Course Descriptions: Department of Political Science

Course Descriptions

Courses Primarily for Undergraduate Students

POLI_SCI 101-6 – First-Year Seminar

Topics vary.

POLI_SCI 101-6 – First-Year Seminar: African Politics Through Literature and Film

Topics vary.

POLI_SCI 101-6 – First-Year Seminar: The American Way of War

Topics vary.

POLI_SCI 101-6 – First-Year Seminar: Global Environmental Politics

Topics vary.

POLI_SCI 101-6 – First-Year Seminar: Politics of Debt

No description available.

POLI_SCI 101-6 – First-Year Seminar: Political Inequality

Topics vary.

POLI_SCI 101-6 – First-Year Seminar: The Press and the Political Process

Topics vary.

POLI_SCI 101-6 – First-Year Seminar: Religion and Politics at Home and Abroad

No description available.

POLI_SCI 101-6 – First-Year Seminar: Student Protest: From the 60s to the Present Day

Topics vary.

POLI_SCI 101-6 – First-Year Seminar: Democracy in the World - Opportunities and Challenges

No description available.

POLI_SCI 101-6 – First-Year Seminar: The Politics of Undocumented Immigrants

Topics vary.

POLI_SCI 201 – Introduction to Political Theory

Examination of texts in political theory. Topics vary but often include justice, the Greek polis, the modern state, individualism, representative democracy.

POLI_SCI 210 – Introduction to Empirical Methods in Political Science

Tools political scientists use. How qualitative, quantitative, and experimental research designs help answer difficult descriptive and causal questions.

POLI_SCI 211 – Introduction to Interpretive Methods in Political Science

Political science research relies on concepts (such as country, democracy, voting, power, market) that are human constructions. Their meaning, power, and utility depend on how they are used and understood, which in turn depends on processes of interpretation. This course introduces students to methodological issues raised by interpretation in political science scholarship. This course seeks not to introduce the student to interpretive methods as well as to broader questions regarding modes of scientific inquiry, disagreements about knowledge, and the philosophy of science. In so doing, it seeks to give students a firm foundation on which to conceptualize their own research with a strong match between research methods and the questions being asked.

POLI_SCI 220 – American Government and Politics

The structure and process of American politics from competing perspectives. Analysis of representation, voting, interest groups, parties, leadership, and policy-making institutions. The gateway course for the American politics subfield.

POLI_SCI 221 – Urban Politics

Structure of local and regional political power and its relation to the social and economic structure of community.

POLI_SCI 230 – Introduction to Law in the Political Arena

Roles of law in society and politics. Police and prisons, law and social change, courts and politics, legal reasoning, Supreme Court decision making, judicial discretion, legal strategies for making change.

POLI_SCI 240 – Introduction to International Relations

Introduction to the major theories, concepts, and problems of contemporary international relations. Security, political economy, and cooperation.

POLI_SCI 250 – Introduction to Comparative Politics

Emphasis may be on industrialized and/or developing states. Major issues include regime-society relations, political change and conflict, and policy making.

POLI_SCI 301 – Classical Political Theory

Political thought of Greece and Rome in historical context and with attention to contemporary theoretical interest.

POLI_SCI 302 – Subjects, Citizens, Revolutionaries: Early Modern Political Thought

Political philosophers from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. Topics include sources of power and their impact on justice, equality, and law. No prerequisites, but some knowledge of political theory is desirable.

POLI_SCI 303 – Modernity and Its Discontents

Examination of late 19th- and early 20th-century social and political thought in the works of writers such as Marx, Weber, Mill, Kafka, Darwin, Nietzsche, Freud, and de Beauvoir. No prerequisites, but some knowledge of political theory is desirable.

POLI_SCI 306 – American Political Thought

Advanced introduction to the development of political thought in the United States from the revolutionaries to the 20th-century pragmatists.

POLI_SCI 307 – Deportation Law and Politics

Analysis of deportation law and politics from colonial America through today. Requires two visits to Chicago immigration courts.

POLI_SCI 308-SA – Critical Theory and the Study of Politics

Critical theory examines and contests hegemonic thinking about politics and envisages alternate worlds of political possibility. This study abroad course is restricted to students in Northwestern’s Paris program in critical theory, literature, and media.

POLI_SCI 309 – Advanced Topics in Political Theory

Sustained reflection on one problem (e.g., freedom, republicanism, sexuality) or author (e.g., Plato, Machiavelli, Tocqueville, Arendt). Topics vary. May be repeated for credit with different topics. Prerequisite: 201 or equivalent. Research Methodology Courses Courses in this field prepare students to conduct original research on the causes and consequences of political phenomena. The methodological techniques are often transferable to research problems in government and business.

POLI_SCI 310 – Methods of Political Inference

Methods for inferences based on data in political research. Research design and quantitative and qualitative methods of inference. Focuses on descriptive, statistical, and causal inference and the application of different methods to substantive problems.

POLI_SCI 311 – Logics of Political Inquiry

Political science as “science.” Identity sources, construction, functions, and validation of social science theory and explanation from varied perspectives.

POLI_SCI 312 – Statistical Research Methods

Intermediate coverage of statistical methods appropriate for data in political science research, such as multiple regression, logit and probit, estimation and inference with nonindependent or nonidentically distributed sampling, basic time series and panel data methods, and causal inference in statistical models.

POLI_SCI 315 – Introduction to Positive Political Theory

Introduction to the rational choice approach to politics focusing on individuals making goal-oriented, purposeful decisions that are aggregated by the institutions through which the individuals interact. Prerequisite: high school algebra.

POLI_SCI 320 – The American Presidency

Structural foundations and historical development of the American presidency; predominant scholarly theories of presidential power and leadership; contemporary issues and debates. Prerequisite: 220 or equivalent.

POLI_SCI 321 – Community Political Processes

Selected problems of mobilizing and exercising political power in local and regional jurisdictional units. Relationship between political structure and community needs and demands.

POLI_SCI 322 – Ideas and Institutions in Urban Politics

Advanced urban politics. Analyzes opportunities for action in local politics and challenges for effective governance in the modern metropolis.

POLI_SCI 323 – Public Opinion and Voting Behavior

Who votes and for whom. Social, psychological, economic, and political factors influencing election choices. Sources of opinions. Focus on American presidential elections with some comparative and non-presidential material. Prerequisite: 220 or equivalent.

POLI_SCI 324 – Political Parties and Elections

Role of political parties in a democratic society. Topics include nomination, national conventions, political funding, campaigns, party organization, and national, state, and local parties.

POLI_SCI 325 – Congress and the Legislative Process

Organization of legislatures to make public policy; impact of constituents and political parties on legislative decision making; polarization; legislative-executive relations. Emphasis on the US Congress and contemporary politics. Prerequisite: 220 or equivalent.

POLI_SCI 326 – Race and Public Policy

Analysis of how diversity shapes policy in the United States and how policies contribute to racial and ethnic diversity. Immigration reform, school choice, residential segregation, and criminal justice.

POLI_SCI 327 – African American Politics

Survey of black politics in the United States, including blacks' relations with government, whites, political parties, public policy, and electoral politics.

POLI_SCI 328 – Public Policy

The role of government in regulating economic and social behavior; theories of public policy making; sources and effects of public policy.

POLI_SCI 329 – US Environmental Politics

Political problems associated with human impact on natural environment; pollution, natural resources, public lands, land use, energy, and population.

POLI_SCI 330 – Politics of Local Justice

Local justice systems, with emphasis on crime and police, trial courts, criminal litigation, sentencing and corrections, and political involvement in these issues.

POLI_SCI 331 – Politics of the Supreme Court

Operation of appellate courts, with emphasis on the US Supreme Court. 144 Arts and Sciences • Political Science Decision making by appellate courts and the development of public policy. Prerequisite: 220 or 230.

POLI_SCI 332 – Constitutional Law I

Introduction to interpretation of the US Constitution by the Supreme Court. Judicial review, federalism, congressional and executive authority, separation of powers. Taught with LEGAL ST 332; may not receive credit for both courses. Prerequisite: 220 or 230.

POLI_SCI 333 – Constitutional Law II: Civil and Political Rights

Consideration of US Supreme Court decisions dealing with civil and political rights, including equality, freedom of speech and religion, and criminal procedures. Taught with LEGAL ST 333; may not receive credit for both courses. Prerequisite: 220 or 230.

POLI_SCI 334 – Latino Politics

Implications of Latino politics including contemporary social and political developments of Latino communities in the United States from a comparative urban framework. Focus on Mexican and Cuban Americans and Puerto Ricans.

POLI_SCI 340 – International Relations Theory

Conceptual approaches to international relations, including “national interest,” sovereignty, international norms and law, and rationality. Prerequisite: 240 or consent of instructor.

POLI_SCI 341 – International Political Economy

Introduction to the politics of international economic relations. Roots and evolution of the international political economy. Fundamental controversies about international trade, finance, and development. Prerequisite: 240 or consent of instructor.

POLI_SCI 342 – International Organizations

Institutions that govern the interactions of states, including the WTO, UN, ICJ, and ICC; informal norms, such as international intervention, international criminal law, and sovereignty. Taught with LEGAL ST 342; may not receive credit for both courses. Prerequisite: 240 or consent of instructor.

POLI_SCI 343 – Politics of International Law

Non-utopian political science analysis of how law is used to promote collective goals and regulate international relations.

POLI_SCI 344 – US Foreign Policy

How US foreign policy is formulated, executed, legitimated, and contested. Topics include 9/11 and its aftermath, covert action, interventionism, trade, US respect for international norms, and US engagement with the Middle East.

POLI_SCI 345 – National Security

Basic issues in national security, focusing primarily on the United States. Topics include the nature of "national interest," major actors in national security policy making and military strategy, and the influence and role of the defense establishment.

POLI_SCI 346 – European Union in International Affairs

Introduction to the institutions and policies of the European Union today.

POLI_SCI 347 – Ethics in International Relations

Role of ethical considerations in international relations: where and when ethical questions are raised and by whom; causes and predictability of tensions between the ethics and self interests of nations and political figures.

POLI_SCI 348 – Globalization

Analysis of changes in the world economy and their implications for politics, economics, and society. Politics of multinational production, finance, and trade in the context of governance problems in a globalizing world. Prerequisite: 240 or equivalent.

POLI_SCI 349 – International Environmental Politics

International cooperation and conflict resolution of global and transnational environmental problems such as climate change. Role of political, economic, and normative considerations in the formation of politically feasible solutions to international environmental problems.

POLI_SCI 350 – Social Movements

Theory and case studies examining the processes shaping collective challenges to authority. Topics include causes and mechanics of mobilization, the contexts in which movements emerge, repression and violence, strategies, and determinants of movement outcomes.

POLI_SCI 351 – Politics of the Middle East

Survey of politics and political history of the Middle East and North Africa from World War I to the present. Topics include state building, authoritarianism, political economy, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the causes, trajectories, and aftermath of the 2011 Arab uprisings.

POLI_SCI 353 – Politics of Latin America

Patterns of socioeconomic development and regime forms in Latin America. Interaction of internal and international economic and political structures and processes.

POLI_SCI 354 – Politics of Southeast Asia

Political economy of selected Southeast Asian countries, 1945 to present. Important themes include oligarchy and human rights.

POLI_SCI 355 – Politics of China

Chinese politics since 1949, focusing on social issues and state-society relations since 1989. Basic foundation for the nonspecialist as well as preparation for advanced study.

POLI_SCI 357-SA – Political Economy of Israel

Influence of demographics, political factors, and Israeli-Palestinian conflict on development, economic policy, government spending, public health, and socio-economy. Restricted to students in Northwestern's Israel program.

POLI_SCI 358-SA – Contemporary South Africa: A Political Economy/Policy Perspective

Analysis of the political outcomes of South Africa's transition to democracy, democratic consolidation, the state of the South African political economy, and major policy issues, such as gender equality and HIV/AIDS. Restricted to students in Northwestern's South Africa program.

POLI_SCI 359 – Politics of Africa

Political structures and relation of cultural factors to political stability and change; development of modern political systems.

POLI_SCI 360 – Contemporary African Politics

Survey of Africa's diverse political systems. Development of democratic systems and the rule of law as the norm in several countries; causes of political instability and violence in others. African and international responses.

POLI_SCI 361 – Democratic Transitions

Theories of the emergence and breakdown of democracy with a focus on cases from Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

POLI_SCI 362 – Politics of Western Europe

Impact of historical development on contemporary institutions, political and political-economic institutions, interest groups and parties, policy making, and social and economic policy.

POLI_SCI 363-SA – Political Economy of the European Union

The political production, structure, and regulation of economic activity in the EU. Restricted to students in Northwestern's Paris program.

POLI_SCI 364-SA – France: Politics, Culture, and Society

Introduction to French politics in the framework of European integration. Covers French efforts to promote integration and France's role in the international system and adaptation to the EU. Restricted to students in Northwestern's Paris program.

POLI_SCI 365-SA – Decision Making in the European Union

Analysis, by lecture and simulation, of the EU's complicated institutional structure for political decision making. Restricted to students in Northwestern's Paris program.

POLI_SCI 366-SA – Dynamics of Law Making in the European Union

Examination of the dynamics of law making in the EU and conflict/balance between domestic and regional law. Restricted to students in Northwestern's Paris program.

POLI_SCI 368 – Political Economy of Development

Major analytical perspectives of modern political economy seen through concrete problems of development and underdevelopment in the least developed countries.

POLI_SCI 369 – Politics of Post-Soviet Russia

Analysis of Russia's political and economic revolutions after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Examines key concepts in comparative politics, such as revolution, regime change, market formation, nationalism, and state building.

POLI_SCI 370 – The Fate of the State in a Globalizing World

Role states play in world politics and implications for world politics. Origins of the state system and contemporary challenges, such as failed states, terrorism, transnational social movements, human rights norms, and humanitarian intervention.

POLI_SCI 372 – The Middle East in International Politics

International history and politics of the Arab states, Israel, Iran, and Turkey. Colonialism and nationalism, political Islam and secularism, the Iranian Revolution, the Gulf War of 1991, the US-led occupation of Iraq, relations between Turkey and the European Union. Recommended but not required: 240.

POLI_SCI 373 – Chinese Foreign Policy

Basic dynamics of Chinese foreign policy toward a variety of countries and regions.

POLI_SCI 374 – Politics of Capitalism

Effects of politics on the economy and vice versa, especially in advanced industrial economies. The welfare state, varieties of capitalism, and neoliberalism.

POLI_SCI 375 – Comparative Politics of Business Government Relations

Relations between business and government in a variety of economic, social, and political contexts. Patterns of influence in both business and government. Theories of business influence in politics, such as pluralism, corporatism, collective action, and instrumental and structural Marxism.

POLI_SCI 376 – Civil Wars

Focus on post-Cold War increase in civil wars, including causes and consequences of internal wars, and theories of conflict. Examines recent and contemporary civil wars to illustrate applications of theories and better understand current events.

POLI_SCI 377 – Drugs and Politics

Analysis of the links between illegal drugs and politics, from the politics of local communities to international public policy. Regional focus on North, Central, and South America.

POLI_SCI 378 – America and the World

Key debates and developments in the history and politics of American foreign relations. Domestic politics and foreign policy, political culture, interventionism, legal globalization, international institutions.

POLI_SCI 379-SA – China in Transition: Ideology, Political Economy, Law, and Relations with the United States

Broad issues confronting China in its long, tumultuous transition. For students with no background as well as those with extensive prior knowledge of China. Restricted to students in Northwestern's program in China.

POLI_SCI 380 – Refugee Crises and Human Rights

Development of international human rights. Comparative state and regional responses to forced migration due to war, conflict, and generalized violence. Humanitarian intervention, international law, and policy issues, such as gender-based violence, migrants at sea, and human trafficking.

POLI_SCI 381-SA – Political Economy of Contemporary China

State capitalism, the role of state-owned enterprises in China's economic development, China as a regulatory state, social consequences, financial reforms. Restricted to students in Northwestern's program in China.

POLI_SCI 382 – Politics of Religious Diversity

Intersection of religion, law, and politics in comparative and global perspective. Legal, political, and religious history; discrimination and identity; religion, race, indigeneity, empire; religious liberalization; rule of law; national security.

POLI_SCI 383 – War and Change in International Politics

Historical and contemporary forms of international order. Western and non-Eurocentric systems; how international order emerges; whether the post-1945 order will change.

POLI_SCI 388 – Institutions and Society

Institutions in a broad societal context. How institutional frameworks apply to government, family, education, and the environment; implications of institutions. Taught with SOCIOL 288; may not receive credit for both courses.

POLI_SCI 389 – Understanding Genocide

Key debates in the comparative study of genocide. Why genocide occurs, why people become killers, how these processes relate to each other. Taught with SOCIOL 379; may not receive credit for both courses.

POLI_SCI 390 – Special Topics in Political Science: Bad News

Bad News. That is what Americans are experiencing as a result of the corporate media mergers that took place in the closing years of the last century. Today there are six major companies that control much of what people read, hear and see. Those firms are AOL-Time Warner, General Electric, Walt Disney, News Corporation, Viacom/CBS, and Bertelsman. This course will examine the monetary forces that are driving the industry away from its primary mission of information. Critics contend that the drive for higher ratings, circulation and web page clicks is coming at the expense of the quality of news on television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet. Charges of Fake News combined with the ever-diminishing number of news providers is threatening democracy by limiting the number of voices that can be heard in our society.