Major Requirements
2024 - 2025 Catalog
Politics major leading to BA degree
A major in politics leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree requires completion of at least 36 credits as follows:
- POL 100, 105, 111; ECON 100
- POL 202 (or one of the following: BUS 202, CBSC 250, ECON 202, MATH 118, SOAN 218)
- Five additional courses of 3 credits or more in politics, including completion of one of the following four sequences and including at least one 300-level seminar course, which entails an independent research and writing component. All 300-level courses count towards the seminar requirement
- General Study: completion of five courses chosen from at least two of the three subfields below, including at least one 300-level seminar course.
- American Government: completion of four courses chosen from LJS 101, 230, 232; POL 203, 229, 230, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 250, 283, 294, 295, 342, 360, 370, 397, 466 and at least one course chosen from the remaining 200- and 300-level courses in international/global politics or political philosophy
- International/Global Politics: completion of four courses chosen from POL 214, 215, 227, 245 (SOAN 245), 246 (SOAN 246), 247,255, 268 (SOAN 268), 274, 276, 278, 280, 285, 287, 288, 292, 296, 380, 381, 384, 388, 392 and at least one course chosen from the remaining 200- and 300-level courses in American government or political philosophy
- Political Philosophy: completion of four courses chosen from LJS 101; POL 265, 266, 267, 271, 297, 360, 370, 385, 386, 396 and at least one course chosen from the remaining 200- and 300-level courses in international/global politics or American government
- Six additional credits which must include courses from two of the following disciplines: cognitive and behavioral science, economics, history, philosophy, religion, or sociology and anthropology.
- Required courses:
- POL 100 - American National Government
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 A study of the constitutional origins and historical development of the national government with special attention to Congress, the presidency, the judiciary, and the role of political parties, interest groups, and the media in the policy process.
- POL 105 - Introduction to Global Politics
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 A survey of the comparative study of national and international politics and the interaction between the two. Topics may include power relations among and within states, changes in the conduct of international affairs and conflict resolution, contrasting ideas about democracy, economic development, justice, globalization, terrorism, causes and alternatives to war, social movements and the role of the nation-state.
- POL 111 - Introduction to Political Philosophy
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 An introduction to some of the perennial themes of politics, such as the relationship between human nature and political institutions, individual freedom and community, private conscience and civic virtue, the claims of reason and faith, the nature of law, obligation, and rights, among others. Our inquiry is guided by selections from influential works in the history of political thought, ancient, modern and contemporary, as well as plays, dialogues, comedies, tragedies, novels, and films. Consult with instructor for specific reading assignments and course requirements.
- ECON 100 - Introduction to Economics
FDR SS1 Social Science - Group 1 Distribution Credits 3 Economics is the study of how a society (individuals, firms, and governments) allocates scarce resources. The course includes a survey of the fundamental principles used to approach microeconomic questions of consumer behavior, firm behavior, market outcomes, market structure, and microeconomic policy, and macroeconomic questions of performance of the aggregate economy, including unemployment, inflation, growth, and monetary and fiscal policies. Open only to students who have not taken ECON 180, ECON 180A, ECON 101 and/or ECON 102. Retake allowed only with instructor consent and if space allows after the first round of registration.
- POL 202 (or one of the following: BUS 202, CBSC 250, ECON 202, MATH 118, SOAN 218)
One course from the following:
- POL 202 - Applied Statistics
Credits 3 Not open to students with credit for BUS 202, ECON 202, INTR 202, CBSC 250, or MATH 118. An examination of the principal applications of statistics to allow students to develop a working knowledge and understanding of applied statistics in the social sciences (politics, sociology, and economics), and accounting and business. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability, estimation, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis.
- BUS 202 - Fundamentals of Business Analytics
Credits 3 Business analytics allows for the conversion of raw data into actionable real-world insights. We'll build a foundation of knowledge in the fundamentals of statistics and data science using business data to formulate key metrics. We'll use a programming language to summarize and visualize data, interpret patterns, infer population parameters, explore relationships among variables, and make forecasts. No prior programming experience is expected.
BUS 202 will count towards the statistics requirement of both the business administration and accounting majors (currently also satisfied by POL/INTR 202, ECON 202, MATH 118, etc.). It will also count towards the statistics requirement of the Data Science minor. As is the case with POL/INTR 202, etc., BUS 202 serves as a pre- or co-requisite for FIN 221. Due to contact overlap, students may take only one of the following courses for degree credit: BUS 202, POL/INTR 202, ECON 202, MATH 118. Students who have already taken CBSC 250 should not take any of these other courses.
- CBSC 250 - Statistics and Research Design
Credits 4 Prerequisite any CBSC course and at least sophomore class standing Students learn about the design and analysis of psychological research, with particular emphasis on experimentation. Students learn statistical inference appropriate for hypothesis testing, and they use standard statistical packages to analyze data. Laboratory course.
- ECON 202 - Data Analytics for Economics
Credits 3 Prerequisite ECON 100, 180, 180A, or both ECON 101 and ECON 102 Fundamentals of probability, statistics, estimation, and hypothesis testing and ending with an introduction to regression analysis. The topics are critical for success in upper-level economics electives and are important for careers that rely on empirical research in the social sciences. Students engage in a dialogue between theory and application and learn to think formally about data, uncertainty, and random processes, while learning hands-on methods to organize and analyze real data using modern statistical software. Not open to students with credit for BUS 202 or POL/INTR 202.
- MATH 118 - Introduction to Statistics
FDR FM Math and Computer Science Foundation Credits 3 Elementary probability and counting. Mean and variance of discrete and continuous random variables. Central Limit Theorem. Confidence intervals and hypothesis tests concerning parameters of one or two normal populations.
- SOAN 218 - Basic Statistics in the Social Sciences
Credits 3 Introductory statistics course designed to help students become good consumers of statistics, but especially geared for students interested in sociology, archeology, and anthropology. Topics include descriptive and inferential statistics, sampling, and regression analysis. Students also get practical experience with cleaning and analyzing real world secondary data.
- Five additional courses of 3 credits or more in politics, including completion of one of the following four sequences and including at least one 300-level seminar course, which entails an independent research and writing component.
- General Study:
completion of five courses chosen from at least two of the three subfields below, including at least one 300-level seminar course.
- American Government:
Completion of four courses chosen from:
- LJS 101 - Introduction to Law, Justice, and Society
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite first-year, sophomore, or junior class standing An introductory seminar providing a broad, historically grounded foundation in concepts and frameworks of law, along with basic familiarity with a range of forms of law in practice. Beginning with general questions regarding the nature of law, students then move to a survey of American law, focusing on direct student engagement with landmark cases. The seminar concludes with attention to law in international and comparative settings.
- LJS 230 - Separation of Powers in the U.S. Constitution
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 4 Same as POL 230. This course probes the origins, development, advantages, and disadvantages of the tripartite structure of the federal government, beginning with an examination of the background and text of Articles I, II, and III of the U.S. Constitution. We analyze structural explanations provided in the Federalist Papers, along with Classical and Enlightenment sources addressing the nature of political power, the problem of faction, the role of checks and balances, and the purpose of separated functions. In-depth analyses of leading U.S. Supreme Court decisions trace evolving conceptions of legislative. executive. and judicial powers along with attention to the relevance of war and economic crisis to the authority and function of each branch. In discussions of landmark decisions, students compare the legal thought of a number of Justices--John Marshall, William Howard Taft, Robert Jackson, William Brennan, Sandra Day O'Connor, Anthony Kennedy, and Antonin Scalia. We trace the creation of the so-called fourth branch" of government--the administrative state-- and examine whether this "branch" can be reconciled with ideas of representative democracy and constitutional text. Students prepare and deliver two oral arguments based on assigned cases and write an appellate brief on a separation-of-powers topic."
- LJS 232 - Civil Rights and the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 4 Designed for students with an interest in law school and/or an interest in the history of civil rights. An exploration of civil rights in the United States from the post-reconstruction period, civil rights from an activists' perspective, the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, and civil litigation. The course includes a close examination of the work of the Civil Rights Division's Special Litigation Section which was instrumental in police misconduct matters involving, for example, the Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore, Maryland, police departments. We also examine the potential impact of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions' final memo regarding consent decrees and how it will affect investigations of police departments.
- POL 203 - State and Local Government
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite at least sophomore class standing An introduction to the structures and functions of United States subnational governments, with particular emphasis on the policy-making process and on the relationships between policy makers and the public. Computer-assisted analysis of survey-research data is included.
- POL 229 - Political Parties, Interest Groups, and the Media
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 100 A study of the three central extra-constitutional mediating institutions in the American political system: political parties, interest groups, and the media. The course explores theoretical and practical, historical and contemporary developments in party politics, interest group politics, and media politics. Special attention to the debate between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists.
- POL 230 - Separation of Powers in the U.S. Constitution
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 4 Same as LJS 230. This course probes the origins, development, advantages, and disadvantages of the tripartite structure of the federal government, beginning with an examination of the background and text of Articles I, II, and III of the U.S. Constitution. We analyze structural explanations provided in the Federalist Papers, along with Classical and Enlightenment sources addressing the nature of political power, the problem of faction, the role of checks and balances, and the purpose of separated functions. In-depth analyses of leading U.S. Supreme Court decisions trace evolving conceptions of legislative. executive. and judicial powers along with attention to the relevance of war and economic crisis to the authority and function of each branch. In discussions of landmark decisions, students compare the legal thought of a number of Justices--John Marshall, William Howard Taft, Robert Jackson, William Brennan, Sandra Day O'Connor, Anthony Kennedy, and Antonin Scalia. We trace the creation of the so-called fourth "branch" of government--the administrative state-- and examine whether this "branch" can be reconciled with ideas of representative democracy and constitutional text. Students prepare and deliver two oral arguments based on assigned cases and write an appellate brief on a separation-of-powers topic.
- POL 232 - Public Policy
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 100 Introduction to public policy formation and implementation, decision making in government, the concepts and techniques of policy analysis, and ethical analysis of policy. Policy issues such as education, immigration, and public health are used as illustrations.
- POL 233 - Environmental Policy and Law
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite ECON 100, ECON 101, ECON 180, ECON 180A, or POL 100 A study of major environmental laws and the history of their enactment and implementation. Discusses different theoretical approaches from law, ethics, politics, and economics. Reviews significant case law and the legal context. Emphasis is on domestic policy with some attention to international law and treaties.
- POL 234 - Congress and the Legislative Process
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 100 A review of the constitutional origins and historical development of Congress as a representative and deliberative institution. Course focus includes the relation between the President and Congress, bicameralism, congressional elections, congressional reform, legislative rules and procedures, and the policy process. The course follows the current Congress using C-SPAN and Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report.
- POL 235 - The Presidency
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 100 A review of the origins and development of the office of the presidency from Washington to the present, with an emphasis on post-war administrations. Topics include constitutional issues arising from presidential powers, policy making within the executive branch, and modern presidential leadership styles.
- POL 236 - The American Supreme Court and Constitutional Law
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 100 A survey of the development of American constitutional law and a study of the role of the Supreme Court as both a political institution and principal expositor of the Constitution.
- POL 250 - Race and Equality
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 100, POL 111, or AFCA 130 A study of important black figures in American political thought. The course focuses on the intellectual history of black Americans but also considers contemporary social science and public policies dealing with race in America.
- POL 283 - Minority Voting Rights and Fair Redistricting
FDR SS2 Credits 4 Prerequisite No prerequisite. Meets the American politics field requirement in the politics major This course introduces students to the redistricting process and election law by engaging them in a lab setting in which they use geographic information systems (GIS) software to develop alternative election district plans for the Commonwealth of Virginia. In addition to learning basic GIS skills, students also study voting rights case law, electoral systems and electoral reform.
- POL 294 - Spring-Term Topics in Public Policy
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3-4 This course is designed to give students additional expertise and awareness of discrete policy challenges in the United States. Students learn to explain current policy systems, including political institutions and political behavior by political actors. Students also formulate policy evaluations acknowledging the strengths and the weaknesses in the policy system.
- POL 295 - Special Topics in American Politics
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3-4 A seminar in political science for students at the introductory or intermediate level.
- POL 342 - Seminar: Law and the Judicial Process
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 100 or POL 111 A survey of legal theories and the problems of reconciling such theories with the realities of administering a legal system. The course draws upon readings from literature, philosophy, legal scholarship, and political science. Topics include the nature of law and justice, constitutionalism, the role and power of courts and judges, and the function of a legal system.
- POL 360 - Seminar: Lincoln's Statesmanship
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 100 This seminar examines the political thought and practice of Abraham Lincoln. Emphasis is on his speeches and writings, supplemented by scholarly commentary on his life and career.
- POL 370 - Seminar in American Political Thought
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3-4 Prerequisite POL 100 or POL 111 An examination of classic themes and current issues in American political thought. Depending on the instructor, emphases may include the Federalists, Anti-Federalists, Alexis de Tocqueville, Abraham Lincoln, and voices from the Progressive and civil rights eras. Course readings stress primary sources including speeches, essays, and books by politicians and theorists. The course explores the effort to reconcile liberty and equality, individualism and community, liberalism and republicanism, politics and religion, among other themes. The course highlights the contemporary relevance of the enduring tensions between political principles and practice.
- POL 397 - Seminar in American Government
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3-4 Prerequisite POL 100 Examination of selected topics in American political institutions, ideas, and processes.
- POL 466 - Washington Term Program
Credits 6 Prerequisite instructor consent The Washington Term Program aims to enlarge students' understanding of national politics and governance. Combining academic study with practical experience in the setting of a government office, think tank, or other organization in Washington, it affords deeper insight into the processes and problems of government at the national level. A member of the politics faculty is the resident director, supervising students enrolled in this program while they are in Washington, D.C.
and at least one course chosen from the remaining 200- and 300-level courses in international/global politics or political philosophy
- LJS 101 - Introduction to Law, Justice, and Society
- International/Global Politics:
Completion of four courses chosen from:
- POL 214 - The Conduct of American Foreign Policy
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 100 or POL 105 Constitutional basis, role of the President and the Congress, the State Department and the Foreign Service, role of public opinion, political parties, and pressure groups. Relation to other political areas and to the United Nations and other international agencies.
- POL 215 - International Development
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 A study of international development and human capability, with a focus on Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The course analyzes theories to explain development successes and failures, with a focus on the structures, institutions, and actors that shape human societies and social change. Key questions include measuring economic growth and poverty, discussing the roles of states and markets in development, and examining the role of industrialized countries in reducing global poverty. The course explores links between politics and other social sciences and humanities.
- POL 227 - East Asian Politics
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 An investigation of East Asian political systems and the global, historical, and cultural contexts in which their political institutions have developed. Students consider the connections between political structure and the rapid social and economic changes in East Asia since World War II, as well as the effectiveness of varied political processes in addressing contemporary problems. Emphasis is given to China, Korea, and Japan.
- POL 245 - European Politics and Society
(SOAN 245)
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 3 A comparative analysis of European political systems and social institutions. The course covers the established democracies of western and northern Europe, the new democracies of southern and east-central Europe, and the post-Communist regimes in eastern and southeastern Europe. Mechanisms of European integration are also discussed with attention focused on institutions such as European Union, NATO, OSCE, and Council of Europe.
- POL 246 - Post-Communism and New Democracies
(SOAN 246)
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 3 Same as SOAN 246. A comparative analysis of transition from Communism in the countries of the former Soviet bloc. Cases of successful and unsuccessful transitions to civil society, pluralist democracy, and market economy are examined. The comparative framework includes analysis of transition from non-Communist authoritarianism and democratic consolidation in selected countries of Latin America, the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and South Africa.
- POL 247 - Latin American Politics
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 This course focuses on Latin American politics during the 20th and 21st centuries. Major topics include: democracy and authoritarianism; representation and power; populism, socialism, and neoliberalism; and economic development and inequality. The course places particular emphasis on Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, and Cuba. In addition, the course examines political relations between the United States and Latin America.
- POL 255 - Gender and Politics
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 100, POL 105, or POL 111 This course investigates the gendered terms under which women and men participate in political life. Attention is given to the causes of men's and women's different patterns of participation in politics, to processes that are likely to decrease the inequalities between men's and women's political power, and the processes by which society's gender expectations shape electoral and institutional politics. The different effects of gender on the practice of politics in different nations are compared, with a special emphasis placed on advanced industrial democracies.
- POL 268 - Migration, Identity, and Conflict
(SOAN 268)
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite SOAN 102, POV 101, or POL 105 Same as SOAN 268. This course focuses on the complex relationship between migration, political institutions, group identities, and inter-group conflict. The course is a hybrid of a seminar and research lab in which students (a) read some of the key social-scientific literature on these subjects, and (b) conduct team-based research making use of existing survey data about the integration of migrant populations into various polities.
- POL 274 - Terrorism
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 The principal goal of this course is to help students understand the complexities of contemporary terrorism. We discuss definitional issues, the historical roots of modern terrorism, and various micro- and macro-explanations for this form of violence. We also investigate the life cycles of terrorist groups: How do they emerge? What kinds of organizational challenges do they face? How do they end? Other topics include leaderless movements (e.g., lone "wolves") and state sponsorship. Throughout the course, students observe that terrorism is not a phenomenon unique to one class of people. The course ends with three weeks focused on a certain kind of terrorism which some have called violent Islamic extremism.
- POL 276 - Intelligence in Practice
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 An examination of the responsibilities of, and challenges faced by, the U.S. intelligence community (IC). Drawing on current literature and case studies, topics include the history and evolution of the IC, the intelligence cycle, ethical and moral issues, oversight and accountability, covert action, and intelligence reform. Not open to those who have already taken POL 278 and precludes future enrollment in POL 278.
- POL 278 - Intelligence and National Security
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 100 or POL 105 This course examines the responsibilities of, and challenges faced by, the U.S. intelligence community (IC). Drawing on current literature and case studies, topics include the history and evolution of the IC, the intelligence cycle (direction, collection, processing, analysis, dissemination), ethical and moral issues, oversight and accountability, covert action, and intelligence reform. Through an intelligence lens, we explore the rise of al Qaeda, 9/11 and its aftermath, successes and failures associated with the Iraq War, Russian efforts to sway the 2016 US presidential election, and more.
- POL 280 - Bitcoin in Practice
FDR SS2 Credits 4 This course introduces students to bitcoin and its roles in global politics. Since 2008, bitcoin has evolved from an idea posted to an online chat forum to a digital asset that has caught the attention of sovereign states. Along the way, it has been used by human rights activists whose bank accounts have been frozen, refugees crossing boarders, immigrants sending remittances, environmentalists fighting climate change, and others. The course explores what bitcoin is, what problems it is trying to solve, and the creative ways it has been used across time and space. Part of the course takes place in Argentina, a developing country that has long faced economic challenges. There, the class meets with politicians, economists, entrepreneurs, and others - bitcoin advocates and skeptics alike - to understand why adoption is higher in Argentina than most other countries.
- POL 285 - Contemporary Britain
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite instructor consent Corequisite INTR 453 - International Internship A summer course taught in Britain, this is an introduction to some key features of contemporary life in the United Kingdom (UK). It focuses on political institutions and processes and extends to take in wider British society. Consideration is given both to the history of recent decades in the UK and to currently prevailing circumstances. Class meetings are combined with a series of visits to relevant sites of interest intended to enhance and expand upon the learning experience.
- POL 287 - The Maghreb: History, Culture, and Politics
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 4 This course examines the history, culture, and politics of the Maghreb, and especially the Kingdom of Morocco. After a few days in Lexington, most of the course is based in the old cities of Rabat and Fez, the latter a UNESCO world-heritage site and home to the oldest continually operating university in the world. We take field trips to the blue city of Chefchouen, the Roman ruins of Volubilis, and Africa's largest mosque in Casablanca. Throughout the course, students explore the region's political history, including the influence of imperialism and Islam on politics, gender relations in North Africa, Morocco's relationship with the United States, and more.
- POL 288 - Supervised Study Abroad
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 4 Prerequisite instructor consent This spring-term course covers a topic of current interest for which foreign travel provides a unique opportunity for significantly greater understanding.
- POL 292 - Topics in Politics and Film
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 4 This course examines how film and television present political issues and themes.
- POL 296 - Special Topics in Global Politics
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3-4 A seminar in political science for students at the introductory or intermediate level.
- POL 380 - Seminar in Global Politics
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 105 Examination of selected topics dealing with international and comparative politics.
- POL 381 - Seminar in International Political Economy
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite ECON 100, ECON 102, ECON 180, ECON 180A, or POL 105 This course provides an intermediate-level introduction to the major actors, questions, and theories in the field of international political economy (IPE). Course participants discuss political and economic interactions in the areas of international trade, fiscal and monetary policy, and exchange rates; discuss globalization in historical and contemporary perspectives; and examine the international politics of the major intergovernmental organizations, multinational corporations, states, and other institutional actors in the global economy.
- POL 384 - Seminar in Middle Eastern Politics
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 105 This course examines contemporary politics in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Topics include the role of colonial legacies in state formation, the region's democratic deficit, nationalism, sectarianism, and the influence of religion in politics. We explore inter- and intrastate conflict, including the use of terrorism, economic development and underdevelopment, and the recent Arab uprisings (commonly referred to as the Arab Spring). Throughout, we consider why the Middle East attracts as much attention from policymakers and scholars as it does, how analysts have studied the region across time and space, and why understanding different cultural perspectives is critical to understanding the region.
- POL 388 - Architecture of Urban Community
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite any POL course numbered between 100 and 199 This seminar investigates the literal and social architecture of democratic community in cities around the globe, examining how the physical spaces and political and economic power structures of urban life support or constrain the civic relationships of residents of varying backgrounds and unequal socioeconomic positions, shaping citizens' opportunities for collective empowerment and self-determination. Course addresses issues of poverty, exclusion, and environmental limits.
- POL 392 - Seminar in Asian Politics
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 A topical seminar focusing on Chinese politics, other Asian countries, or selected subjects in Asian politics.
and at least one course chosen from the remaining 200- and 300-level courses in American government or political philosophy
- POL 214 - The Conduct of American Foreign Policy
- Political Philosophy:
Completion of four courses chosen from:
- LJS 101 - Introduction to Law, Justice, and Society
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite first-year, sophomore, or junior class standing An introductory seminar providing a broad, historically grounded foundation in concepts and frameworks of law, along with basic familiarity with a range of forms of law in practice. Beginning with general questions regarding the nature of law, students then move to a survey of American law, focusing on direct student engagement with landmark cases. The seminar concludes with attention to law in international and comparative settings.
- POL 265 - Classical Political Philosophy
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 111 An examination of some of the central questions and concerns of classical political philosophy. The course is not restricted to a historical period but extends to classical themes within contemporary culture. A mixture of plays, novels, epics, dialogues, treatises, and films are used. Authors, texts, and themes vary from year to year. Consult with the instructor for specific course details.
- POL 266 - Modern Political Philosophy
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 111 An examination of some of the central questions and concerns of modern political philosophy. The course is not restricted to a historical period but extends to modern themes within contemporary culture. A mixture of plays, novels, epics, dialogues, treatises, and films are used. Authors, texts, and themes vary from year to year.
- POL 267 - Contemporary Political Philosophy
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 111 The principal aim of this course is to help students understand and think critically about contemporary political life and the crises facing democracy. We examine central questions and concerns in contemporary political philosophy surrounding the topics of democracy, (neo)liberalism, identity, race, and gender. Attention is given to the sources and implications of crises threatening democratic governance, to processes of neo-liberalization, and to how we might better (re)cognize identity, hierarchy, and solidarity in contemporary conditions of pluralism. Consult with the instructor for specific course details.
- POL 271 - Black Mirror
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Through a critical engagement with the television series "Black Mirror", this course is intended to help students understand and think critically about how various technologies are actively shaping what it means - and what it might mean in the future - to be human, live a good life, and act as a socio-political agent. We examine some of the central questions and themes presented in each episode through supplementary readings drawn from various fields, including political philosophy, literature, science fiction, and journalism. Topics include technology's impact on romantic and family relationships, social surveillance and punishment, and political leadership, among others.
- POL 297 - Special Topics in Political Philosophy
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3-4 Prerequisite first-year or sophomore class standing A seminar in political science for students at the introductory or intermediate level.
- POL 360 - Seminar: Lincoln's Statesmanship
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 100 This seminar examines the political thought and practice of Abraham Lincoln. Emphasis is on his speeches and writings, supplemented by scholarly commentary on his life and career.
- POL 370 - Seminar in American Political Thought
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3-4 Prerequisite POL 100 or POL 111 An examination of classic themes and current issues in American political thought. Depending on the instructor, emphases may include the Federalists, Anti-Federalists, Alexis de Tocqueville, Abraham Lincoln, and voices from the Progressive and civil rights eras. Course readings stress primary sources including speeches, essays, and books by politicians and theorists. The course explores the effort to reconcile liberty and equality, individualism and community, liberalism and republicanism, politics and religion, among other themes. The course highlights the contemporary relevance of the enduring tensions between political principles and practice.
- POL 385 - Seminar: Freedom
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 111 An examination of differing conceptions of political and individual freedom in the modern world. We explore the political thought of thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Stuart Mill, Friedrich Nietzsche, Michel Foucault, and Emma Goldman. Students analyze the meaning of freedom through novels and/or short stories, including the work of authors such as Jonathan Franzen and Franz Kafka. Key questions include the meaning and ends of freedom, its conditions, and connections between personal and political articulations of freedom.
- POL 386 - Poli-Wood: Indian Epics, Myth, and Cinema as Political Philosophy
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 111 The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the two major Classical Indian (Hindu) epics, Mahabharata and Ramayana, while reading them as works of political thought with relevance to both modern Indian politics and contemporary cinematic culture. This class begins by exploring the epics' mythological, theological, and political content. In the second part of the course we examine how the epics, along with their major themes and characters, have been deployed for various Indian nationalist causes in the 20th and 21st centuries. Finally, the third part of the course examines two globally popular Indian action/drama films, which represent major characters, themes, and ideology drawn from the epics. In this part of the course we consider how these filmic representations exhibit political ideas that seek to impact a contemporary audience and instantiate a Hindu nationalist ethos, further considering how a politicized entertainment industry may impact the world's largest democratic nation.
- POL 396 - Seminar in Political Philosophy
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3-4 Prerequisite POL 111 An examination of selected questions and problems in political philosophy and/or political theory.
and at least one course chosen from the remaining 200- and 300-level courses in international/global politics or American government
- LJS 101 - Introduction to Law, Justice, and Society
- Six additional credits which must include courses from two of the following disciplines:
All 300-level courses count towards the seminar requirement
cognitive and behavioral science
economics
history
philosophy
religion
or sociology and anthropology