The Senior Capstone Experience is an independentresearch project on a topic of the studentschoosing, culminating in a thesis of at least 30pages and the presentation of their research atthe Senior Symposium. This project isrequired of all majors in political science.

A study of the foundations, institutions,processes and policy issues of Americangovernment at the national level.

A general introduction to the study of worldpolitics and international relations. The coursefocuses on the history and nature of theinternational system, the cold war and post coldwar era, foreign policy behavior, arms control,conflict, nationalism, international politicaleconomy, environmental problems, terrorism andhuman rights.

The department occasionally offers a course on aspecial topic in political science that is not apart of the regular course offerings.

Students may receive credit for an individualizedcourse of reading and writing under thesupervision of a faculty advisor. The requirementsof the course will be specified in a learningcontract drawn up by the student and advisor. 45hours required per credit.

The course reviews theoretical and philosophicalapproaches to understanding and explainingconflict and peace, including theories of violenceand nonviolence. The first half of the courseaddresses the causes of conflict at theindividual, group, and systems level. We alsoreview modern thinking on the relationship betweengender and conflict. The second half of the courseaddresses the theoretical considerations of peace,including positive and negative peace, and therealization of peace through strength,negotiations, justice and personal transformation.

This course introduces students to the study ofpolitical philosophy by examining the ways of manyof the most influential political theorists havestruggled to define the nature of justice, as wellas developing an understanding of how theoristshave approached the question of founding justregimes; ensuring that just systems of governmentoperate legitimately once established; andassessing the major causes for the deteriorationof regimes based on justice.

This course introduces current research techniquesemployed by political scientists and other socialscientists. Our concentration is on quantitativemethods used to investigate political questions.You learn how to work with large political sciencedata sets and write and present detailed dataanalysis reports. You also learn how to presentdata using infographics. The course concludes witha large survey research project, in which youwrite your own survey, collect the data, analyzethe results, and present them formally in writtenand oral form. After taking this course, you willhave gained familiarity with SPSS, a commonstatistical software used by social scientists,and learn more about descriptive statistics,sampling theory and tests of statisticalsignificance.

Students may receive course credit for anindividualized internship at a politicalorganization, under the supervision of a facultyadvisor. The details of the internship andassociated academic requirements will be specifiedin a learning contract drawn up by the student andadvisor.

The department occasionally offers a course on aspecial topic in political science that is not apart of the regular course offerings.

Students may receive credit for an individualizedcourse of reading and writing under thesupervision of a faculty advisor. The requirementsof the course will be specified in a learningcontract drawn up by the student and advisor. 45hours required per credit.

Political Parties and Interest Groups are theprimary means by which the public exert influenceover American politics. They represent the desiresof their constituents and enable citizens topursue common goals more efficiently than actingalone. However, Parties and Interest Groups arealso institutions with their own desires and havethe capacity to influence (manipulate) the public.We are left with the squestion of who leads whoand what does all this mean for our democracy? These questions become increasingly important inan age of heightened political polarization andcampaign spending. This course explores thesequestions by examining the formation, evolution,and behavior of political parties and interestgroups in American politics. Among other topics,we analyze their organization and structure, howthey recruit and mobilize, and their role inpolicymaking and campaigns.

As polarization has intensified among politicalelites and the public, conflict between and withinpolitical parties has resulted in near gridlock onall but the most urgent of legislative issues. Whyhas this happened? How do the formal and informalrules of the legislative process perpetuate thisdysfunction? And most importantly, what can we doabout it? It is with these questions in mind thatwe explore the historical development of theUnited States Congress, its procedures andorganizational structure, its relationship to theExecutive and Judicial branches, and the ways inwhich voters hold lawmakers electorallyaccountable. In short, we explore the electoraland institutional forces that shape the membershipof Congress and the institution's (in)capacity togovern. To enrich the learning experience,students participate in a semester-long simulationas U.S. Senators where they draft, debate and voteon legislation.

The Presidency has evolved into the most powerfulinstitution in American politics. While theFounders envisioned a glorified clerk executingthe will of Congress, the Modern President isexpected to enhance the safety, stability, andprosperity of the nation largely on his own. Presidential power has expanded considerably toaccomplish these goals, but so too has theirability to sidestep the checks and balances system- posing serious questions for the future of ourDemocracy. Through an examination of key momentsin presidential history, this course explains thisevolution and its political implications. Inparticular, we explore the contexts in which theseexpansions of power have occurred and howpresidents build legitimacy for these changesamong the public. We also consider the effect thatthese changes have had on elections, politicalpolarization, and the general functioning of ourgovernment.

Campaigns and Elections are the cornerstone ofAmerican democracy. Through our readings anddiscussions, you learn how political campaigns arewon and lost and, in the process, gain anunderstanding of the fundamental factors thatdrive elections and some of the technical skillsemployed by political professionals. But thiscourse is about more than memorizing facts andtheories - it is designed to foster your abilityto think critically and apply what you havelearned to the real world. As such, we participatein a semester long simulation of the upcomingMidterm/Presidential campaign. Working in groups,you develop campaign advertisements and a socialmedia presence along with making strategicdecisions about where to build field offices, holdfundraisers and campaign events, and how muchmedia time to purchase. As individuals, you draftstrategic memos that incorporate the coursematerial to analyze the current state of thesimulated campaign along with developing proposalsfor group assignments. While only one campaignwill win on Election Day, you will all gaininvaluable experience and insight into the worldof Campaigns and Elections.

This course is designed to analyze the nature ofthe relationship between religion and variousaspects of politics in the United States. Thecourse considers why religion and politics are sothoroughly interwoven in the United States byexamining the religion-politics relationship inhistorical and theoretical perspective. The coursealso analyzes how religion affects Americanpolitics at the mass and elite levels. Lastly, thecourse considers church-state conflicts inAmerican jurisprudence by examining some of themost hotly contested Supreme Court cases dealingwith First Amendment issues. Prerequisite:Political Science 102 or permission of theinstructor.

This course focuses on the interactions among thethree levels of government in the United Statesas well as on the institutional structures ofstate and municipal governments. It concentrateson the interaction among governments as asignificant portion of the policy-making process.The course discusses the changing roles over timeof different levels of government.

A study of the American system of criminaljustice. The major emphases of the course are theoperation of the institutions and processes ofthesystem, the constitutional rights of thoseaccusedof crime, and the social goals and consequencesofcriminal punishment.

This course examines the role of women as voters,citizens, candidates, and leaders in Americanpolitics, grounded in theories of gender.Attention is given to the history of the women'smovement and the current status of women'sorganizations. The course also focuses on howvarious public policies, including workplaceissues, family issues, education issues andreproductive rights, affect women and their legalrights.

An analysis of the distribution of power amongthe three branches of the federal government, andbetween the federal and state levels ofgovernment, as specified in major decisions ofthe U.S. Supreme Court. The Court itself isstudied as a political institution, with emphasison its role in a democratic political system. Thecourse also includes a study of the constitutionalrights of individuals, as specified by the U.S.Supreme Court, with primary emphasis on issues offreedom and equality.

A study of the influence of values and ideologiesupon the formation, evolution, and operation ofthe American constitutional and political system.In deference to the pragmatic character ofAmerican political thought, the course focuses onthe writings of American statesmen as theyconfronted such continuing problems as the natureof the Union, the contest between economic powerand democratic power, and the responsibility ofgovernment for individual and social welfare. Thecourse concludes with a consideration of therelevance of American political doctrines for thecontemporary issues of public policy.

A critical study of the enduring problems ofpolitical philosophy as treated by the majorthinkers in the Western political tradition. Theemphasis of the course is upon the fundamentalchoice of values which underlies the design ofevery system of government. The course thusexamines how such writers as Plato, Aristotle,Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Burke, andMarx have formulated and attempted to resolve theconflicting demands of freedom and order, law andjustice, authority and obligation, and theindividual and the state.

This course explores the role of the media inpolitics from various perspectives, providing anoverview of the following: the history of mediain the United States; the legal issues that relateto the media; the impact that the media has onpublic opinion; the substance (or lack ofsubstance) of the media's coverage of the news,government and elections; biases of the newsmedia; and the increasing conglomeration of thenews media through mergers. Throughout the course,these issue areas will be discussed in a largercontext involving questions of freedom,representation, and political participation.

This course focuses on the political and economicchallenges confronted by developing countries,including democratization, gender, nationalismandregional integration, trade, foreign investment,and sustainable development. The course alsoexamines issues of development theory andpracticein developing countries of Latin America, AsiaandAfrica.

A comparative study of the governmental structuresand organizations, as well as the politicalcultures and processes, of the diverse states ofWestern Europe, with special focus on the UnitedKingdom, France, and Germany. Also included is thestudy of the European Union and its process ofexpansion into Central Europe.

This course provides a broad overview of thedifferent governmental structures andorganizations, as well as history and politicalcultures, of a range of states in Asia, includingJapan, the Koreas, China, India, and the countriesof Southeast Asia. Particular attention will bepaid to the link between culture, identity andvariations in democratic practices.

An introduction to the politics of Latin America.Attention is given to the historical and culturalcontext of political institutions and behavior,the roles of traditional and emerging groups andforces, political instability, and thedecision-making process under different types ofregimes. Case studies of individual countries areselected on the basis of their contemporaryimportance and representativeness of generalpolitical problems.

This is a survey of contemporary politics in SouthAsia (Afghanistan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and SriLanka). It examines the impact of Britishcolonialism on state formation, the internalpolitics since the 1940s, and the relationship ofthese countries to each other and with the majorexternal powers (U.S., Russia, and People'sRepublic of China) influencing the region.

This course centers African states and the Africancontinent within contemporary global processes anddiscourses. Attention is given to the structuresof power in political economy, colonialrelationships, independence and social justicemovements, and discourses and depictions ininternational media and policy. Case studies ofindividual countries are presented alongsidespecific international institutions and issues inorder to interrogate the meaning of Africa inthe world.

This course explores environmental issues in aglobal context, with particular attention paid tointernational cooperation, international law, andthe roles of governments, institutions, NGOs andsocial movements. The course also focuses on theimpact of environmental problems and cooperationon countries in the Global South/North.

A study of an integrated theoretical framework foranalyzing the behaviors of nation-states in theinternational political arena, as well as ofselected critical issues and areas in contemporaryinternational politics. Normally included in thestudy are nuclear weapons systems and theirimplications in international politics; nucleararms negotiations and agreements; East-Westrelations; the triangular relationship among theUnited States, the former Soviet Union, and China;the Arab-Israeli conflict; the Third World'snon-alignment movement, and the North-Southtensions. Students who have taken PoliticalScience 302 at Rhodes University will not receivecredit for this course.

This course is designed to provide an introductionto the history, philosophy and major debates onhuman rights and social justice. Students considerthe philosophical and political positionsunderlying the debates that are central to thepromotion of human rights, including gender,universalism and cultural relativism. The coursealso covers contemporary issues in theinternational human rights and social justicemovement, including the right to development andfreedom from poverty, women's human rights,minority rights, torture, slavery and genocide.Group work and the creation of a public awarenesscampaign are required course assignments.

A study of organized human efforts made throughouthistory to promote international cooperation andpeace. Special attention is given to theprinciples and rules of international lawregulating national conduct in internationalaffairs, the League of Nations, the UnitedNations, and contemporary blueprints for worldfederation and government.

This course is a study of the relationship betweeninternational politics and economics. It examinestheories of international political economy,including Liberal, Mercantilist, and Radical.Using these themes, the course analyzes thehistory of political economy, the relationshipbetween economics and politics, trade, foreigninvestment, economic aid, development, dependency,interdependency, and the role of the United Statesin the global political economy.

A brief historical survey of American diplomacyand analytical study of factors conditioningAmerican foreign policy; the constitutional basisof U.S. foreign relations; the concepts ofAmerican national interest and goals; thestructure and processes of decision-making andpolicy-execution; the organization of, andrelations among, the White House, Department ofState, Department of Defense, other Executiveorgans, and Congress; and America's currentinvolvement in world affairs.

A study of U.S. foreign policy and Latin Americasince the Monroe Doctrine. Attention is given tothe interests of Latin American nations in theirrelationship with each other and with other areasof the world, with special emphasis on thepost-World War II period.

The course seeks to expand student knowledge ofimportant past political events and contemporarypolitical issues related to the internationalrelations of East Asia, including U.S.-East Asiarelations; to introduce students to a newterminology based in international relationstheory, including the contentiousness of someterms, major thinkers associated with these termsand theories, and how general internationalrelations theory has been applied to the case ofEast Asia; and, to assist students in applyingtheir new knowledge of terminology and theory tobetter understand past and contemporary politicalinteractions in East Asia.

This course focuses on contemporary conflicts andefforts at peacebuilding in a comparativeperspective. Drawing on cases such as Bosnia, ElSalvador, Northern Ireland, and Rwanda, the courseexamines the roots of conflict, theories of peace,methods of peacebuilding, transitional justice,reconciliation, and international cooperation.Simulations are used to enable students tounderstand the dynamics of the peace process.

In recent decades, the Middle East has proved tobe one of the most troubling as well as importantparts of the world. The war in Iraq, the standoffwith Iran, the regular failure to find adiplomatic solution to the Israeli-Palestinianconflict and the continuing danger posed by AlQaeda all testify to the intractability of theregion's problems. This course focuses on USforeign policy in the Middle East. The UnitedStates has grappled with the region's persistentand cross cutting conflicts, and confrontedfundamental questions about the use of force, therole of allies and international law.

This course will explore the gendered dimensionsof conflict, focusing on the post-Cold War periodand paying particular attention to what feministshave described as the continuum of violence, frommilitarization of everyday living to overt violentconflict. Topics covered include the politicaleconomy of war, sexualized violence, themilitarization of gendered bodies, gendered formsof cooperation with violence, and politicalactivism.

Students may receive course credit for anindividualized internship at a politicalorganization, under the supervision of a facultyadvisor. The details of the internship andassociated academic requirements will be specifiedin a learning contract drawn up by the student andadvisor.

The department occasionally offers a course on aspecial topic in political science that is not apart of the regular course offerings.

Students may receive credit for an individualizedcourse of reading and writing under thesupervision of a faculty advisor. The requirementsof the course will be specified in a learningcontract drawn up by the student and advisor. 45hours required per credit.

This course is an integrative, capstone courserequired for all graduating seniors thatincorporates writing and research around aparticular theme. Open only to seniors graduatingthat academic year.

Students enrolled in this program spend two daysper week as state legislative interns in Annapolisduring the three-month legislative session. Theyalso meet and do assignments for a weekly academicseminar on campus. Students may enroll in thisprogram only by application to the Director.Applicants must have a 3.0 GPA. Eight credits.(Note: this program counts as two politicalscience courses.)

A full-time, semester-long internship inWashington, DC, with a federal government,political, or non-profit agency. Depending upontheir interest and internship placement, studentsmay attend hearings, conduct policy research,draft correspondence, monitor legislation, lobbymembers of Congress, and write analytical reports.Students create an in-depth portfolio of theirinternship experience. Prerequisite: Successfulapplication to The Washington Center forInternships and Academic Seminars. This course isnormally open only to juniors and seniors. Twelvecredits. The internship package of PoliticalScience 427, 428, and 429 yields 16 creditstowards graduation and 8 credits towards thepolitical science major or minor.

Washington Center Interns participate in anevening seminar selected from a variety of topicsoffered during the semester. Students engage inclass discussion and may also research seminartopics, prepare written assignments, and takeexaminations. Required of and limited to studentsenrolled in Political Science 427. Three credits.

Washington Center Interns participate in lectures,site visits, small group discussions, briefings,and other required events designed to help themunderstand the connection between their academicand professional goals and the special educationalopportunities available through living and workingin Washington, DC. Evaluations of theseexperiences are included in the student portfolio.Required of and limited to students enrolled inPolitical Science 427. One credit.

This distinctive study abroad course involvesintensive study at the University of Oxford.Students conduct individual research projects andattend seminars under the direction of OxfordUniversity faculty. The topic of the Seminarengages issues at the intersection of religion,politics, and culture. The course begins withinstructional meetings int he spring andconcludes with an oral defense of a substantialresearch paper in the fall. The course involces49 hours of direct instructional contact andadditional experiential learning in the form ofstructured trips and attendance of a Shakespeareplay in Stratford upon Avon.

This two-credit course is offered as a complementto required delegate training for participation inan off-campus model diplomacy simulation. Thecourse goes beyond the basics of delegatepreparation (public speaking, model procedure, andfamiliarity with committee topics) to offer abroader framework for understanding the evolutionof the practice of diplomacy, principal challengesfacing diplomats today, and the role of diplomacyand the diplomat in the modern world. As part ofthe course, students are offered individualizedfeedback on their committee research for a modelsimulation, background information on importantdevelopments in international affairs and majorinternational organizations, and the opportunityto reflect on the linkage between the modelexperience and the actual practice ofinternational organizations in the 21st andprevious centuries. Prerequisite: application andacceptance into a Model Diplomacy program.

This two-credit course is offered as a complementto required delegate training for participation inan off-campus model United Nations simulation. Thecourse goes beyond the basics of delegatepreparation (public speaking, model procedure, andfamiliarity with committee topics) to offer abroader framework for understanding the evolutionof the United Nations since its founding in 1945,principal challenges it faces today, and the roleof diplomacy and the diplomat in the modern world.As part of the course, students are offeredindividualized feedback on their committeeresearch for the model simulation, backgroundinformation on important developments ininternational affairs and major internationalorganizations, and the opportunity to reflect onthe linkage between the model experience and theactual practice of international organizations inthe 21st and previous centuries. Prerequisite:application and acceptance into a Model UnitedNations program.

Students may receive course credit for anindividualized internship at a politicalorganization, under the supervision of a facultyadvisor. The details of the internship andassociated academic requirements will be specifiedin a learning contract drawn up by the student andadvisor.

The department occasionally offers a course on aspecial topic in political science that is not apart of the regular course offerings.

Students may receive credit for an individualizedcourse of reading and writing under thesupervision of a faculty advisor. The requirementsof the course will be specified in a learningcontract drawn up by the student and advisor. 45hours required per credit.