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Courses – Spring 2010
Political Science [top]PSC 104 Introduction to Political PhilosophyJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TR 11:05-12:20
Political Science Field: Political Philosophy Typically offered every 2-3 years This course is most aptly called Thinking About Politics. It aims to examine a range of contemporary issues and to explore the political and philosophical conflicts and controversies that those issues raise. So, for example, we might examine the concepts of patriotism and explore the tensions that arise between it and such other concepts as democracy or freedom or dissent or security. Readings will be drawn both from contemporary sources and classic political thought. IR/PSC 106 Introduction to International RelationsJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – MWF 12:00-12:50
Political Science Field: International Relations, Introductory Courses International Relations Track: Global Security (A) Typically offered every year This course provides students with the background and conceptual tools they need to understand contemporary international relations. The course will introduce students to the wide range of issues that make up the study of international relations, including the workings of the state system, the causes of international conflict and violence, and international economic relations. Students will be introduced to the literature in a broad way, to make them familiar with the main theoretical traditions in the field. Students will be asked, as much as possible, to read original texts, rather than a textbook. Time permitting, we will also examine topics of particular current interest, such as the evolving nature of power in the post-Cold War environment as well as special global challenges like nation-building and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. PSC 194 Rochester Politics and PlacesJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – W 14:00-16:40
Political Science Field: American Politics Typically offered every 2-3 years Home to Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, and George Eastman, upstate New York has been the seedbed for many of the most important events in American history. In this seminar, students will discover the rich history of Rochester as well as learn about current debates over political organization, racial and economic segregation, suburbanization, and economic change. The course will emphasize five major themes: urbanization and religious revivalism in the 1820s and 1830s; movements for abolition and women's rights; reform initiatives during the Progressive Era; economic and racial changes in the 20th century; and city politics in the 20th and 21st centuries. As part of the course, students will visit sites in and around the city as well as meet and talk with political figures active in the city today. PSC 202 Argument in Political ScienceJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TR 09:40-10:55
Political Science Field: Required Course Typically offered every year Students generally take PSC 202 in their sophomore year, but the course is also open to junior and seniors. The course introduces students to the questions, concepts, and analytical approaches of political scientists. PSC 205 Quantitative Analysis and PoliticsJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – MWF 12:00-12:50
Political Science Field: Techniques of Analysis How do we evaluate empirically the claims politicians make? How do we determine whether theories of political behavior are supported by evidence? In this course, students are introduced to data analysis, statistical inference, and research design, with a focus on techniques that are appropriate for political science data. Topics covered will include descriptive statistics, confidence intervals, hypothesis tests, correlation, and regression analysis. Students will be expected to participate in weekly lab sessions. PSC 209/209W Interest Groups in AmericaJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TR 09:40-10:55
Political Science Field: American Politics Typically offered every 2-3 years This course is designed to introduce the issues that concern political scientists (especially) and economists about interest groups in American politics. The goal of the course is to provide a better substantive understanding of interest groups specifically and the political system more generally. Foci include the historical development of the interest group system, the formation of organizations, the relationship between associations and formal political institutions, money and politics, and policy-specific case studies. Instruction is primarily though lectures, although class participation is strongly encouraged. PSC 212 Supreme Court in U.S. HistoryJUMP TO TOPJoel Seligman
Spring 2010 – M 16:50-19:30
Political Science Field: American Politics Typically offered every year This seminar will study leading constitutional law cases decided by the United States Supreme Court and their impact on the evolution of the Court, the balance of powers among our three governmental branches, relations between the federal government and the states, and individual express and implied rights. The seminar is intended to introduce students to legal reasoning and will make use of casebook and teaching methods typical of law schools. PSC 215/215W American ElectionsJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TR 11:05-12:20
Political Science Field: American Politics Typically offered every 2-3 years This semester, special attention will be paid to the 2008 presidential and congressional elections. And we will look at the prospects for the 2010 congressional elections. Issues of current concern will include corruption, party polarization, changes in party competition, how the rules shape election outcomes (especially party nominations), the use of the internet in campaigns, and, more generally, the use of various campaign techniques to mobilize different factions of the electorate. PSC 224 African-American PoliticsJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TR 12:30-13:45
Political Science Field: American Politics Typically offered every 2-3 years This course will examine the relationship between African Americans and the American political system in order to provide students with a broader perspective on the American political process. We will address issues of organizational resources and approaches, political leadership, representation, integrationist and separatist ideologies, and various strategies for African-American political empowerment. PSC 239K/239W The Nature of EntrepreneurshipJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – M 14:00-16:40
Political Science Field: American Politics Typically offered every other year We will use theory, data, case studies, and guest speakers to investigate what it means to be an entrepreneur and what characterizes the entrepreneurial society. The term entrepreneur conjures up the image of a risk-taking maverick, but many entrepreneurs are in fact risk-averse. It is important, then, to begin the course by working out a definition of entrepreneurship that captures the essential elements of this elusive concept. From there, we will discuss the role of the entrepreneur in both economic transactions and in non-market environments such as politics. The rest of the semester will be focused on studying how institutions, such as the rule of law, foster or hinder entrepreneurship, and what the resulting impact is on economic growth and other measures of societal well-being. PSC 240 Criminal Procedure and Constitutional PrinciplesJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – MW 16:50-18:05
Political Science Field: Associated Courses Typically offered every year Through analysis of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, we examine criminal procedure as elaborated by federal and state court decisions. Topics include arrest procedures, search and seizure, right to counsel, and police interrogation and confessions. We will discuss the theoretical principles of criminal procedure and the application of those principles to the actual operation of the criminal court system. PSC 244K Politics and Markets: Innovation and The Global Business EnvironmentJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TR 11:05-12:20
Political Science Field: American Politics International Relations Track: Political Economy and Development (B) Typically offered every other year Innovation is a driving force behind the massive increases in wealth that occurred in the 20th century, and the globalization of business is causing changes in the world's economy that we are only beginning to understand. In this course, we will spend several weeks studying how entrepreneurship and innovation are affected by government institutions. We will then spend several weeks studying business strategy in the global business environment, focusing on the role of regulations imposed by foreign governments and international organizations. Class meetings will be a mix of lecture and discussion, use real-world cases, and feature guest speakers. By the end of the course, you will have a stronger understanding of how businesses shape and are shaped by government policies. There are no prerequisites for this course, though some exposure to political science or economics is useful. IR/PSC 256/256W Theories of Comparative PoliticsJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TR 12:30-13:45
Political Science Field: Comparative Politics International Relations Track: Governance of Nations (C) Typically offered every year This course introduces theories in the field of comparative politics. We want to understand how the national and international environment, the political culture, the political institutions and the choices of citizens and leaders affect political performance. We explain democratization, stability, competition, citizen influence, and policy outcomes as consequences of the environment, culture and institutions--and human choices in these contexts. The theories of comparative politics offer such explanations. In this course we want to introduce some of the theories and evaluate their credibility, both through general readings and by seeing how they play out in some specific countries. We shall especially use politics in Germany to exemplify various theoretical features. IR/PSC 267 Identity, Ethnicity and NationalismJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TR 14:00-15:15
Political Science Field: Comparative Politics International Relations Track: Governance of Nations (C) Typically offered every 2-3 years This course explores the concepts of identity, ethnicity and nationalism from a comparative perspective. Drawing upon theories from political science, anthropology, sociology and economics, we will examine how identity is defined and how societies use these constructions in, among other things, nation-building, war, and party competition. Theoretical readings will be supplemented with empirical studies from developed and developing countries across different time periods. IR/PSC 272/272W Theories of International RelationsJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TR 09:40-10:55
Political Science Field: International Relations, Positive Theory International Relations Track: Global Security (A) Typically offered every year How do we explain patterns of war and peace? Why do states with common interests often fail to cooperate? This course surveys theories of international relations, focusing on explanations of conflict and cooperation. In particular, it examines the roles of individual choice, strategic interaction, uncertainty, power, domestic politics, and anarchy. Students participate in an internet-based simulation of an international crisis. The course also serves as an introduction to game theory, and students will be expected to solve game theory problems in homework and exams. Students taking this course for writing credit register for PSC 272W and write a substantial research paper in addition to the other course requirements. IR/PSC 275 American Foreign PolicyJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TR 15:25-16:40
Political Science Field: Associated Courses International Relations Track: Global Security (A) Typically offered rarely This course examines both the historic roots and contemporary practice of U.S. foreign policy. It will begin with a brief survey of U.S. foreign policies from the earliest days of the Republic to the challenges of the 21st century, with a particular emphasis on debates over the best strategy and role for the U.S. in the world. It will then move to an analysis of the policy process and the determinants of U.S. policy, with a particular focus on the relationships between the executive, public opinion, the Congress, and the bureaucracy, as well as relationships with allies and international organizations. Last, it will analyze in detail the challenges, options, and limits of contemporary American foreign and national security policy, including the rise of China, increasing globalization, and terrorism. PSC 288 Game TheoryJUMP TO TOPCross-listed as ECO288
Spring 2010 – MW 15:25-16:40
Political Science Field: Positive Theory Typically offered every year Game theory, despite its frivolous-sounding name, gives us a unified approach to understanding social phenomena. It helps us understand not just the way people play games in the usual sense, like tic-tac-toe, chess or poker, but the way they behave in complex social situations as well. Examples of situations to which we will apply the theory include (but are not limited to): arms races, provision of public goods, competition between firms, electoral campaigns, voting, auctions, and bargaining. There are no formal prerequisites,but some aptitude for logical or mathematical reasoning is desirable. PSC 291/291W First Amendment and ReligionJUMP TO TOPCross-listed as REL291
Spring 2010 – T 14:00-16:40
Political Science Field: American Politics, Political Philosophy Typically offered every other year The Constitution helps define, as it perhaps reflects, American society. In this scheme, religion has a special role. It, arguably uniquely, is given both constitutional protection (free exercise) as well as constitutional limitation (no establishment). The placement of religion in the Bill of Rights (as a part of the First Amendment) suggests its importance (both in protection and in limitation) to the founders, and religion's role in society today remains important and controversial. This course examines the historical forces that led to the adoption of the religion clauses of the First Amendment, the subsequent development of those clauses (importantly through the close reading of key Supreme Court opinions), and religion's role in modern American society. PSC 380 Scope of Political ScienceJUMP TO TOPCross-listed as PSC480
Spring 2010 – T 14:00-16:40
Political Science Field: Political Philosophy Typically offered every year The aim of the seminar is to encourage students to examine political science in a reflective, disciplined, critical way. It is primarily designed for entering Ph.D. students, but may be appropriate for undergraduate seniors considering graduate work in political science. We use basic concepts in the philosophy of science to explore a range of specific examples of research in the discipline with the aim of discerning more clearly what it means to say that social and political inquiry is scientific. PSC 389W Junior Honors SeminarJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – R 14:00-16:40
Political Science Field: Individual Research Typically offered every year Through reading and critiquing political science research, students learn how to select a research question, find and evaluate relevant literature, locate data that addresses their research question, analyze the data, and write a research report. The primary task for the semester is to complete a research paper on a topic students choose jointly with the instructor. Students may work on joint projects or on individual papers. Toward the end of the semester, students who are interested in doing an honors project during the senior year work with the department in identifying a faculty member with whom they will work and write a draft prospectus for the project. PSC 394 Local Law and Politics InternshipsJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TBA
Political Science Field: Internship Typically offered every semester Most internship placements are in the District Attorney's or Public Defender's offices. Occasionally one or two other law placements are available. Students may also propose an alternative political or law placement. Interns work 10-12 hours per week through the entire semester. Grades are primarily based on a research paper. Applicants should have an appropriate course background for the internship and at least a B average. Students must be accepted in the course before approaching an agency for an internship. Students interested in an internship should pick up an application in the Political Science office (Harkness 333). Applications are available a week before registration starts, and an interest meeting is also held at that time. PSC 396 Washington SemesterJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TBA
Political Science Field: Internship Typically offered every year One semester's work in Washington, D.C., as a member of the staff of a U.S. Senator or Representative. Interest meeting typically held in September or October of preceding fall semester. All details are provided at that meeting. PSC 397 European Political InternshipJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TBA
Political Science Field: Internship Typically offered every semester Internships are available for students in Edinburgh, London, Brussels, Bonn, Berlin and Madrid. Internships are in English in Edinburgh, London, and Brussels: students need proficiency in the language for the latter four placements. For applications and information, students should contact the Study Abroad Office in Lattimore 206. PSC 405 Linear ModelsJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TR 16:50-18:05
Graduate Course Political Science Field: Techniques of Analysis Typically offered every year In this course, we will examine the linear regression model and its variants. The course has two goals: (1) to provide students with the statistical theory of the linear model, and (2) to provide students with skills for analyzing data. The linear model is a natural starting point for understanding regression models in general, inferences based on them, and problems with our inferences due to data issues or to model misspecification. The model's relative tractability has made it an attractive tool for political scientists, resulting in volumes of research using the methods studied here. Familiarity with the linear model is now essentially required if one wants to be a consumer or producer of modern political science research. PSC 408 Positive Political TheoryJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – MW 10:00-12:00
Graduate Course Political Science Field: Positive Theory Typically offered every year This course is part of a rigorous introduction to the main concepts and results in positive political theory. It is the second half of a two-course sequence consisting of PSC 407 and PSC 408. This course will focus on the basics of game theory, which analyzes individual behavior in strategic situations. It will also cover the mathematical tools required to express the theory. Examples and applications will be drawn from several different areas in political science, including the American Congress, voting, international relations, political economy, and law. PSC 480 Scope of Political ScienceJUMP TO TOPCross-listed as PSC380
Spring 2010 – T 14:00-16:40
Graduate Course Political Science Field: Political Philosophy Typically offered every year The aim of the seminar is to encourage students to examine political science in a reflective, disciplined, critical way. It is primarily designed for entering Ph.D. students, but may be appropriate for undergraduate seniors considering graduate work in political science. We use basic concepts in the philosophy of science to explore a range of specific examples of research in the discipline with the aim of discerning more clearly what it means to say that social and political inquiry is scientific. PSC 506 Advanced Topics in MethodsJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – W 14:00-16:40
Graduate Course Political Science Field: Techniques of Analysis Typically offered every other year This course is designed for graduate students intending to pursue political methodology as a major field. It covers advanced statistical methods that are not yet standard fare in political methodology courses: e.g., semiparametric methods, nonparametric regression, time-series econometrics, Bayesian methods, and ideal point estimation. Course content will vary year to year, and this semester will focus more heavily on Bayesian methods, simulation-based estimation, and ideal point estimation. As a research workshop, this course also allows students to pursue areas of individual interest in more depth, and therefore course content is determined based on the interests of both the professor and the students. Prerequisites: PSC 404, PSC 405, and PSC 505. PSC 535 Bureaucratic PoliticsJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – M 10:00-13:00
Graduate Course Political Science Field: American Politics Typically offered every 2-3 years This course will survey recent research on the politics of bureaucracy. We will begin with a study of why and when elected politicians create bureaucracies and delegate authority to them. We will then study a series of topics regarding the operation and design of existing bureaucracies. Depending on the interest of students, topics may include: oversight and control of bureaucracies by elected politicians; bureaucratic capacity and performance; the political economy of regulatory bureaucracies; "red tape" and corruption; judicial control of bureaucracy; institutions and practices for the staffing of bureaucracies (e.g. patronage systems); advisory bureaucracies and bureaucratic expertise in policymaking; and military and intelligence bureaucracies. The course will draw heavily, but not exclusively, on formal theories and statistical evidence. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor, or at least one course in Techniques of Analysis at the 200 level or above and one course in Positive Theory at the 200 level or above. PSC 558 Comparative Parties and ElectionsJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – M 14:00-16:40
Graduate Course Political Science Field: Comparative Politics Typically offered every 2-3 years How and why do political parties emerge? What are the causes and consequences of adopting different electoral rules? Under what conditions do voters behave strategically? This course examines the growing literature on parties, electoral systems, and voting in comparative politics. We consider multiple methodological approaches to these questions and explore the dynamics of voting, elections, and party competition in a range of empirical contexts. PSC 578 International Conflict: Theory and HistoryJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – R 14:00-16:40
Graduate Course Political Science Field: International Relations Typically offered every other year This is a course intended to provide graduate students with a survey of the history of international conflict, focusing on European and U.S. diplomatic history from 1763 to 1989. PSC 579 Politics of International FinanceJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – F 09:30-12:00
Graduate Course Political Science Field: International Relations Typically offered every 2-3 years This course surveys the politics of international movements of capital, focusing on money as a power resource, the evolution of international cooperation in monetary policy, international financial institutions, and the domestic politics of macroeconomic adjustment. PSC 582 Political Economy IIJUMP TO TOPCross-listed as ECO582, PEC582
Spring 2010 – T 14:00-16:40
Graduate Course Political Science Field: Positive Theory Typically offered every other year We will take up several foundational topics in theoretical political economy. We begin with the analysis of fundamental concepts used throughout the course: binary relations, preferences, and choice. We then study social choice theory, where we view collective decisions as arising from a social preference relations determined in some arbitrary way by the preferences of individuals. We will prove Arrow’s impossibility theorem and others, which inform us of inherent limitations on the rationality of collective decisions. We then change perspective, viewing collective decision as outcomes of a game played by individual decision-makers. We will consider game-theoretic models of static elections, sequential voting, bargaining, and repeated elections, with a special focus on connections to social choice. PSC 586 Voting and ElectionsJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – T 14:00-16:40
Graduate Course Political Science Field: Positive Theory Typically offered every 2-3 years We will take up several foundational topics in theoretical political economy. We begin with the analysis of fundamental concepts used throughout the course: binary relations, preferences, and choice. We then study social choice theory, where we view collective decisions as arising from a social preference relations determined in some arbitrary way by the preferences of individuals. We will prove Arrow’s impossibility theorem and others, which inform us of inherent limitations on the rationality of collective decisions. We then change perspective, viewing collective decision as outcomes of a game played by individual decision-makers. We will consider game-theoretic models of static elections, sequential voting, bargaining, and repeated elections, with a special focus on connections to social choice. International Relations [top]IR/PSC 106 Introduction to International RelationsJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – MWF 12:00-12:50
Political Science Field: International Relations, Introductory Courses International Relations Track: Global Security (A) Typically offered every year This course provides students with the background and conceptual tools they need to understand contemporary international relations. The course will introduce students to the wide range of issues that make up the study of international relations, including the workings of the state system, the causes of international conflict and violence, and international economic relations. Students will be introduced to the literature in a broad way, to make them familiar with the main theoretical traditions in the field. Students will be asked, as much as possible, to read original texts, rather than a textbook. Time permitting, we will also examine topics of particular current interest, such as the evolving nature of power in the post-Cold War environment as well as special global challenges like nation-building and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. IR 210 Russian PoliticsJUMP TO TOPTatiana V. Vashchilko
Spring 2010 – MW 12:30-13:45
Political Science Field: Associated Courses International Relations Track: Governance of Nations (C) Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia and the successor states have transitioned across differing paths to establish new political and economic systems. The Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) have made their transitions toward democracy and a market economy, while many of the other former Soviet Republics have struggled with these changes. This course offers a comprehensive analysis of contemporary political and economic systems in Russia and other former Soviet states including the evolution of those systems over the last century. The main goal of this course is to create a familiarity with the Soviet and post-Soviet polity, with an emphasis on Russia, the most powerful and the largest of the fifteen successor states, and its evolving role in the international community of the 21st century. Students are expected to complete weekly reading assignments, contribute to class discussion, and design a semester-long research project. IR 221 International Politics of DevelopmentJUMP TO TOPTatiana V. Vashchilko
Spring 2010 – MWF 10:00-10:50
Political Science Field: Associated Courses International Relations Track: Political Economy and Development (B) Why are some countries richer, more stable, and more industrialized than others? An examination of the origins of the modern state, the links between different governance systems and development, and political aspects of development will help to answer this question. This course will focus on the transformation of developing countries in view of globalization, democratization and economic liberalization. Specifically, the course will introduce students to current theories of development and contending theoretical approaches in comparative political economy. Students are expected to complete oral and written assignments which are designed to help them develop their problem solving, writing and presentation skills. IR 224 Domestic Politics and International RelationsJUMP TO TOPThomas Chadefaux
Spring 2010 – TR 14:00-15:15
Political Science Field: Associated Courses International Relations Track: Global Security (A), Governance of Nations (C) How do domestic politics affect – or not affect – the initiation of war, the conduct of diplomacy or willingness to sign international agreements? For, example, why do democracies tend not to fight each other but do fight non-democracies? Are rightist parties more aggressive than leftist ones? And, is transparency an advantage in international interactions? IR 226 America’s 21st Century WarsJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TR 11:05-12:20
Political Science Field: Associated Courses International Relations Track: Global Security (A) Typically offered rarely The Middle East (Al Qaeda, Iraq, Lebanon, Israel-Palestine) and Southwest Asia (Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan) have been the source of 21st century America's most difficult political, military, and security problems. This course will investigate the causes, nature, and conduct of these conflicts and wars, intensively studying who fights, why they fight, and how they fight. In doing so it will address important theoretical and practical questions about the nature of warfare, terrorism and intelligence in 21st century warfare. More broadly, it will address questions of the relationship between violence, culture, and politics in the globalized era, and the relationships between politics, development, diplomacy, and the use of force in modern politics. IR 227 Peace and WarJUMP TO TOPThomas Chadefaux
Spring 2010 – W 14:00-16:40
Political Science Field: Associated Courses International Relations Track: Global Security (A) Typically offered rarely This lecture examines the mechanisms by which war can be prevented in international relations. What works, what does not, and why? Theoretical notions and empirical findings will be introduced to address three main sets of issues: first, how do states negotiate or act to prevent the escalation of their disputes into war? Should they really prepare for war if they want peace? Can appeasement work? And do mediators help? Second, if negotiations fail, can long and costly wars be avoided—that is, how can war be terminated most effectively? Does peace-making work? Finally, once peace has been obtained, what mechanisms work best to maintain it? When is peace-keeping effective? And how should agreements be crafted to avoid the recurrence of war? These questions will be addressed in the context of both civil and interstate wars. IR/PSC 256/256W Theories of Comparative PoliticsJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TR 12:30-13:45
Political Science Field: Comparative Politics International Relations Track: Governance of Nations (C) Typically offered every year This course introduces theories in the field of comparative politics. We want to understand how the national and international environment, the political culture, the political institutions and the choices of citizens and leaders affect political performance. We explain democratization, stability, competition, citizen influence, and policy outcomes as consequences of the environment, culture and institutions--and human choices in these contexts. The theories of comparative politics offer such explanations. In this course we want to introduce some of the theories and evaluate their credibility, both through general readings and by seeing how they play out in some specific countries. We shall especially use politics in Germany to exemplify various theoretical features. IR/PSC 267 Identity, Ethnicity and NationalismJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TR 14:00-15:15
Political Science Field: Comparative Politics International Relations Track: Governance of Nations (C) Typically offered every 2-3 years This course explores the concepts of identity, ethnicity and nationalism from a comparative perspective. Drawing upon theories from political science, anthropology, sociology and economics, we will examine how identity is defined and how societies use these constructions in, among other things, nation-building, war, and party competition. Theoretical readings will be supplemented with empirical studies from developed and developing countries across different time periods. IR/PSC 272/272W Theories of International RelationsJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TR 09:40-10:55
Political Science Field: International Relations, Positive Theory International Relations Track: Global Security (A) Typically offered every year How do we explain patterns of war and peace? Why do states with common interests often fail to cooperate? This course surveys theories of international relations, focusing on explanations of conflict and cooperation. In particular, it examines the roles of individual choice, strategic interaction, uncertainty, power, domestic politics, and anarchy. Students participate in an internet-based simulation of an international crisis. The course also serves as an introduction to game theory, and students will be expected to solve game theory problems in homework and exams. Students taking this course for writing credit register for PSC 272W and write a substantial research paper in addition to the other course requirements. IR/PSC 275 American Foreign PolicyJUMP TO TOPSpring 2010 – TR 15:25-16:40
Political Science Field: Associated Courses International Relations Track: Global Security (A) Typically offered rarely This course examines both the historic roots and contemporary practice of U.S. foreign policy. It will begin with a brief survey of U.S. foreign policies from the earliest days of the Republic to the challenges of the 21st century, with a particular emphasis on debates over the best strategy and role for the U.S. in the world. It will then move to an analysis of the policy process and the determinants of U.S. policy, with a particular focus on the relationships between the executive, public opinion, the Congress, and the bureaucracy, as well as relationships with allies and international organizations. Last, it will analyze in detail the challenges, options, and limits of contemporary American foreign and national security policy, including the rise of China, increasing globalization, and terrorism. IR 281 Business and Politics in Eastern and Central EuropeJUMP TO TOPOlesya Tkacheva
Spring 2010 – MW 12:30-13:45
Political Science Field: Associated Courses International Relations Track: Political Economy and Development (B), Governance of Nations (C) After the collapse of the Communist system in Eastern and Central Europe, some countries-- Hungary, Poland, and the Baltic states-- created institutions that have effectively safeguarded economic actors from arbitrary governmental intervention, while others – for example, Russia-- have failed to protect the private sector from politically motivated interrogations by tax police, bribe extraction by street-level bureaucrats, and unfair practices by politically connected organized crime groups. What factors account for such cross-country variation in business-government relations, quality of property right protection, and corruption levels? How do formal and informal institutions that regulate business-government relations affect a country’s economic performance? Who are the losers and the winners of existing business-government relations? This course will examine how political factors, such as electoral systems, competitiveness of elections, bargaining power of NGOs, EU membership, and capital mobility, shape the development of business-government relations in Eastern and Central Europe and analyze how business-government relations affect macro-economic outcomes. IR 282 Eastern Europe: Philosophy and ReformJUMP TO TOPMagdalena Modrzejewska
Spring 2010 – TR 12:30-13:45
Political Science Field: Associated Courses International Relations Track: Political Economy and Development (B), Governance of Nations (C) Typically offered rarely The course presents the philosophical ideas (Marxism, liberalism, Catholic social teaching) at the roots of economic reforms and transformations in Eastern and Central Europe. The course will analyze the philosophical basis of the communist/socialist economy as well as economic practice – its successes and malfunctions. It presents the western critics of socialism (Mises, Hayek) and their impact on the rebirth of classical liberalism in Central and Eastern Europe in the 1960s, and 1980s. It will also expound other, non-liberal attempts at reform taken by two groups: the revisionist one with a Marxist background that requested only the adjustment of the communist/socialist system and another inspired by the Catholic social teaching that demanded the abolition of socialism. It will use the case of particular countries (Hungary, Romania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and former Yugoslavia) to present theoreticians who became politicians and have had a major impact on the contemporary situation. |