Political Theory I

Political theory examines the ideas and institutions that shape political life.  This course introduces key texts and arguments about the best way to organize political power, how it should be used, and for what purpose.

We will address these larger questions by studying how major thinkers, ancient and modern, analyzed political diversity, division, and conflict.  What are the sources of conflicting identities, interests, passions, and values in politics?  How can partisanship and contestation avoid degenerating into open war and unjust domination?  Which institutions, laws, and practices are best able to manage conflict consistent with other political goals, such as freedom, equality, justice?  

Course goals: Demonstrate broad knowledge of key texts, thinkers, concepts, and debates in the history of political thought; compare, contrast, and classify definitions of diversity and their political significance; interpret texts and reconstruct their core arguments and concepts; evaluate arguments, concepts, and theories in terms of consistency, plausibility, and desirability; develop persuasive interpretations and arguments through textual analysis; present and defend ideas and arguments clearly in writing and discussion.

• TR 4:10 p.m.-5:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Karuna Mantena
  CULPA: 3 Info
• 4 points

Political Theory I Discussion

Discussion section

• 0 points

Introduction to American Politics

Intro American Politics

In this course, students will gain familiarity with some of the major questions and theoretical frameworks in the American Politics subfield of political science and learn how to think theoretically and empirically about politics.

• MW 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Justin H Phillips
  CULPA: 23 Info
• 4 points

Introduction to American Politics Discus

Intro Am Pol Discussion

Discussion section

• 0 points

International Politics

Why do countries go to war? What conditions foster international cooperation? How do alliances between countries function? How are countries affected by global trade and investment, and in turn how does the political economy of individual countries shape international conflict and cooperation? How do ideas and culture (including both positive ideas like human rights and negative ideas like racism) affect international politics? What role do individuals and groups play in shaping international politics? What explains the international response to the COVID-19 pandemic? Why isn’t there significant cooperation on climate change, and can a new global cooperation emerge? What issues have garnered international attention, and how has that shaped the countries’ cooperation? What causes terrorism? Is the proliferation of nuclear (or cyber) weapons a threat to peace, and if so, how should the world response? Does UN peacekeeping work?

In this course we will begin to grapple with these questions. We will use theories developed by philosophers, political scientists and policy analysts, and we will examine the historical roots of today’s problems, in order to explain and predict the patterns of international politics and the possibilities for change. Throughout the course, students will be encouraged to choose and develop their own theories to explain events.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the semester, students will accomplish the following:


Demonstrate broad factual and causal knowledge of important current and historical issues in international relations.

Apply contending theories from the political science literature and the policy world to analyze, compare, and evaluate events and trends in international relations.

Assess the value of competing theories in explaining events.

Synthesize facts and arguments across cases in order to reason critically and argue creatively, through both oral discussions in section and written essays.

• MW 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Jayme R Schlesinger
  Info
• 4 points

International Politics Discussion

Int'l Politics Discussion

Discussion section for POLS UN2601

• 0 points

Weimar: Theory of a Crisis

What is sovereignty? What role do basic rights play in modern democracy? Should democracy be based in commonly shared values? Is there an essential difference between liberalism and democratic politics? And if so, how can modern liberal democracies function?

The Weimar period gave rise to some of the most important and consequential debates in political theory and constitutional thought since the eighteenth century. Lawyers and political theorists such as Carl Schmitt, Hans Kelsen, Hermann Heller, Franz Neumann and Otto Kirchheimer tackled in particular the challenges that democracies face in an age of mass society, of unbounded capitalist dynamics, and of rising anti-democratic forces.

This lecture course introduces students to key debates in political and constitutional theory of the Weimar period. It contextualises them in the social and political world of Germany’s first, failed, democratic state by looking at cultural and economic theory as well as political thought. Many of the texts discussed in this class have only recently become available in the English language. As such, they offer fresh perspectives on concrete political theoretical problems such as the function and legitimation of modern constitutional courts, of basic rights and the role of the party. At the same time this course offers a deep insight into the vagaries and complexities of European constitutionalism in the first half of the twentieth century, and the consequences of its failure for the political world which came after it.

• MW 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Clara Maier
  Info
• 3 points

Loigic/Paradox in Social Choice

Logic/Paradox in Social C

Much of politics is about combining individual preferences into collective choices. Collective choice problems are faced by society as a whole and by the smallest group:  bargaining within and between the branches of government, campus elections, allocation of relief funds among victims of natural disasters, scoring of Olympic events, even sharing common space in a dorm room. How can preferences be combined?  Our primary theoretical approach is called
social choice theory
, which studies how we aggregate what individuals want into what the collective “wants.”  We will also touch on
game

theory
, studying how we aggregate what individuals want and do into what the group gets, given that social outcomes usually depend on the interaction of individual choices.

Our themes include the rationality of individual and group preferences, the underpinnings and implications of using majority rule, tradeoffs between aggregation methods, the fairness of group choice, the effects of institutional constraints on choice (e.g., agenda control), and the implications for democratic choice. The aggregation of preferences or choices is usually governed by some set of institutional rules, formal or informal, and we will examine some of their effects. While what we learn will be useful for thinking about many real-world problems and institutions, this class is not concerned with actual institutions in full descriptive detail, but rather with abstractable features common to collective decision making and on the abstract logic of collective choice... and the paradoxes that arise.

Students will learn how to formalize varying notions of fairness, equality, and rationality. Students will learn about tradeoffs between them—what is possible and what is not?  Students will learn how different voting methods work.  Students will learn how strategic anticipation helps or hurts in social choice.

• MW 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Jeffrey R Lax
  CULPA: 32 h-index: 22 Info
• 3 points

AMERICAN POLITICAL BEHAVIOR

This course will focus on the mechanisms that drive political behavior in the United States. “Political behavior” is a broad concept, and can include many areas of engagement with civic life such as voting, donating, organizing, advocating, protesting, and more. As we consider “behavior,” we must therefore also take on its foundations: Public opinion, ideology, and partisanship. We will focus primarily (but not exclusively) on mass politics—beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of ordinary citizens—rather than on behaviors of activists or elites. We will also explore the connection between behavior and other factors such as race and place.

• TR 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
• Instructor: Yamil R Velez
  CULPA: 1 h-index: 8 Info
• 3 points

RACE AND THE US CARCERAL SYSTEM

Race & the US Carceral Sy

This course will introduce students to research on the institutions of the US carceral system, including the police, courts, prisons, and immigration control. We will focus on two questions: how race relates to experiences with the institutions of the carceral state, and how those institutions in turn influence racial politics. The main objective is not the accumulation of factual knowledge about this system, but familiarity with theoretical frameworks with which to make and critically assess arguments about the functioning of carceral institutions as they relate to racialized people and the functioning of democracy.

• MW 4:10 p.m.-5:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Andrew J McCall
  Info
• 3 points

FREEDOM OF SPEECH & PRESS

Examines the constitutional right of freedom of speech and press in the United States. Examines, in depth, various areas of law, including extremist or seditious speech, obscenity, libel, fighting words, the public forum doctrine, and public access to the mass media. Follows the law school course model, with readings focused on actual judicial decisions.

• TR 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Lee C Bollinger
  CULPA: 27 Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

Comparative Ethnic Politics

This course will explore the politics of ethnicity and ethnic identity using the frameworks, methodologies, and approaches of the political science subfield of comparative politics. Ethnicity—and identity politics more broadly—is enormously important in understanding domestic politics in most countries around the world. While most people would acknowledge that they themselves have an ethnic identity, few would say that they purposefully chose that identity. Compared to other identity categories, ethnicity is assigned at birth without consent or consultation, and is generally thought to be beyond any one individual’s capacity to change it. Yet almost no one would say that this somewhat random assignment procedure makes ethnicity irrelevant. Not only are many people very eager to organize the political world around ethnic identities, but people also derive a sense of meaning and attachment to others as a result of their ethnicity. With the global rise in ethnonationalist populism in many places, this influence is becoming even more pronounced.

This class will explore how and why this specific type of identity has come to hold such enormous importance for the lives of so many people. At an individual level, we will ask where ethnic identities come from, and why ethnic identities at some times take on primary importance for an individual’s sense of self, while at others become less important than other identities such as religion, interest, class, social values, etc. At the group level, we will examine when ethnic identities become politicized, when ethnic communities organize politically into political parties or interest groups, and which groups get representation in the seats of political power and which do not. At the broadest societal level, we will examine how those ethnic identities influence regime type (whether democratic or authoritarian), political party systems, economic development, inequality, and stability.

While it will be helpful to have completed Introduction to Comparative Politics (POLS UN2501), it is not absolutely required to take this class. Please also note that this class is not the same as Ethnic Conflict (POLS UN 3622). While there will inevitably be some overlap between this class and that, this course focuses much more on domestic politics, ethnicity and non-violent democratic processes, and ethnicity in the politics of regime change.

1

• TR 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
• Instructor: Benjamin P McClelland
  Info
• 3 points

AUTOCRACY AND DEMOCRACY

With longstanding democracies in Europe and the US faltering, autocratic regimes in Russia and China consolidating, and hybrid regimes that mix elements of democracy and autocracy on the rise, scholars, policymakers, and citizens are re-evaluating the causes and consequences of different forms of government.  This course is designed to give students the tools to understand these trends in global politics. Among other topics, we will explore: How do democracies and autocracies differ in theory and in practice?  Why are some countries autocratic? Why are some democratic? What are the roots of democratic erosion?  How does economic inequality influence a country’s form of government? Is the current period of institutional foment different past periods of global instability?  This course will help students keep up with rapidly unfolding events, but is designed primarily to help them develop tools for interpreting and understanding the current condition of democracy and autocracy in the world.

• MW 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
• Instructor: Timothy M Frye
  CULPA: 8 Wikipedia h-index: 31 Info
• 3 points

Contemporary Turkish Politics

Turkey’s (Türkiye’s) regional identity has always been ambiguous and multifaceted. While Turkey is sometimes located within the Middle East in academic writings, media reporting, and country analyses, at other times, it is listed among the countries of Europe. In fact, Turkish Republic has always been at the margins of Europe. Developments in Turkey had an impact on European societies while the political dynamics in Europe have always affected Turkey. This course not only reviews Turkey’s unique relationship with Europe but also the international and domestic political developments that preceded democratic and authoritarian practices in Turkey by highlighting critical themes such as westernization, liberalism, secularism, the role of the military, gender, minorities, migration, citizenship, electoral authoritarianism and autocratic legalism.

• MW 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Ayse Kadioglu
  Info
• 3 points

AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY

This course is concerned with what policy the American government should adopt toward several foreign policy issues in the next decade or so, using materials from contradictory viewpoints. Students will be required to state fairly alternative positions and to use policy analysis (goals, alternatives, consequences, and choice) to reach conclusions.

• TR 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Elizabeth N Saunders
  Wikipedia Info
• 4 points

AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY-DISC

Corequisites: POLS UN3631 This is the required discussion section for POLS UN3631.

• 0 points

GOVERNING THE GLOBAL ECONOMY

Who governs the world economy? Why do countries succeed or fail to cooperate in setting their economic policies? When and how do international institutions help countries cooperate? When and why do countries adopt good and bad economic policies? This course examines how domestic and international politics determine how the global economy is governed. We will study the politics of trade, international investment, monetary, immigration, and environmental policies to answer these questions. The course will approach each topic by examining alternative theoretical approaches and evaluate these theories using historical and contemporary evidence. There will be an emphasis on applying concepts through the analysis of policy-relevant case studies designed specifically for this course.

• MW 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Nikhar Gaikwad
  h-index: 7 Info
• 4 points

GOVERNING GLOBAL ECONOMY-DISC

This is the required discussion section for POLS UN3648

• 0 points

RESEARCH DESIGN: DATA ANALYSIS

This course examines the basic methods data analysis and statistics 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. It will cover basic data analysis and statistical methods, from univariate and bivariate descriptive and inferential statistics through multivariate regression analysis. Computer applications will be emphasized. The course will focus largely on observational data used in cross-sectional statistical analysis, but it will consider issues of research design more broadly as well. It will assume that students have no mathematical background beyond high school algebra and no experience using computers for data analysis.

• MW 4:10 p.m.-5:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Abdullah Aydogan
  h-index: 4 Info
• 3 points

RESEARCH DESIGN: SCOPE AND METHODS

RESEARCH DESIGN: SCOPE&ME

This class aims to introduce students to the logic of social scientific inquiry and research design. Although it is a course in political science, our emphasis will be on the science part rather than the political part — we’ll be reading about interesting substantive topics, but only insofar as they can teach us something about ways we can do systematic research. This class will introduce students to a medley of different methods to conduct social scientific research.

• MW 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
• Instructor: Cesar Zucco
  Info
• 4 points

SCOPE AND METHODS - DISC

This is the required discussion section for
POLS UN3720.

• 0 points

Experimental Research

Randomized experimentation is an important methodology in political science. 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 political phenomena. Students will learn how to interpret, design, and execute experiments.

• MW 4:10 p.m.-5:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Donald P Green
  CULPA: 2 h-index: 87 Info
• 4 points

EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH-DISC

This is the required discussion section for POLS UN3768.

• 0 points

SEMINAR IN POLITCAL THEORY

INDIVIDUAL AUTONOMY IN 21CENT

Seminar in Political Theory. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list. For list of topics and descriptions see: https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-seminars

• W 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: David C Johnston
  CULPA: 25 Info
• 4 points

SEMINAR IN POLITCAL THEORY

CITIZENSHIP AND EXCLUSION

Seminar in Political Theory. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list. For list of topics and descriptions see: https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-seminars

• T 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Turkuler Isiksel
  CULPA: 3 h-index: 9 Info
• 4 points

AMERICAN POLITICS SEMINAR

EQUALITY AND THE LAW

Prerequisites: the instructors permission. Pre-registration is not permitted. Seminar in American Politics Seminar. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list. For list of topics and descriptions see: https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-seminars

• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Robert L Amdur
  CULPA: 16 Info
• 4 points

AMERICAN POLITICS SEMINAR

Polling and Democracy

Prerequisites: the instructors permission. Pre-registration is not permitted. Seminar in American Politics Seminar. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list. For list of topics and descriptions see: https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-seminars

• M 8:10 a.m.-10 a.m.
• Instructor: Greg Bovitz
  Info
• 4 points

AMERICAN POLITICS SEMINAR

POLICING IN THE US

Prerequisites: the instructors permission. Pre-registration is not permitted. Seminar in American Politics Seminar. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list. For list of topics and descriptions see: https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-seminars

• M 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Andrew J McCall
  Info
• 4 points

AMERICAN POLITICS SEMINAR

SEXUALITY & CITIZENSHIP

Prerequisites: the instructors permission. Pre-registration is not permitted. Seminar in American Politics Seminar. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list. For list of topics and descriptions see: https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-seminars

• T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Justin H Phillips
  CULPA: 23 Info
• 4 points

AMERICAN POLITICS SEMINAR

POLITICS OF INCOME INEQUALITY

Prerequisites: the instructors permission. Pre-registration is not permitted. Seminar in American Politics Seminar. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list. For list of topics and descriptions see: https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-seminars

• M 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Judith Russell
  CULPA: 49 Info
• 4 points

AMERICAN POLITICS SEMINAR

US IMMIGRATION & POLICY

Prerequisites: the instructors permission. Pre-registration is not permitted. Seminar in American Politics Seminar. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list. For list of topics and descriptions see: https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-seminars

• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Carlos Vargas-Ramos
  CULPA: 4 Info
• 4 points

COMPARATIVE POLITICS SEMINAR

POWER, ORGS & INSTITUTION

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.

• T 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Junyan Jiang
  h-index: 8 Info
• 4 points

COMPARATIVE POLITICS SEMINAR

INFORMATION MEDIA POL BEHAV

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 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: John Marshall
  h-index: 20 Info
• 4 points

COMPARATIVE POLITICS SEMINAR

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 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Marjorie Castle
  Info
• Instructor: Gemma Dipoppa
  Info
• 4 points

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS SEMINAR

POL OF TRADE AID & INVESTMENT

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
• Instructor: Allison J Carnegie
  Info
• 4 points

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS SEMINAR

TERRORISM

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 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Virginia Page Fortna
  CULPA: 5 Wikipedia h-index: 17 Info
• 4 points

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS SEMINAR

SOLVING GLOBAL PROBLEMS

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 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Giulio M Gallarotti
  Info
• 4 points

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS SEMINAR

CONFLICT & INT'L INSTITUTIONS

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.

• 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.

• T 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Zachary C Shirkey
  CULPA: 1 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 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• 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.

• W 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: David E Spiro
  CULPA: 1 h-index: 6 Info
• 4 points

HONORS SEMINAR

Prerequisites: admission to the departmental honors program. A two-term seminar for students writing the senior honors thesis.

• T 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Timothy M Frye
  CULPA: 8 Wikipedia h-index: 31 Info
• 4 points

RECENT CONTINENTAL POL THOUGHT

This course will compare and contrast the theories of the political, the state,freedom, democracy, sovereignty and law, in the works of the following key 20th and 21st century continental theorists: Arendt, Castoriadis, Foucault, Habermas, Kelsen, Lefort, Schmitt, and Weber. It will be taught in seminar format.

• W 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Jean L Cohen
  CULPA: 7 Wikipedia h-index: 63 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.
• Instructor: Diana J Moser
  Info
• 3 points

South Asian Politics

In this class we evaluate the puzzles and challenges that have and continue to face government and society in South Asia—with a strong emphasis on India—drawing on the analytical tools of political science. The course is divided into four parts. First, we discuss India’s historical and social context. Second, we discuss India’s state and political institutions, including the state bureaucracy, political parties and the institution of elections. Third, we address major challenges for democracy and governance, including pervasive corruption, ethnic conflict, democratic backsliding, and poverty alleviation. Fourth, we discuss India’s neighbors’ experiences with democracy and governance with attention to the Indian comparison laid out throughout the course.

The course has three main goals. First, to strengthen your skills in analyzing complicated political issues using the analytic tools of political science. Through discussion and writing, you will grapple with the many puzzles Indian democracy and governance in South Asia more broadly pose. Second, to help you to develop an extensive knowledge of Indian (and South Asian) politics and policy. We do this through lectures and readings that draw on a range of analytic approaches. Third, to place these issues in comparative context through engagement with theory and evidence from the region.

• TR 5:40 p.m.-6:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Mark A Schneider
  Info
• 4 points

South Asian Politics Discussion

Discussion section for POLS GU4454, South Asian Politics

• 3 points

LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS

• TR 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Maria Victoria Murillo
  h-index: 37 Info
• 4 points

LATIN AMER POLITICS-DISC

• 0 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.
• Instructor: Benjamin K Goodrich
  Info
• 4 points

MATH & STATS FOR POLI SCI-DISC

This is the required discussion section for 
POLS GU4700.

• 0 points

PRINC OF QUANT POL RESEARCH 1

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.
• 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.

• 0 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.

• TR 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• 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.

• 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.
• 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.

• 0 points

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.
• Instructor: Alexander Clark
  Info
• 4 points

Machine Learning & AI for Social Science

Mach Lrng & AI for Soc Sc

Discussion section for POLS GU4728

• 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.
• Instructor: Carlo Prato
  h-index: 11 Info
• 4 points

TOPICS GAME THEORY - DISC

• 0 points

POLITICS IN THE LAB

The purpose of this course is to give students the chance to write an original research paper applying the methodology of lab experiments to political science questions. Experiments have become a standard tool in testing and refining theories, but designing and interpreting economic experiments requires care and practice.

• T 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Alessandra Casella
  CULPA: 8 Wikipedia h-index: 30 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.
• 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.
• 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 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Davit Sahakyan
  CULPA: 1 Info
• 4 points

INT'L POLITICAL ECONOMY-DISC

This is the required discussion section for 
POLS GU4865.

• 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.
• 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.
• Instructor: Turkuler Isiksel
  CULPA: 3 h-index: 9 Info
• 4 points

ISSUES & DEBATES-AMER POLITICS

Prerequisites: the instructors permission prior to registration. Please contact the instructors for more information. This graduate student field survey provides an overview of the scholarly study of American politics. The course has been designed for 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.

• R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Michael Ting
  CULPA: 4 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.
• Instructor: Cesar Zucco
  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
• Instructor: Elizabeth N Saunders
  Wikipedia Info
• 4 points

Commercial Society

Before capitalism, there was commercial society. This course examines European debates about commerce, luxury, and social organization from the late seventeenth through the late eighteenth centuries. We will survey a range of theoretical perspectives on the new forms of commercial sociability and political life emerging in Europe, whether triumphant, despairing, or ambivalent.

• T 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Daniel Luban
  Info
• 4 points

COLLOQ ON POLITICAL BEHAVIOR

Courses on public opinion and political behavior (including the GR8210 seminar taught by Professor Shapiro) ordinarily move briskly through a wide array of topics having to do with how American tend to think and act. This class has a narrower scope but tries to delve more deeply into the literature.  We focus on four topics that are arguably crucial understanding contemporary American politics (and perhaps the politics of other times and places). 


The first topic addresses what might be thought of as the legacies of slavery: prejudice, resentment, racial/ethnic group identification, issue preferences on topics that are directly or indirectly connected to race/ethnicity, and group differences in political behavior. 

The second topic considers the literature on partisanship and polarization, as well as related topics on “macropartisan” change and party realignment.  What are the causes of micro- and macropartisan change, and what are its consequences? 

The third topic is support for democratic norms, civil liberties, and respect for the rights of unpopular groups.  How deeply committed are Americans to democratic values and constitutional rights?  

The fourth topic is the influence of media on public opinion, a vast topic that includes the effects of advertising, news, social media, narrative entertainment, and so forth. 


Although we will be focusing on just four broad topics, time constraints nevertheless prevent us from covering more than a fraction of each scholarly literature.  Students are encouraged to read beyond the syllabus, and I am happy to offer suggestions.

• M 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Robert Y Shapiro
  CULPA: 4 Wikipedia Info
• 4 points

JUDICIAL INSTITUTIONS

This seminar is designed as an overview of the major debates in Judicial Politics, with deeper
coverage of a selection of topics. The primary goal of the course is to familiarize students with the
principal questions being asked by scholars in this subfield, the methodological approaches
employed, and the avenues available for future research. The primary focus is on law and courts as
political institutions and judges as political actors. We will examine decision making and power
relations within courts, within the judicial hierarchy, and within the constitutional system. While
we will concentrate on U.S. courts, we will also cover some material on other courts. We will aim
to clarify and probe the puzzles, theories, methods, and evidence presented in the various texts and
to assess the contributions they make to an understanding of judicial politics. We will explore
issues such as research design, causal inference, the role of theory, and the nature of political
science argument, in ways relevant throughout political science. This course will have a seminar
format, though I will occasionally lecture on material as necessary. Other than that, my role is to
moderate and guide discussion, relying on you to do your part.

• W 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Jeffrey R Lax
  CULPA: 32 h-index: 22 Info
• 4 points

POLIT ECONOMY OF DEVELOPMENT

Why are some nations able to grow and prosper while others mired in conflicts and poverty? What are the political factors that shape countries’ success in growing their economies How does economic progress affect a regime’s ability to stay in power and the prospects and direc-tions of political changes? This course addresses these questions by introducing students to major ideas and findings from both classical and cutting-edge scholarship on political economy of de-velopment. The first part of the course will review major episodes of growth (or the lack thereof) in human history and how they influenced the theoretical paradigms for studying development. The second half of the course will be devoted to more specialized topics, examining how differ-ent institutions, strategies, and contingencies affect countries’ economic fortunes. The goal of the course is to help you acquire the necessary conceptual and empirical toolkit for digesting and producing scholarly knowledge about the origins and consequences of economic development.

• F 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Junyan Jiang
  h-index: 8 Info
• 4 points

INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY

Prerequisites: the instructors permission prior to registration. This is a survey course in international political economy. This course examines how domestic and international politics influence the economic relations between states. It will address the major theoretical debates in the field and introduce the chief methodological approaches used in contemporary analyses. We will focus attention on different types of cross-border flows and the policies and international institutions that regulate them: the flow of goods (trade policy), the flow of people (immigration policy), the flow and location of production (foreign investment policy), the flow of capital (financial and exchange rate policy), and the flow of pollution (environment policy). The goal of this course is to cover, in some depth, many of the main topics and readings in international political economy. The readings each week are designed to tackle some of the essential points of a substantive topic, as well as raise deeper methodological questions that have application to other issues and themes in the sub-field. Not coincidentally, a related goal is to partially prepare students for the IR Field Exam. To help with that, a number of recommended readings accompany each weeks topic.

• M 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Nikhar Gaikwad
  h-index: 7 Info
• 4 points

DISSERTATION SEMINAR

Provides students the opportunity to present draft dissertation proposals and draft dissertation chapters.

• MW 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Virginia Page Fortna
  CULPA: 5 Wikipedia h-index: 17 Info
• 4 points