Summer 2015

This course presents a broad introduction to contemporary politics and society in Russia. What was Soviet-type socialism and how is its legacy shaping post-Soviet Russia? Where is Russia headed: toward democracy as it is known in the West, a new form of authoritarianism, reversion to the old system, or something else? The political upheaval and social movements that swept Russia and the other Soviet republics during the Gorbachev period will be explored. We will then examine the Yeltsin and Putin periods and current problems of political change. The topics to be investigated include the transformation of political institutions, dilemmas of movement from a command economy to a market economy, struggles among emerging social interests, public opinion, social integration and disintegration, nationalism, and Russia’s place in the world. The course is recommended for juniors and seniors only but is open to all students.

Note: Course description is from Summer 2010

Instructor: Dr Sandeep  Shastri, Pro Vice Chancellor, Jain University, Bangalore

Email: sandeep.shastri@jainuniversity.ac.in

This course will investigate the major sources of conflict in the modern international system, as well as consider how these dangers can be managed. We will focus on traditional interstate rivalry, rogue states, and terrorism, along with a number of responses to these challenges, including sanctions, airstrikes, and nation-building.  Particular focus will be given to U.S. foreign policy and how it can be used to promote global stability.

Why are some post-communist countries more politically and economically successful than others? What underlies the many conflicts in this region? What can happen in the future, and what can we learn from the East European experience? This course is designed to help you answer these and similar questions. Topics include state-socialism and its collapse, the emergence of ethnic and religious conflict, the transitions to democracy and market economics, entry into NATO and the European Union, democratic backsliding, and Russia's conflict with Ukraine.

This class, which will   focuses mostly on the domestic politics of India, has multiple aims.   In addition to providing an overview of political developments in India since independence, this online course assesses the nature of democratic participation and representation in contemporary India-the world's largest democracy. Course is scheduled to run  Session C (June 22 - August 14).

Please note you will NOT be able to take Political Science W145A, if you are enrolled or have completed Political Science 145A. This is an on-line variation of the course.

Note: Course description is from Summer 2013

The class exposes students to the multiple forms of lawmaking in the American legal system, ranging from the elaboration of common law and constitutional rules by judges, to the fashioning of statutes by members of Congress, to the dissemination of regulations by executive agencies, to the use ballot initiatives to put legal rules up for direct vote by the people themselves. Together these forms of law constitute the American legal system. The course explores how each of these distinct forms law differs with respect to such criteria as democratic accountability and legitimacy, efficiency, stability, and their capacity to incorporate policy expertise. A primary lens through which the course approaches law is by reading and discussing court opinions."   

Professor Farhang's 150 "American Legal System" is the same as his Public Policy 190 "Special Topics in Public Policy". This is the exact same course listed under Political Science. 

IMPORTANT! Please note you will NOT be able to take Political Science 150 with Professor Farhang, if you have already completed (or plan to take) Political Science 150 with either Kagan or Farhang, or Public Policy 190 with Farhang.

This course begins with a brief historical review of the demise of the Ottoman Empire, followed by the British and French mandate over the Middle East region, the anti-colonialist revolt, the emergence of Israel, Arab-Israeli conflicts, the rise of secular nationalism, and the resurgence of Islamism in all its populist, revolutionary, conservative, and revivalist forms. We will then shift our focus to new modes of thinking about the region grounded in political economy, economic insecurity, youth bulge, and the burgeoning revolts against authoritarianism and the status quo. After examining a myriad of reasons behind social protests and movements in the region, this course will turn to comparative as well as case study approaches by focusing primarily on important changes in the Middle East landscape. We will pay special attention in the second half of the semester to the following cases: Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Syria, and Tunisia, as well as Israeli-Palestinian front.  We also take a thematic approach to examining causes of social unrest, human rights and democratic struggles, identity formation, and sectarian divide/tensions in the region.

Please note the course description is from Summer 2014

Instructor:Mahmood Monshipouri 

Email: mmonship@berkeley.edu

Political science deals with the behavior of individuals in settings of collective or group choice. The best course of action for any individual to take in such settings generally depends on the course of action taken by others with whom they interact. For instance, the best strategy by a candidate in an election campaign might depend on the strategy adopted by other candidates. The best approach for achieving gains in a peace settlement for one nation-state depends on how other nation-states will
react. Game theory is the analysis of decision making in situations where one individual's best action depends on the actions taken by other individuals. This course provides a relatively non-technical introduction to game theory and its application in social science, especially political science and also economics.

Course runs during Session C (June 22-August 14, 2015)

Please note you will NOT be able to take Political Science W135, if you are enrolled or have completed Political Science C135/ECON C110. This is an on-line variation of the course.

In addition, PS W135 is an advanced METHODS course. The course can NOT be used as a substitute for PS 3.  It also does NOT count towards the Political Theory distribution requirement.

This course is an introduction to the methods employed in empirical political science research. We will cover basic topics in research design, statistics, and formal modeling, considering many examples along the way. The two primary goals of the course are: (1) to provide students with analytic tools that will help them to understand how political scientists do empirical research, and (2) to improve students' ability to pose and answer research questions on their own. There are no prerequisites.

Note: Course description is from Fall 2013

This course will introduce students to some key concepts used in contemporary comparative political analysis. It will do so through an examination of the reasons for why some modern nation states provide better living conditions for their citizens. Are these differences due to factors such as political institutions, legislative arrangements, parties and party systems, or social forces such as culture and ethnicity? Class lectures will focus on developing an understanding of how political scientists use these terms and whether they provide adequate explanations for why states vary so substantially in their performance. There will be two lectures per week and one required discussion section.

This course can satisfy either the Social & Behaviorial Sciences or International Studies breadth requirement.

Note: Course description is from Summer 2013