and globalization, the nature and dynamics of social movements, revolutions and civil wars, and the role of identities, ideologies, and religious beliefs in shaping patterns of political development, and conflict, and inclusion/exclusion. The course also provides an introduction to some of the main theories, concepts, and methods used by political scientists who engage in the art of comparative politics. To explore these themes, we draw examples from a variety of countries and regions across the world. Social sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for GLBL-Core; PPE. Fall 2026. Handlin. Spring 2027. Jee. Fall 2027 Staff. Spring 2028 Staff.
POLS 004Introduction to International Relations (IR)1
In this course, we will explore the fundamental concepts of the field of international relations. Students will learn the basic facts about international conflict, the international economy, international law, development, and the world environment, among other things. Furthermore, we will study the fundamental theoretical concepts and theories of international relations. Using these theories, students will be able to sort through arguments about various topics in international relations and make judgment calls for yourself. Finally, students will learn how these concepts have evolved over time and how we can use them to hypothesize what lies ahead for international relations. Social sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for GLBL-Core, PEAC; PPE. Fall 2026. Paddon Rhodes. Spring 2027. Tierney. Fall 2027 Kaya. Spring 2028 Tierney.
Cross Listed with ECON 006 The current political, social, and economic moment has brought a number of crucial public policy questions to center stage. It has also created remarkable political polarization in the U.S. and elsewhere, which has eroded public discourse. In this course, we will study some of the biggest public policy challenges of our time - including immigration, artificial intelligence, ongoing global conflicts, climate change, abortion policy, and more. The course is mostly U.S.-focused, though not exclusively. Crucially, this course strives to bring a diversity of perspectives to bear on the selected topics (through discussions, readings, guest speakers, etc.), and students should expect their personal views on these issues to be critiqued and challenged. The course is based primarily on the fields of economics, political science, and policy analysis, though we also will teach practical skills around how to engage with those who disagree with you. The broader goal of the course is to help students learn about policy issues in nuanced ways, so we can better understand other points of view, engage in more civil discourse, and more effectively advocate for our preferred policy positions in a polarized society.
ECON 001 Social Sciences. 1 Credit. Eligible for PPE; ESCH. Catalog chapter: Political Science Economics Department website: swarthmore.edu/politicalscience Access the class schedule to search for sections.
POLS 011Ancient Political Thought (TH)1
This course offers an introduction to one of the most fascinating periods in the history of political thought, when Classical Athens, in a time of great rivalry with Sparta, gave birth both to democracy and to the critique of democracy. We will read philosophical texts by Plato and Aristotle, literary texts by Sophocles and Aristophanes, and historical texts by Thucydides and Plutarch, paying close attention to rhetorical and argumentative detail as well as institutional context, with the aim of bringing ancient ideas and arguments to bear on our own political lives. Topics include realism and idealism; nature and convention; family and gender; the relative merits of different constitutions such as monarchy, aristocracy, democracy; the responsibilities of leaders; and the value of studying the history of political thought. This course would constitute ideal preparation for an honors seminar on Plato or Aristotle. Social sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for INTP; PPE. Fall 2026. Thakkar. Fall 2027 Thakkar.
This course introduces some of the major concepts and themes of modern political thought through a close reading of texts from the 16th to the early 20th century. The starting point of the course is Machiavelli’s novel “science” of statecraft, which identified the state as the focal point of political activity, and announced that a good politician must be prepared to act immorally, or even love his city more than his soul. In other words, we begin with the thought of politics as a distinct sphere of activity, centered around the state, and separable from other spheres such as morality and religion. The problem of the modern state and the relationship of the political to other domains of life will guide our exploration of the fundamental concepts and debates of modern political thought. Other themes we will discuss include secularism and toleration, absolutist and popular sovereignty, constitutionalism and individual rights, theories of war and colonialism, and the relationship between social and political forms of domination. Authors include Niccolò Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Immanuel Kant, Alexis de Tocqueville, John Stuart Mill, Mary Wollstonecraft, Karl Marx, Max Weber and W.E.B. Dubois. Social sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for INTP; PPE. Fall 2026. Huang. Spring 2027. Huang. Fall 2027 Huang. Spring 2028 Huang.
POLS 013Constitutional Law & Politics: Institutional Powers (AP)1
This course provides a close examination of constitutional conflicts over institutional authority in the U.S. political system. Specific areas of study will include the scope of congressional power, interbranch conflicts, bureaucratic authority, and federalism. Although we will spend much of our time analyzing Supreme Court decisions, we will also examine the broader political context in which the Court operates and how actors outside the Court have played important roles in shaping constitutional meaning. As this is not an introductory course, incoming first year students who wish to enroll are encouraged to email Professor Snead (wsnead1@swarthmore.edu) to discuss their interest in Constitutional Law & Politics. Social Sciences. 1 credit Eligible for PPE. Fall 2027 Snead.
POLS 014Constitutional Law & Politics: Civil Rights & Civil Liberties (AP)1
This course provides a close examination of constitutional conflicts over individual rights and liberties in the United States. Throughout the class, we will look closely at the Bill of Rights and Reconstruction Amendments as we trace how rights and liberties have waxed and waned throughout American history. Although we will spend much of our time analyzing Supreme Court decisions, we will also examine the broader political context in which the Court operates, how actors outside the Court have played important roles in shaping constitutional meaning, and alternate constitutional visions advanced by political reformers but not enshrined into law by the Supreme Court. Social Sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE. Spring 2028 Snead.
POLS 015Democratic Theory: Everyday Debates in Democratic Politics (TH)1
This class draws on from ancient, modern, and contemporary thinkers to reflect on wide-ranging issues in democratic politics: the tension between positive and negative freedom, the underlying dangers of a manipulable populace, the important but not unproblematic demarcation of public and private spheres, the justifiability of exclusion in democracy, and the delicate balance between individualism and collective governance. By examining the works of historical and contemporary thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, Locke, Rousseau, Arendt, Pateman, Pettit, Mansbridge, and Phillips, this class introduces important debates in democratic theory with a critical lens. The intellectual exercises we employ in this class will provide you with theoretical tools to appraise major debates in contemporary democratic politics. This course falls within the theory subfield but only POLS 11, 12, 100, 101, 107 or 117 satisfy the theory requirement. Social sciences. 1 Credit. Spring 2027. Huang.
POLS 016Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and Politics (TH)1
This course discusses AI ethics in law and public policy, examining the norms and values involved in shaping the governance of AI. This class discusses the issue of accountability and transparency, biases of algorithms, the replacement of jobs and labor, and its impact on democracy. Centering these debates, this course offers both theoretical and practical exercises for generative AI users, making awareness of the ethical risks of advanced technologies and establishing guidelines for using AI responsibly. This class will also engage students in the normative complexities of developing regulatory frameworks that govern AI as advanced technology. This course falls within the theory subfield but only POLS 11, 12, 100, 101, 107 or 117 satisfy the theory requirement. Social Sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE. Fall 2026. Huang. Fall 2027 Huang.
When drafting the Constitution, the founders thought that the courts would be the “least dangerous” branch of government. Yet, traditional wisdom suggests that courts have played a significant role in creating and enforcing civil rights. Moreover, recent developments on the Supreme Court suggest that the Court is exercising power in a relatively unconstrained way, departing from traditional principles like stare decisis . This course considers the ways in which case law and judicial politics have shaped civil rights in the United States. Specific topics of consideration include: levels of Constitutional scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause, reproductive rights & substantive due process, the effects of the commerce clause on civil rights law, and statutory reforms like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (including Title VII, the Fair Housing Act and Title IX) and the Americans with Disabilities Act. We will also discuss the ways that courts can curtail civil rights reforms through procedural rules and judicial norms like standing. This course does not presuppose prior legal knowledge; however, a basic understanding of the US federal government and federal powers will be useful.
“We no longer hope for an eventual restoration of the old world order with all its traditions, or for the reintegration of the masses of five continents who have been thrown into a chaos produced by the violence of wars and revolutions and the growing decay of all that has still been spared. Under the most diverse conditions and disparate circumstances, we watch the development of the same phenomena-homelessness on an unprecedented scale, rootlessness to an unprecedented depth. Never has our future been more unpredictable, never have we depended so much on political forces that cannot be trusted to follow the rules of common sense and self-interest-forces that look like sheer insanity, if judged by the standards of other centuries. It is as though mankind had divided itself between those who believe in human omnipotence (who think that everything is possible if one knows how to organize masses for it) and those for whom powerlessness has become the major experience of their lives.” So begins the Hannah Arendt’s Preface to her 3-volume work The Origins of Totalitarianism, written shortly after the end of World War II. Perhaps we should be surprised that, 75 years later, it still resonates; perhaps not. “POLS 18: Politics in Dark Times” aims to understand past historical periods of political/ social/ economic disruption and reorientation. It will be centered on Arendt’s The Origins of Totalitarianism , with readings from Alexis de Tocqueville, Antonio Gramsci, and Michael Sandel’s (1995) book Democracy’s Discontent as well as short selections from contemporary scholarship and journalism. Students can expect approximately 60-70 pages of reading per week, with the additional expectation that certain historical events and figures will need to be researched and summarized briefly in order to understand the authors’ meaning. (We will share those tasks and pool our summaries so that we are helping each other to understand the readings’ context.) The course will be primarily discussion-based, so careful preparation and participation will be important.
Coming soon! This course falls within the theory subfield but only POLS 11, 12, 100, 101, 107 or 117 satisfy the theory requirement. Social sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE. Spring 2028 Huang.
This course begins with foundational questions. What makes the US Constitution legitimate and authoritative? Are there times when a document ratified by an earlier generation must take precedence over the current will of the people? Conversely, are there times when contemporary democratic majorities should or must override constitutional constraint? If the Constitution’s guidance is too rigid, how do we adapt our government to changing social and economic conditions? If its guidance is too flexible, what prevents us from descending into a politicized game of ‘anything goes’? Together we will lay the groundwork for a deeper understanding of constitutional controversies by engaging classics in constitutional theory, constitutional history, and Supreme Court jurisprudence alongside more recent contributions to these debates. The course is organized around several recurring controversies that connect founding-era arguments to the crises of our own moment.
POLS 002 , POLS 013 , POLS 014 , any court/constitution related seminar, or by permission of the instructor SS. 1 credit. Spring 2027. Berger. Catalog chapter: Political Science Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/political-science Access the class schedule to search for sections.
POLS 020ESpecial Topics: History & Politics of Punishment: The School to Prison Pipeline (AP)1
Tri-Co Philly Course This inter-disciplinary upper-level seminar will explore the complex school policies, teacher instructional decisions, as well as historical, political, social, economic, cultural, and structural forces that have given rise to documented reality of the “school-to-prison pipeline.” More specifically, what policies and practices within a school’s learning environment push students out of the education system and into the juvenile and adult criminal legal systems? Why do the consequences fall so heavily and disproportionately on minority and low-income students? What is the impact on childhood and learning “joy?” What is the role of law enforcement? Are there other stakeholders whose involvement exacerbates the school-to-prison pipeline? What is the impact on family structure, upward mobility, and neighborhood stability? And finally, what can educators and other stakeholders do to prevent and disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline? Over the course of the semester, we will be joined by several key stakeholders (i.e., teachers and school administrators, prosecutors, judges, and law enforcement personnel; take a tour of one of the local Philadelphia jails; and visit Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site. This course will be taught in Philadelphia as part of the Tri-Co Philly Program . American Politics. Social Sciences. 1 credit Eligible for ESCH; PPE.
POLS 002 and permission of instructor only. Social Sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE. Catalog chapter: Political Science Department website: swarthmore.edu/political-science Access the class schedule to search for sections.
POLS 021Who Votes? Political Participation in the US (AP)1
This upper-level seminar will examine the nature of political participation in the United States. Topics include: women’s suffrage; minority voting rights; historic and contemporary efforts at voter suppression; felon disenfranchisement; rules regarding ballot access; Gen-Z voting patterns; a thorough examination of who turned out to vote in the 2024 presidential election - and importantly, who didn’t. We conclude with a normative discussion of how voting has been employed as a tool to radically alter the nature of American democracy. Social Sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE.
POLS 023Slavery and Its Legacy for U.S. Politics (AP)1
This course examines the legacy of slavery for American political institutions and U.S. politics. Substantively, we will explore the signicance of slavery for American statebuilding over time, beginning with the founding period and the antebellum era and stretching all the way to today’s political landscape. We will discuss both the legacy of slavery for American political institutions and processes but also its persistent impact on political attitudes, participation, and public opinion over time. This is an upper-class course with a unique set-up. In addition to the traditional seminar-style discussion of substantive readings, the course includes a lab component that allows students to gain applied research experience. The lab component is designed to guide students through the typical process of conducting independent political science research: from finding a research question to identifying a suitable research design to collecting and managing data. Weekly meetings will consist of two-thirds substantive discussion and one-third lab activities. As part of the lab component of the class, students will be asked to help with the data collection for a field project on remembrance culture in the United States that is part of Swarthmore’s new Historical Political Economy (HPE) Lab ( www.hpe-lab.com ). Research activities will be complemented with educational events and meetings (e.g., museum visits, conversations with local historians and community leaders) on topics related to the aftermath of slavery, the Civil War, and their meaning for U.S. politics and society today. Social sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE.
The United States has one of the most powerful judiciaries in the world. This course will provide a broad overview of the U.S. judicial system and how courts shape American politics and society. Throughout the semester, we will look at several facets of the U.S. judiciary including the judiciary’s relationship to other governing institutions, what factors motivate judicial behavior, and how courts affect public policy. Students will be asked to think critically about the role of law in American politics and the democratic implications of judicial power. Although much of the course will examine the U.S. Supreme Court, lower federal courts and state courts will also be discussed. Social Sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE.
POLS 025Ballots & Barriers: Voting Rights in America (AP)1
This class examines the history of and contemporary challenges to voting rights in America. The course will begin by exploring how historical developments, including Reconstruction and Jim Crow, the suffragette movement, as well as the Civil Rights movement, have shaped who has access to voting rights. The majority of the course, however, will focus on contemporary issues, including state electoral reforms, felon disenfranchisement, and recent changes in voting laws, and the impact that these developments have had on the American electorate. Through analysis and discussion of both legal cases and cutting-edge social science research, students will gain a deeper understanding of the complex factors that have shaped, and continue to shape, voting rights in the United States. Social Sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE.
Utilizing the award-winning HBO series, ‘The Wire,’ this interdisciplinary, upper-level seminar will explore the complex political, social, economic, cinematic, and aesthetic aspects that are at the root of the depiction of urban inequality, interpersonal violence, concentrated poverty, and crime.
Recommended to have previously taken POLS 002 Only open to 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year students Open to course majors only, not honors. Social Sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for FMST; PPE. Catalog chapter: Political Science Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/political-science Access the class schedule to search for sections.
POLS 027Gender and American Politics (AP)1
This course considers the ways in which gender has shaped American politics from the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the present. What is “gender” and what are its implications for U.S. politics? How and why did women gain the right to vote but lose the battle for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)? What would it mean for women if a woman was elected President of the United States? This course considers these questions and more from the perspective of the growing body of literature concerning gender and politics. This course will be divided into four units, aiming to answer different questions. First, we will discuss what it means to talk about gender. Second, we will consider watershed moments in the movements for women’s rights, such as battles for women’s suffrage, the non-passage of the ERA, and contemporary judicial retrenchment of reproductive rights. Third, we will consider whether it makes sense to talk about women having distinct political preferences, as some scholars have argued. In this portion of the course, we will focus in detail on how political preferences emerge and how/why gender shapes women’s experiences of the political world across partisan divides. Finally, we will consider the concept of representation and the stakes of having diverse gender representation in various governing institutions and levels of government. Social Sciences. 1 credit. Catalog chapter: Political Science
POLS 028The Urban Underclass and Public Policy (AP)1
This course is a critical examination of some of the most pressing (and contentious) issues surrounding the nation’s inner cities today and the urban underclass: the nature, origins, and persistence of ghetto poverty; racial residential segregation and affordable public housing; social organization, civic life, and political participation; crime and incarceration rates; family structure; adolescent street culture and its impact on urban schooling and social mobility; and labor force participation and dislocation. We conclude by examining how these issues impact distressed urban communities, such as the neighboring city of Chester.
POLS 002 Social Sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for BLST; PPE. Spring 2027. Reeves. Spring 2028 Reeves. Catalog chapter: Political Science Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/political-science Access the class schedule to search for sections.
POLS 029Polling, Public Opinion, and Public Policy (AP)1
Public opinion polling has become an essential tool in election campaigning, public policy decision making, and media reporting of poll results. As such, this seminar focuses on helping students interested in these areas learn the fundamental skills required to design, empirically analyze, use, and critically interpret surveys measuring public opinion. Because the course emphasizes the application of polling data about public policy issues and the political process, we will examine the following topics: U.S. presidential leadership and the war in Ukraine; COVID-19 disinformation and vaccine hesistancy; abortion rights; racial prejudice and politics; gun rights and school safety; and finally, polling errors in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
POLS 002 or permission of the instructor. Social sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE. Catalog chapter: Political Science Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/political-science Access the class schedule to search for sections.
POLS 030Nietzsche (TH)1
This course falls within the theory subfield but only POLS 11, 12, 100, 101, 107 or 117 satisfy the theory requirement. Social Sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE. Spring 2028 Thakkar.
This course, taught in Philadelphia, offers an introduction to the causes and consequences of international migration and examines the political responses of different national communities to the phenomenon. In the first part of the course we will explore why and how people move from one country to another and analyze the strategies through which states attempt to manage mobility and exercise control over their territories. Students will learn about patterns of regular and irregular migration, including economic and undocumented migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. We will also interrogate the efficacy of border walls and other strategies of containment and control. In the second part of the course we consider how migration transforms both sending and receiving countries and evaluate how countries accommodate (or fail to accommodate) newcomers to their territories. The growing ethnic, religious, and linguistic diversity generated by international migratory flows has spawned fierce debates over national identity, social cohesion, and political stability. In order to make sense of these debates, we will analyze different regimes of immigrant integration, incorporation, and assimilation and evaluate the meaning of citizenship, social membership, and belonging. Classroom meetings will be supplemented with outside lectures and field trips in Philadelphia to observe immigration hearings and to meet with NGOs and community organizations working on issues surrounding migrant rights and refugee re-settlement. This course will be taught in Philadelphia as part of the Tri-Co Philly Program . Social Sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for GLBL-Core; INTP eligible; PEAC eligible
What is a society and how does it differ from a community? Under what circumstances, if any, can we legitimately speak of a “we” as opposed to a collection of individuals? Can a society or a corporation have beliefs and desires? What are social structures and how do they relate to individual action? Are all social phenomena “constructed” and if so in what sense? What is social science and how might it differ from natural science? This course will raise these foundational questions in social philosophy before turning to the question of how different pictures of society and social phenomena shape our normative stances. Do liberalism, socialism and conservatism all follow from particular pictures of society, for instance? What about movements focusing on race and gender? Should we adopt a conception of social phenomena in light of our political commitments or the other way around? By raising and addressing such questions, this course aims to help students in the social sciences achieve greater self-consciousness about the objects and aims of their various disciplines, while also becoming more sophisticated in their normative reflections. This course falls within the theory subfield but only POLS 11, 12, 100, 101, 107 or 117 satisfy the theory requirement. Social sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE.
New technologies are transforming democratic societies at warp speed. Social media apps like Facebook and Twitter have reshaped public discourse, while artificial intelligence, virtual reality, cryptocurrency, and bioengineering hold equally disruptive potential. This political theory course explores the political and ethical significance of these technological developments for democratic citizenship. We will explore the profound risks posed by these platforms: misinformation and fake news, threats to personal liberty and privacy, algorithmic injustice, racial and gender bias, corporate monopolies, and consolidation of economic power in a small tech elite. We will also explore how technology might be used, creatively, to expand democratic oversight, foster new experiments in living, and empower ordinary citizens to contest power. Our focus will be normative and philosophical, asking deep questions about the meaning of technology for human behavior, while drawing upon concrete empirical examples in both an American and global context. Social Sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE.
The words “capitalism” and “socialism” come up relatively often in discussions of politics, but their meaning is often left vague. After a brief survey of empirical work on the varieties of capitalism and socialism, this course will turn to the normative arguments for and against the two systems that have been made from the Enlightenment to the present day. Authors covered will include Adam Smith, J. G. Fichte, Karl Marx, Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman, as well as a smattering of utopians and anarchists. Students should expect a significant volume of reading, but there are no prerequisites. This course falls within the theory subfield but only POLS 11, 12, 100, 101, 107 or 117 satisfy the theory requirement. Social Sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE. Fall 2026. Thakkar. Catalog chapter: Political Science
This course covers two major themes: the origins of regime types, understood dichotomously as democracies and dictatorships, and the determinants of regime survival, usually understood as democratic consolidation versus authoritarian durability. The four outcomes we explore are thus democratic transitions, democratic breakdowns (reversion to authoritarianism), democratic survival, and authoritarian survival. We will read and survey the main theories of political regime change that are developed based on cases from Western Europe, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa, and the Islamic World. This course also examines the relationship between democracy and development, the power (and limitations) of the democracy promoting actors to spur democratization in other countries, the institutional foundations of strong dictatorships, and the notion that established democracies might be currently eroding. Social science. 1 credit. Eligible for GLBL-Core; PPE. Catalog chapter: Political Science
This course on political parties provides a comprehensive exploration of the historical origins, contemporary theories, and multifaceted roles of political parties in diverse political contexts. The course is structured into thematic sessions, delving into seminal works by comparativists. The syllabus encompasses a wide spectrum of topics, including party-state relations, church-state conflicts, party formation under repression, political ideology’s influence, and the crucial role of parties in democratic consolidation and autocratic regimes. The readings also delve into party dynamics in developing democracies, the rise of far-right parties, party finance, and historical studies across various regions, including Central Europe, North America, East Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Social Sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE.
POLS 038Designing and Doing Political Science Research (IR) (CP) (AP)1
An introduction into research design and drawing inferences from data. The first section covers theories, hypotheses, conceptualization and descriptive inference, and approaches to causal inference. The second section focuses on small-n research designs and qualitative methods, covering case studies, small-n comparative analysis, process tracing, and interviewing. The third section introduces students to some basic elements of quantitative research design and statistical analysis, including with both observational and experimental data. Please note, this course does not fulfill the POLS Theory Requirement (must take POLS 011 or 012). This course may only be counted toward one distribution requirement for the major/minor. Social sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE.
What role should the courts play in a well-functioning democracy? From one perspective, the courts are an essential safeguard, securing fundamental rights and protecting vulnerable minorities. From another perspective, the courts can undermine democracy by affording unelected judges priority over the democratic public. These theoretical issues take a more concrete shape within the specific political and constitutional culture of the United States. Using the U.S. as our case study, we will think critically about the role of the judiciary in democracy. We shall read some American constitutional case law, while also exploring wider literature in philosophy of law, democratic theory, and American politics. We will focus on the judicial politics surrounding the Civil Rights movement, environmentalist movements, feminist movements, and LGBTQ movements. We will also focus on the judicial politics of economic regulation, immigration, national security, and elections/campaign finance. Throughout, we will ask tough questions about whether the courts truly can be mechanisms of democratic progress, or whether they are essentially conservative institutions that entrench the status quo. It is a course that therefore straddles the fields of political theory and American politics. Social sciences
Hegel and Marx are two of the most profound and influential political philosophers of the modern era. What they have in common is a rejection of the abstraction inherent in the social-contract tradition and a countervailing emphasis on philosophical ideas as being embedded in historical processes. Where they differ is in their understanding of those ideas and that history. Put bluntly, is history driven by the development of philosophical systems or the development of different economic systems? And does that development point towards liberalism or socialism? To address these questions, this seminar will offer a close reading of key passages from Hegel and Marx, drawn from works such as Hegel’s Philosophy of History , Phenomenology of Spirit , and Philosophy of Right and Marx’s Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts , German Ideology and Capital . Where possible we will also consider philosophers that influenced them, such as Rousseau, Kant, Fichte and Feuerbach, as well as theorists that were influenced by them, such as the Frankfurt School. There are no formal prerequisites for this seminar, but a background in Modern Political Thought or Social & Political Philosophy would certainly be an advantage. This course falls within the theory subfield but only POLS 11, 12, 100, 101, 107 or 117 satisfy the theory requirement. Social Sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE.
This course provides an intensive, comparative examination of the complex and often contested relationship between religious identity, political systems, and ideological extremism in the contemporary world. The first half of the semester critically assesses the secularization thesis and its various critiques across different state models. We then conduct a comparative analysis of religion’s political influence, exploring its role in the Christian world (focusing on state formation, the rise of Christian Democracy, and church influence) and the Muslim world (examining debates over democracy, authoritarianism, and Islamic political thought). This section concludes by analyzing how religious affiliation and belief shape political behavior in various global contexts, including the United States, and how the presence of Islam is publicly negotiated in Western societies. The second half of the course pivots to the study of radicalism and extremism. We begin by critically defining concepts like fundamentalism and radicalization before investigating the complex nexus between religion and political violence, examining case studies ranging from suicide terrorism to religiously-tinged genocide. Ultimately, the course prepares students to engage with core theoretical frameworks, such as the “Clash of Civilizations” thesis, and to critically analyze the intersection of religious identity, political conflict, and ideological radicalism in shaping contemporary global politics. Social Sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE. Spring 2027. Casey.
Cross listed ENVS 021 How does the trauma of disaster influence political processes, institutions, and leaders? How do political processes, institutions, and leaders affect disaster events and their aftermath? Do disasters lead to meaningful policy change, or is their impact fleeting? This course examines the political and policy dynamics associated with disasters– those that are predominantly “natural” (e.g., hurricanes and tornadoes), and those that result mainly from human action or inaction (e.g., airplane crashes, mass shootings, building collapses). Using a variety of cases from different historical periods, different regions of the world, and different levels of political analysis (national, regional, and local), this course will examine the causes and consequences of disaster, policy-making and disaster, and the new professional field of disaster management. We will look critically at the role of NGOs and international aid in disaster relief, as well as international institutions. Social sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for ENVS, GLBL-Core; PPE.
This course aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the major theories, historical developments, and contemporary issues within Political Economy from a comparative perspective. Spanning diverse topics, the course is structured into thematic sessions, each delving into key aspects such as classical theories of political economy, historical political economy, varieties of capitalism, states and development, corruption, state-business relations, the politics of public goods provision, inequality, migration, automation and AI, and the global economic trends. Social sciences 1 credit. Eligible for PPE. Fall 2026. Casey. Catalog chapter: Political Science Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/political-science Access the class schedule to search for sections.
The discipline of economics has a huge influence in today’s world, but from a philosophical perspective its fundamental presuppositions are extremely controversial. This course aims to shed light on those presuppositions by drawing on writings from philosophers, sociologists, political scientists and historians as well as economists themselves. We begin by assessing its claim to moral and political neutrality, focusing in particular on efficiency, GNP, and rational choice. Next we consider three of its basic concepts: money, property and markets. What exactly is money? What justifies private ownership? And should some things simply never be for sale? In the final part of the course we inquire into how the two central questions of ethics – What ought I to do? And what is the good life? – bear on our assessment of production and consumption. This course falls within the theory subfield but only POLS 11, 12, 100, 101, 107 or 117 satisfy the theory requirement. Social sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE. Spring 2028 Thakkar.
(Cross-listed as ENVS 023 ) The role of population and demographic trends in local, national, and global politics will be examined. Topics include the relationship between population and development, causes of fertility decline, the impact and ethics of global and national family planning programs, and contemporary issues such as population aging and the AIDS pandemic. Comparative Social sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for ENVS, GLBL-Core, ESCH
The President occupies a unique position in the U.S. constitutional system. The most visible figure in American politics, the President has tremendous influence in foreign and domestic affairs, party strategy, and electoral politics. In this class, we will closely examine the role of the U.S. president. How have presidential powers developed over time? To what extent is the President constrained by other governing institutions? How does the President interact with the American public? Throughout the course we will also examine how political scientists have studied the presidency and the tradeoffs presented by different methodological approaches. Social sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE. Fall 2027 Snead.
How can we silence the guns of political violence and civil wars? Perhaps more importantly, can the international community hep conflict afflicted societies build durable peace in the aftermath of conflict? In this course we will wade into these critical questions through studying theories and empirical analysis of conflict mediation and termination, peacekeeping, and trust-building in fractured societies. We will put theory into practice and apply peacebuilding solutions to think about some of the most pressing contemporary conflicts within the international system. Social Science. 1 credit. Eligible for PPE.
The idea of “global justice” has become increasingly influential in contemporary political philosophy. Its advocates argue that the complex challenges of a globalized world require theoretical principles which transcend specific nation-state contexts. In this political theory seminar, we shall explore the conceptual, normative, and institutional insights of the global justice literature. Topics may include: global resource inequalities and the prospect of international distributive justice; the ethics of immigration, migration, and border control; new perspectives on sovereignty, citizenship, and international law; cosmopolitan ethics and human rights; climate change and natural resource politics; just war theory and the legitimacy of humanitarian intervention; the ethics of global philanthropy and developmental aid. Throughout, we shall assess the performance of existing global governance institutions, while considering new frameworks for promoting transnational public spheres and holding powerful global actors accountable. This course falls within the theory subfield but only POLS 11, 12, 100, 101, 107 or 117 satisfy the theory requirement. Social Science. 1 credit. Eligible for GLBL-core
Conservative can be a dirty word in some circles, but at some level everyone is a small c-conservative insofar as it makes sense to conserve what is currently valuable-this is the root of the ecological conservation movement, for example. What, then, are the pros and cons of small c conservatism? And what does it have to do with big-C Conservatism? This course attempts to address these questions via a survey of key texts. This course falls within the theory subfield but only POLS 11, 12, 100, 101, 107 or 117 satisfy the theory requirement. Social Sciences 1 credit. Eligible for PPE. Spring 2027. Thakkar.
The term “identity politics” has become a mainstay of contemporary political discourse. In both scholarly and public debates, it is used to describe and make sense of phenomena as diverse as multiculturalism, white nationalism, civil rights, the women’s movement, LGBTI activism, separatist groups, and violent ethnic conflicts. Identity is central to politics, but are all identities political? Where do identities come from and why do they matter for social and political life? Do we have the freedom to choose our own identities or are they ascribed to us by others? And to what extent do our identities dictate what we can do, think, know, or feel? This class offers an introduction to the politics of identity. Over the course of the semester, we will investigate how categories like class, race, gender, ethnicity, nation, religion, and sexuality impact politics and struggles for power around the world. Our readings will explore debates around the politics of recognition and representation, authenticity and cultural appropriation, corporate diversity and neoliberal multiculturalism, positionality and situated knowledge, oppression and empowerment, and intersectionality. Students will have the opportunity to conduct independent research on identity related topics of their choice. Social sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for INTP; GLBL-Core
This course considers the hotly contested politics of public health. Health is often taken for granted as a value in liberal democratic societies. For example, despite many attempts to overturn the bill, the Affordable Care Act still tends to poll favorably among Americans. Politicians often extol the virtues of a healthy citizenry, especially in the wake of COVID-19. Many people think that the government is obligated to provide health care to citizens. However, many argue that health is a value-laden concept. Who decides what is “healthy,” and how do ideas about what is healthy/unhealthy affect the lived experiences of American citizens? It seems easy to talk about COVID-19 as a pandemic/epidemic, but what about obesity or drug use? Moreover, once society has categorized something as a public health concern, how should the government decide what policies to implement? By combining insights from American political history, health policy, and political theory, this course explores difficult questions regarding how the concept of health is constructed and how societies do/should distribute resources in response to public health concerns. Special attention will be given to how health has been defined throughout American political development, medical vs. social models of disability, the idea of “cure,” the history of eugenics, mental health, health policy, America’s “exceptionalism” in terms of public health policy, and how/whether the government should be involved in providing health care to citizens. Social sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for ENVS, GLBL-core
Cross-listed with ENVS 028 , GLBL 081 Global climate change, in particular, and environmental issues, in general, have moved to the forefront of public debates. This course examines the governance of these issues from an International Relations perspective. Topics include: multilateral trade agreements and the environment; United Nations processes, agreements, and institutions; climate change finance and environmental foreign aid; multilateral development banks (including the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank) and environmental governance; non-state actors; social movements; and global environmental governance and great powers. The course will begin with a political-economic conceptualization of global environmental governance and also introduce students to some fundamental concepts in public policy and environmental regulation. Given this is taught primarily from global governance and International Relations perspectives, it is not suited to students looking to engage in particular countries’ environmental regulation, though student presentations will examine differences across some countries. It is ideal for students to have taken POLS4 prior to taking this course, and students should be ready to apply basic economic concepts to environmental regulation (without which their understanding of the governance of climate change cannot be advanced).
One political science course Social sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for GLBL-core; ENVS; PPE. Fall 2026. Kaya. Catalog chapter: Political Science Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/political-science Access the class schedule to search for sections.
POLS 082Surveillance and Repression (CP)1
What does the state know about us and why does it need that information? This course examines the politics of state surveillance in countries around the world. The first half investigates the growth of state surveillance in Europe and the US in the 19 th and 20 th centuries, the politics that surrounded the new surveillance state, and how surveillance technologies were developed and deployed in colonial contexts. We then consider how technological changes have amplified the capacity of states around the world to surveil citizens in the 21 st century, examining topics like mass communications collection in the US after 9/11, the birth of a shadowy global market for purchasing spyware and other surveillance tools, the new digital Chinese surveillance state, the role of big tech companies like Google that practice “surveillance capitalism,” the use of artificial intelligence to analyze vast amounts of data on individual behavior, and what all these trends might mean for the future of democratic politics and individual liberty. Social Science. 1 credit. Eligible for FMST, GLBL, LALS, PEAC, PPE.
POLS 087Water Policies, Water Issues: China/Taiwan and the U.S.1
(Cross-listed as CHIN 087) Access to fresh water is an acute issue for the 21st century, and yet civilizations have designed a wide range of inventive projects for accessing and controlling water supplies over the centuries. Fresh water resource allocation generates issues between upstream and downstream users, between a country and its neighbors, between urban and rural residents, and between states and regions. This course examines a range of fresh water issues, comparing China and the U.S. Topics include dams and large-scale water projects (e.g., rerouting rivers); water pollution; groundwater depletion; industrial water use (e.g., for hydrofracking); impact of agricultural practices; urban storm water management; wetlands conservation; desertification; desalination. In the U.S. context especially, issues of water rights regimes and property rights, privatization, and commodification of water will receive attention. Which claims upon fresh water resources come first? What role do governments, transnational organizations, corporations, NGOs, and grassroots citizens’ movements play in these water decisions? Guest lectures will emphasize science and engineering perspectives on water management. Chinese language ability desirable but not required. Social sciences. 1 credit. Eligible for ASIA, ENVS
Aristotle has a good claim to being the most impressive intellectual ever: his works in metaphysics, epistemology, logic, aesthetics, rhetoric, ethics, politics, physics, biology, zoology and more dominated intellectual life in much of the world for almost two thousand years and they have also inspired some of the most profound philosophical reflections in modernity right up to the present day. He is a difficult writer but one who has rewarded close attention across the ages. This honors seminar offers a close reading of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and Politics , texts that were intended to be read as a pair, alongside contemporary attempts to evaluate and inherit his thought by philosophers such as Alasdair MacIntyre, Martha Nussbaum and Philippa Foot, as well as modern critics such as Thomas Hobbes, David Hume and John Rawls. Topics for discussion will include the meaning of happiness, virtue, justice, wisdom, friendship, the rule of law and the common good, evaluation of different regime types such as democracy, oligarchy, tyranny and aristocracy, and how it is possible to learn from thinkers whose prejudices we sometimes find disturbing. This seminar counts toward the Political Theory requirement.
Political Science honors seminars are reserved for political science honors students, and when space allows, political science majors. Please check with department administrator for questions regarding this policy, or if you are in need of an exception. Social Sciences 2 credits. Eligible for PPE. Catalog chapter: Political Science Department website: https://www.swarthmore.edu/department-political-science Access the class schedule to search for sections.
