Political Science (POSC)

POSC 503 THEORY OF INTERNATIONAL POLITICS (3)

The theories of mutual relations of states. Elements of national power; international politics as a struggle for power. Restraints upon the struggle for power. Prerequisite: HIST 242 or POSC 107, or consent of instructor.

POSC 504 POLITICS OF METROPOLITAN GROWTH AND CHANGE (3)

Examination of the political economy of metropolitan growth; role of federal, state and local actors and policies in shaping development. Prerequisites: One lower level POSC class of consent of instructor.

POSC 505 URBAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS (3)

The political history of American cities from the 18th century through the recent reform movement. City charters, home rule, types of executives, political machines and the metropolitan area. Prerequisite: POSC 103.

POSC 506 SIMULATION AND GAMES IN POLITICAL SCIENCE (3)

Analysis of political decisions using the formal methods of rational choice and game theory. Discussion of voting methods, public goods and paradoxes of collective choice. Use of computer simulations and games to model politics. Prerequisite: One upper-division (300 or 400) political science course or permission of the instructor.

POSC 507 CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL POLITICS (3)

Computer simulation (conducted jointly with colleges and universities throughout the world) used to study formulation and implementation of contemporary international politics. Prerequisite: POSC 107, POSC 303 or consent of instructor.

POSC 508 COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT OF FOREIGN POWERS: THE WESTERN WORLD (3)

Examination of the problems of modernization and stable constitutional rule in England, France, Italy and Germany. Prerequisite: POSC 101, POSC 137 or consent of instructor.

POSC 509 COMPARATIVE POLITICAL SYSTEMS (3)

The course will attempt to bring together the analytical concepts and methodological techniques that may be applied to the study of political systems in a comparative sense. Prerequisite: POSC 103, POSC 137 or consent of instructor.

POSC 512 THE LATIN AMERICAN POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES (3)

Analysis of the Latin American policy of the United States from the Monroe Doctrine to the present. Emphasis will be on historical, political, economic and security factors in the ebb and flow of inter-American relations. Prerequisite: POSC 101, POSC 137 or consent of instructor.

POSC 514 PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (3)

Administration as a central element of contemporary society, with special reference to the problems of government organization, control, personnel, finance and public relations. Prerequisite: POSC 103.

POSC 515 THE PRESIDENCY (3)

A discussion of the origin of the office, the selection of the president and policy making in the executive branch. Prerequisite: POSC 103.

POSC 516 CONGRESS (3)

An investigation of the relations of Congress with the other branches of government and with political parties and interest groups. The course also examines the relationships between a member of Congress and his constituency as well as the internal dynamics of Congress. Prerequisite: POSC 103.

POSC 517 AMERICAN POLITICAL PARTIES (3)

Origin and development of the American two-party system. The activities of pressure groups and organizations and their effects upon the party system. Prerequisite: POSC 103 or consent of instructor.

POSC 518 CONSTITUTIONAL LAW AND POLITICS (3)

The nature and origins of the constitution: judicial review, separation of powers, federalism, and the commerce clause. Prerequisite: POSC 101 or POSC 103.

POSC 521 POLITICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY (3)

Analysis and investigation of U.S. environmental problems from a political perspective. Prerequisite: POSC 103 or consent of instructor.

POSC 527 POLITICAL THEORY I (3)

Political thought in the West from the Greeks to the end of the 16th century. Prerequisite: POSC 101 or consent of instructor.

POSC 528 POLITICAL THEORY II (3)

Political philosophers and their writings since the 16th century. Attention given to the conflict of ideologies in the 20th century. Prerequisite: POSC 101 or consent of instructor.

POSC 529 POLITICS OF ETHNICITY AND NATIONALISM (3)

Pervasiveness of ethnicity in domestic and international politics, and the instruments for managing ethnic conflict. Prerequisites: POSC 105 or POSC 107 or 6 hours of POSC credit or consent of instructor.

POSC 532 UNITED STATES-RUSSIAN RELATIONS (3)

Relations between the United States and Russia. Emphasis on Soviet and post-Soviet periods, nationalities, democratization and creation of market economics. Prerequisite: Any 100-level political science course or consent of instructor.

POSC 538 COMPARATIVE RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISMS (3)

Examination of the political impact of contemporary religious fundamentalism primarily focusing on the United States, Israel, and the Muslim world. The causes for the rise of fundamentalism will receive special attention as well as those movements that encourage violence and terrorism.

POSC 539 POLITICS OF THE DEVELOPING WORLD (3)

An examination of the causes of poverty in the developing world. Particular attention given to the roles of the international system, domestic politics, and the natural world. Prerequisite: graduate standing.

POSC 542 RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS (3)

Examination of the government and politics of post-Soviet Russia. Special attention to the legacy of the Czarist and Communist systems and the nature of the democracy in Russia today. Prerequisite: POSC 105 or POSC 107 or consent of instructor.

POSC 543 AFRICAN AMERICAN POLITICS (3)

Examination of African American's strategies in struggle for full citizenship rights; political behavior in post-Civil Rights era; contemporary trends in electoral politics at local, state and national levels. Prerequisites: One lower level POSC course or consent of instructor.

POSC 545 GOVERNMENTS AND POLITICS OF EAST ASIA (3)

Examination of the governments and politics of East Asia with a particular emphasis on China and Japan. Emphasizes current political events and structures. Prerequisite: POSC 105 or consent of the instructor.

POSC 547 INTERNATIONAL LAW AND ORGANIZATION (3)

The nature, structure and sources of international law, the relationship between international law and domestic U.S. law, the role of internationals organizations. Prerequisites: POSC 107 or consent of instructor.

POSC 549 U.S. HOMELAND SECURITY POLICY (3)

Concept of U.S. homeland security in the context of recent history, nature of threats and major vulnerabilities that are the focus of homeland security efforts, and the range of activities that constitute the U.S. homeland security enterprise, Prerequisites: POSC 107 or consent of the instructor.

POSC 550 INTEREST GROUPS AND PUBLIC POLICY (3)

The structure, organization, objectives and activities of interest groups and their impact on public policy. The access and influence of groups in lobbying and campaign financing. Prerequisite: POSC 103 or consent of instructor.

POSC 551 THE GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF LATIN AMERICA (3)

An examination of the informal and formal rules of the political "game" in Latin America with an emphasis on four types of political systems found in contemporary Latin America: democratic reformist, revolutionary, populist, and military authoritarian. Prerequisite: POSC 101, POSC 137 or consent of instructor.

POSC 553 INTELLIGENCE AND NATIONAL SECURITY (3)

Principle roles of intelligence in nation policy formulation, in the provision of strategic and tactical warning, in providing support for military operations, and in covert action. Problems inherent in conduction intelligence in a democracy. Prerequisites: POSC 107 or consent of instructor.

POSC 564 JUDICIAL SYSTEM (3)

Roles, functions, and operations of American judicial system. Examining ideology of law and justice, politics of criminal processing and consequences of legal decisions. Prerequisite: POSC 103 or consent of instructor.