Undergraduate

This course explores the theories, history, and issues in international political economy. International political economy has been described as “the reciprocal and dynamic interaction in international relations of the pursuit of power and the pursuit of wealth.” The purpose of this course is to examine those interactions -- between power and wealth, the state and the market -- from a number of competing perspectives and different levels of analysis. We will focus on the causes and consequences of international trade and monetary relations; the growth of regional integration; the role of hegemony in maintaining the stability of international economic systems; strategies of economic development and transition; the role of multinational corporations in both developing and developed countries; and the drivers and consequences of migration and immigration. Student evaluations will be based on quizzes, short memos, sections, and a final exam.

Discussion sections will be posted at a later date.

Co-taught by Professor Eric Schickler and Visiting Professor and Speaker Emerita of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, this course pairs institutional political science with unparalleled firsthand experience at the very highest level. Students will read political science theories regarding leadership, with a particular focus on Congress, alongside case studies that provide insight into the strategic approach adopted by specific leaders as they have sought to make change. The course will include guest lectures by former and current political leaders, in addition to in-depth case analysis drawn from Speaker Emerita Pelosi’s experience in Congress, including the passage of the Affordable Care Act and the response to January 6th. Through the readings, seminar discussions, the exchanges with guest lecturers, and a standalone case study project of their own, students will build a deeper understanding of where power lies, how coalitions are built and held, and what it takes to make change in politics — equipping them to think concretely about their own paths toward effecting political and policy change.

Subfield: American Politics

Students cannot take more than one junior seminar in a semester, and cannot sign up for more than one in a semester.

Political Scientists are increasingly bringing concerns about "democratic breakdown" or "democratic backsliding" to the study of American politics. Much of this is related to specific developments connected to Donald Trump's second term. It also reflects longer-term developments, such as increased partisan polarization, conflict over divisive cultural issues, the role of high economic inequality, the growth of "anti-system" political attitudes, and changes in the operation of the U.S. Separation of Powers system. We will draw on research in a variety of fields, including American political development and comparative politics, to study these developments and assess their implications for American democracy.

Subfield: American Politics

Students cannot take more than one junior seminar in a semester, and cannot sign up for more than one in a semester.

The rise of populists has challenged traditional political parties in many parts of the world. The success of populists is attributed to a large segment of the population feeling un- or underrepresented by the existing political parties? What is it about contemporary political parties that they have difficulty successfully representing citizen interests? This course delves into political parties' origins, support bases, and organizations to understand why political parties are facing an existential crisis in different parts of the world. The course is for political science majors who wish to know the various forms of organization of political parties, how parties change, and the impact of political competition on party systems. Possible countries may include Brazil, Canada, India, and Spain. 

Subfield: American Politics or Comparative Politics

Students cannot take more than one junior seminar in a semester, and cannot sign up for more than one in a semester.

Homelessness, global warming, corruption, bankrupt pension systems, educational inequality... This course explores what we can learn in general about the way societies try to address and solve difficult and seemingly intractable public problems. Can we attribute success or failure to institutions and their capacity to solve problems? Are problems difficult to solve because they are so complex and we lack know-how or because of a failure of political will? What are the characteristics of organizations or communities able to solve problems proactively or creatively? How do public problems get politically framed and how are they used to mobilize constituencies? The course draws on literature in public administration, public policy studies, and democratic theory to try to better understand some of the major social, political, environmental, and economic problems of our contemporary world.

Note: This description is from Spring 2014

This one-unit course will feature a guest speaker each week discussing an issue currently in the news. The class is open to all students, and there are no prerequisites. The class is offered Pass/Not Pass, based on a final examination. May be repeated for credit.

This course does not count as an upper division Political Science requirement.

This course provides an overview of California politics, with a focus on contemporary issues and an analysis of who wields power and why. Specifically, the course will focus on : the demographic, social and economic forces that shape the State's politics- the three official branches of state government (executive, legislative and judicial)- the three unofficial branches (the media, lobbyists and interest groups)- campaigns (candidates, initiatives, consultants, pollsters, political parties and money), local government, the state budget and education policies.

Subfield:   American Politics

Please note this description is from Fall 2013

This course will focus on the transformative process through which the nations of contemporary Southeast Asia have confronted political crises and instability and the various levels of success with which they have attempted to implement comprehensive programs of reform.  This course will analyze several different areas of political activity, such as:  state-led initiatives (political economy) regarding development and resource distribution; citizen and opposition movements both within and outside formal state institutions which seek to influence, alter, or overturn state action and policy; institution-building and the cultivation of social capital; and regional and transnational flows of capital and labor which act in alliance with or in opposition to national economic institutions.  Specific topics will include a comparative analysis of state policy; the relationship between illicit economies (such as narcotics) and ethnic insurgency; the nascent political voice of religion and ethnicity as nationalist or opposition ideologies; the expansion and influence of local NGOs (legal aid, human rights, women’s rights, etc.); political violence and alternative paths to the expression of discontent; and corruption.  After a general overview of Southeast Asia as a regional political theater, we will turn our attention to a series of in-depth case studies.  

Please note that this course description is from Spring 2015

Subfield: Comparative Politics