Examination of the relationship between the international, political, and economic systems from a variety of theoretical perspectives that have emerged in the postwar period, including liberalism, transnationalism, statism, Marxism, and dependency.

This purpose of this course is two-fold. First, the survey course is designed to introduce students to a wide range of theories of international politics. During the course of the semester we will examine neo-realism, power transition theory, hegemonic stability theory, the modern world system, international regimes and interdependence, the democratic peace, bureaucratic politics, organizational theory, constructivism, and decision making theory. Second, the course will sharpen students' research design skills. The written assignments require students to take the often abstract theories presented in the readings and develop practical research designs for testing hypotheses derived from the theories. The papers will not include data collection or the execution of actual tests. Rather, they will focus on the conceptual problems of designing tests which eliminate competing hypotheses, operationalizing variables, and identifying potential sources of data. Student's grades will be based on five short research designs and discussion leadership.

Consult department for detailed descriptions. More than one course may be taken in a given semester. Recent titles have included: Race Development and American International Relations, Hegel and Marx, and Logic of the West.

Consult department for detailed descriptions. Recent topics include: Globalization; Race & Criminal Justice; Democracy & Markets in Postcommunist Europe.

Consult department for detailed descriptions. Recent topics include: Globalization; Race & Criminal Justice; Democracy & Markets in Postcommunist Europe.

The object of this seminar is to prepare eligible senior honors candidates in political science for the completion of a senior honors thesis. Students writing honors theses will also work simultaneously with an individual supervisor and, during the spring semester, will enroll in an independent study (PSCI 499) under that faculty member's guidance. See department for more details.

How do campaign advertisements influence voters' perceptions and behavior? What roles do emotions play in politics? Do we all harbor some measure of racism, sexism, or homophobia, and what role do these stereotypes play in political behavior? How and why do ideologies form, and how does partisanship influence the way that voters understand the political world? How do people perceive threat, and what are the psychological consequences of terrorism? These questions, and many others, are the province of political psychology, an interdisciplinary field that uses experimental methods and theoretical ideas from psychology as tools to examine the world of politics. In this course, we will explore the role of human thought, emotion, and behavior in politics and examine the psychological origins of citizens' political beliefs and actions from a variety of perspectives. Most of the readings emphasize politics in the United States, though the field itself speaks to every aspect of political science.