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Philosophy |
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PHIL 287: Selected Topics
(1/4 Unit)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
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PHIL 288: Selected Topics
(1/2 Unit)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
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PHIL 289: Selected Topics
(1 Unit)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
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PHIL 301: Environmental Ethics
(1 Unit)
Examines theoretical and practical perspectives on ethical issues in relation to the environment. The theoretical issues range from whether we should assign moral value to species other than the human (and if so, on the basis of what criteria) to whether we have moral obligations to preserve the environment for future generations (and if so, what this would imply for the present generations). The practical issues range from creating incentives for restricting population growth without abdicating responsibilities toward the world’s hungry, to the issue of what short-and long-term policies and practices need to be adopted to deal effectively with reducing pollution and hazardous waste while working toward a recycling, sustainable global society. Madhok.
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PHIL 302: Leadership Ethics
(1 Unit)
Examines the ethical foundations of leadership. Involves an in-depth discussion of foremost leadership theories and their applications to different contexts; critically examines the morally distinct aspects of leadership by looking at the relationships among power, self-interest, and morality; and analyzes leadership from within the ethical frameworks of virtue, duty, and utility along with discussing the ethical challenges of diversity (culture relativism, race, and gender) to traditional leadership ethics. Madhok.
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PHIL 303: Business Ethics
(1 Unit)
An examination of selected moral problems posed by corporate conduct—e.g., profit-maximization vs. social responsibility, corporate crime and the criminal justice system, business vs. environmental concerns, preferential hiring vs. reverse discrimination, employee autonomy vs. corporate loyalty, deception vs. honesty in advertising, corporate vs. government regulation. Clarification and critical examination of different ethical perspectives for resolving these moral dilemmas. Madhok.
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PHIL 304: Ethics and Public Policy
(1 Unit)
Emphasizes the ethical foundations of public policy. Rights, obligations, justice, autonomy, the nature of the good life: should these play a role in determining public policy, and if so, how? Focuses on the interaction between ethical values and public policy in areas such as health care, law, government, foreign policy, citizenship, education and media. Madhok.
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PHIL 306: Neuroscience and Ethics
(1 Unit)
An introduction to the dialogue that has developed between cognitive neuroscientists and moral philosophers. Cognitive neuroscience brings to the study of ethics an interest in the way the brain processes information and in the kinds of brain states that subserve thought and action—in short, it is answering the question of what kind of information-processing creatures we are. Madhok.
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PHIL 308: Biomedical Ethics
(1 Unit)
The application of major ethical theories to some of the moral problems raised by recent developments in medical technology. Does increased medical knowledge (the end) justify experimentation with human subjects (the means)? How much should a patient be told and who decides? Do parents have the right to give birth to a defective infant and thereby apparently pollute the gene pool? To whom is the genetic counselor responsible—fetus, parent, future generations? Is there a right to die? Who should be the ultimate decision-maker—physician, patient, pastor? Is health care a right or a privilege? In answering these dilemmas, are there any moral rules to follow or does each person decide what is best in the situation? Madhok.
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PHIL 309: International Ethics and Global Development
(1 Unit)
Explores the ethics of development in an international context. What should development be? Who should play a role in bringing about development? Examines multiple answers to these questions via an understanding of global development ethical theories and approaches such as the basic human needs approach, the human rights approach, the theory of development as freedom, the capabilities approach, theories of justice, as well as utilitarianism and deontological approaches. Applies these development ethics frameworks to important international issues such as poverty, gender inequality, violence and insecurity, over-consumption and globalization. Madhok.
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PHIL 310: Metaphysics
(1 Unit)
Explores what kinds of things exist. Do abstract entities exist? Is there such a thing as free agency in a world that is deterministic (or, for that matter, in a world that is not deterministic)? Is time something that is mind-dependent or mind-independent? Are we committed to the existence of electrons? Is causation anything above and beyond regularity? Kirby.
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PHIL 315: Knowledge, Truth and Reason
(1 Unit)
Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy.
A critical examination of recent work in the theory of knowledge, i.e., of classic contemporary papers on skepticism, knowledge and the justification of belief. Mittag.
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PHIL 318: Philosophy of Mind
(1 Unit)
An introduction to the philosophy of mind. Explores the relation of the mind to the physical world and evaluates prominent competing theories about the nature of the mind, including the identity theory, dualism, behaviorism, functionalism and eliminative materialism. Also covers artificial intelligence, phenomenal consciousness, the adequacy of folk psychological explanation and theories of mental content. Mittag.
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PHIL 325: Philosophy of Language
(1 Unit)
Words and sentences of a language have meanings, thereby allowing us to use sentences to communicate our thoughts, some of which are true. But how do words and sentences get their referents and meanings? What are meanings? This course focuses on central developments in the philosophy of language throughout the twentieth century. Topics include theories of meaning and reference, speech acts, pragmatics, and conversational implicature. Mittag.
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PHIL 335: Philosophical Issues in the Law
(1 Unit)
Designed both for students interested in philosophy and for those interested in political science, history, economics, or sociology. Provides an explanation of legal concepts and institutions from the philosophical perspective. Develops in the student: (1) an understanding of some of the major philosophical issues in the law and (2) the ability to reflect critically upon them. Madhok.
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PHIL 380: Aristotle: A Western Foundation
(1 Unit)
Considers how Aristotle’s philosophy continues to exercise influence today, especially concerning controversies over the nature of existence, identity, the soul and the way one should live. Explores and evaluates the arguments of a philosopher who was the finest pupil in Plato’s Academy, the personal instructor of Alexander the Great, and the founder of the Lyceum. Kirby.
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PHIL 381: Readings in Philosophy
(1 Unit)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Recommended for advanced students. Careful and critical study of one or more of the outstanding works in philosophy. Staff.
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PHIL 382: Readings in Philosophy
(1 Unit)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Recommended for advanced students. Careful and critical study of one or more of the outstanding works in philosophy. Staff.
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PHIL 387: Selected Topics
(1/4 Unit)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
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PHIL 388: Selected Topics
(1/2 Unit)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
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PHIL 389: Selected Topics
(1 Unit)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
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PHIL 391: Internship
(1/2 Unit)
Offered on a credit/no credit basis. Staff.
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PHIL 392: Internship
(1 Unit)
Offered on a credit/no credit basis. Staff.
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PHIL 401: Seminar
(1/2 Unit)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Recommended for advanced students. Topics of special interest including “Justice,” “Metaphysics,” “Moral Realism,” “Russell.” Staff.
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PHIL 402: Seminar
(1 Unit)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Recommended for advanced students. Topics of special interest including “Justice,” “Metaphysics,” “Moral Realism,” “Russell.” Staff.
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PHIL 411: Directed Study
(1/2 Unit)
Staff.
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PHIL 412: Directed Study
(1 Unit)
Staff.
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Physics |
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PHYS 101: Basic Concepts of Physics
(1 Unit)
Prerequisite: High school algebra.
The basic ideas of physics in a historical and philosophical framework to give the student insight and appreciation of physics of this century and how physics relates to our contemporary society. Not intended for science majors. Lecture and laboratory. Offered in alternate years. Staff
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PHYS 102: The Physics of Urban and Environmental Problems
(1 Unit)
Prerequisite: High school algebra.
The physics of modern urban and environmental problems with respect to their causes, effects and possible cures. Topics include transportation, energy generation and transmission, pollution and resources. Not intended for science majors. Offered in alternate years. Seely, Zellner.
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PHYS 105: Introductory Astronomy
(1 Unit)
Prerequisite: High school algebra.
A study of the night sky, planets, stars, galaxies, cosmology, and our place in the universe, along with discussion of observational techniques and space missions. Not intended for science and mathematics majors or minors or students who have taken physics or calculus in high school. Lecture and laboratory, with additional multiple observing sessions required. Zellner.
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PHYS 115: General Physics
(1 Unit)
Prerequisite: High school algebra. First-year students need permission of instructor.
Various forms of energy and their interactions: mechanics, sound, heat, light, electricity, magnetism and atomic and nuclear physics. Includes analytical, historical and philosophical aspects. Lecture and laboratory. Seely.
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PHYS 116: General Physics
(1 Unit)
Prerequisite: PHYS 115 .
Various forms of energy and their interactions: mechanics, sound, heat, light, electricity, magnetism and atomic and nuclear physics. Includes analytical, historical and philosophical aspects. Lecture and laboratory. Seely.
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PHYS 167: Analytical Physics I
(1 Unit)
Corequisite: MATH 141 , or permission of instructor.
A calculus-based survey of general physics. Topics include kinematics, dynamics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, wave motion, sound, electricity and magnetism, light and optics, relativity, quantum mechanics, atomic physics and nuclear physics. Lecture and laboratory. Staff.
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PHYS 168: Analytical Physics II
(1 Unit)
Prerequisite: PHYS 167 . Corequisite: MATH 143 or permission of instructor.
A calculus-based survey of general physics. Topics include kinematics, dynamics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, wave motion, sound, electricity and magnetism, light and optics, relativity, quantum mechanics, atomic physics and nuclear physics. Lecture and laboratory. Staff.
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PHYS 187: Selected Topics
(1/4 Unit)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
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PHYS 188: Selected Topics
(1/2 Unit)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
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PHYS 189: Selected Topics
(1 Unit)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
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PHYS 191: Colloquium in Physics and Astronomy I
(.25 Unit)
Discussion of selected topics in physics and astronomy as determined by student and staff interest. Led by departmental faculty, visiting speakers and students. Students are required to read selected scientific papers, attend presentations and actively participate in discussions. Offered on a credit/no credit basis. Staff.
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PHYS 205: Planetary Astronomy
(1 Unit)
Prerequisite: High school algebra or permission of instructor.
Covers our solar system’s origin and evolution, including Newton’s and Kepler’s Laws, planetary motion, planet characteristics, and detection of extrasolar planets. Investigates planetary and other images and data returned by solar system spacecraft. Considers recent developments in biochemistry and whether or not life could exist on other worlds. Zellner.
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PHYS 206: Astrophysics I: Stars, Galaxies and Cosmology
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: MATH 141 and/or a previous physics course, or permission of instructor.
Provides an understanding of stars and how they work, and examines our galaxy. Covers topics related to cosmology, including our expanding universe. Intended for mathematics and science majors and minors and for students pursuing teacher certification in science. Zellner.
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PHYS 243: Introduction to Mathematical Methods in Physics I
(.5 Unit)
Prerequisite: PHYS 168 , or permission of instructor.
An introduction to the mathematical methods in Physics. Topics include statistical interpretation of data and distribution functions, functions of a complex variable, and Fourier analysis. Staff.
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PHYS 244: Introduction to Mathematical Methods in Physics II
(.5 Unit)
Prerequisites: PHYS 168 and PHYS 243 , or permission of instructor.
A continuation of PHYS 243 . Topics include Coordinate transformations and curvilinear coordinates, partial differential equations, matrices and linear algebra. Seely.
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PHYS 245: Electronics
(1 Unit)
Prerequisite: PHYS 168 , or PHYS 116 with MATH 143 , or permission of instructor.
The use of linear and integrated circuits, discrete devices, amplifiers, power supplies, oscillators and digital logic in experimental design and data acquisition. Applications of measurement instrumentation. Lecture and laboratory. Miller.
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PHYS 250: Introductory Modern Physics
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: MATH 245 and PHYS 243 , or permission of instructor. Corequisites: PHYS 244 and MATH 247 , or permission of instructor (may also be taken as prerequisites).
A survey of modern physics. Topics include special relativity, the quantum theory of light and quantum mechanics of matter with applications in atomic, nuclear and elementary particle physics. Staff.
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PHYS 287: Selected Topics
(1/4 Unit)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
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PHYS 288: Selected Topics
(1/2 Unit)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
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PHYS 289: Selected Topics
(1 Unit)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
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PHYS 291: Colloquium in Physics and Astronomy II
(1/4 Unit)
Prerequisite: PHYS 191 , junior or senior standing.
Discussion of selected topics in physics and astronomy as determined by student and staff interest. Led by departmental faculty, visiting speakers and students. Students are required to read selected scientific papers, attend presentations, actively participate in discussions, and give a presentation on a scientific paper of their choice. Offered on a credit/no credit basis. Staff.
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PHYS 308: Optics
(1 Unit)
Prerequisite: PHYS 250 , or permission of instructor.
An introduction to geometrical and physical optics which includes paraxial theory, polarization, interference and diffraction phenomena, and optical instruments. Topics in contemporary optics, including lasers, holography and Fourier optics will also be discussed. Lecture and laboratory. Offered in alternate years. Seely.
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PHYS 322: Solid State and Nuclear Physics
(1 Unit)
Prerequisite: PHYS 250 .
An introduction to the modern quantum mechanical description of solids and the atomic nucleus. Lecture. Offered in alternate years. Moreau.
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PHYS 325: Theoretical Mechanics
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PHYS 244 , MATH 247 .
Review of elementary mechanics, one-dimensional motion, harmonic oscillator, motion in two and three dimensions, central force motion and orbital mechanics, many-particle systems, rotational motion, gravitation, moving coordinate systems and Lagrangian mechanics. Zellner.
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PHYS 336: Electricity and Magnetism
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PHYS 244 , MATH 247 .
A thorough discussion of Maxwell’s electromagnetic field equations in differential form. Major topics are electrostatics, magnetostatics, electromagnetic induction and electromagnetic waves. Moreau.
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PHYS 350: Advanced Laboratory
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PHYS 245 and PHYS 250 , or permission of instructor.
A junior-level laboratory designed to give students experience in independent research in experimental physics. Experiments include topics in optics, electricity and magnetism, atomic physics, and quantum physics. Strong emphasis is given to statistical analysis of data, error analysis, interpretation of measurements, techniques of measurement, and experimental design. Computer control of apparatus and computational analysis is also emphasized. Seely.
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PHYS 380: Mathematical Physics
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: MATH 247 , or permission of instructor.
Mathematical methods in physics including vector calculus, transform calculus, tensor analysis and special functions (viz. Fourier series, Gamma functions, Hermite polynomials, Bessel functions, spherical harmonics and Laguerre polynomials). Same as MATH 380 . Miller.
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PHYS 384: Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PHYS 250 , MATH 247 .
Classical thermodynamics, including kinetic theory and an introduction to statistical mechanics. Moreau.
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PHYS 387: Quantum Mechanics
(1 Unit)
Prerequisite: PHYS 250 , or permission of instructor.
Non-relativistic quantum interpretation of matter and energy, employing both the wave mechanics of Schroedinger and the matrix mechanics of Heisenberg. Miller.
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PHYS 388: Selected Topics
(1/4 Unit), (1/2 Unit), 1)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
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PHYS 389: Selected Topics
(1/4 Unit), (1/2 Unit), 1)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
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PHYS 391: Internship
(1/2 Unit)
Offered on a credit/no credit basis. Staff.
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PHYS 392: Internship
(1 Unit)
Offered on a credit/no credit basis. Staff.
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PHYS 401: Seminar
(1/2 Unit)
Staff.
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PHYS 402: Seminar
(1 Unit)
Staff.
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PHYS 411: Directed Study
(1/2 Unit)
Staff.
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PHYS 412: Directed Study
(1 Unit)
Staff.
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Political Science: American Politics and Policy |
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PLSC 101: Politics of American Democracy
(1 Unit)
An overview of the dynamics and structure of the American political system: the Constitution, civil liberties, Congress, the Presidency, bureaucracy, interest groups, political parties, and voting behavior. Contrasts the principles of democratic action with a behind-the-scenes examination of how public policy is actually made. Dabney, Grossman, Rose.
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PLSC 214: Congress and the Presidency
(1 Unit)
An examination of the changing roles and responsibilities of Congress and the presidency with a focus on the changing political environment and the potential for leadership. Grossman.
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PLSC 216: Public Policy Analysis
(1 Unit)
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing.
An examination as to how government decides to address problems. The stages of the policy-making process. Special attention is paid to the methods of program evaluation. Substantive policy areas are discussed, with an emphasis on social welfare, health, education, urban, and environmental protection policies. First-year students are not allowed to enroll in this course. Dabney, Grossman, Rose.
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PLSC 220: Interest Groups and Political Action
(1 Unit)
An examination of the increasing power of interest groups in the governmental process, including case studies of successful and unsuccessful efforts by business, labor, women’s groups, ideological groups and various citizens’ groups to influence public opinion and public policy. Offered in alternate years. Dabney.
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PLSC 225: American Citizenship in Theory and Practice
(1 Unit)
Focuses on the ways in which the concept of American citizenship has changed over time in response to various historical events such as the founding of the American republic, the abolition of slavery, the expansion of suffrage rights, the waves of immigration from Europe and Asia, and other circumstances. Grossman, Rose.
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PLSC 229: Film Images of World War II
(1 Unit)
The history of the Second World War and world films made about the war from 1939 to the present. (Film fee.) Offered in alternate years. Same as HIST 229 . Cocks, Grossman.
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PLSC 312: American Political Development
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PLSC 100 , PLSC 101 .
Considers rotating topics: war, race, and organizational and institutional changes in historical context. Seminar themes include: the periodization of American history, national state formation, the political economy of industrialization and urbanization, and the social dynamics of continuity and change in the American political system. Grossman.
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PLSC 315: Presidential Campaigns and Elections
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PLSC 100 , PLSC 101 .
The continuing evolution of both the presidential nominating process and the fall general election campaign. A look at the role played by political parties, candidate-centered organizations, money, issues, images and the mass media in the presidential selection process. Offered in those years when the presidential election campaign is at its peak! Dabney, Staff.
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PLSC 317: Political Parties in the United States
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PLSC 100 , PLSC 101 .
Examines the evolution of the party system in the U.S. and roles political parties play in contemporary American politics. Looks at party realignments, third party movements and advancements, party infighting and bipartisan cooperation. Addresses the question of party decline and the rise of alternative institutions of interest articulation. Dabney.
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Political Science: International Relations and Comparative Politics |
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PLSC 102: Introduction to Comparative Politics
(1 Unit)
Examines the political institutions and processes of countries around the world. Emphasizes how to make meaningful comparisons between systems in different countries. Covers conditions for and functions of democracy, with an emphasis on how different kinds of democracies work. Provides a framework for comparison and considers the United States in comparative perspective. Topics include the vibrancy of democracy, the centrality of political and electoral institutions, the possibility of revolution, and the power of ethnicity. Dabney.
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PLSC 103: Introduction to International Politics
(1 Unit)
Examines and evaluates competing theoretical approaches (“paradigms”) which seek to explain inter-state war, international institutions and the global economy. Explores scholarly debates about the implications of international anarchy and national sovereignty. Focuses on the causes of violent conflict, the emergence of human rights norms and international courts, the dilemmas of humanitarian intervention, and the implications of global inequality. Part I examines competing theoretical perspectives in the discipline; Part II,approaches to studying war, violence and conflict; Part III, international institutions; Part IV, issues related to the global economy and international development. Grossman, Walling.
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PLSC 206: Democratic Transitions
(1 Unit)
This course explores democratic transitions - why, how and when they occur - and the political, cultural, social and economic conditions that foster or impede deomcratic governance. Students will identify the key attributes of democracy in both theory and practice and learn how political scientists measure democracy. Student will exmine case studies of democritization from various regions of the world in order to better understand the causes of democratic transition and democracy’s consolidation. The course explores the idea of democracy, the practice of democracy and the imaginings and struggles of those who seek to achieve it in multiple regions of the world. Staff
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PLSC 207: Transitional Justice
(1 Unit)
How does a government build a secure, democratic society built on the rule of law and principles of human rights in the aftermath of mass atrocity? How do people live together peacefully in the aftermath of mass atrocity? Explores the set of practices, mechanisms and concerns that arise when a new government attempts to come to terms with a legacy of past human rights violations following a period of conflict, civil strife or government repression, e.g., amnesties, reparations, truth commissions, and criminal prosecutions in order to ensure accountability, serve justice, discover truth and achieve societal reconciliation. Walling.
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PLSC 235: American Foreign Policy
(1 Unit)
Exploration of the history of American foreign policy, covering leading theories that explain its shifting style, goals, and outcomes. Grossman.
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PLSC 237: Controversies in Global Politics
(1 Unit)
How do we achieve justice beyond borders in an increasingly complex and interdependent world? By examining different traditions of political, ethical, and legal thought, students acquire the tools necessary to make reasoned judgments about urgent political problems in international politics. These problems include but are not limited to: global poverty, human rights, immigration, global climate change, nuclear proliferation, terrorism, and sea-level rise. Walling.
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PLSC 256: Human Rights
(1 Unit)
Introduces the key concepts and theoretical tools for understanding human rights and human rights policy in the context of the modern world. Examines human rights in a global comparative context with emphases on all the major world regions. Draws on the central theories and concepts of comparative politics and international relations to explain how and why governments protect (or fail to) human rights and to examine the intersection among citizens, governments, and non-governmental organizations that work to investigate and protect against human rights abuses. Walling.
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PLSC 301: International Organizations
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PLSC 100 ; PLSC 102 or PLSC 103
This course examines why states create international organizations and considers whether or not they are significant and effective actors in international politics. Students will expolore the processes of global governance across a wide range of issues and become acquainted with the institutional and legal structures of inter-state cooperation in multiple regions of the world. This course will emphasize security cooperation wnd global governmental organizations liek the United Nations, NATO and the International Criminal Court as well as non-governmental organizations like the International Committee for the Red Cross and Amnesty International.
Lecture
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PLSC 305: Government and Politics of Japan
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PLSC 100 and one of either PLSC 102 or PLSC 103 .
An examination of Japan’s postwar political system: the decision-making institutions, political players and public policy processes. Also surveys political parties, political economy, political participation, culture and society in Japan. Dabney.
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PLSC 336: International Relations
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PLSC 100 and one of either PLSC 102 or PLSC 103 .
A study of the behavior of nations, including topics such as: national power, balance of power, deterrence, diplomacy, collective security, international law, international organization and disarmament. Grossman, Walling.
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PLSC 338: International Political Economy
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PLSC 100 and one of either PLSC 102 or PLSC 103 .
An introduction to the study of political economy, i.e., the reciprocal relationship between political and economic activities and institutions, through an examination of the pursuit of wealth and power in the international system. Considers the strengths and weaknesses of different theoretical, analytical and ideological approaches to understanding the international political economy in both historical and contemporary settings. Specific issues include trade, international finance, foreign investment, economic development, structural adjustments and globalization. Grossman.
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PLSC 352: The Comparative Politics of Developing Nations
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PLSC 100 and one of either PLSC 102 or PLSC 103 .
A survey of the principal arguments about global inequality and the developmental paths of countries outside the industrialized West. Includes an examination of the roles major powers and international and non-governmental organizations have played in the political and economic histories of developing countries. Dabney.
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PLSC 372: Gender, Sex and International Politics
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PLSC 100 and one of either PLSC 102 or PLSC 103 .
Explores how gendered norms and assumptions shape international politics. Introduces feminist approaches to international politics in order to answer questions like “where are the women?” and “how do women experience international politics differently than men because of their biological sex?” Also evaluates the ‘gendered hierarchies’ of international relations—gendered expectations of individuals, state and other actors. Walling.
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PLSC 404: Causes of War
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PLSC 100 and one of either PLSC 102 or PLSC 103 .
Student must be a political science major or minor with junior or senior standing, or permission of instructor. Explores the central issues regarding the use of military force in international politics. Why do states turn to military force and for what purposes? What are the causes of war? What renders the threat to use force credible? Can intervention into intra-state wars stall bloodshed and bring stability? How can states cope with new challenges posed by asymmetrical warfare and the threats of would-be terrorists? What are the rules and laws of war? How do states diminish the threat of war? Part I examines the causes of inter-state war and the strategies states employ to diminish the threat of war and handle its effects; Part II, the growing trend of intra-state conflict; Part III, the global governance of war, specifically the institutions, rules and norms associated with war-fighting and conflict prevention; Part IV, other forms of political violence including asymmetrical warfare, rebel insurgencies and terrorism. Grossman, Walling.
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PLSC 405: National Security Policy
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PLSC 100 and one of either PLSC 102 or PLSC 103 .
Student must be a political science major or minor with junior or senior standing, or permission of instructor. Explores the new security challenges facing the United States and other nations in the post-Cold War period. Introduces security studies, looking at the issue of nuclear weapons and its integration into strategic policy planning. Considers alternative ways to comprehend the concept of security and security studies in light of economic globalization, asymmetrical warfare, terrorism, democratization, the changing character of sovereignty, and the problem of weapons (conventional and non-conventional) proliferation. Grossman, Walling.
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Political Science: Law, Jurisprudence and Political Thought |
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PLSC 105: Introduction to Political Thought
(1 Unit)
Offers an introduction to political theory. Explores major debates within the field, both in contemporary and canonical work. Proceeds both thematically, examining such themes as liberty, justice, democracy, political resistance, and power, and historically, situating theorists’ writings within the historical context in which they were written and read. Also considers the relationship between political theory, political practice and the other subfields of political science. Rose.
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PLSC 205: Theories of Democracy and Difference
(1 Unit)
Draws on the work of contemporary political theorists to explore how democracies simultaneously uphold their commitment to equality and liberty while allowing for the inclusion of people with sometimes very different values and beliefs. To what extent should the state accommodate citizens’ differences? What should states’ responses be to cultural minorities whose customs may run counter to the majority’s democratic values? What modes of communication best facilitate political participation by diverse community members? Is there room for accommodation of difference in the context of the legal system? Rose.
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PLSC 224: Constitutional Law and Politics
(1 Unit)
Explores the role of the U.S. Supreme Court in political struggles over the distribution and uses of power in the American constitutional system. Covers issues including the division of powers between state and national governments, and the branches of the federal government; economic powers of private actors and governmental regulators; the authority of governments to enforce or transform racial and gender hierarchies; and the powers of individuals to make basic choices, such as a woman’s power to have an abortion. Emphasizes how the tasks of justifying the Supreme Court’s own power, and constitutionalism more broadly understood, contribute to logically debatable, but politically powerful constitutional arguments. Also examines the politics of constitutional interpretation. Readings include Supreme Court decisions and background materials on their theoretical, historical and political context. Rose.
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PLSC 322: Crime, Politics and Punishment
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PLSC 100 , PLSC 105 .
Whom a society punishes and how it punishes are key political questions as well as indicators of the character of the people in whose name it acts. This course examines connections between punishment and politics with particular reference to the contemporary American situation. Rose.
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PLSC 324: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PLSC 100 , PLSC 105 .
Examines the American Constitution and some of the rights protected by it. Topics to be covered include: the role of the judiciary in protecting individual rights in a democratic context, methods of constitutional interpretation, incorporation, the right to bear arms, economic liberty, abortion and privacy rights, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of the press, the death penalty, and equal protection before the law. Rose.
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PLSC 351: Modern Political Thought
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PLSC 100 , PLSC 105 .
Critical examination of the work of modern writers on enduring themes of political life. Covers such thinkers as Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Hegel and Marx, through careful reading of the texts. Explores topics such as equality, democracy, women’s rights and contending definitions of freedom. Rose.
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PLSC 357: International Law and Politics
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PLSC 100 , PLSC 105 .
Examines international law using a broad range of analytical tools to enable students to think critically about the origins and impact of international law. How do we explain where particular laws and norms come from? How do they affect the shape of global politics and the outcomes of particular events? How often do states obey international law, and why? Also examines substantive areas of international law such as the law of armed conflict, international humanitarian law, human rights, international criminal law and environmental law. Walling.
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PLSC 367: American Political Thought
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PLSC 100 , PLSC 105 .
Explores the history of American political ideas, and how those ideas continue to inform contemporary political thinking. Focuses on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with principal attention given to the Transcendental Movement and the emergence and development of pragmatism. Examines this dominant thread of American thought against the backdrop of liberalism and within the context of four related themes: individualism, equality, community and democracy. Rose.
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PLSC 368: Liberals and Conservatives
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PLSC 100 , PLSC 105 .
Examines the development of American political thought from the early twentieth century to the present. Special areas of emphasis include transformations in the American understanding of liberalism and the emergence of modern American conservatism in the post-World War II context. Explores the constitutive connections and interplay between political ideas and the concrete world of political action. Rose.
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PLSC 406: Privacy and the Surveillance Society
(1 Unit)
Prerequisites: PLSC 100 and PLSC 105 .
Student must be a political science major or minor with junior or senior standing, or permission of instructor. Surveillance has become a topic of central importance for citizens and governments alike. As new technologies are developed and deployed, both by government and private entities, once conventional understandings of privacy and personhood have been permanently altered. How should relations between citizen and state, citizen and corporate entities, and among citizens themselves be understood? In what ways might human rights principles be threatened by global flows and exchanges of data? How are concepts like personhood, identity, trust and privacy being transformed and shaped through surveillance practices? How might such developments be challenged and struggled over? What implications does national security policy have for individually situated notions of human security? Topics considered will include: whether or not the state has become more authoritarian via its data collection practices and activities; what issues are raised by surveillance cultures embedding themselves into the everyday fabric of social life and social organization; and, whether there are constitutional tools available to citizens to challenge surveillance protocols and processes. Rose.
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Political Science: Political Research |
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PLSC 100: Introduction to Political Inquiry
(1 Unit)
Examines the history of the discipline, and surveys principal approaches to describing and explaining political phenomena, including qualitative and quantitative analysis and moving from the behavioralism of the late 1940s, to critical theories, interpretive approaches, and rational choice models of later generations, and on to postmodern critiques challenging the idea that political science can be a science. Dabney, Grossman, Rose, Walling.
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Political Science: Special Studies |
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PLSC 187: Selected Topics
(1/4 Unit)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
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