COMPARATIVE POLITICS SEMINAR
Voters, Leaders & Media
Prerequisites: POLS V1501 or the equivalent, and the instructors permission. Pre-registration is not permitted. Please see here for detailed seminar registration guidelines: http://polisci.columbia.edu/undergraduate-programs/seminar-registration-guidelines. Seminar in Comparative Politics. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list.
- W 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
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Instructor:
Beatrice Bonini
Info - 4 points
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS SEMINAR
SECURITY TOPICS
Prerequisites: POLS UN2601 or the equivalent, and the instructor's permission. Seminar in International Politics. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list.
- M 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
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Instructor:
Jack L Snyder
CULPA: 27 Info - 4 points
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS SEMINAR
INEQUALITY WITHIN&BTWN NATIONS
Prerequisites: POLS UN2601 or the equivalent, and the instructor's permission. Seminar in International Politics. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list.
- R 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
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Instructor:
David E Spiro
CULPA: 1 h-index: 6 Info - 4 points
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS SEMINAR
POLITICS OF WORLD ECONOMY
Prerequisites: POLS UN2601 or the equivalent, and the instructor's permission. Seminar in International Politics. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list.
- R 10:10 a.m.-noon
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Instructor:
Allison J Carnegie
Info - 4 points
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS SEMINAR
Pol Multinat'l Enterprise
Prerequisites: POLS UN2601 or the equivalent, and the instructor's permission. Seminar in International Politics. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list.
- T 10:10 a.m.-noon
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Instructor:
Calvin N Thrall
Info - 4 points
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS SEMINAR
War and Peace
Prerequisites: POLS UN2601 or the equivalent, and the instructor's permission. Seminar in International Politics. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list.
- R 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
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Instructor:
Sarah Daly
Info - 4 points
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS SEMINAR
POLITICAL VIOLENCE
Prerequisites: POLS UN2601 or the equivalent, and the instructor's permission. Seminar in International Politics. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list.
- R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
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Instructor:
Linda M Kirschke
CULPA: 1 Info - 4 points
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS SEMINAR
CAUSES OF WAR
Prerequisites: POLS UN2601 or the equivalent, and the instructor's permission. Seminar in International Politics. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list.
- R 8:10 a.m.-10 a.m.
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Instructor:
Zachary C Shirkey
CULPA: 1 Info - 4 points
HONORS SEMINAR
Prerequisites: admission to the departmental honors program. A two-term seminar for students writing the senior honors thesis.
- M 10:10 a.m.-noon
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Instructor:
Shigeo Hirano
CULPA: 3
Info
- 4 points
POLIT THOUGHT-CLASSICL AND MEDIEVAL
Prerequisites: Contemporary Civilization or a comparable introduction to political theory course. This course examines ancient political thought from its origins in the archaic Greek poleis through the development of classical Greek political philosophy and the transmission and adaptation of Greek political ideas in the Hellenistic, Roman, and early Christian traditions. Our texts will include major ancient works of political theory by Plato, Aristotle, and Cicero as well as works of poetry, drama, history, and ethical and natural philosophy that offer insight into ancient thought on politics. We will approach these texts not only as reflections on the ancient democratic, oligarchic, monarchical, and republican political systems they address, but also as foundations for modern political discourse that still prompt us to consider the questions they raise—questions about the ideal form of government in theory, and the best form in practice; about the nature of law and justice, and the relationship between law and custom, science, or religion; about the rule of law, and the rights and obligations of an individual citizen living in a participatory state; and about the reach of empire, and the implications when a self-governing people attempts to direct the affairs of non-citizens or of other states.
- TR 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
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Instructor:
Diana J Moser
Info - 3 points
Government & politics of Ukraine
Govt & Politics of Ukrain
This upper-level undergraduate comparative politics course applies the basic concepts of comparative political science to the political system of Ukraine. The course provides an in-depth examination of the political system, institutions, and social dynamics of Ukraine. Students will explore the historical, cultural, and geopolitical factors shaping Ukrainian politics, as well as key issues such as democratization, corruption, foreign policy, and the ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The course will also analyze the role of Ukraine in the broader context of European politics and its relationship with Russia. The assigned readings cover theories of voting, the party system development, political protests, transitions to democracy, the choice of political institutions, among other topics. Some of these topics are familiar from the Introduction to Comparative Politics course and other political science courses. In this class, students reexamine these theories in the specific context of Ukrainian politics. They also examine historical development of contemporary Ukrainian institutions and their effects on current policy decisions.
The main goal of this course is to help students develop theoretical tools for understanding political events and challenges of Ukraine. While this course covers some recent history of Ukraine, it also uses Ukraine as an example of the broader, more general issues that come along with democratization reforms. To accomplish this goal, the course draws on readings from comparative political science, economics, and sociology to introduce students to the major debates on economic and political reforms.
- T 10:10 a.m.-noon
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Instructor:
Anastasiia Vlasenko
Info - 4 points
CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN POLITICS
This course aims to teach students what, if any, answers social scientists have to the questions that concern anyone with an interest in African politics: 1) Why have democratic governments flourished in some countries and not others? 2) What institutions may enable Africans to hold their leaders accountable? 3) How do people participate in politics? 4) In what ways do aspiring African political leaders build public support? 5) To what extent does persistent poverty on the continent have political causes? and 6) Why is violence used to resolve some political disputes and not others?
- MW 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
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Instructor:
Kimuli Kasara
CULPA: 26 h-index: 8 Info - 3 points
MATH & STATS FOR POLI SCI
This course presents basic mathematical and statistical concepts that are essential for formal and quantitative analysis in political science research. It prepares students for the graduate-level sequence on formal models and quantitative political methodology offered in the department. The first half of the course will cover basic mathematics, such as calculus and linear algebra. The second half of the course will focus on probability theory and statistics. We will rigorously cover the topics that are directly relevant to formal and quantitative analysis in political science such that students can build both intuitions and technical skills. There is no prerequisite since this course is ordinarily taken by Ph.D. students in their first semester. The course is aimed for both students with little exposure to mathematics and those who have taken some courses but wish to gain a more solid foundation.
NOTE: This course does not satisfy the Political Science Major/Concentration research methods requirement.
- TR 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
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Instructor:
Benjamin K Goodrich
Info - 4 points
MATH & STATS FOR POLI SCI-DISC
This is the required discussion section for
POLS GU4700.
- F 3:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
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Instructor:
Maheen Rasul
Info - 0 points
QUANTITATIVE POLITICL RESEARCH
This course examines the basic methods of data analysis and statistics, through multivariate regression analysis, that political scientists use in quantitative research that attempts to make causal inferences about how the political world works. The same methods apply to other kinds of problems about cause and effect relationships more generally. The course will provide students with extensive experience in analyzing data and in writing (and thus reading) research papers about testable theories and hypotheses.
- TR 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
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Instructor:
Robert Y Shapiro
CULPA: 4
Wikipedia
Info
- 4 points
PRINC OF QUANT POL RESEARCH 1-DISC
PRINC OF QUANT POL RES 1-
This is the required discussion section for
POLS GU4710.
- R 10:10 a.m.-11 a.m.
- M 2:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
- W 12:10 p.m.-1 p.m.
- W 1:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
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Instructor:
Alif Masron
Info - 0 points
Data Science for Political Analytics
Data Science for Pol Anal
The digital revolution has created previously unimaginable opportunities to learn about political behavior and institutions. It has also created new challenges for analyzing the massive amounts of data that are now easily accessible. Open source software has reduced barriers and inequities in coding, but it also requires different kinds of effort to employ optimally the latest innovations. Harnessing the power of political data is more critical than ever, given the threats that misinformation and alternative “facts” present to democratic forms of government.
This course will teach students both essential tools and general strategies of data science within the domain of politics. Whether students’ goals are to analyze political behavior for academic or professional purposes, successful analysis requires skills for handling a wide array of issues that stand in the way of creating knowledge and insights from data.
This course prioritizes breadth over depth in the sense that we will introduce a broad range of topics relevant for data science to develop basic skills and form a foundation that students can build on. More complete mastery of these skills will require additional engagement beyond this course.
- TR 6:10 p.m.-7:25 p.m.
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Instructor:
Soubhik Barari
Info - 3 points
QUANT METH 1 APPL REG CAUS INF
Fitting and understanding linear regression and generalized linear models, simulation, causal inference, and the basics of design of quantitative studies. Computation in R. Textbook: Regression and Other Stories by Gelman, Hill, and Vehtari.
- MW 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
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Instructor:
Andrew Gelman
CULPA: 6 Wikipedia h-index: 112 Info - 4 points
QUANTITATIVE METHODS 1 DISCUSSION
QUANT METH 1 DISCUSSION
This is the required discussion section for
POLS GU4720.
- M 1:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
- M 2:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
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Instructor:
Hanying Wei
Info - 0 points
QUANT METH 3 EXPERIMENTAL METH
In this course, we will discuss the logic of experimentation, its strengths and weaknesses compared to other methodologies, and the ways in which experimentation has been — and could be — used to investigate social phenomena. Students will learn how to interpret, design, and execute experiments. Special attention will be devoted to field experiments, or randomized trials conducted in real-world settings.
Prerequisites: Students should have taken at least one or two semesters of statistics. Some understanding of probability, hypothesis testing, and regression are assumed. Familiarity with statistical software such as R is helpful. We will be working with data in class throughout the term. The examples used in the textbook and lectures are written in R, and R tutorials will be taught in special sessions early in the term.
- TR 5:40 p.m.-6:55 p.m.
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Instructor:
Donald P Green
CULPA: 2 h-index: 87 Info - 4 points
QUANTITATIVE METHODS 3: DISCUSSION
QUANT METH 3-DISC
This is the required discussion section for
POLS GU4724.
Machine Learning & AI for the Social Sci
Machine Learning & AI Soc
This course serves as a modern, applied introduction to machine learning. Students will learn how to evaluate machine learning models and learn specific methods in supervised and unsupervised learning, including regression, ensembles, and neural networks. Other frontier topics with social science relevance will be presented. Topics will be of interest to researchers who are interested in prediction, causal inference, text analysis, and more. Students may use Python, R, or any coding
language that requires only free software. Lectures and lecture notes will only include Python. Students should have prior experience with regression models, be comfortable with matrix algebra notation, and have experience with basic coding (R or Python, ideally).
Learning goals:
• Understand common machine learning models and be able to implement them.
• Gain familiarity with the use of machine learning models in modern social science research.
• Be able to identify research settings where different models might be appropriate.
• Be able to read and interpret technical research papers, extracting the key methodological
choices, assumptions, and results.
- MW 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
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Instructor:
Alexander Clark
Info - 4 points
Machine Learning & AI for Social Science
Mach Lrng & AI for Soc Sc
Discussion section for POLS GU4728
- R 10:10 a.m.-11 a.m.
- F 10:10 a.m.-11 a.m.
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Instructor:
Kirill Chmel
Info - 0 points
RESEARCH TOPICS IN GAME THEORY
Prerequisites: POLS W4730 or the instructors permission. Advanced topics in game theory will cover the study of repeated games, games of incomplete information and principal-agent models with applications in the fields of voting, bargaining, lobbying and violent conflict. Results from the study of social choice theory, mechanism design and auction theory will also be treated. The course will concentrate on mathematical techniques for constructing and solving games. Students will be required to develop a topic relating political science and game theory and to write a formal research paper.
- TR 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
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Instructor:
Carlo Prato
h-index: 11 Info - 4 points
GLOBAL ENERGY: SECURITY/GEOPOL
The course focuses on the nexus between energy and security as it reveals in the policies and interaction of leading energy producers and consumers. Topics include: Hydrocarbons and search for stability and security in the Persian Gulf, Caspian basin, Eurasia, Africa and Latin America; Russia as a global energy player; Analysis of the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on energy markets, global security, and the future of the energy transition; Role of natural gas in the world energy balance and European energy security; Transformation of the global energy governance structure; Role and evolution of the OPEC; Introduction into energy economics; Dynamics and fundamentals of the global energy markets; IOCs vs NOCs; Resource nationalism, cartels, sanctions and embargoes; Asia's growing energy needs and its geo-economic and strategic implications; Nuclear energy and challenges to non-proliferation regime; Alternative and renewable sources of energy; Climate change as one of the central challenges of the 21st century; Analysis of the policies, technologies, financial systems and markets needed to achieve climate goals. Climate change and attempts of environmental regulation; Decarbonization trends, international carbon regimes and search for optimal models of sustainable development. Special focus on implications of the shale revolution and technological innovations on U.S. energy security.
- MW 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
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Instructor:
Albert Bininachvili
CULPA: 6
Info
- 3 points
NAT SECURITY STRAT OF MID EAST
At the crossroads of three continents, the Middle East is home to many diverse peoples, with ancient and proud cultures, in varying stages of political and socio-economic development, often in conflict. Following the Arab Spring and subsequent upheaval in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya and more, the region is in a state of historic flux. The Sunni-Shia rivalry, especially between Saudi Arabia and Iran, growing Iranian-Israeli conflict, population explosion, poverty and authoritarian control, Russian ascendance and US retrenchment, are the primary regional drivers today. Together, these factors have transformed the Middle Eastern landscape, with great consequence for the national security of the countries of the region and their foreign relations. The primary source of the worlds energy resources, the Middle East remains the locus of the terror-WMD-fundamentalist nexus, which continues to pose a significant threat to both regional and international security. The course surveys the national security challenges facing the regions primary players (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinians and Turkey,) and how the convolutions of recent years have affected them. Unlike many Middle East courses, which focus on US policy in the region, the course concentrates on the regional players perceptions of the threats and opportunities they face and the strategies they have adopted to deal with them. It thus provides an essential vantage point for those interested in gaining a deeper understanding of a region, which stands at the center of many of the foreign policy issues of our era. The course is designed for those with a general interest in the Middle East, especially those interested in national security issues, students of comparative politics and future practitioners, with an interest in real world international relations and national security.
- M 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
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Instructor:
Charles D Freilich
CULPA: 2 Info - 4 points
INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY
This course explores key frameworks and issue areas within international political economy. It examines the history and key characteristics of (economic) globalization, the theories of international cooperation, as well as the nature and role of international organizations (such as the World Trade Organization) in fostering trade and international economic cooperation. Furthermore, the course discusses the pros and cons of globalization and its implications on domestic policies of nation-states, with a particular focus on the tensions globalization creates and the lines of cleavages between winners and losers from globalization. Finally, the course reflects on the future of globalization and international trade and the challenges faced by national and supranational policy makers.
- TR 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
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Instructor:
Davit Sahakyan
CULPA: 1 Info - 4 points
INT'L POLITICAL ECONOMY-DISC
This is the required discussion section for
POLS GU4865.
- T 1:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
- W 2:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
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Instructor:
Aleksandra Gracheva
Info -
Instructor:
Seowoo Chung
Info -
Instructor:
Aleksandra Gracheva
Info - 0 points
M.A. PROSEMINAR
This course introduces students to the different subfields of the discipline by presenting various perspectives on one key topic in political science. Throughout the course, both theoretical and empirical debates surrounding the study of democracy are explored. Although the specific topic may change from year to year, the goal and structure of the course will remain the same: to contribute to the students understanding of an important topic in political science and discuss it through the lens of the different subfields: American politics, comparative politics, international relations, and political theory. By doing so, students will also learn the technical language, important concepts, and different methodological approaches of each subfield. Please note that this course is only for students in the Political Science Departments M.A. Program.
- F 10:10 a.m.-noon
- F 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
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Instructor:
Chiara Superti
CULPA: 3
Info
- 4 points
ISSUES IN POLITICAL THEORY
Prerequisites: the instructors permission prior to registration. A survey of selected issues and debates in political theory. Areas of the field discussed include normative political philosophy, history of political thought, and the design of political and social institutions.
- R 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
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Instructor:
Turkuler Isiksel
CULPA: 3
h-index: 9
Info
- 4 points
THEORIES & DEBATES-AMER POL II
This is the second of two semester-long courses that provide graduate students with an overview of the scholarly study of American politics. G6210 and G6211 constitute the American politics field survey. The field survey is designed for political science doctoral students who intend to specialize in American politics, as well as for those students whose primary interests are comparative politics, international relations, or political theory, but who desire an intensive introduction to the American style of political science. In this course we will cover a range of topics related to American politics that, for the most part, are not covered in G6210. Our focus will be on public opinion and political behavior. The reading assignments are a mix of foundational contributions (i.e. the canons of American politics literature) and recent research. The first part of each seminar session will aim to clarify and probe enduring puzzles, theories, and debates highlighted in the foundational texts. The latter portion of the seminar session will focus on how recent studies contribute to ongoing debates and define the research agenda going forward.
- W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
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Instructor:
Donald P Green
CULPA: 2 h-index: 87 Info - 4 points
COMPARATIVE POLITICS SURVEY I
This is the first course in the two-semester sequence surveying covering foundational research in comparative politics across the developed and developing world. The course is designed for Ph.D. students preparing for comprehensive exams and who intend to conduct research relating to comparative politics, and has two core objectives. The first objective is to expose students to a range of arguments organized around questions motivating major research agendas in comparative politics. The second objective is to expose students to processes of theorizing, hypothesis formation, and testing and to strengthen students’ analytical skills in evaluating and critiquing political science research. It should go without saying that these two classes cannot exhaustively cover the many important works, topics, and methodologies in the field.
The Fall semester of this sequence will primarily focus on citizen-level and politician-level behaviors, while the Spring semester will focus on more macro-level institutions and applications of the building blocks covered in this course. However, it is not necessary to take the classes in a particular order.
- W 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
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Instructor:
John Marshall
h-index: 20 Info - 4 points
THEORIES OF INT'L RELATIONS
Prerequisites: the instructors permission prior to registration. Issues and problems in theory of international politics; systems theories and the current international system; the domestic sources of foreign policy and theories of decision making; transnational forces, the balance of power, and alliances.
- R 10:10 a.m.-noon
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Instructor:
Elizabeth N Saunders
Wikipedia Info - 4 points
Theory of Democracy Revisited
This colloquium will study democracy in its most representative contemporary interpretations and its challenges in comparative theoretical perspective. Starting with democracy’s procedures and institutions (the “rules of the game”) the colloquium will examine their main interpretations and most recent variations; it will end with a discussion of plebiscitary leadership, populism and lottocracy. The aim of the colloquium is to give students of political theory and political science some basic theoretical tools for analyzing, understanding and evaluating contemporary mutations in democratic visions and practices in several western countries.
- T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
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Instructor:
Nadia Urbinati
CULPA: 29 Wikipedia Info - 4 points
Political Theory of Democratization, De-
Democ, De-Democ, Regime C
Concern about the retreat of democracy, democratic recession and/or democratic backsliding are proliferating in the political theoretical and comparative politics literature. While domestic and external threats to democracy and reverse waves are not new, there is widespread agreement that today even long-consolidated, wealthy democracies are now at risk and that new dynamics of de-democratization are at play. This course will involve an in-depth study of the political theory and comparative politics literature on the relevant concepts and dynamics: transition, democratization, de-democratization, democratic backsliding, hybridization, “post-democracy” and the assumptions undergirding them. We will discuss the various concepts of democracy and regime used or presupposed in the relevant literature and assess how these have evolved. The purpose of the first part of the course is to rethink the basic concepts and theories regarding democracy breakdown, transitions to democracy, democratic consolidation, backsliding and hybridization of democratic regimes and to clarify the conceptual and political issues regarding thresholds, cycles, and the like. The last third of the course will focus on cycles of democratization, de-democratization and re-democratization in the case of the U.S.: the oldest representative constitutional democracy and the one most typically taken as the exemplar of a consolidated democratic regime.
- W 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
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Instructor:
Jean L Cohen
CULPA: 7 Wikipedia h-index: 63 Info - 4 points
Political Communication
POLS GR8228 is designed as a graduate-level introduction to the study of political communication. As an introduction to the field, it is structured to cover a wide range of topics and methodological approaches. No single course can provide comprehensive coverage of a fascinating subfield with as long and diverse a history as political communication. As such, this seminar will focus on relatively recent work. Students will leave this course with a strong grasp of major theories, trends, methods, findings and debates in this area of study, as well as the gaps in our knowledge and promising directions for future research.
POLITICS OF AUTOCRACY
- M 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
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Instructor:
Timothy M Frye
CULPA: 8
Wikipedia
h-index: 31
Info
- 4 points
Historical Political Economy
Over the past thousand years, modern capitalism has expanded from its European starting point to the entire world. Modern economic activity started with a commercial revolution in the late Middle Ages, concentrated in European city states like Venice and Genoa. From the sixteenth through the eighteenth centuries, European colonialism spread this commercial revolution around the globe. The Industrial Revolution in northwestern Europe led to unprecedented and sustained economic growth, which allowed European nations to dominate the rest of the world economically, politically, and militarily, with mixed results for the rest of the world. Over the past hundred years, global capitalism has continued to present countries, and the people in them, with enormous opportunities, crushing constraints, and major political dilemmas.
The course is an introductory overview of the economics and politics of international economic activity in historical and theoretical perspective.
- T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
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Instructor:
Caterina Chiopris
Info - 4 points
CIVIL & ETHNIC WARS
This course explores the causes, dynamics and outcomes of civil wars and insurgencies. It addresses when and why violence is employed in place of peaceful solutions to conflict and what accounts for individual and mass recruitment into armed organizations. It aims to understand variation in warring groups’ cohesion, repertoires of violence, and relations with civilians, state counterinsurgency methods, and the political economy of conflict. The course concludes by examining war duration and termination. Students will be pushed to grapple with research written in many traditions including philosophical, statistical, game theoretic, and qualitative materials.
- R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
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Instructor:
Sarah Daly
Info - 4 points
SPECIAL RESEARCH COURSE
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Instructor:
Andrew J Nathan
CULPA: 44 Wikipedia h-index: 40 Info -
Instructor:
Andrew J McCall
Info -
Instructor:
Eunji Kim
Info - 1-6 points
DISSERTATION SEMINAR
Provides students the opportunity to present draft dissertation proposals and draft dissertation chapters.
- T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
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Instructor:
Kimuli Kasara
CULPA: 26 h-index: 8 Info - 4 points