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political Science department

• Graduate Course List

• Political Science 505 Foundations of Political Theory Required of all candidates for the M.A. in Political Science Offered Spring 2007, 2009 A graduate-level survey of the threads of continuity and the sources of change in the development of political philosophy from Plato through Marx. Three credits. Political Science 507 Contemporary Political Theory Offered on occasion A consideration of selected topics in contemporary political theory, in- cluding Marxism, liberalism, fascism, postmodernism, postcolonialism, and feminism. Three credits.
  
  


• Political Science 508 Seminar on Political Theory identity, representation and artistic expression will be discussed, critiqued, and explored in end-of-term research papers. Three credits. New Media Performance 705 Senior Thesis (Written and Performed: Individual Supervision) Offered yearly Senior Thesis represents the creative and scholarly growth of a graduate student and is undertaken in the final semester of coursework. Working closely with a fac- ulty mentor, the graduating student pro- duces a substantial research project whose subject and bibliography are reflected in the performance or installa- tion-based end-of-term presentation to faculty and students. Both written and performed theses share the same theme whose new media language will be reflected upon by the student as he/she exits the program. Three credits. A focus on central issues in political the- ory: power, justice, the state and the individual, obligation, and freedom. Three credits.



• Political Science 509 Comparative Revolutions Offered Spring 2008 An examination of theories of revolu- tion. Revolution is studied for what it can reveal about the political process and the breakdown of that process; the role of the state; international/domestic factors; the function of ideology; and sociopolitical change. Case studies are used. Three credits.



• Political Science 510 State Violence and Terrorism (Same as Urban Studies 510) Offered Fall 2008 An examination of individual terrorism - its origins and theories offered to explain it - and the forms of state coercion known as state terror, which is often prompted by perceived domestic or for- eign threats to survival, authority or national interest. Underlying conditions such as civil strife, separatist movements, racial cleavages and ideological ratio- nales are examined. Examples of both categories of terrorism are drawn from history and from different world regions and are analyzed via theories learned in the course. Three credits.



• Political Science 520 Entitlement Politics, the Constitution and the Law (Same as Urban Studies 520) Offered on occasion An examination of the shifting politics of entitlement, poverty and constitutional rights law, with particular emphasis on the evolving interpretation of the Equal Protection and Due Process clauses and the changing responsibilities of the federal and state governments. Three credits.



• Political Science 521 The Electoral Process: Parties, Interest Groups and Voter Behavior Offered on occasion A study of the continuity and changes in the American electoral system. Consideration is given to the structure and nature of parties, the impact of inter- est groups, and select issues affecting voter behavior, including modern technology. Three credits.



• Political Science 522 Labor Law and Politics (Same as Urban Studies 522) Offered on occasion A nontechnical examination of the com- mon law of labor, ameliorative legislation (industrial safety, workers compensation, hours and wages, unemployment com- pensation, retirement), union organiza- tion, collective bargaining, collective action, arbitration, and racial and sexual discrimination in employment. Three credits.



• Political Science 523 Urban Democracy in America (Same as Urban Studies 523) Offered on occasion Is urban government the biggest failure of democracy in the United States? We will examine governance in three U.S. cities: Los Angeles, Washington and New York, focusing particularly on formal institutions, interest groups and countervailing movements. Three credits. Political Science 545 Police in a Democratic Society Offered Spring 2008 An examination of policies, programs and problems of police systems; changing roles and trends; and the impact of behavior and decisions on society. Three credits.



• Political Science 546 Rights of the Defendant Offered on occasion A study of the constitutional, statutory and judicial rights to lawful arrest, fair trial and just sentence. Three credits.



• Political Science 547 Human Rights in World Politics Offered Fall 2008 An examination of the impact of human rights on state policies, theories of human rights, cross-cultural perspec- tives of human rights, and the question of universality. Also considered are the five categories of rights recognized by the international community, negative and positive rights, the three genera- tions of rights and the evolution of international human rights and the legal instruments and covenants designed to protect them. Case studies of major human rights abuses and the efforts by the international community to deal with them - the role of the United Nations, particular states, non- governmental organizations and individ- uals - are reviewed. Three credits.
  
  


• Political Science 571 Public Administration and Public Policy Offered on occasion A study of administrative history, theo- ries and practices; policy formation and programs; and budget and personnel issues. Case studies are reviewed. Three credits.



• Political Science 572 Decision Making in the Public Service (Same as Urban Studies 572) Offered on occasion An examination of theories and models in the public service arena and their relation- ship to communication, team-building, morale, human relations and leadership. Case studies are reviewed. Three credits.



• Political Science 575 Concepts of the American Presidency: Executive Leadership and Power Offered on occasion An examination of the theories and practices of the American presidency, incorporating case studies comparing executive power in other countries. Consideration is given to constitutional factors, party politics, modes of executive leadership in light of new technology, and the evolving role of federalism and globalism. Three credits.



• Political Science 577 Problems in American Foreign Policy Offered Spring 2008 A consideration of selected topics in the analysis of the shaping, determination and conduct of American foreign policy since World War II, including domestic, institutional and global factors. Three credits.



• Political Science 578 Problems of Military Strategy and World Security Offered Fall 2008 A consideration of selected topics in the analysis of military doctrine, strategy and world security, including nuclear and conventional conflicts and the influence exerted by the military on national objectives, decision making and the economy. Three credits.



• Political Science 601 Capital Cities and Politics: Comparative International Urbanization (Same as Urban Studies 601) Offered Fall 2008 An examination of the political, physi- cal, economic, social and cultural aspects of(Same as Urban Studies 522) Offered on occasion A nontechnical examination of the com- mon law of labor, ameliorative legislation (industrial safety, workers compensation, hours and wages, unemployment com- pensation, retirement), union organiza- tion, collective bargaining, collective action, arbitration, and racial and sexual discrimination in employment. Three credits.



• Political Science 603 Law and Society (Same as PM 794) Offered Summer 2008 An analysis of the ways laws evolve along with social change; the applicabil- ity of laws in relation to the criminal jus- tice system and the structure of society; and the viability of laws in relation to changing moral standards. Three credits.



• Political Science 604 Urban Government and Politics (Same as Urban Studies 604 and PM 781) Offered on occasion A study of the management and organi- zation of American cities; politics and changing constituencies; and the impact on community participation, city man- agement and mayoralty. Three credits.



• Political Science 605 Conflict Resolution Offered Spring 2008 An examination of the theories and meth- ods of conflict resolution in a variety of settings, such as labor relations, criminal justice, community and the international arena. Role-playing is used to illustrate theories and practice. Three credits.



• Political Science 613 Comparative Politics Required of all candidates for the M.A. in Political Science Offered Spring 2008 A basic introduction to theoretical frame- works, concepts, approaches and method- ologies in the field of comparative politics. Students examine major authors, key texts and central theories, including structural- functionalism, modernization, political culture, dependency, corporatism, democ- ratic transition theory and rational choice. The course explores contending perspec- tives, foreign viewpoints and comparative case studies. The development of distinc- tive political systems in the industrialized world and the developing world and the utility of comparative theories to explain similarities and differences are considered. Three credits.



• Political Science 630 The American Constitution and Political System Required of all candidates for the M.A. in Political Science Offered Fall 2008 A study of the U.S. Constitution - its historical and political background and its relationship to major political institu- tions and practices. Three credits.



• Political Science 631 Current Problems in Constitutional Law Offered on occasion An analysis, possible synthesis and ulti- mate evaluation of the United States Supreme Court's approaches to select twentieth century problems of constitu- tional law. Topics may include federalism and governmental powers, civil liberties issues, church-state relations and rights of privacy. Three credits.



• Political Science 632 Freedom of Expression Offered on occasion A study of constitutional limitation on freedom of speech and press, including political dissent, particularly in time of war and national crisis. Demonstrations, symbolic speech and obscenity are con- sidered. Three credits.



• Political Science 635 The Supreme Court as a Political Institution Offered on occasion A study of the history and present status of the United States Supreme Court as a political instrument and how it affects political, social and economic changes in American society. Three credits.



• Political Science 637 The Legislative System (Same as Urban Studies 637) Offered on occasion An in-depth study of the legislative process at the local, state and national levels. Focus is on legislative analysis, including the study of legislative histories, lobbying, the role of unions, elected offi- cials, the media and the general public. Three credits.



• Political Science 638 International Relations Required of all candidates for the M.A. in Political Science Offered Fall 2007 An intensive survey of major theoretical perspectives and conceptual frameworks in international relations as well as a his- torical grounding in major recent and contemporary issues in world politics. The course explores contending perspec- tives, foreign viewpoints, and current and recent international case studies and controversies. Study of political economy is woven throughout the course. Students develop critical skills and a solid foundation in theoretical approaches to international relations. Topics covered include realism, liberal- ism, Marxism and dependency, world sys- tems theory, U.S. foreign policy, the role of the United Nations and international organization globalization. Three credits.



• Political Science 639 International Political Economy Offered Spring 2007, 2009 A comprehensive study of political econ- omy in the global system: the complex interactions between politics and econom- ics, power and wealth. Students examine key theories, specific contemporary prob- lems and major issues in political econ- omy, including Third World development, the economic restructuring of former Communist countries, foreign aid, regional cooperation, the role of transnational corporations and the International Monetary Fund, and the relationship between democracy and free markets. Three credits.



• Political Science 640 Public International Law Offered on occasion Studies in the substantive rules of the law of nations pertaining to the relations among states in the family of nations and between states and international organi- zations. Also discussed is procedural law for the settlement of international dis- putes. Three credits.



• Political Science 642 International Organization, The United Nations and its Affiliated Agencies (Same as PM 767) Offered on occasion A study of the theories, origins, functions and operations of international organiza- tions. The principal organs of the United Nations, with emphasis on the General Assembly and the Security Council, are examined. Three credits.



• Political Science 664 Contemporary Latin American Politics Offered on occasion An examination of the history, politics and economics of Latin America and an analysis of theories offered to explain Latin American development (or under- development). The region's uneven development and political turmoil are charted as the course traces the historical roots of the complexities of Latin America: history of Spanish colonialism; U.S. hegemonic power; revolutions, both liberal and socialist; military coups and regimes; and recent transitions to democracy. The political-economic impact of the current embrace of free- market capitalism is considered. Case studies of major Latin American coun- tries and regional processes and transfor- mations are reviewed. Three credits.



• Political Science 665 Contemporary Asian Politics Offered Fall 2008 An examination of the government and politics of contemporary Asian countries. There is great political diversity: from the industrialized or semi-industrialized countries (Japan, South Korea and Singapore) to the lesser developed coun- tries (Cambodia and Indonesia) and the communist countries (China and Vietnam). Focus will be on Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand, looking at governments, cultural and political tradi- tions, the historical relationships of these countries with the West and their incor- poration into the global/political order, the role of democracy and political par- ticipation, government/business rela- tions, social forces and current global influences. Three credits.



• Political Science 668 Contemporary Nationalism (Same as PM 768) Offered Spring 2007, 2009 An analysis of the phenomenon of nationalism: its historical roots in Europe; the emergence of new states in the Third World and the post-Cold War period; and the struggle of states to achieve national identities and cultural, economic and political independence. Nonviolent as well as revolutionary- nationalist patterns are discussed as are the difficulties of achieving viable state- directed national societies in the global order. Three credits.



• Political Science 670 The Third World: Development and Politics (Same as Urban Studies 670) Offered on occasion A study of politics, policies and goals of developing nations with regard to arms and disarmament, national sovereignty, colonialism, racism, and economic and regional development. The role of Third- World leaders, countries and groupings in international bodies is considered. Three credits.



• Political Science 673 Policy/Program Evaluation (Same as Urban Studies 673 and PM 704) Offered on occasion An attempt to define how the policy- maker or administrator can determine the effects of policies and actions. Examines the major approaches and developments in evaluating the impact of public policies and programs. Both quantitative and nonquantitative factors are discussed. Three credits.



• Political Science 674 Community Politics (Same as Urban Studies 674) Offered on occasion An examination of citizen policymaking and its impact on present systems. Charter reports on New York City are examined; trends are discussed. Three credits.



• Political Science 700 Independent Study Prerequisite: Approval of the Department The development of selected topics in conjunction with a faculty adviser. Three credits.



• Political Science 705, 706 Internship in Public Affairs and Policy Administration Prerequisite: Approval of the Department (Same as Sociology 705, 706; Urban Studies 705, 706) Political Science 705 offered every Fall Political Science 706 offered every Spring An internship designed to provide direct exposure to and experience in the opera- tion of a public affairs/service organiza- tions. The student is expected to engage in a supervised placement activity in a selected institution. Students will gener- ally meet at least once every two weeks as a class with a faculty coordinator to focus on specific questions relating to their organizations. In addition, students are expected to keep logs of their field work experiences and to complete a sem- inar-length paper analyzing a specific problem of their particular agency or organization. Three credits per semester.



• Political Science 707, 708 Research Methods/Thesis Seminar Open only to matriculated students In the first semester, advanced study of scientific method in the discipline of political science, together with the preparation of a master's thesis proposal. In the second semester, the actual writ- ing of the thesis. Pass/Fail only. Three credits per semester.