|
|
p o l i t i c a l s c i e n c e
Intended for freshmen in the College of Arts and Sciences. Seeks to introduce
freshmen to the liberal arts in general, as well as to familiarize them with
their major; help them develop the academic skills necessary to succeed (e.g.,
analytical ability and critical thinking); provide grounding in the culture and
values of the University community; and help them develop interpersonal
skillsin short, to familiarize students with all skills needed to become a
successful university student.
Offers an overview of basic concepts such as power, authority and sovereignty,
methods of political analysis, and contemporary political ideologies. Discusses
such dynamics as political culture, public opinion and participation, and
political systems. (Core Category II)
|
POL 1111
Introduction to American Government
|
4 QH |
Analyzes the American system of government and politics. Includes the
philosophical origins and design of the Constitution, public opinion, political
behavior and participation, parties and interest groups, and formal
governmental institutions. May cover cases in domestic and foreign
policy-making. (Core Category II)
Applies basic theories of international relations to examining the foreign
policies of the key actors in the international system. Covers topics of
international aid, trade, and monetary affairs; issues relating to the arms
race, nuclear proliferation, arms control, and disarmament; international law
and organizations, human rights, and the impact of technology on the
functioning of the international system. (Core Category II)
Presents a comparative study of political organization and behavior in selected
countries. Includes such topics as political economy, leadership, political
institutions, political culture, and political participation. (Core Category
II)
Uses both theoretical literature and case studies to analyze the structure of
and dynamics inherent in the American policy-making process. Introduces such
concepts as problem definition, agenda development, policy formation,
implementation, and program evaluation. Examines basic policy-analysis methods.
(Core Category VI)
Provides a broad overview of the administrative aspects of public policies and
programs. Topics include public management, organizations, budgeting, personnel
administration, and program evaluation.
|
POL 1262
Bureaucracy and Government Organizations
|
4 QH |
Examines the general principles underlying the structures, processes, and
operation of public organizations. Looks at the role of bureaucracies within
the larger political system, as well as how public agencies develop and change
over time.
|
POL 1266
Public Personnel Administration
|
4 QH |
Presents an overall introduction to the field of public personnel
administration. Examines selected topics such as recruitment, selection,
classification, case development, equal opportunity, public employee unionism,
and collective bargaining.
|
POL 1267
Politics of Budgeting and Taxation
|
4 QH |
Focuses on the function of budgeting in a variety of governmental contexts,
specifically, the appropriations process, the budget as a management tool, and
the public-policy impacts of the budget. Emphasizes budgeting techniques within
this context.
Offers an introduction to the principal quantitative methods used in political
analysis, public administration, political behavior, international relations,
and policy sciences. Emphasizes basic statistical techniques, survey methods,
and SPSS programming. Prereq. Prior completion of college mathematics
requirement.
Focuses on methods of quantitative analysis. Covers the following primary
statistical topics: significance testing, bivariate regression and correlation,
and multiple regression and correlation. In addition, teaches elementary
computer skills and the use of a programming language to calculate advanced
statistics. Emphasizes the practical application and understanding of
statistical techniques by providing numerous examples in the areas of political
behavior, public opinion, and public-policy analysis. Prereq. POL1301 and prior
completion of college mathematics requirement.
Examines selected topics in contemporary political science from a political
behavior perspective. Focuses on political attitude formation and change,
ideology, socialization, public opinion and voting behavior, political
campaigning, political violence, and empirical democratic theory.
|
POL 1306
Politics in Western Europe
|
4 QH |
Offers a comparative survey of the societies, economies, and political systems
in the democracies of Western Europe. Examines governing structures and major
political developments within the major European states, as well as major
policy issues (e.g., nationalism, federalism, environmentalism) and issues of
European integration within the European Union. (Core Category III)
Explores how and why there is poverty, how it affects people's lives, and how
it can be eliminated. Examines the relations between poverty, racism, and the
economic, political, and administrative systems. Evaluates a number of
alternatives and provides an opportunity for clarifying individual assumptions
and feelings about poverty.
|
POL 1309
International Political Economy
|
4 QH |
Focuses on international political and economic relations. Examines how nations
interact in such areas as trade, finance, and labor relations. Includes such
topics as the International Monetary Fund, multinational corporations, economic
sanctions, military interventions, technology transfer, and foreign aid.
Prereq. A course in either economics or international politics is recommended
but not required. (Core Category V)
Analyzes the main American ideologies, including liberalism, neoliberalism,
conservatism, neoconservatism, and nationalism. Examines the historic roots of
each ideology and its impact on American politics. Explores the ongoing
interaction of political ideology and the political process in contemporary
American society. (Core Category V)
Compares the black and Jewish experiences in the United States. Themes include:
remembered slavery and commemoration of freedom; holocaust and genocide;
religious expressions of politics; Black-Jewish relations; and Black Judaism.
|
POL 1312
Politics and the Mass Media
|
4 QH |
Analyzes several facets of the mass media: the role of newspapers, radio, and
television in public opinion formation; their use and effectiveness in
political campaigns; their objectivity and/or bias in reporting the news; their
impact on political parties and the distribution of power between Congress and
the President.
|
POL 1313
International Organizations
|
4 QH |
Focuses on the development of roles played by international governmental
organizations, examining their dual roles as collections of sovereign states
and as political actors in their own right. Analyzes the structure and
functions of such global organizations as the United Nations as well as
regional organizations like the European Union and Organization of American
States.
|
POL 1314
Interest Groups and Public Policy
|
4 QH |
Surveys the roles of organized interests in American public policymaking.
Examines why groups are formed, how they work, why they succeed or fail, and
what cumulative impacts groups have on policy. Spans a variety of groups, from
traditional economic interests to social movements, public interest
organizations, and professional lobbyists.
|
POL 1316
Contemporary Revolutionary Politics
|
4 QH |
Examines revolution as a political option and revolutionary movements
throughout the world today. Examples will be taken from Marxism-Leninism (e.g.,
Bolshevik Russia, China, Cuba), revolutionary Islam (e.g., Iran, Algeria), and
the anti-Communist forces in the former Soviet Union and eastern Europe.
Examines the perennial conflict between revolution as an ideal and regime
consolidation as a necessity. (Core Category VI)
Examines the sociological understanding of legal phenomena. Places special
emphasis on the role of law in promoting cultural and social cohesion in
American society.
|
POL 1318
State and Local Government
|
4 QH |
Introduces students to the political and administrative context of state and
local government and surveys the structure, function, and politics of states
and localities within the context of the
United States federal system. Prereq. POL1111.
|
POL 1319
Government and Politics of Massachusetts
|
4 QH |
Emphasizes the political and administrative aspects of government in
Massachusetts. Considers the structure and functions of state government as
well as major policy problems confronted by public officials. Analyzes the
relationship between state and local governments in Massachusetts.
Analyzes political parties and the American system of elections. Focuses on
structural and constitutional biases, the organizational aspects of the
parties, mass voting behavior, the impact of elections on public policy-making,
and national and state historical trends.
Emphasizes various principles, techniques, and patterns that governments have
followed to implement their goals or objectives. Uses a case-study approach.
Analyzes the political, administrative, economic, and social dynamics of urban
areas.
Explores the relation between what is and what ought to beand whyin the roles
of women in American politics. Examines the traditional roles of women in
politics, the suffrage movement, the woman as citizen and voter, the role of
gender in achieving power and in political efficacy, and the place of women in
`new politics.' Also covers political action to promote women's issues and
modern feminism. (Core Category VI)
|
POL 1329
American Social Welfare Policy
|
4 QH |
Introduces social welfare policy, with emphasis on programs and services in the
contemporary United States. Discusses theoretical frameworks for analyzing
social welfare policy; then focuses attention on the substantive areas of
welfare, mental health, and social security. Explores various issues and
processes related to the design, administration, and implementation of social
welfare policy in the context of the American sociopolitical system.
|
POL 1331
Science, Technology, and Public Policy
|
4 QH |
Considers the effects of science and technology on politics and policy-making
in America and how politics influences science and technology. Focuses on the
differences between scientific and democratic values and definitions of
rationality, the nature of public problems, and why some problems are easier to
`solve' than others. Particularly looks at such issues as nuclear power,
recombinant DNA, abortion, and medical research; addresses the question of who
should decide such complex matters. (Core Category VI)
|
POL 1332
Government and Politics of Japan
|
4 QH |
Focuses on the development of Japan's political system since World War II.
Examines Japan's political institutions and practice of democracy in the
context of its political culture; the interrelationship between business and
government; Japan's foreign policy; and business practices and organization.
Raises issues concerning Japan's extraordinary economic success and the
limitations of Japan as a model for other countries. (Core Category IV)
|
POL 1334
Environmental Policy and Politics
|
4 QH |
Examines the policy-making processes, historical and socioeconomic factors,
political forces, governmental institutions, and global trends that shape
environmental policy at national and subnational levels in the United States.
Gives attention to a wide range of environmental policy areas, with comparisons
made between the United States and other nations.
Examines the presidential electoral process and the constitutional and
extraconstitutional powers of the American President. Studies presidential
leadership styles and analyzes the relationship between the executive branch
and Congress, the Court, the bureaucracy, and the media.
|
POL 1336
American Constitutional Law
|
4 QH |
Employs excerpts of United States Supreme Court decisions and other reading
materials to analyze some of the theoretical, structural, and substantive
issues inherent in and relevant to the American constitutional system. Prereq.
POL1111 and junior or senior standing.
|
POL 1337
United States Foreign Policy
|
4 QH |
Examines formulation and conduct of foreign policy in the United States since
World War II.
Explores the role of religion in domestic and international politics. Examines
religion as a source of political tension and strife. Draws examples from the
United States and the developing world. Covers Islamic fundamentalism in Africa
and the Near East, Orthodox Jewish parties in Israel, Catholic liberation
theology in Latin America, and Protestant fundamentalism and the Religious
Right in America. (Core Category V)
Analyzes the constitutional and political background of selected contemporary
public issues. Primarily for nonpolitical science majors.
|
POL 1340
Crisis and Change in Central/Eastern Europe
|
4 QH |
Studies the six former Soviet bloc socialist countries, Albania, and
Yugoslavia, and examines political, economic, social, and international
problems of post-Communist development. (Core Category IV)
Explores contemporary politics in African nations south of the Sahara. Studies
South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Ethiopia, among others. Examines apartheid,
colonialism, Afro-Marxism, chieftaincy, development, and Pan-Africanism. (Core
Category VI)
|
POL 1343
Politics and Violence in Northern Ireland
|
4 QH |
Analyzes the causes of violence in Northern Ireland. Considers historical,
sociological, and economic roots of the conflict, but places major emphasis on
politics. Also discusses the international dimension (the roles of southern
Ireland, the United States, and so on), paramilitary organizations, legal
political parties and groups, and the peace process. Draws comparative
parallels, including possible lessons for the United States. (Core Category IV)
|
POL 1345
Government and Politics in the Middle East
|
4 QH |
Approaches the political, economic, military, and ideological factors within
the Arab states and Israel, inter-Arab politics, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and
the great power rivalry in the region. (Core Category VI)
|
POL 1346
Gender, Family, and Politics in the Middle East
|
4 QH |
Surveys the roles that gender and family play in political, economic, and
social issues of the Middle East. Focuses on several political systems to
provide a view of the diversity and similarity between various governments and
societies. Topics include women in development; the connection between family
and political power; women and Islam; legal status of women; and women in
liberation movements. Prereq. POL1345 or INT1150/HST1490 or permission of
instructor. (Core Category IV)
|
POL 1347
Russian Politics After Communism
|
4 QH |
Presents an analysis of the roots of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991
and studies problems of political development after communism. Emphasizes the
introduction of democracy, the movement toward a market economy, the
reorganization of the military, and the control of interethnic strife. (Core
Category IV)
Presents an analysis of the goals, methods, and achievements of Russian policy
in the post-Soviet era toward Eastern Europe, Western Europe, the Middle East,
Central and East Asia, and the United States, against the background of Soviet
behavior toward these areas in the recent past.
|
POL 1350
American Legislative Process
|
4 QH |
Explores the structures, dynamics, and styles inherent in public policy-making
within the U.S. Congress. Focuses on elections; representation of constituents'
interests; the roles played by members, the president, interest groups, and
other participants; and how all of this is affected by the structure of
Congress and the processes embedded in the legislative body.
|
POL 1351
Techniques and Practices of Public Management
|
4 QH |
Focuses on practical skills and techniques of public management. Employs the
case method in examining typical management problems at different levels of
government. Also covers time and resource management for public sector
managerial personnel.
Examines the use of political power to enforce standards of personal morality
and behavior in contemporary American society. Considers such subjects as
pornography, sexual privacy and expression, Sunday closing laws, abortion, and
prostitution.
Analyzes the causes and consequences of ethnic political violence in the
contemporary world. Examines selected cases based on their importance and their
usefulness for understanding ethnic conflict (such as Bosnia, Canada, Northern
Ireland, and states of the former Soviet Union). Considers various policies for
preventing and resolving ethnic political violence. (Core Category IV)
Uses United States Supreme Court decisions and other reading material to
examine the substantive and procedural guarantees of the Bill of Rights and the
Fourteenth Amendment and their relation to a liberal democratic society.
|
POL 1364
Business and Government Relations
|
4 QH |
Surveys the relation between economic developments and political processes in
the United States. Considers government planning of the economy, monopoly and
government regulation, government programs to promote social welfare, and the
impact of Federalism on the political-economic system, among other topics.
|
POL 1368
Government and Politics of Latin America
|
4 QH |
Examines the governmental systems, political parties, socioeconomic problems,
and foreign policies of Latin American states. Focuses on political change.
(Core Category IV)
Analyzes political violence in its various contemporary forms (for example,
war, revolution, genocide, political terrorism, and military overthrows).
Assesses the causes and consequences of political violence (from both practical
and moral points of view) and considers strategies for preventing and resolving
political violence. (Core Category VI)
|
POL 1371
Government and Politics of China
|
4 QH |
Focuses on China's political system during Communist party rule. Addresses
fundamental issues that the government has been unable to resolve successfully,
including leadership recruitment and succession; economic growth; class and
class struggle; political culture and the educational system; the nature of
socialist democracy and socialist legality; and the appropriate form of
socialism for a country wishing to modernize rapidly. Examines the interaction
among ideology, development, and culture on these issues. (Core Category IV)
|
POL 1373
Premodern Political Thought
|
4 QH |
Presents an analytical and historical examination of the great political
thinkers and the main trends of political thought from classical Greece to the
Renaissance. (Core Category V) Prereq. Middler standing or above.
Presents an analytical and historical examination of the great political
thinkers and the main trends in political thought from the Renaissance to the
twentieth century. (Core Category V) Prereq. Middler standing or above.
|
POL 1378
Contemporary Political Thought
|
4 QH |
Analyzes current ideals, ideologies, and political movements, including
existentialism, neo-Marxism, black power, and women's liberation. Also studies
the decline of ideology and behavioralism.
Studies the social and political thought of Karl Marx. Examines the development
of Marxian theory after Marx's death. Discusses class struggle, social
revolution, and communism. (Core Category V)
|
POL 1382
Intergovernmental Relations
|
4 QH |
Analyzes the relationships among national, state, and local levels of
government in the United States and the changing patterns of those
relationships.
Analyzes the effects of the Arab-Israeli confrontation on the internal politics
of the Arab states and Israel, Pan-Arab politics, and the role of the great
powers in the region. (Core Category VI)
Focuses on territory and jurisdiction of states, treaties, recognition,
peaceful settlement of disputes, resort to force. Prereq.
|
POL 1388
Political Polling and Survey Research
|
4 QH |
Examines the entire survey research process, which is the most common approach
to program evaluation, survey design, sampling, questionnaire design, survey
administration, data processing, and data analysis. Also involves some
statistical analysis. Prereq. POL1301.
|
POL 1389
American National Security Policy
|
4 QH |
Traces the evolution of American national security policy in the postWorld War
II period. Considers American nuclear military policy and conventional
nonnuclear military policy. Explores arms control policy. (Core Category VI)
|
POL 1396
Latino Politics in the U.S.
|
4 QH |
Focuses on Latinos in the U.S. political system. Latinos share many
characteristics with previous waves of immigrants, but geographic proximity to
Latin America and the constant influx of other Latinos present significant
differences. Explores issues of Latino identity: who Latinos are, conflicting
loyalties to particular group versus pan-Latino solidarity, their status in
American society, and Latino relations with other American ethnic groups.
Discusses these issues to provide the necessary background to explore Latino
involvement in local, state, federal, and international politics. (Core
Category IV)
|
POL 1410
Seminar in American Government
|
4 QH |
Offers an in-depth study of selected topics in American government. Prereq.
Junior or senior political science major and permission of instructor.
|
POL 1411
Seminar in International Relations
|
4 QH |
Offers an in-depth study of selected topics in international relations. Prereq.
Junior or senior political science major and permission of instructor.
|
POL 1413
Senior Seminar in Political Science
|
4 QH |
Offers an in-depth study of selected topics in political science. Prereq.
Junior or senior political science major and permission of instructor.
|
POL 1415
Seminar in Public Law and Social Issues
|
4 QH |
Explores the various attempts to give law a satisfactory philosophical
foundation and the major critiques of the role of law in modern society. Places
special emphasis on the attempt by courts to render justice in various areas of
law. The central issue is whether law is a source of objective and determinate,
rather than merely personal or political, answers to contentious legal
questions. Prereq. Junior or senior standing.
|
POL 1710
Introduction to Politics (Honors)
|
4 QH |
Honors equivalent of POL1110.
|
POL 1711
Introduction to American Government (Honors)
|
4 QH |
Honors equivalent of POL1111.
|
POL 1712
Introduction to International Relations (Honors)
|
4 QH |
Honors equivalent of POL1112.
Directed Study
Offers independent work on chosen topics under the direction of members of the
department. Prereq. Junior or senior standing and permission of instructor.
With department approval, students engage in a political or governmental
internship under the supervision of a faculty member. This course fulfills the
College of Arts and Sciences experiential education requirement for political
science majors. Prereq. Junior or senior standing normally required.
Offers supervised hands-on experience with a nationally recognized nonpartisan
voters' information resource center. Students are trained on the computer in
the use of various databases, engage in assigned research tasks, and assist
voters and journalists seeking information on candidates for federal and state
office. This course fulfills the College of Arts and Sciences experiential
education requirement for political science majors.
|
POL 1805
Internship in American Government and Politics
|
4 QH |
Students engage in an internship in the Federal government with department
approval, under the supervision of a faculty member. This course fulfills the
College of Arts and Sciences experiential education requirement for political
science majors. Prereq. Junior or senior standing usually required.
|
POL 1815
Internship in State Government
|
6 QH |
Combines state government work experience with academic studies. Students work
15 hours per week in a state government office and attend classes every other
week in which work experience and related readings are discussed. This course
fulfills the College of Arts and Sciences experiential education requirement
for political science majors. Prereq. POL1111 or POL1318.
BACK to TOP
Back to Arts and Sciences Index
Business Administration |
Computer Science |
Cooperative Education |
Criminal Justice |
Engineering |
Engineering Technology |
Health Sciences |
Physical Education and Dance |
ROTC |
General Studies |
English as a Second Language
|
