Fall 2021

This course emphasizes the application of the formal analytic tools to current or significant research in political science.

This is a rst course on statistical inference and modeling for use in social science research. It
covers probability and the theory of statistical inference, justications for and problems with common
statistical procedures, and how to apply procedures to empirical social science data to draw conclusions
relevant to positive social theory. We will pay particular attention to the motivation for statistical
inference and modeling from the standpoint of social science. Lectures and reading will primarily
cover theory and simple examples. Problem sets will cover both simple theoretical extensions and
applications of tools we develop to real data.

Required Skills. Students should have completed PS230 or its equivalent with a B or better.
Students should have a working knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, and elementary calculus. The
course is suitable for students with a large range of prior exposure to statistics and mathematics.
Students with Ph.D.-level training in mathematical statistics from a statistics department will not
nd that it pushes their capabilities; students with less background than this should nd at least
some challenges, conceptual or technical. All students capable of gaining admission to a Berkeley
Ph.D. program can fully succeed in this class regardless of prior technical preparation other than the required skills listed above.

Please note that description is from Fall 2014

This course is a graduate field seminar in International Politics.  We will survey and assess foundational theoretical perspectives, issues, and research programs in IR, placing each in historical perspective.  What kinds of questions does modern IR theory ask (and not ask) and about what kinds of problems?  What methods are used to seek answers?  What is the value of the answers?  Who uses them and for what?  Where is this field headed and where do we think it should be headed?  Through intensive reading and discussion as well as some small writing assignments, we will build a foundation for more advanced courses in International Relations as well as research agendas that can elaborate, refine, and extend contemporary debates in academic IR.  

Please note that this description is from Spring 2014.

A weekly seminar on contemporary approaches to political theory.

Please join us as we slow-read the whole of Aristotle's Politics, spending two weeks on each book (and combining 7 and 8 for this purpose). Prior knowledge of ancient Greek is not necessary, although we will have the original on hand and will be discussing the meanings of the various Greek terms as we go. This will be a truly communal scholarly journey, featuring two faculty as lead teachers but drawing on other theory faculty and graduate students as equal collaborators. Theory grads in their first and second years are particularly encouraged to attend, but all graduates with an interest in theory in our department and other proximate ones are welcome. Topics of interest to include the polis (city-state), oikos (household), freedom, slavery, Aristotle's interpretation of Plato, citizenship, democracy, oligarchy, Aristotle's ideal political system, the political implications of economic disparity, and how to think about (and potentially avoid) political revolution. 

This seminar provides an introduction to the major debates in comparative political economy. Although the empirical focus is on the affluent democracies, many of the debates and issues analyzed have implications for other regions. The course is divided into two main parts. The first part examines leading theoretical perspectives on political economy, such as Friedman, Marx, Weber, and Polanyi. The second part of the course is more topical. It probes a number of examples of economic development, crisis, and change, with an eye to assessing alternative theoretical perspectives.

How does foreign policy shape the global economy? What explains the creation of international
institutions to facilitate global economic governance? How might these governance frameworks
change in the 21 st century? This course introduces theories and issues in the international
political economy of trade. In light of the challenges posed to the existing liberal order, China’s
rise, and the rise of anti-globalization, trade policy is becoming an increasingly central foreign
policy concern—with consequences for both national and international security. To address this
rapidly shifting context, this seminar provides a foundational understanding of international
trade, the character of multilateral and minilateral negotiations, and economic dimensions of
statecraft. Following an overview of leading theories in international political economy, the
course focuses on the domestic origins of trade policy focusing on NGOs, business interests,
and government agencies. In particular, we will examine industrial policy with an eye to its impact on global trade policy. We then turn to the origin and evolution of the World Trade Organization, the rise of mega-free trade agreements, bilateral trade negotiations, and
unilateral protectionism—reflecting on both historical and contemporary cases. Alongside seminar participation, students will write a paper of approximate 4,000 words that explores one or more trade arrangements.