The politics of the founding period; interactions, within and among the executive, legislative, and, judicial branches; the federal division of, institutionalized powers; public opinion, interest, groups, and political parties; the policy process, in areas such as defense, welfare, civil rights, and liberties, and international affairs.
- Teacher: Benjamin Gaskins
The politics of the founding period; interactions, within and among the executive, legislative, and, judicial branches; the federal division of, institutionalized powers; public opinion, interest, groups, and political parties; the policy process, in areas such as defense, welfare, civil rights, and liberties, and international affairs.
- Teacher: Benjamin Gaskins
Introduction to the methodological principles and, issues in political science research, using, readings within and beyond political science., Identifying variables and mechanisms, developing, and testing theories, collecting and measuring, data, and assessing a study's ability to achieve, causal inference. Introduction to different, approaches to research, including experiments,, case studies, and regression analysis. Strongly, recommended for sophomores or juniors who have, declared a POLS major, as this course is a, prerequisite for thesis and some senior capstone, courses.
- Teacher: Alaina Haig
- Teacher: Ian McDonald
- Teacher: Ellen Seljan
The structure and functioning of political parties, from the local to the national level;, organization, staffing, and policy development of, parties. Pluralist analysis, group theory, impact, of interest group activity on the American, political system.
- Teacher: Benjamin Gaskins
A framework for analysis of the policy-making, process. History, dynamics, and trends of major, U.S. economic policies. The scope of American, domestic policy; subsidies and aids to business,, labor, agriculture, consumers; antitrust policy, and the Federal Trade Commission; public-utility, regulation; natural-resources policies; full, employment; antipoverty and defense spending.
- Teacher: Ian McDonald
Analysis and evaluation of how civil society and, social capital have promoted and shaped a variety, of outcomes such as democratization and, government performance. Students will critically, analyze works from diverse regions of the world, such as North America, Western Europe, Eastern, Europe, and Asia. In-class activities and a, semester-long project will step students through, the research process on a core concept within the, subfield of comparative politics.
- Teacher: Leah Gilbert