This course examines the debate in development studies arising from recognition that economic models, theories, methods, and strategies abstracted from the specific experience of western societies and cultures do not have general applicability. A broader social science approach is adopted, one which emphasizes the need to understand the social structures and cultures of the developing countries, the capabilities of weak versus strong states, and the links with the international system that influence transformative processes to which industrializing economies are subjected. The readings offer an overview of the most influential theories of development and underdevelopment that structured debate from the 1960's through the 1990's,and focus on the elements of these approaches that advance understanding of development and stagnation in several key countries, including Brazil, Mexico, India and selected countries in East and Southeast Asia.

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. 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. 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.

This course will examine the theoretical, historical and political foundations of contemporary human rights debates. The course will cover not only broad conceptual issues, but also specific issue areas (e.g., civil rights, economic rights, women's rights, business and human rights), as well as the question of how new rights norms emerge and diffuse in the international arena. The course is open to students in the Master of Liberal Arts Program, as well as students who are actively pursuing the Graduate Certificate in Interdisciplinary Studies in Global Human Rights.

This is a mandatory seminar for all students planning to submit an honors thesis for the purpose of possibly earning distinction in Political Science upon graduation. The course is aimed at helping students identify a useful and feasible research question, become familiar with the relevant literatures and debates pertaining to that question, develop a basic understanding of what might constitute "good" and "original" research in different subfields, and set up a plan for conducting and presenting the research. The course is also aimed at building a community of like-minded student researchers, which can complement and enrich the honor student's individual experience of working one-on-one with a dedicated faculty thesis advisor. Students apply in the spring of their junior year for admissions to the honors program and enrollment in PSCI497.

Why are African Americans and some other minority groups disproportionately incarcerated and subjected to penal sanctions? What are the political, social and economic consequences for individuals, communities, and the wider society of mass incarceration in the United States? What types of reforms of the criminal justice system are desirable and possible? This advanced seminar analyzes the connection between race, crime, punishment, and politics in the United States. The primary focus is on the role of race in explaining why the country's prison population increased six-fold since the early 1970s and why the United States today has the highest incarceration rate in the world. The class will likely take field trips to a maximum-security jail in Philadelphia and to a state prison in the Philadelphia suburbs.

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.

Consult department for detailed descriptions. More than one course may be taken in a given semester. Recent titles have included: Sustainable Environmental Policy & Global Politics; Shakespeare and Political Theory.

Consult department for detailed descriptions. More than one course may be taken in a given semester. Recent titles have included: Sustainable Environmental Policy & Global Politics; Shakespeare and Political Theory.