History & Political Science

The Department of History and Political Science prepares students for a life of active citizenship and intellectual engagement by offering diverse courses that explore the historical evolution and contemporary challenges of the world and its peoples. Knowledge of history equips students to participate in core social, political, economic and cultural institutions by tracing the trajectory of those institutions and empowering students to contribute to their future development. Political science courses interrogate the processes by which communities decide what is important and what should be done by engaging in critical analysis of the institutions, policies and philosophies of the collective problem-solving processes known as governance. Global studies courses place students within the broadest context of human activity and orient them to the roles they play in the world as a single place. All of the courses in the department, therefore, focus student energy on the mechanisms they need to influence the conversations that shape their world, making them effective citizens of their local, national and global communities.

The department offers majors in history, political science, history and political science, and global studies. Students may minor in history, political science or global studies. History faculty offer courses in U.S., European and non-Western history. Political science courses cover American politics, global politics and political philosophy. The history and political science major combines these two disciplines and is the typical major of students seeking careers in secondary education. The global studies major begins with core courses in the department, then branches out to upper-level courses in a wide variety of disciplines allowing students to create a path that best fits their interests. The department is home to the College’s Pre-Law Society and Phi Alpha Theta, the honor society for history.

The course of study for each major emphasizes critical thinking, writing, research and project development—skills essential to any career. Faculty actively engage students with dynamic teaching that emphasizes discussion, reflection, simulations, problem-based learning and original research. This commitment extends to promoting experiential learning beyond the classroom including field trips, internships, service-learning and semester-length programs abroad. The department offers distinctive on- and off- campus experiences during May Term including trips to the United Nations, South Africa, Belgium, France and Britain. The internship program places students in law offices, nonprofits, state and local government agencies, and more. Many of our majors are elected to leadership roles in student organizations including the Student Senate, Soar Mentors and the Honor Council.

Students pursuing majors and minors in the department have a wide variety of career interests including law, secondary and higher education, government service, museum and archival work, religion, journalism and overseas development work.

Programs

Courses

HIST-105: World History to 1500

An examination of the multiple global narratives that comprise human development and interaction prior to 1500 with primary focus on early human activity, the development of complex societies, classical and post-classical ages, and expansion of post-classical cross-cultural involvement. FILA general education: history.

HIST-110: World History Since 1500

An examination of the multiple global narratives that comprise human development and interaction since 1500 with primary focus on the origins of global interdependence, the ages of revolution, industry, and empire, and the twentieth century. FILA general education: history.

HIST-112: Introduction to World History

Introduces global/world history and explores the human experience from the Late Stone Age (upper Paleolithic) to the present. Survey course with introductions to the historian's craft of research and the use of primary sources documents, that asks students to wrestle with an array of major questions. Themes include global encounters, civilizations, religion, mobilities, trade, empires, conflicts, and daily life. FILA general education: history.

HIST-115: 20th Century World History

Examines political, economic, and cultural trends in world history over the course of the twentieth century with emphasis on the interconnectivity of world peoples and places. Major themes include trade, ideology, conflict, culture and globalization. FILA general education: history.

HIST-120: The Pacific World

Examines the history of the Pacific Ocean world from around 1500 to the present. While surveying the histories of key societies in the Asia-Pacific region, the course also examines the intricate connections in this diverse world. Major themes include cultural encounters, trade, migration, empires, and conflicts. FILA general education: history.

HIST-125: The Atlantic World, 1450-1800

Examines the rise and fall of an Atlantic World system that tied Europe, Africa and the Americas into a web of cultural, political and economic interdependence. Major themes include different models of New World exploration, colonization by European colonial powers, missionary activities and religious migrations, the ramifications of New World slavery, encounters and conflicts between native and colonial peoples, and the development of nation states in the Western Hemisphere. FILA general education: history.

HIST-135: History of the Islamic World

Examines political, economic, cultural and religious trends in the greater Middle East from the birth of Islam in the seventh century to the present day. Major themes include the origins of Islam and the rise of Islamic empires and cultures, the development of an early modern polity under the Ottomans, European imperialism, and the influence of nationalism(s), resources conflicts and religious revival in the 20th and early 21st centuries. FILA general education: history.

HIST-201: History of the United States to 1877

The United States from settlement to Reconstruction. Major themes include the development of a new society, evolution of democratic behavior, and the growth of sectionalism. Includes both social and political approaches.

HIST-202: History of the United States Since 1877

The United States from Reconstruction until the present. Major themes include industrialization and modernization, the increased role of government, greater U. S. involvement in international affairs, and the impact of these changes on society. A continuation of HIST-201.

HIST-250: Historical Methods

An introduction to historical research methods and the tools and techniques that historians use to study the past. The course focuses on the development of key research skills through the location, analysis, and use of primary and secondary sources in a variety of forms and settings. Students will also review and gain an understanding of the fundamental historiographical practices and interpretations used within the field of history.

HIST-268X: The Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley

Studies the experience of the Shenandoah Valley during the Civil War, causes of the war, campaigns of 1862 and 1864, and the home front, including the burning, conscientious objectors, slavery, and shortages. Examines a variety of large trends, including race, gender, and religion. Trips to area battlefields, monuments and museums will be an integral part of the course and students will be required to integrate these experiential elements with the in-class lecture, discussions, and assignments. FILA general education: experiential learning.

HIST-270: The Second World War in Global Perspective

Examines the foundations, nature, and impact of the Second World War in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Emphasizes the role of ideology, including fascism, communism, militarism, imperialism, and colonial nationalism in shaping the experiences of both western and non-western powers in these regions from the late 1930s to 1945. FILA general education: global dynamics.

HIST-280: History Through Film; Film Through History

Examines the relationship between history and film and considers the difficult balance between historical scholarship and artistic expression. Emphasis is on popular movies portraying historical characters and events and the controversies and questions these often raise. Subjects will cover a broad range of topics in European and world history.

HIST-285X: Monuments, Memorials, and Museums

Examines remembrance as it takes shape in monuments, memorials, and museums. Students will critically engage with conceptions, conversations, and controversies around memory at the intersection of history, memory studies, public/ digital history, and museum studies. Students use documents, images, and scholarship to explore different sites, traveling to monuments, memorials, and museums. Students will integrate their experiences and thoughts by critically reflecting on memorial landscapes. FILA general education: world cultures and experiential learning.

HIST-290: Medieval Europe

Course covers the development of Western Europe from the collapse of the Roman Empire to the beginnings of the Renaissance with emphasis on the ideas, individuals and events that shaped the period. Topics include daily life for the masses, evolution of political and religious thought, consolidation of state and religious authority, cultural shifts and the rise of a persecuting society, and medieval warfare. FILA general education: world cultures.

HIST-302X: American Presidential Leadership: Virginia Dynasty

This course examines the character and leadership of the Virginia Dynasty-Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe-four of the nation's first five presidents. Topics include policy decisions, personality, race, and slavery. Trips to presidential homes will be an integral part of the course, and students will be required to reflect on these experiential elements with the in-class lecture, discussions, and assignments. FILA General Education: experiential learning.

HIST-305: India Past and Present

A travel course that offers a firsthand examination of the cultural, political, and religious legacies of three separate empires - the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals, and the British Raj - in contemporary India. While expediting the vast array of Indian cultures in general, students will explore a number of past and current political and religion centers and examine the role of competing imperial frameworks in shaping the simultaneous unities and divisions in modern India. The course will focus on Northern India, including Delhi, Agra, the Great Indian Desert (Thar) in Rajasthan, British "hill stations" in the Himalayas, and the Hindu holy city of Hardwar on the River Ganges. FILA general education: global dynamics. Offered alternate years.

HIST-307 / FREN-307: Cultural Memory of the World Wars

This interdisciplinary travel course (World Languages and Cultures/History) examines the history and diverse cultural memory of the First and Second World Wars in Britain, France, and Belgium. While gaining firsthand experience of contemporary culture and society in theses western European nations, the class will focus on specific sites of memory and history of these conflicts, including London, Paris, Normandy, the Somme, Verdun, and southern Belgium. Studying both literature and historical documents, students will gain an intimate knowledge of the landscapes, experiences, and legacies of the world wars within the discreet cultural contexts of Britain, France, and Belgium. FILA general education: world cultures. (Cross-listed as FREN-307)

HIST-311: Early Modern Europe in the World, 1492-1789

Surveys developments in European history from the arrival in the New World to the eve of the French Revolution to equip students to make comparisons to contemporary life. Major topics include Europeans' interactions with peoples and cultures outside Europe, the Reformation, the development of both limited and absolutist governments, the Scientific Revolution, and the Enlightenment. FILA general education: world cultures. Offered alternate years.

HIST-317 / REL-317: History of the Christian Church

Social and political structures of the Church, issues in theology and ethics. A survey of the history of the Church from the Apostolic Age to the present time. FILA general education: philosophy or religion. Offered on demand. (Cross-listed as REL-317)

HIST-318: African American History

This course is an interdisciplinary survey of African American experiences designed to introduce students to major themes in African American history. Topics include African origins, the Middle Passage and the Transatlantic slave trade, antebellum African American cultures, and Reconstruction-era politics. The second half of the course focuses on twentieth century migrations as well as cultural, political, and social movements such as Pan-Africanism, the Harlem Renaissance, the Long Civil Rights, Black Power, and Black Feminist movements. FILA general education: world cultures. Offered alternate years.

HIST-321: Europe Since 1789

Surveys developments in European history from the French Revolution to the present day. Major topics include the French Revolution and Napoleonic Europe, industrialization, the rise of new ideologies and systems of thought, the new Imperialism, the World Wars and the Holocaust, rise and fall of communism, and the place of Europe in the world in the early 21st century. FILA general education: world cultures. Offered alternate years.

HIST-325: Modern Britain Since 1688

Examines political, economic, and culture trends in British history from the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688 to the present day. Modern Britain stands as one of the cornerstones of the contemporary world, and its politics and culture influenced global society in countless way, ranging from soccer to modern environmentalism to constitutional law. The course focuses on several major themes, including the role of religion, finance, and industry, the royal family, sport, and, most important of all, "social class," in building British society. Students will acquire a basic understanding of the major driving forces of modern British history and the ways that they compare and interrelate with Europe, the United State, and the world. FILA general education: world cultures. Offered alternate years.

HIST-330HX: Modern Britain and Oxford

Examines political, economic, and culture trends in British history from the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688 to the present day. Modern Britain stands as one of the cornerstones of the contemporary world, and its politics and culture influenced global society in countless way, ranging from soccer to modern environmentalism to constitutional law. The course focuses on several major themes, including the role of religion, finance, and industry, the royal family, sport, and, most important of all, "social class," in building British society. Flory Honors students will acquire a basic understanding of the major driving forces of modern British history and the ways that they compare and interrelate with Europe, the United States, and the world while studying at Oxford. FILA general education: world culture and experiential learning.

HIST-332: Special Topics in Global History

A study of major themes, questions, events, and problems in global history chosen by the instructor. May be taken more than once provided different topics are covered. FILA General Education: world cultures.

HIST-335: Women's History in Asia

Explores women's histories in Asia. Stresses the construction of gender norms and their evolution over time and encourages comparison of women's lives and experiences across various cultural contexts in Asia. Topics include women's political rights and participation, women's education and literacy, women's sexuality and reproduction, and women's work. FILA general education: global dynamics. Offered alternate years.

HIST-340: American Indian History

Examines the history of American Indians from pre-contact civilizations and cultures to the present. It demonstrates the diversity of individual, tribal, national, and pan-Indian experiences in the context of culture, society, religion, economics, politics, and law. Students investigate a variety of sources including scholarly and popular non-fictional and fictional writings, images, songs, and films. FILA general education: world cultures. Offered alternate years.

HIST-350: The Wars in Afghanistan

Examines the history of western intervention, imperialism, and "nation building" in Central Asia and Afghanistan from the initial periods of Russian and British expansion into the region in the early eighteenth century to the American and NATO intervention in Afghanistan in the twenty-first century. Major themes include cultural and political interaction between local societies and the British, Russians, Soviets and Americans. FILA general education: world cultures. Offered alternate years.

HIST-355: Public History

An introduction to the practice, methods, and theories of applied history in the contexts of public history sites, oral history, and local history. Students will be introduced to best practices for museum and archive collection development, accessioning and deaccessioning artifacts, conducting oral history interviews, and responsible application of history skills to real-world problems. Students will: visit local museums, archives, and library special collections to see public history in action; participate in Storied Halls, which is an ongoing, collaborative student-faculty oral history research project; conduct a substantial original research project on local history through local archival repositories; and present their work as research papers, history talks, museum exhibits, and/or digital history displays. Offered alternate years.

HIST-360: Modern Africa

Surveys the history of Modern Africa from the era of the trans-Atlantic slave trade to the present and places special emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. It approaches the history of the continent through consideration of the nature and impact of European intrusion into African societies and African responses to European imperialism. Moreover, the course examines how independent African nations have addressed the legacies of their history and the challenges independence has posed for African nations. Special topics include Apartheid, the struggle against segregation, African women, feminism, development, and the difficulty in creating viable democracies and stable economies in the late twentieth-century. FILA general education: world cultures.

HIST-365 / REL-365: Foundations of American Religion

Survey of American religious history with a focus on origins and diversity. Major topics include Puritanism, Revivalism, Mormonism, Methodism, African-American religion, fundamentalism, Catholicism, and Judaism and religion during the cold war. Offered alternate years. (Cross-listed as REL-365)

HIST-370: Genocide

This courses explores the history of genocide. Examines origins of and paths to genocide, including dynamics tied to imperialism, race, and nationalism; also investigates the conception of the word 'genocide' and the development of critical genocide studies as a field of inquiry. Specific case studies that occurred in modern history as well as broader themes give students the opportunity to wrestle with and compare historical dynamics, historiographical discussions, and theoretical conceptions. FILA general education: world cultures. Offered alternate years.

HIST-375: Cold War America

Examines the cultural, political, and diplomatic context and events of the Cold War from 1945 to 1991 with an emphasis on life in the United States. Students explore a variety of scholarly and primary sources from the period. Offered alternate years.

HIST-380: Topics in European History

A study of major themes, questions, events, and problems in European history chosen by the instructor. The course will include the examination of primary documents and/or artifacts and explore the implications of the theme on the cultures, economics, and social systems of the region. Examples include the Greeks and the Romans, the Crusades, the Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, and others. FILA general education: world cultures.

HIST-390: War and Peace Across the Pacific

Examines key events in the relations among Japan, China, and the United States since the mid-19th century, exploring not only diplomatic and political but also cultural relations among the three societies. Topics include migration, WWI, internationalism of the 1920s, WWII, Chinese Civil War, and Cold War. By exploring Asian and American experiences of these key events from international and transnational perspectives, nationalistic narratives that are prevalent in all societies will be challenged. FILA general education: world cultures.

HIST-400: Professional Development

Designed to prepare history students for entry into the job market, or further study at the graduate level. Meets once a week and addresses issues of relevance to the application of history to the profession. Topics of relevance to postgraduates, including graduate school entry (exams, applications, etc.), interview preparation, resume writing, certifications, and such will be discussed. Students will prepare a career portfolio, individually designed to meet their specific needs, in which professional and graduate school application materials will be collected. The portfolio will be fully assessed at the end of the semester.

HIST-410: Modern India & Pakistan Since 1700

Examines the history of India and Pakistan from the beginning of British rule in the early 1700s to the present. A region of the world that is by the day becoming more important to the Unites States and the West, this class explores the major issues of modern South Asian history, including the rise of British dominion, the Indian revolt of 1857-58, the escalation of religious communalism, growth of nationalism, India's partition and independence, and the current nuclear standoff between India and Pakistan by focusing on the complex interplay between nationalism, imperialism, and the three major religions of the region - Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism - over the last 300 years. Offered alternate years.

HIST-415: History of China Since 1600

A survey of the history of China since around 1600. While chronologically surveying political, economic, social, and cultural changes that took place in Ming and Qing China, Republic of China, and the People's Republic of China, the course explores key themes including revolutions, projects of building a modern nation-state, wars, gender, and family. Offered alternate years.

HIST-420: Modern Germany and Its Empires

This course is a survey and examination of modern German history and its empires from 1871 until the present. Explores major issues and broader dynamics tied to Imperial Germany, Weimar Germany, Nazi Germany, and a divided post-WWII Germany as well as current conversations. Discusses more specific dynamics including the German colonial empire, WWI, WWII and the Holocaust, and the East German dictatorship. Offered alternate years.

HIST-425: History of Japan Since 1600

Examines the history of Japan in the early modern and modern times. While chronologically surveying political, economic, social, and cultural changes, the course explores key themes including projects of building a modern nation-state and empire and of rebuilding the society after World War II, and the roles played by gender, family, and nationalism in those projects.

HIST-430: European Imperialism

Europeans' relationship with the rest of the world from the origins of modern European empires in the 19th-century, to the process of decolonization in the 20th-century, to current debates about neo-imperialism and neo-colonialism. Examines the effects of empire on both the colonizers and the colonized. Offered alternate years.

HIST-435: Progressive Era America

An intellectual and cultural history of the United States in global context between 1880 and 1920. It traces the development of American culture, ideas, economics, and politics as part of a larger reform movement in the industrialized world between the beginning of the Second Industrial Revolution and World War I. Offered alternate years.

HIST-460: Readings in the American Civil War

Explores the American Civil War primarily through great books, supplemented by lectures, films, and a field trip. Topics include causes of the conflict, gender, nationalism, religion, Reconstruction, memory, military history, and, especially, race, all as interpreted by modern scholarship. Offered alternate years.

HIST-480X: Internship

Provides an opportunity for a student to gain field experience in an area related to the student's program of study or career goals. The learning objectives for internships include connecting academic knowledge and problem-solving processes to experiences and problems in professional settings. Supervision of an intern is provided by an appropriate faculty member and by a site supervisor of the agency or business in which the student is an intern. A student who wishes to engage in an internship must consult with the appropriate faculty member at least eight weeks in advance of the start of the term in which the internship is to be completed. A description of the internship, signed by the student and the faculty sponsor, must be filed with the director of internships by the first day of the semester prior to the start of the internship. Approval of each application for an internship is made by the director of internships based upon approved policies and guidelines. Internships are graded on an S or U basis. Students must complete 120 hours of internship-related work as well as weekly journal entries and a final reflective paper completed in accordance with approved requirements. A student may enroll in an internship program for 3 credits per semester, and internship credit may be earned in subsequent semesters subject to the limitations that no more than two internships may be pursued in any one agency or business and a maximum of 9 credits in internships may be applied toward graduation. FILA general education: experiential learning.

HIST-490: Independent Study

Upon approval of the department and the division head, a student with a cumulative grade point average of 2.20 or better may engage in an independent study or research project. One desiring to pursue independent study or research must submit a written description of the proposed work to the chair of the appropriate department and to the appropriate division head prior to the last day of the drop and add period for the semester in which the study is to be conducted. At the end of the semester, the supervising professor files with the registrar a grade for the student and a description of the work accomplished. Credit may be received for no more than three independent studies or research projects.

HIST-491: Research

Upon approval of the department and the division head, a student with a cumulative grade point average of 2.20 or better may engage in an independent study or research project. One desiring to pursue independent study or research must submit a written description of the proposed work to the chair of the appropriate department and to the appropriate division head prior to the last day of the drop and add period for the semester in which the study is to be conducted. At the end of the semester, the supervising professor files with the registrar a grade for the student and a description of the work accomplished. Credit may be received for not more than three independent studies or research projects.

HIST-499: Honors Project

An honors project is one in which a student researches a subject, by examination of relevant literature or by experimentation or both; the student reports the results in an accurately documented and well-written paper or appropriate representation of the work. Whenever the study deals with the subject of an established course, the student is expected to go well beyond the usual work of the course in research and in assimilation of the results as revealed in the report. Juniors and seniors with a cumulative grade point average of 3.40 or above may register for an honors project. One desiring to pursue an honors project must submit a written description of his or her proposed work to the chair of the appropriate department and to the appropriate division head prior to the last day of the drop and add period for the semester in which the study is to be conducted. Upon the completion of the honors project, the student must present an oral defense of his or her project. The final grade must include a satisfactory performance on the oral defense, assessed by a three-faculty member team. The project advisor will authorize the make-up of the oral defense team and will assign the final grade on the project. The honors project title will be noted on the student's transcript. It is the student's responsibility to provide a copy of the written paper or appropriate representation of the work to the library in compliance with specifications approved by the Council on Education. The library director arranges for binding and storage.

PSCI-205 / SOC-205: Global Identities

Interdisciplinary exploration of the power and dynamics of human similarities and differences on a global scale. Covers globalization from the perspective of identity and difference, and provides opportunities to question contemporary assumptions, values and patterns of behavior with the goal of making global interactions more constructive ad more peaceful. FILA general education: global dynamics. (Cross-listed as SOC-205)

PSCI-210: Politics & Government in the United States

Introduction to American politics, covering the development of American democracy, relations between the states and the federal government, elections, the role of the media, the three branches of national government, and current public policy. FILA general education: social sciences.

PSCI-215: Introduction to Public Policy

A comprehensive introduction to the process of developing, implementing and evaluating public policy. Covers the policy process in both theoretical and practical terms including the structure of institutions, decisions made throughout the process, and consequences of decision-making or non-decision-making. Areas of public policy addressed include criminal justice policy, regulatory policy, and healthcare advocacy and policy. FILA general education: social sciences.

PSCI-220E: Introduction to Political Philosophy

Changing conceptions of freedom and virtue in ancient Greece to contemporary political philosophy. Students analyze popular films to illustrate and critique philosophical theories. General Education: philosophy or religion and ethical reasoning.

PSCI-230: Introduction to Global Politics

Introduces students to the world as a site of political activity. Examines institutions and processes on a global scale. Topics include sovereignty, power, globalization, war, multilateral institutions, the environment, trade, development, poverty and a variety of current events. FILA general education: global dynamics.

PSCI-240: Introduction to Comparative Politics

Introduces the diversity of political structures, processes, cultures, ideologies and change (revolution, democratization, etc.), as manifested in multiple national political systems in the global community. Introduces the application of social science methods to political phenomena. Considers the outcomes of political systems for human well-being. FILA general education: global dynamics.

PSCI-250: Methods of Research and Data Analysis

An introduction to the production of knowledge about political phenomena. Topics include the relationship between theory and research, formulation of research questions and research design, and quantitative and qualitative methods. Students will understand and evaluate scholarly research in the field and conduct their own research projects.

PSCI-260: Campaigns and Elections

This course is an in-depth seminar on campaigns and elections in the United States, especially how the president is elected. The course will help students better understand how the American people engage in elections, how our electoral system works, and how we evaluate leaders. In the beginning, we will discuss how elections and campaigns are run in the United States, how we predict which candidates will win elections, and, finally, citizen participation in the Presidential Election. Three themes running through the course are democracy, evaluation of candidates, and the American public.

PSCI-280: Lying and Lie Detection

Introduces students to the research on and application of lie detection and the political art of lying. Topics include learning to detect lies, application of lies, and determine shades of truth. Lie detection is twofold - learning to detect lies of suspects and knowing how to detect truths of individuals in all areas of life. The work in the class will include analyzing micro-facial expressions, body language, and how society defines lying in different settings. Application of the techniques will include political leaders, countries, cultural differences, and lying with data for political purposes. FILA general education: social sciences.

PSCI-290E: Aesthetics, Philosophy and Politics

Reviews the role of aesthetics in the history of political philosophy to understand aesthetics as an alternative foundation for politics. Readings include canonical figures in the history of philosophy, such as Thucydides, Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Kant, Nietzsche, Dewey and Arendt. Emphasis on developing aesthetic judgment as a key capacity of citizenship. FILA general education: ethical reasoning. Offered alternate years.

PSCI-310: Latin American Politics

Comparative analysis of contemporary Latin American politics and governments. Considers political and economic themes, noting especially the challenges of democracy, development and inequality. Examines the region's relationship with the rest of the world, including the United States. FILA general education: world cultures.

PSCI-315: Politics of the Global South

Examines the political and economic relationship of the lower-income, developing countries of Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania--the Global South--with the higher-income countries of the Global North, and explores the comparative political dynamics of the developing world. Engages the concepts of development, governance, diversity, and inequality. FILA general education: global dynamics.

PSCI-320: State and Local Politics

This course is an introduction to State and Local Government, and Virginia Government in particular. The course will help students better understand how structures of local and state governments are established and redefined by the people. Topics will include federalism and the institutions of state government, state and local policies and financing, Virginia state government, state involvement in American politics, the structure of state institutions and how states differ.

PSCI-332: Women & Politics

Explores the role of women in American and global politics in order to understand the role of identity, institutions and social movements in democracy. Topics include women's influence on the development of the modern American welfare state, feminism, public policy issues of special importance to women, and social movement strategies. Offered alternate years.

PSCI-335W: Peace, War and World Politics

Examines human understanding of the institution of warfare and alternative means of managing large-scale conflict. Also studies the concept of peace, including the personal and policy implications of the various definitions of the term. FILA general education: global dynamics and writing intensive. Offered alternate years.

PSCI-336: United Nations

History, structures, issues and politics of the United Nations, and a consideration of the organization's role in world politics. This course may include travel to New York City or Washington DC. FILA general education: global dynamics. Offered alternate years.

PSCI-338X: Politics of Social Change

A travel course in which students travel to a site of recent political and social changes to explore the causes, dynamics and implications of revolutionary change. FILA general Education: global dynamics and experiential learning.

PSCI-340: Media & Politics

Examination of the role of mass media in American politics. Topics include the effect of journalistic norms on political news, the impact of new media technologies from newspapers to the Internet, media objectivity, and the effect of media on political reasoning and behavior.

PSCI-345: Political Psychology

This course is an in-depth analysis to the topic of Political Psychology. The course will combine knowledge from Political Science and Psychology and help students to broaden their political and psychological knowledge. Topics will include the purpose of political psychology, individuals, identity, groups, nations, and the interactions between each of these.

PSCI-350: Constitutional Law of Federalism & Institutional Powers

Examination of the development of US Supreme court decisions in the areas of federalism and the powers of the three branches of the federal government. Topics include judicial review, the war powers of the President, substantive due process, government takings, and the commerce clause. Offered alternate years.

PSCI-351: Competitive Moot Court

This course prepares students to participate in moot competitions sponsored by the American collegiate Moot curst Association (http://www.acmamootcourt.org/). Students will write briefs on the annual ACMA case problem and the precedent cases in the problem case portfolio. Students will also practice oral argumentation on the case problem. Not all students will compete in the competition. May be repeated for credit. Taught in the Fall to coincide with ACMA competition schedule.

PSCI-355: Constitutional Law of Civil Rights and Liberties

Examination of the development of US Supreme Court decisions in the areas of civil rights and civil liberties. Topics include first amendment rights to freedom of speech, press, and assembly, due process rights, and rights to equal protection. This course also considers the First Amendment as a site for interfaith dialogue. Offered alternate years.

PSCI-356: United States Foreign Policy

Examines the continuity and changes in the contexts, structures, processes, actors and issues of U.S. foreign policy in the 20th and 21st centuries. Offered alternate years.

PSCI-360: Population, Immigration, and Politics

This course takes a surveying view of the political, social and economic consequences of population movement phenomena focusing on two central elements: Migration and Identity Politics. In an effort to accommodate the broad theme, the course will view population movement phenomena from the perspectives of immigrants, host and origin nations, as well as global state and non-state actors. FILA general education: global dynamics.

PSCI-365E: Politics of Human Rights

An examination of conceptions of human rights, the global discourse around human rights, and efforts to protect those rights. Topics include why governments violate the rights of their citizens, the role of human rights activism in shaping global public discourse and affecting the practices of governments, international human rights law, and the human rights dimensions of foreign policy. FILA general Education: global dynamics and ethical reasoning.

PSCI-370: Issues in Global Politics

Major themes, questions, problems and events in global politics as chosen by the instructor. Students will engage in written and public discourse concerning topics that are global in scope and important to understanding politics in the twenty-first century. FILA general education: global dynamics.

PSCI-380: Public Administration

Examination of the most pressing domestic issues confronting American society in the 21st century and the institutions and legal regimes developed to administer public policy. Topics include health care, education, criminal justice, social welfare policies, immigration, environmental issues, organizational theory, bureaucratic management and budgeting. Emphasizes active learning with simulations, debates, and engagement with public policy and public administration professionals. Offered alternate years.

PSCI-390: Public Policy

Examination of the development and implementation of public policy with an emphasis on understanding change in policy regimes over time and the variety of regulatory mechanisms. Students research public policy on a topic of their choosing such as agriculture, social welfare, health care or environment. Offered alternate years.

PSCI-400: Professional Development

This course is designed to prepare the political science student for entry into the job market, or further study at the graduate level. This class meets once a week and addresses issues of relevance to the political science professional. Topics of relevance to postgraduates, including graduate exams, graduate applications and resume and interview preparation will be discussed. Students will prepare a career portfolio, individually designed to meet their specific needs, in which professional and graduate school application materials will be collected. The portfolio will be fully assessed at the end of the semester.

PSCI-401E: Contemporary Political Thought

Examination of the origins and development of contemporary notions of freedom, democracy and equality from Nietzsche to contemporary political philosophy. Topics include liberalism, libertarianism and post-modern political thought. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and ethical reasoning. Offered alternate years.

PSCI-402E: Philosophy of Law and Jurisprudence

Reviews major theories on the nature of law and legal systems, including the issues of authority, justice, rights, legitimacy, morality, legal interpretation, liberty, punishment and judicial ethics that concern them. Topics include natural law, legal positivism, legal realism, political liberalism, interpretive theories, and critical legal theory. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and ethical reasoning. Offered alternate years.

PSCI-405E: Foundations of American Political Thought

The development of American political thought from the Puritans to Abraham Lincoln. Topics include the debates leading to the American Revolution, the importance of liberal and republican thought on the Founding, Federalist and Anti-Federalism arguments over the Constitution, Hamiltonian and Jeffersonian visions of nationalism, Transcendentalism, and the debates over state's rights and slavery that led to the American Civil War. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and ethical reasoning. Offered alternate years.

PSCI-410: Public Opinion and Behavior

This course will focus on how public opinion is formed, used and expressed in politics. Considering a broad range of topics that Americans think about, this class will examine public opinion and how it impacts politics and public policy. Understanding how political beliefs and opinions shape behavior is essential to understanding how American public policy works, how any why people engage in social and political behaviors, and the power of people to change their political environment.

PSCI-415: Policymaking, Interest Groups & Congress

Examination of how Congress, the Presidency, and interest groups work together to make federal public policy. Topics include the legislative process, interest group activities, and the role of the presidency in the development of the federal administrative state. Students research policy-making on a topic of their choosing. Offered alternate years.

PSCI-420W: International Law & Organization

Explores the nature of international law and its similarities and differences with domestic law. Examines the institutions, rules, and organizations that provide the context for global interactions in an increasingly globalizing world. Case studies include issues such as human rights, the International Criminal Court, the World Trade Organization and the World Bank, and International Monetary Fund. FILA general education: writing intensive. Offered alternate years.

PSCI-440W: Global Political Economy

Political implications of global economic relations, including such topics as the politics of trade, monetary relations, financial crises, development, global systems of production and consumption and multinational corporations. FILA general education: global dynamics and writing intensive. Offered alternate years.

PSCI-480X: Internship

Provides an opportunity for a student to gain field experience in an area related to the student's program of study or career goals. The learning objectives for internships include connecting academic knowledge and problem-solving processes to experiences and problems in professional settings. Supervision of an intern is provided by an appropriate faculty member and by a site supervisor of the agency or business in which the student is an intern. A student who wishes to engage in an internship must consult with the appropriate faculty member at least eight weeks in advance of the start of the term in which the internship is to be completed. A description of the internship, signed by the student and the faculty sponsor, must be filed with the director of internships by the first day of the semester prior to the start of the internship. Approval of each application for an internship is made by the director of internships based upon approved policies and guidelines. Internships are graded on an S or U basis. Students must complete 120 hours of internship-related work as well as weekly journal entries and a final reflective paper completed in accordance with approved requirements. A student may enroll in an internship program for 3 credits per semester, and internship credit may be earned in subsequent semesters subject to the limitations that no more than two internships may be pursued in any one agency or business and a maximum of 9 credits in internships may be applied toward graduation. FILA general education: experiential learning.

PSCI-490: Independent Study

Upon approval of the department and the division head, a student with a cumulative grade point average of 2.20 or better may engage in an independent study or research project. One desiring to pursue independent study or research must submit a written description of the proposed work to the chair of the appropriate department and to the appropriate division head prior to the last day of the drop and add period for the semester in which the study is to be conducted. At the end of the semester, the supervising professor files with the registrar a grade for the student and a description of the work accomplished. Credit may be received for no more than three independent studies or research projects.

PSCI-491: Research

Upon approval of the department and the division head, a student with a cumulative grade point average of 2.20 or better may engage in an independent study or research project. One desiring to pursue independent study or research must submit a written description of the proposed work to the chair of the appropriate department and to the appropriate division head prior to the last day of the drop and add period for the semester in which the study is to be conducted. At the end of the semester, the supervising professor files with the registrar a grade for the student and a description of the work accomplished. Credit may be received for not more than three independent studies or research projects.

PSCI-499: Honors Project

An honors project is one in which a student researches a subject, by examination of relevant literature or by experimentation or both; the student reports the results in an accurately documented and well-written paper or appropriate representation of the work. Whenever the study deals with the subject of an established course, the student is expected to go well beyond the usual work of the course in research and in assimilation of the results as revealed in the report. Juniors and seniors with a cumulative grade point average of 3.40 or above may register for an honors project. One desiring to pursue an honors project must submit a written description of his or her proposed work to the chair of the appropriate department and to the appropriate division head prior to the last day of the drop and add period for the semester in which the study is to be conducted. Upon the completion of the honors project, the student must present an oral defense of his or her project. The final grade must include a satisfactory performance on the oral defense, assessed by a three-faculty member team. The project advisor will authorize the make-up of the oral defense team and will assign the final grade on the project. The honors project title will be noted on the student's transcript. It is the student's responsibility to provide a copy of the written paper or appropriate representation of the work to the library in compliance with specifications approved by the Council on Education. The library director arranges for binding and storage.