Economics, History, and Political Science

ECO-ELE: Represents a course in ECONOMICS that is a placeholder for an academic requirement, transfer credit, or other off-campus study

Macroeconomics; the foundation of economic analysis; national income, employment, and economic growth; aggregate demand and supply, saving, and investment, economic fluctuations; monetary and fiscal policy; the international economy.

Microeconomics; markets, the price system, and the allocation of resources; competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition, and olgigopoly; government and business; the distribution of income.

The core areas covered in this course include linear algebra, differential calculus and their most common applications in economics and finance. By learning these concepts students will gain the tools and confidence to be better consumers of specialized economic and financial literature, which tend to be couched in mathematical and technical language.

This course investigates the connections between human rights, environmental sustainability, and global finance. It will introduce students to cutting edge debates in those fields as well as practical perspectives on ways forward

An examination of significant economic problems and an application of economic theory to an analysis of their roots and possible solutions. Typical issues include recession, poverty, financial instability, underdevelopment, monopolies, and pollution.

Money and credit; commercial banking; central banking; monetary theory and practice; financial regulation.

This course will examine Brazil's recent economic development, its social and political consequences, as well as the practical details of doing business in Brazil. Major political, social, and cultural developments in Brazil during the 20th and 21st centuries will be discussed, as well as issues like investment opportunities, foreign trade, regulatory environment, banking and finance, labor relations, general accounting practices, and taxation. The program is led by an SFC faculty member and taught in English by FACAMP instructors, a partner institution in Campinas, Brazil, for two weeks during the summer.

Empirical and theoretical issues relating to the process of economic development in Third World countries. The measurement of economic growth and the meaning of economic development; the mobilization of economic resources; proverty, unemployment, and unequal income distribution; the debt crisis and development strategies. Discussion of modernization, dependency, and neoclassical theories of economic development.

Cross-listed with: ICS-3305. A study of the European Union, the economies in transition in Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans. Particular emphasis is placed on the question of nationalism and the issues confronting multinational states in Europe today. Prerequisite: ECO 1201. 3 credits. Spring semester; day.

This is a course on the current US economy and the monetary policy formulated and carried out by the Federal Reserve System. It examines the leading economic indicators used by the Fed in assessing the state of the US economy.

The impact of production and consumption decisions on the environment. The principles of sustainable economic development and their implications for policy in both developed and less developed countries.

The interaction between private decisions on the location of production and housing and forms of transportation, together with an analysis of the impact of government policy. A critical discussion of the impact of economic crises on cities and states. An analysis of contemporary urban problems such as homelessness, unemployment, racial antagonism, and polution.

The operation of labor markets, including and analysis of wage structure and unemployment. Labor-management relations and their effect on productivity, profitability, and wage levels. Current labor legislation. An evaluation of institutional and radical approaches which challenge traditional neoclassical analysis of labor market dynamics.

An introductory study of health economics that explores a variety of health-related issues. On the basis of given scarce resources and using economic tools, this course analyzes the process of the production of health care and its distribution in the United States as compared to other countries. This analysis will include a critical approach to the details of private and public health-care systems.

This course discusses the Chinese model of economic development focusing on its transformations since 1978, the changing relation between China and the United States, and consequences of China's rise as a global player.

This course provides students with an introduction to the way in which economists make use of data in the analysis of both micro- and macroeconomics issues. Students will learn to apply some of the basis tools of statistics, such as regression analysis, to address both theortical questions and policy issues.

Cross-listed with: FIN-3301. Aspects of financing corporate entities in the functioning of the economy; equity financing, capital structure; bond flotation, mergers and takeovers; holding companies; security underwriting and market rights; warrants and options. Use of financial ratios, time value of money, and other techniques of financial analysis.

Cross-listed with: FIN-3302. Focuses on the efficient management of the financial resources of the firm. Introduction to applications of financial ratios,time value of money and statistical analysis of risk. Presentations also include topics of financial planning, working capital management and capital budgeting. Prerequisite: ECO 3331/FIN 3301 and MAT 1109. 3 credits. Offered as needed. This course will not count as a liberal arts elective.

Cross-listed with: FIN-3312. Quantitative and qualitative methods of analyzing various types of securities such as bonds, stocks and derivatives.Applications of time value of money and statistical analysis of risk are used for valuation and portfolio selection purposes. Prerequisite: ECO 3331/FIN 3301 and MAT 1109. 3 credits.Offered as needed. This course will not count as a liberal arts elective.

Cross-listed with: FIN-3334. A study of government budgets and the budgetary process. The role of federal, state, and local governments in the production and the provision of social security. The economic impact of alternative expenditure on income distribution. The impact of government borrowing on financial markets.

An exploration of the ways in which economic systems are structured by gneder. The course revisits economic history, paying particular attention to changes in the gender division of labor, and the gender distribution of production. It will look at economic issues facing women in the world today, in advanced countries such as the United States and in less developed countries. It will also explore the ways in which economic theory is changing as economists work to broaden their perspective and overcome their historical blindness to issues of gender.

Principles, practices, and problems of international trade and finance. The development and current state of regulations and treaties governing international economic relations. International institutions such as the IMF, World Bank, and WTO.

A survey of economic thought principally from the seventeenth century to the present day; mercantilism; physiocracy and the emergence of the science of economics; the Classical School; the rise of socialist protest; marginalism and the neo-classical synthesis; Keynes and post-keynesian economics.

Intermediate micro and macro-economic theory. This course is highly reccommended for students who intend to pursue graduate studies.

Cross-listed with: FIN-4412. The construction and analysis of both individual and institutional investment portfolios; portfolio objectives, strategies, and constraints; economic and non-economic variables impacting portfolios; performance measurement.

Students with significant accomplishments in the major may be granted permission by the chairperson of the Economics Department to serve as an intern in selected workplaces. Assignments depend on availability of suitable internships. The student must maintain a comprehensive daily log of work activities and report regularly to the chairperson throughout the internship.

Individual research and study with the approval of the Department of Economics.

A thesis seminar primarily for Economics seniors, in which the main project is the writing of a research paper on a topic to be chosen by the student in consultation with the instructor.

Cross-listed with: SOC-5401. Islam has the second largest religious following and is the fastest growing religion in the world. The dawn of the 21st century finds an increasing polarization between modernization and Islam. This course will have a basis in historiography, with politics as a backdrop, within the context of social/cultural and economic understanding, it seeks to describe the phenomenon of contemporary Islam.

The history of New York City from the Great Depression to the Current Downturn. Students are required to read The New York Times daily on city matters.

Mirroring the heterogeneity of modern societies, signed by deep imbalances in the distribution of wealth and power, several radical economic views have emerged and developed historically. In opposition to the standard of the discipline, which promotes the notion that markets, as flawed as they may be, are - by comparison - the most efficient ways to allocate society's resources, these nonconventional economic analyses question the basic socioeconomic conditions on which markets and modern capitalism stand. This course examines the present relevance - the economic-theoretical, political, ethical, and philosophical significance - of two major heterodox schools of economic thought whose key critical insights have never been duly incorporated into the dominant tradition; respectively, the schools associated with the views of Karl Marx and John Maynard Keynes, with the latter including a review of the recently influential Modern Monetary Theory.

Advanced macro- and microeconomic theory. The course covers such topics as consumer theory, production theory, cost theory, market structure in competitive and monopolistic environments, national income determination using four-sector Keynesian cross models and the IS/LM framework, and finally introductory dynamics and the Harrod Domar and Solow growth models.

Graduate students only. Supervised work experience in various fields of accounting--including submission of a written report. Requires approval of the departmental chairperson.

Independent research and study in a topic in Economics including submission of a written report. Prerequisites: graduate standing and approval of the department chairperson.

A survey of the principal historical events, forces, and movements from the Dawn of Man to the Reformation; ancient, medieval, and early modern developments.

This course will examine significant violations of human rights within their historical context. The evolution of human rights as entities within a global political thought and practice will provide philosophical context. There will be a specific focus on human rights law and moral pressures concerning the relief, remedy, and prevention of injustices to victims of society from diverse perspectives. Students will be encouraged to rely on reasonable evidence and critical thinking when studying these historical controversies, rather than on biased accounts or emotional arguments. Each of these topics will be carefully studies to identify root causes and sources of problems and then to retrace the pathways of movements and policies that were developed to address them and improve societies.

The major economic, social, intellectual, and political movements of the twentieth century in the United States.

This course explores the history of the Brooklyn waterfront from the colonial period to the present, using it as a lens to understand key events in American history. It emphasizes primary source research and serves as an introduction to the disciplinary methods in the field of history.

Examines major developments in the economic, political, technological, cultural, and social history of world civilizations from the rise of world trade around the turn of the sixteenth century up until the present. In the process it examines the events, ideas, institutions, and people that have helped make the world what it is today.

An interdisciplinary lecture series with invited scholars exploring selected themes in NYC history, literature, and culture from colonial times to the present. Lectures are open to the public. For credit students attend both lectures and a weekly discussion section. Occasional walking tours of NYC landmarks and neighborhoods are also given.

Christianity is one of the worlds leading religions. It is fitting that is should be objectively studied to understand its origins, leaders, values and effects.

An interdisciplinary lecture series with invited scholars exploring selected themes in Brooklyn history, politics and culture from colonial times to the present. Lectures are open to the public. For credit students attend both lectures and a weekly discussion section. Occasional walking tours of Brooklyn landmarks and neighborhoods are also given. Prerequisite: Hist.1201.

An overview of the major social and cultural movements in the United States from 1830 to the present. Co- taught by faculty of the history and sociology departments , this course will address movements of both the Left and the Right, from 19th century Abolitionism , Womens Rights, and Civil Rights on the Left to Prohibition and the current resurgence of Tea Party conservativism on the Right. Major nineteenth and twentieth century artistic, architectural and literary movements will also be addressed. Prerequisite: Hist.1201.

A survey of East Asian history from the 19th century to the present with a focus on China, Japan, and Korea. Topics covered will include East Asian responses to Western imperialism during the 19th century and the impact of revolution, international conflict, and modernization on East Asia during the 20th century.

This course is an overview of the social, economic, political, and cultural history of southeastern Europe, starting with the Ottoman conquest in the 15th century and ending with the postcommunist transitions after 1989. Course emphasizes the Ottoman millet system, village household structure, the practice of multiple religions, the influences that various Euro-Asian empires had on this region, the rise of regional and Mediterranean trading networks, 19th-century national revolutions, pre-World War I modernization without industrialization, the state socialist system, and the challenge of post-socialist European integration.

This course focuses on post-war movements for social change in the United States. Co-taught by faculty in the history and sociology departments, this course analyzes the shift from traditional New Left movements for social change (civil rights, anti-war, and free speech) to movements focusing on identity (women's rights, Black Power, and gay liberation). This course will also explore recent non-traditional social movements, including battles for marriage equality, against police brutality, violence against women, and mass incarceration, and broadening definitions of sexual, racial, and ethnic identities.

At the close of the 20th century, The Economist magazine labeled Africa the hopeless continent. This course moves beyond such blanket assessments by exploring the changes that Africans experienced during the colonial and post-colonial periods and the diverse attempts to deal with these challenges. It examines colonial and post-colonial African issues, including the colonial legacy and neocolonialism; conflict and human rights; development, poverty, and the debt problem; healthcare infrastructure; globalization, democracy, and multiparty politics; and how these relate to the world at large.

One of the best ways to experience New York City is on foot. In multiple wide-ranging walking tours led by their instructor students explore the rich history, architecture, and neighborhoods of New York City. Assigned background reading precedes each site visit. Past locations have included Central Park, Governor's Island, DUMBO, Green-Wood Cemetery, and assorted New York City cultural institutions, museums, and communities.

A study of ancient history from the origin of man to the fall of Rome; contributions made by the ancient world to modern civilization.

This introductory course surveys the history of international human rights and humanitarian law both from a theoretical perspective as well as a case law perspective.

A survey of the history of the Middle Ages; feudalism, universities, monarchy, the Church, the Hundred Years' War.

A study of the evolution of the nation-state system in the twentieth century. Concepts such as imperialism, nationalism, fascism, communism, neocolonialism, power politics and containment are studied.

A survey of Latin American history from pre-conquest days to the present.

This course introduces students to many fields of public history through field trips, readings and discussion on best practices, issues, and theories of public history, and engagement in a public history term project. Students will meet public history practitioners in a range of fields, learn about methods, and gain exposure to a range of career opportunities that draw on their academic knowledge of the past. In addition, the students will acquire public history experience by conducting an oral history project with a member of the St. Francis College community that will become a part of a multi-year St. Francis College Oral History Project digital exhibition

Cross-listed with: PSC 2335. An examination of the political ideologies in American films dealing with war, government corruption, related conspiracy theories, political figures, electoral campaigns, the incorporation of minorities and immigrants into American society, the media, economics, and foreign policy. Course will focus on the historical narrative presented by the filmmakers and ask whether the films convey history or mythology.

A survey from the earliest explorations and discoveries to government under the Constitution; the colonial struggle; the dominance of Great Britain; the Revolutionary War; and the Critical Period.

A study of the United States as it struggled to set its new government into motion; political, economic, cultural and diplomatic developments in the nineteenth century.

A study of the history of Europe from the end of the religious revolts to the end of the Seven Years' War; the Thirty Years' War; the commerical revolution; the rise of the nation-state; and the age of absolutism and enlightment.

This course examines European history during what is often referred to as the long nineteenth century, a period that began with the French Revolution in 1789 and ended with the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Many important changes took place in Europe during this period: everything from industrialization and the creation of the modern nation-state to the great expansion of European power around the globe and emergence of new intellectual movements such as romanticism, liberalism, and nationalism.

Cross-listed with: SOC-3196. This course is designed as an intensive study of the politics, culture, and social movements of the 1960s. In addition to learning about the historical events of the decade, students will be also exposed to the transformative cultural, artistic, and social movements of the period. The course will begin with an exploration of the 1950s as prelude including the early civil rights movements. It will then move onto the Kennedy administration, Freedom Summer, the legislative and policy initiatives of the Great Society, an analysis of the social movements and culture of the second half of the decade, with particular focus on the anti-war, feminist, and Black power movements, and concluding with an assessment of the cultural changes initiated by the counter-cultural youth movements.

Examines America's racial and cultural diversity through the historical experiences of major American minority populations: Native Americans,Latinos, African-Americans, Asians, and others. Prerequisite:HIS 1201. 3 credits. Spring semester.

This course explores the global history of sexuality, with an emphasis on cultural and social ideas about sex, gender, and sexuality; the scholarship of sexuality; the relationship between sexuality, politics, and the economy; and how sexuality coincides with other analytical frameworks including class, race, and religion. The course will move from 1500 to the present, and will address the history of sexuality around the world.

A study of African-American life from 1619 to the present, with emphasis placed on the African-American experience in the United States during the twentieth century.

Intellectual and religious movements during the transition from the Middle Ages to modern times.

This course provides students with an introduction to comparative women's history in the twentieth century. Moving thematically and geographically, the course examines how women both influenced and responded to major political, cultural, and social trends around the world, including efforts for suffrage, moral reform, and peace, the world wars, the Cold War, feminisms, migration, colonialism, and decolonization. Conversations will include particular focus on race, class, religion, nation, and sexuality, and explore how women in various cultures understood and utilized those categories in distinct ways.

Dedicated to the study of the American worker, this course begins with a study of colonial labor systems, the emergence of nineteeth-century workingmen's parties, and the origin and development of industrial and craft unions. IT also treats working-class culture and the work ethic in American history. American labor leaders and labor ideologies are assessed. Labor-management relations and the federal role in labor-manangement disputes are also studied.

A survey of American diplomacy from 1775 to the present: Manifest Destiny, the Civil War, the United States as a world power, and the United States after two world wars.

Identifies foundational themes as: place, individualism/community, ethnic identities, race, gender, and popular culture and media. All of these recurring themes will be explored here as we examine the larger intellectual, cultural, and popular forces, conflicts, and mythologies that have shaped American identity and destiny from colonial times to the present: questions of race and ethnicity, national character and exceptionalism, republicanism, egalitarianism, Manifest Destiny, the myth of Rags to Riches, and the American dream. More immediate issues that have commanded national attention in recent decades -- questions surrounding immigration and multiculturalism, and movements for racial and sexual equality -- are also addressed. Because history is interdisciplinary by its very nature, this course will also closely adhere to the methodology employed in by the American Studies program: Students will draw from a variety of primary texts and genres, including fiction and poetry, public policy and political speeches, autobiography and diaries, art and architecture, music and media, and other sources as they explore such wide-ranging topics as citizenship, race and ethnicity, the built environment, migration and labor, and social and cultural movements.

Beginning with the Roman conquest of Great Britain, this course traces the political, economic, and cultural evolution of Britain to the present day. It examines the significant changes brought about by the Anglo-Saxon and Norman conquests, the Wars of the Roses, the English Renaissance and Reformation, and the revolutions of the seventeenth century. The Industrial Revolution, society and culture during the Victorian Era, and the development and decline of the British Empire are also significant units.

This course employs an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the American city. Utilizing New York City as a prism through which to study the evolving urban metropolis, it explores selected themes in the American urban development from colonial times to the present. Includes assorted walking tours of city sites and neighborhoods.

Selected legal controversies from the Colonial era to the present are examined against their broader relationship to American culture.

A survey of the multiple contacts between the societies of Africa, the Americas, and Europe from the time of Columbus through the early nineteenth century. The course examines the effects of European expansion, migration, the creation of a new Atlantic economy, slavery and abolition, cultural and intellectual exchanges among the continents, and the emergence of new independent states during the Age of Revolution.

This course provides a critical introduction to the methods of historical research and writing and to the history of historical writing over time (historiography). Required of all history majors as a prerequisite to their Senior History Project.

Students may intern at approved sites under professional supervision. Internships are available at the national, state, and local governments. In addition, internships are available with the law firms, museums, and historical societies. Internships must be approved by the department Chairperson and are subject to availability.

This course is for students who have a special subject interest not available among the published catalogue offerings. It is usually limited to students with 3.0 indices or above. Students who believe they qualify must meet with the department chairperson. After approval of the project, the student will seek a departmental professor and they will draw up a contract specifying the nature of the work. A paper is usually required in this course.

Advanced instruction in the methods and skills of critical analysis,research, and writing. A research paper is a major requirement of the course. Under the direction of the course instructor, students select a topic suitable for investigation.Students then communicate their results in a clearly presented,properly documented essay.

In this course, we will examine the political ideologies in American films dealing with war, government corruption, related conspiracy theories political figures, electoral campaigns, the incorporation of minorities and immigrants into American society, the media, economics, and foreign policy. We will specifically focus on the historical narrative presented to us by the filmmakers. Depending on the film director, the film's argument or stance on a political issue may be either explicit or subtle. We will also ask if these films really convey history or mythology. Films from virtually every era of American History will be studied- from the 1910s to the present. Readings will include, when necessary, biographical information on the individual directors in addition to explaining the historical and political context for each individual film.

The seventeenth-century Netherlands is best remembered today for the great artistic achievement of individuals such as Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Judith Leyster. But this time was a Golden Age for the Netherlands and its vibrant port city of Amsterdam in many other ways as well. During the seventeenth century, this small, waterlogged nation emerged as an economic powerhouse and one of the leading states in Europe complete with a worldwide colonial empire. The Netherlands was also important as a republic in a continent dominated by monarchies, as the first heavily urbanized society in Northern Europe, and as a country that granted broad toleration to religious minorities earlier than any of its neighbors. Open to students in the honors program.

This course examines how cults and conspiracy theories have both emerged from and influenced life in the United States. Drawing on historical and sociological perspectives, this course offers insight into why individuals are drawn to fringe ideas and how specific historical, social, economic, and cultural contexts fuel particular sorts of cults and conspiracy theories. In exploring this topic, we will also build strong information literacy by examining how leaders and promoters of cults and conspiracy theories use disinformation, mistrust, and fear to build followings. Students will read articles, listen to podcasts, and view documentaries that offer insight into this wide and fascinating field of inquiry.

This honors course examines the role of race in Brooklyn's history from European contact through the present. Students will read scholarly works on the history of Native Americans, slavery, immigration, and civil rights in Brooklyn, all with an emphasis on the development of the divisions and connections between different groups, neighborhoods, and spaces. Students will also have the opportunity to conduct primary source research at Brooklyn Historical Society and engage with other institutions and events in the broader community.

This course employs an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the American city. Utilizing New York City as a model for the evolving urban metropolis, it explorers selected themes in the American urban experience from colonial times to the present. Images of the city as portrayed in literature and the popular media are also considered. Guest speakers and walking tours and visits to New York City museums, landmarks and neighborhoods are important methodological components of the course. Open to students in the college honors program only.

A survey of the discipline of political science with a focus on basic skills, key concepts, and analytical tools for success in the major. An introdcution to careers and subfields of the discipline to help students identify potential career paths.

The course offers a survey of American national government, its constitutional basis (the constitution, federalism, civil rights and liberties), its institutional structure (the branches of government), its underlying political processes (political parties, interest groups, media and elections), and its issue concerns (domestic and foreign policies).

This course will examine significant violations of human rights within their historical context. The evolution of human rights as entities within a global political thought and practice will provide philosophical context. There will be a specific focus on human rights law and moral pressures concerning the relief, remedy, and prevention of injustices to victims of society from diverse perspectives. Students will be encouraged to rely on reasonable evidence and critical thinking when studying these historical controversies, rather than on biased accounts or emotional arguments. Each of these topics will be carefully studies to identify root causes and sources of problems and then to retrace the pathways of movements and policies that were developed to address them and improve societies.

The course introduces students to domestic politics and governments of wide-ranging countries. Identifying different aspects of politics at the domestic level (e.g., institutions, interests, and identities), the course focuses on prominent countries around the world like Britain, Germany, France, Russia, China, Japan, Mexico, Iran, and South Africa.

The course covers major theoretical approcahes to International Relations (IR). It reviews various topics in international security (like conflict, the use of military force and terrorism, and international organizations, law and human rights) and in international political economy (like trade, money and business, international integration, environment and population, the North-South gap, and international development).

A survey of public policy from the values informing democratic policymaking to the basics of cost-benefit and other tools of policy analysis. The course will integrate various social science disciplines to address the institutional arrangements for making public policy decisions, the role of various actors-including nonprofit and private-sector professionals in shaping policy outcomes, and the fundamentals of analytic approaches to public policy.

This introductory course surveys the history of international human rights and humanitarian law both from a theoretical perspective as well as a case law perspective.

PSC 2304 State and Local Government Historical background and constitution-making structures and operations of both levels with an emphasis on the politics of local government in New York City and the New York State government; federalism; federal-state-local intergovernmental relations.

This course will examine Brazil's recent economic development, its social and political consequences, as well as the practical details of doing business in Brazil. Major political, social, and cultural developments in Brazil during the 20th and 21st centuries will be discussed, as well as issues like investment opportunities, foreign trade, regulatory environment, banking and finance, labor relations, general accounting practices, and taxation. The program is led by an SFC faculty member and taught in English by FACAMP instructors, a partner institution in Campinas, Brazil, for two weeks during the summer.

This course will examine the evolution of major metropolitan issues, agencies, and forms of government. Municipal governments dramatically impact the day-to-day lives of citizens. City governments impact policy areas from education and public safety to transportation, and they also address basic needs: making sure the trash gets taken out, the water runs, and that people are safe from crime. However, cities face serious limitation and political constraints when they choose to act. The course will include field trips to visit local governments and metropolitan agencies in the New York metropolitan area.

The nature of law and its role in society, the politics of the administration of justice, selection of judges, criminal and civil procedures, judicial and jury decision making, courtroom operations, etc.

Post-World War II international politics viewed through concepts (sovereignty, national interest, power) and the instruments for the conduct of foreign policy (diplomacy, war, global economics, world organizations, and international law).

This course examines the evolution of Congress, the principles on which it is based, its method of operation, its stuggles, and its place in America's future.

A study of the historical evolution of the Presidency from the eighteenth century to the present, emphasizing both the institution and the characters of the men whom held office.

This course is a study of American identity politics. American political parties have been a part of the political process from the beginning, yet most voters identify less with parties today than they do with ideology. This course will explore electoral theories, such as Critical Elections and Responsible Parties, as well as comparing multi-party systems with a two-party system. The course will also focus on how America's economic history has affected political identity

This course analyzes women in American political life. It also examines the transforming impact that women's actions have on the political process and American political life and how politics impact on women in society in the cases of the rights of women in empowerment and educaiton and familial and reproductive rights.

This course teaches about government-business relations with a specific focus on the United States: Its early origin, evolution and general context, business influence on government, and the impact and relevance of various government policies for business.

This course exposes students to th politics of Asia: its historical, cultural and international context, regime types and political institutions, political culture, policial enemy and public policy in the region.

This course introduces students to the most important multilateral international organization in contemporary world politics: the United Nations (UN). Specifically, students learn about the origin and history of the UN, its structure, main bodies and agencies, and also challenges and opportunities that the UN faces in the 21st century.

Contemporary government systems of representative nations of the Caribbean, Central, and South American regions. The course combines a standard approach (governmental structures and operations) with special emphasis on particularly applicable topics (elite-mass relationship, political instability, economic development, inter-hemispheric politcs).

This course discusses the Chinese model of economic development focusing on its transformations since 1978, the changing relation between China and the United States, and consequences of China's rise as a global player.

An analysis of the particular variables that have impacted the development of the African states, many of which are designated Least Developed or Developing countries. These states share the legacies of geographic impediment, colonialism, one-party government, military dictatorship, socioeconomic underdevelopment, and intrastate conflict.

This course examines the rightes and liberties granted to Americans as laid out by the United States Constitution primarily through a case law approach. This section of constitutional law will focus on those rights incorporated into the Bill of Rights and made applicable to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment. Emphasis will be given to freedoms granted by the First Amendment - freedom of speech, through, belief, and associate. The basic rights granted to individuals by the US Constitution will be discussed in depth as well as their implications and limits.

This course will investigate, through the study of Supreme Court opinions and the theories underlying those opinions, the meaning of the American Constitution. The course will include the role of the Court in interpreting and enforcing the Constitution; separation of powers; the powers of Congress, the President, and the Courts; federal-state relations; and the expansion of national governing powers.

This course focuses on the conceptual and methodological processes used to test hypotheses, to gather data, to determine proper tests, and to evaluate the results. In addition, the development of research designs, the explanation of elementary statistics, and the utilization of software programs for statistics as a tool for theory testing are emphasized. Open only to Junior and Senior Political Science majors.

This course will explore influential thought concerning some of the biggest questions regarding society and the proper type of political regime. The course analyzes the greatest debates in political theory such as - What is the purpose of government? What is human nature? What is the good life? And how should we balance individual freedoms with communal responsibilites? To answer theses questions, students will be taught different frameworks of political thought and asked to utilize these frameworks to assess the ethics and morality of each approach.

This course will explore influential political themes in entertainment media. The entertainment industry engages with topics directly relevant to politics and political ideology. Some of the most famous and influential works deal with war, government corruption, conspiracy theories surrounding political figues, electoral campaigns, economics, and foreign policy. This course will focus on the narrative presented to us by the entertainers. Depending on the producer, the media's argument or stance on a political issue may be either explicit or subtle. Their goal may be to simply educate or stir the audience to action. We will discuss whether these works really convey histrocial reality, create mythology, or both. The course will engage with the political impacts of influential works, their reception, and the impact these political themes have on politics.

This course introduces students to basic concepts and skills for research in the field of political science and prepares them for thesis writing in their senior years. Students learn the stages of research: identifying questions, assessing existing literature, identifying the best research tools for those questions, identifying existing data resources, creating a research design for gathering new quantitative and qualitative data, analyzing and weighing different forms of data and drawing defensible conclusions.

Students may intern at approved sites under professional supervision. Internships are available with the national, state, and local governments. In addition, internships are available at the United Nations, law firms, museums, and historical societies. Internships must be approved by the department chairperson and are subject to availability.

This course is for students who have a special subject interest not available among the published catalogue offerings. It is usually limited to students with 3.0 indices or above. Students who believe they qualify must meet with the department chairperson. After approval of the project, the student will seek a departmental professor and they will draw up a contract specifying the nature of the work. A paper is usually required in this course.

This course provides general guidance and practical support to political science seniors in writing their senior thesis on a topic of their own choices in one of the subdisciplines of political science.