| POLI 101S 01 & 02- American National Government | (4 sem. hours) | J. Young |
| This course will introduce students to the study of the American Political System. Students will become acquainted with such political concepts as federalism, political culture, political socialization, political participation, etc. The course should enable students to analyze and evaluate the institutions processes and policies of American Government. Emphasis will be given to the role and activities of individuals and institutions as they shape and respond to the American Political Process. Student performance will be evaluated via three exams, group debate and class participation. Instructional format will include lecture/discussion and weekly issue round tables.
NOTE: This course is required of all political science majors and minors. | ||
| POLI 101S 03 - American National Government | (4 sem. hours) | R. Baker |
| This introductory course is intended to provide the student with a broad overview of American governmental institutions, processes, and policies. The Constitutional basis of our political system serves as the foundation for lectures and discussions. The course is required for all majors, and is a prerequisite for certain other upper-level courses in political science. A subscription to the New York Times is required.
NOTE: This course is required of all political science majors and minors. | ||
| POLI 102S 01 & 02. Introduction to Comparative Politics | (4 sem. hours) | G. Hudson |
| The course is devoted to a beginning exploration of similarities and differences among the national political systems found in the world. Students should expect through the course to develop an acquaintance with the principle characteristics of Western democratic political systems (other than the U.S.), Communist or post-Communist political systems, and political systems of the Third World. A second major objective is to learn basic concepts and techniques used in comparative political analysis. Two hourly exams, a final exam, and a short paper are required.
NOTE: This course is required of all political science majors and minors. | ||
| POLI 102S 03 - Introduction to Comparative Politics | (4 sem. hours) | B. Yu |
| This course introduces students to some of the central concepts and issues of the comparative approaches to the study of politics. It examines the origins, development, institutions, and the functioning of political systems other than the United States. Specifically, the course focuses on industrialized democracies (Britain and France), the rise and fall of communist systems (Russia and China), and the developing world (Africa and East Asia). There will be one midterm exam and one final exam. Additional assignments/exercises may be offered in class.
NOTE: This course is required of all political science majors and minors. | ||
| POLI 209S. Middle East Politics | (4 sem. hours) | H. Nejad |
| This course provides an overview of contemporary Middle Eastern politics. The overall goal of this course is to critically examine the existing political structures and the complexities of political change in this region. Close attention will be paid to social, cultural, and religious factors, to the impact of the West, to authoritarian rule, to experimentation with democracy, and to human rights and gender issues The focus will be on post-WWII developments, though relevant historical forces will also be examined. | ||
| POLI 210S+C - East Asian Politics | (4 sem. hours) | B. Yu |
| The course introduces students to the political structure and dynamics of three major countries, or group of countries, in East Asia: Japan, China (Mainland, Taiwan, and Hong King), and Korea (South Korea and North Korea). The major objective is to make students familiar with their history, politics, and economy in a comparative perspective. The course will also examine their relationships with each other, and the impact of East Asia as whole on global affairs. There will be one mid-term exam, one final exam, and a take-home essay (7-9 pages). | ||
| POLI 219 - Topics: Ancient and Medievil Political Philosophy | (4 sem. hours) | Miyazaki |
| This course will examine the influential texts that constitute the Ancient and Medieval periods of political philosophy. We will engage the ideas of thinkers such as Plato and St. Augustine, and analyze their proposals for "justice," "authority," and "citizenship." In other words, we will discuss the Ancient and Medieval debates on who should rule, where, and why. Questions we will ask include: Why should an enlightened elite make decisions for society? Does might make right? Why should one obey authority? We will also use additional literary sources to address specific issues. | ||
| POLI 229 - Topics: Criminal Law and Politics | (4 sem. hours) | D. Carter |
| This course will focus on the various stages of the criminal justice system, from arrest through trial and punishment. Many speakers will be invited to class, including police officers, judges, and attorneys. Also, students will visit court sessions and prisons, and will ride with police patrols. There will be a mid-term and final exam, weekly quizzes and short papers. | ||
| POLI 232S - Public Opinion | (4 sem. hours) | S. Rhine |
| This is a study of the measurement, development, and role of public opinion in American politics. We will explore how public opinion affects government as well as how government shapes public opinion. In smaller groups students will design, implement, and interpret their own surveys. Class will be a combination of lecture and discussion. Class requirements include the successful completion of the survey, quizzes, one paper, discussion and exams. | ||
| POLI 251S - International Relations | (4 sem. hours) | B. Yu |
| This course introduces some key theoretical concepts and approaches in the study of international relations. The course then will apply these theoretical concepts to the understanding of some specific cases in history. The final part of the course deals with some major issues for the world community including international security (arms control, peace keeping, alliance building, terrorism), international political economy (trade, international finance, development, environmental protection), democratization, and cultural/ethnic issues. The course has a lecture/discussion format. There will be a mid-term and a final exam, plus oral presentation/ discussion and a take-home essay (7-9 pages). | ||
| POLI 260 1Z. Methodology | (4 sem. hours) | S. Rhine |
| This course aims to prepare students to better understand as well as conduct research. The course will explore hypothesis development and testing, measurement, research design, analysis, and interpretation of results. Students will pursue their own research question as well as refine the presentation of their results. There will be exams, several small projects, and a large research paper.
NOTE: This course is required by all political science majors. PREREQUISITE: Statistics (Business, Math, or Psychology) WRITING INTENSIVE | ||
| POLI 319 1W - Adv. Topics: Contemporary Theories of Power and Resistence | (4 sem. hours) | Miyazaki |
| This course will explore contemporary theories that address the ways in which power is created and exercised in contemporary culture. We will read a variety of theorists across the disciplines who articulate theories of power and resistence. During the course of the semester, we will address power in relation to the ideas of truth, objectivity, technology, and identity. We will also examine various literary and film texts.
PREREQUISITES: Junior standing, 1 Philosophy, or permission | ||
| POLI 320 1W - Public Administration | (4 sem. hours) | R. Baker |
| Using a systems framework, this course focuses on politics and policymaking of the federal bureaucracy. Emphasis is on how bureaucrats and bureaucratic agencies interact with each other, and with other political actors at the federal level. The course combines lectures with seminar discussion format. Students will be asked to write 3 critical book reviews, and an article summary. Two essay exams will also be given.
PREREQUISITES: POLI 101 and Junior standing WRITING INTENSIVE | ||
| POLI 322-1W. Civil Liberties & the Constitution | (4 sem. hours) | W. Buscemi |
| The readings for this course will consist primarily of Supreme Court cases dealing with the freedoms of speech, religion, privacy, and equal protection. Attention will be given to the political background and outlook of the justices, and of the political relationships between the court, congress, and President. Students will be expected to read and brief cases regularly, in preparation for class discussion.
PREREQUISITES: POLI 101 and Junior standing WRITING INTENSIVE | ||
| POLI 329 1W - Adv. Topics: Congress | (4 sem. hours) | J. Young |
| Can the behavior of congress members be explained solely by their desire to get reelected as suggested by David Mayhew (1974), or are other goals significant predictors of the way Congress operates? This will be the central question we consider as we examine the structure and processes of our national legislative institution. Essay exams and papers will be offered
PREREQUISITES: Poli Sci 101 and Junior standing WRITING INTENSIVE | ||
| POLI 352-1W. Russian Foreign Policy | (4 sem. hours) | G. Hudson |
| This course examines the development and factors involved in Soviet and Russian foreign policy from 1917 to the present. One of the major themes of the class will be an understanding of the nature of the changes taking place in that policy under the Gorbachev and Yeltsin administrations. The class will consider defense policy, economic policy, and the imperatives of the processes of nation-building and state-building as elements of Soviet and Russian foreign policy. The class will center about the presentation and preparation of a term paper.
PREREQUISITES: POLI 102 or 204 and Junior standing WRITING INTENSIVE | ||
| Wittenberg’s official curriculum and academic policies are contained in the Academic Catalog. The latest edition of the Catalog is available online. | ||