A comprehensive study of national government in the United States.

A study of the major factors underlying international relations, the causes of conflict and cooperation among international actors, the role of international institutions, the interactions of domestic and foreign policies, and major issues in security, economy and the environment.

An introduction to empirical research in political science.

A thorough examination of the U.S. Supreme Court in the American political system. Focusing on the Court as an institution-the set of norms, rules, and policymaking processes that lead to the Supreme Court's decisions-and how justices' decision-making processes critically determine substantive legal policy and the meaning of the U.S. Constitution.

An introduction to the persistent challenge of authoritarianism. The course explores the nature of authoritarianism and its evolution from ancient through modern times. Students will study how authoritarian regimes vary, why citizens sometimes comply with them, and when and how citizens rebel. The course concludes with a review of contemporary authoritarianism, focusing on its resilience in the Middle East and East Asia and its potential for a resurgence in the US and Europe.

An introduction to the theories of rational choice including theories of negotiation and bargaining, elections and voting in democracies, community organizing and the contrast between the roles and performances of government and market.

An overview of modern environmental philosophy, politics, and policy, exploring environmental politics in the US by way of comparison with other developed and developing countries.

A study of the domestic governmental institutions; processes and problems such as conflict and economic development; and the socio-economic environments that are common to lower-income countries around the world.

An examination of identity as a source of civil conflict. The course explores how identity is embedded in context, how identity is manipulated for political ends, and how identity conflict may be resolved.

An introductory course to the study of law with emphasis on how lawyers and judges think and argue. Topics include, contract law, property, family law, torts, and criminal procedure.
This course is a duplication of GVPT331, Law and Society.

Introduction to game theory with applications to political science, economics and sociology. Topics include preference theory, expected utility theory, Nash equilibria, subgame perfection, repeated games, folk theorems, and evolutionary stability.

The rise of global corporations is one of the distinctive features of globalization. What are the origins of the modern global corporation? What is their impact on politics, society and the economy? This course seeks to convey a sophisticated understanding that goes beyond bumper stickers maligning corporations or celebrating unfettered capitalism, to deepen the students understanding of multinationals as complex and powerful organizations, and to learn a variety of perspectives on multinational corporate activity.

Seminar for students in the GVPT Honors program. Topics vary.

Seminar

A study of civil rights in the American constitutional context, emphasizing freedom of religion, freedom of expression, minority discrimination, and the rights of defendants.

The study of Marxist thought and an assessment of the critical transformations and reassessments of the theory and practice of Marxism.

Seminar in Political Philosophy

Seminar in Political Philosophy.  A survey of political ideologies. The course begins by tracing the lineage of liberal democracy from Ancient Greece to modern conceptions of democracy. It then considers theoretical and political responses to this lineage, from within and out of the tradition.

Seminar in Comparative Politics. 

Seminar in Comparative Politics

Seminar in Comparative Politics,  An exploration of the political impact of nationalism. The course examines the nature and origins of nationalism, change and variation between civic forms of nationalism and both ethnic and religious nationalism, and how nationalism shapes and is shaped by domestic and foreign politics. The course will also explore the relationship between nationalism and populism in contemporary society.

Seminar in Comparative Politics

An introduction to local government and politics in the U.S. context. The course explores the evolution of local jurisdictions, particularly cities, and the politics of local level decision making.