2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]
Political Science
|
|
Craig Warkentin, Chair
435 Mahar Hall
315-312-2350
www.oswego.edu/polisci
Directory of Professors
The Political Science program at Oswego provides students with a broad understanding of politics in the current world context of continuity and change. Students begin their program with surveys of American politics and global politics, along with an introduction to political theories and ways of thinking politically. This core should be completed during the student’s first year in the department. Students then engage in advanced course work that aims to develop their understanding of contemporary politics, together with their ability to analyze political power, to think critically about politics, and to engage in the political world, whether as political activists, government officials, civil servants, or informed citizens.
The Political Science program is based on the principle of ‘guided flexibility’. Specific courses of study will be available that students can choose to follow, or students can develop an individual program together with a faculty adviser. The “courses of study” will guide students in choosing courses that relate to specific interests, such as law, political theory, or globalization. Students are also encouraged to investigate coordinating their Political Science program with one of the interdisciplinary programs in which the Political Science faculty participate, such as Global and International Studies, Gender and Women’s Studies, and Peace and Conflict Studies.
The faculty in Political Science values independent student research. To this end, a capstone seminar is required of all Political Science majors in which students will engage in a substantial independent research project in their area of interest. Alternatively, the department’s best students are encouraged to participate in the department’s Honors Program in which they will write a substantial thesis during their senior year under the direction of a faculty member in the department. Those students interested in pursuing advanced study in political science are especially encouraged to participate in the department’s Honors Program.
The Political Science major also recognizes that the contemporary political world is global, consisting of deepening interdependence among nations and regions, as well as a mélange of cultures and political systems. This condition presents us with both challenges and opportunities. With this in mind, the department strongly encourages all of its majors and minors to take courses with international components and to study abroad for at least one semester. A study abroad adviser is available in the department to help students coordinate study abroad with their Politics program.
We also recognize that to be political involves engagement beyond in class work. Therefore, the department hosts a chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science Honor Society, which inducts students based on their academic performance, and a Political Science club, which all students are encouraged to join. The department also has a strong internship program through which students can earn up to nine semester hours credit working as assistants in local government and citizens’ organizations, state agencies, the state legislature in Albany, or the U.S. Congress in Washington, DC. Internship placements are also available abroad.
American Studies Major – B.A. Degree
The Department of Political Science cosponsors a program leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies.
Major
Minor
Honor Requirements for Major
Political Science
-
POL 201 - Global Politics
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course examines approaches to studying global politics and explores a range of contemporary global issues. Specific issues addressed in the course will vary by instructor, but may include conflict, democratization, development, the environment, gender, the global economy, global security, human rights, media/technology, nationalism, religion, and social movements.
Offered: Fall, Spring
Credit: 3 -
POL 203 - Critical Thinking in Politics
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course teaches critical thinking by engaging students in major controversies over the analysis of key concepts in political science. It develops the student’s basic skills in reading complex texts and in recognizing and analyzing assumptions, structuring and organizing arguments, and understanding and analyzing symbolic discourses. Each section of the course will raise competing perspectives and will focus on critical thinking and argument-making skills. The course will combine theoretical readings with discussions of specific political issues.
Offered: Fall, Spring
Credit: 3 -
POL 205 - American Government and Politics
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
An introduction to the American federal system. Examines the Constitution, Congress, the presidency, Supreme Court, bureaucracy, political parties, elections, campaigns, interest groups, and the policy process.
Offered: Fall, Spring
Credit: 3 -
POL 215 - Law and Courts
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This survey course introduces students to traditional and contemporary theories of law and legal interpretation, and develops their ability to engage in critical and comparative analysis of those theories. It also introduces students to the structure and organization of the state and federal court systems in the United States.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 300 - Topics in Political Science
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
Topics will vary with current interest of faculty and students. Specific topics will be announced.
Note: May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
Credit: 3 -
POL 303 - Ancient and Medieval Political Thought
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course studies selected texts of important political theorists from ancient Greece, Rome, and the European middle ages which continue to be important reference points in contemporary political thought. The course focuses especially on the emergence of the concept of sovereignty, the conditions which make citizenship possible, the relation of religious faith to politics, the gendered nature of political theory, and the controversies over authority and power in the rise of modern state.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 305 - State and Local Government
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
Forms, functions and services of state governments; intergovernmental relations; representative local governments; State Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Fall
Credit: 3 -
POL 306 - African American Political Thought
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course explores the African American community’s diverse responses to the predominant challenges it has faced (including, but not limited to, slavery); the economic and political legacies of those challenges; and American political culture more broadly. Coursework will explore and analyze the various strains within Black political thought.
Prerequisite: POL 203 and POL 205; or instructor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis.
Credit: 3 -
POL 307 - European Politics
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
Examines European politics from the Atlantic to the Ural Mountains. It discusses the historical evolution of the modern European democratic nation-state; its organization and political practices; the institutions and politics of the European Union; and the endurance and proliferation of the state in Europe.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 309 - International Law
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
Surveys the rules, procedures, and practices that regulate the various actors in the international arena. Emphasizes the post World War II era and new perspectives such as the control of the use of force, redistribution of world resources, and international protection of human rights.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 311 - Public Policy Analysis
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
Studies the theoretical foundations and alternative models of the policy process. Covers topics such as education, health, welfare, energy, and environmental policy.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 313 - Modern Political Thought
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course studies selected texts of important political theorists from the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution. It focuses specifically on the political theory of the enlightenment, the emergence of the modern theory of democracy, rationalizations of the sovereignty of the nation-state, and the development of critical theories of capitalism and modernity in the late nineteenth centuries. Theorists studied will include Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Montwequieu, Burke, Mill, Marx, and Nietzsche.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 316 - American Political Thought
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course focuses on the political philosophies and ideas that underscore American political culture, institutions, and policy-making. Coursework may emphasize long-standing philosophies that influence contemporary politics or the evolution of views of the economy, the role of government, the concept of citizenship and more from the founding to the present.
Prerequisite: POL 203 and POL 205; or instructor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 319 - International Organization
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
Examines the organization and functioning of such international and regional organizations as the United Nations, the European Community, the Organization of American States, NATO and specialized agencies such as the World Health Organization.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 323 - Postmodern Political and Social Theory
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
The course examines the diversity of theories that challenge modernity in political theory and relates them to specific issues in contemporary political theory, such as freedom, sovereignty, the politics of hybridity and diversity, and democracy.
Note: This course is the third of four survey courses in political theory. It may be taken by itself or as part of the sequence of survey courses in political theory (POL 303, 313, and 333).
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 328 - Politics and Literature
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course explores the connections between politics and literature, with an emphasis on developing the theoretical foundations and analytical skills needed to understand and interpret literature in its political context. Topics will vary by instructor.
Note: May be taken twice, with different professors, for credit.
Prerequisite: Three political science credits; or instructor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis.
Credit: 3 -
POL 329 - American Foreign Policy
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
Historical roots of United States foreign policy. Examines the development of the U.S. into a global power; involvements in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Covers the individual and institutional actors involved in the foreign policy making process.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 330 - Internet Politics
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course surveys the relationships between the Internet and contemporary politics. It teaches students the skills needed for basic Internet literacy, examines the medium’s ongoing development and the political context in which this occurs, and addresses connections between various Internet-related topics and politics.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 333 - Global Political Theory
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course focuses on the interactions among different traditions of political theory, examining points of contact and difference. Students will study both alternative traditions of political thought and issues in political theory that address transnational political formations.
Note: Note: This course is the fourth of four survey courses in political theory. It may be taken by itself or as part of the sequence of survey courses in political theory (POL 303, 313, and 323). It will be taught every other spring semester.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 335 - The Supreme Court
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
Examines the structure and functioning of the Supreme Court. Particular attention given to the role of the Court in the American political process.
Prerequisite: POL 215; or instuctor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 336 - Pop Culture and Politics
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
Drawing on political theory, contemporary political writings and popular culture texts, this course introduces students to the way in which popular culture reflects, contests, and reinforces political ideology. Students will learn to analyze pieces of popular culture as texts that explore the ideals and fears that permeate American political culture.
Prerequisite: Minimum of 3 political science credits; or instructor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 337 - Middle East Politics
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
Examines contemporary political issues in the Middle East and North Africa, including international relations, the politics of oil, the environment, democratization, gender, religion, and the development of civil society.
Prerequisite: Three credits in political science, or instructor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 339 - International Relations Theory
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course surveys contending theoretical frameworks used to study contemporary international relations, examining both traditional and newer approaches. Perspectives addressed will vary by instructor but may include liberalism, realism, Marxism, critical theory, constructivism, feminism, postmodernism, and green theory.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 343 - Democratic Theory
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course examines democracy as an ambiguous achievement, both valued and undermined, in modern political thought. It surveys a variety of historical traditions of democratic thought, and investigates current problems of democratic politics in light of recent developments in political economy, the capitalist state, and global politics.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 345 - American Constitutional Law
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
The Supreme Court’s contribution to constitutional development as reflected primarily in its decisions in cases on the nature of judicial authority, the commerce clause, the separation of powers, the division of authority between the national and state governments, and others.
Prerequisite: POL 315; or instuctor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 346 - American Political Development
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This advanced course introduces students to the subfield of American political development which studies political institutions, public policy, and political change through an emphasis on history (path dependency, unintended consequences) and culture (narrative, rhetoric).
Prerequisite: Three credits in Political Science or instructor Permission.
Credit: 3 -
POL 347 - Politics of Development
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course addresses issues of political, economic, and social development. We critically examine the notion and paradigm of development, the ways in which countries and other institutions attempt to bring about development, and successful and unsuccessful cases of development in countries around the world.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 348 - Contentious Politics
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This class examines contentious politics, from strikes and protests to coups and revolutions. We examine both US and international cases of collective action, using comparative analysis to understand demands for social and political change.
Prerequisite: Upper division standing or instructor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 353 - Contemporary Political Theory
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course investigates important conceptual issues in contemporary political theory by surveying twentieth century theorists such as Freud, Weber, Habermas, and Foucault, as well as rival theoretical approaches such as utilitarianism, communitarianism, critical theory, feminism, and post-structuralism.
Prerequisite: Upper division standing; or instuctor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 355 - Civil Liberties
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
A survey of American civil liberties. Emphasizes contemporary problems such as freedom of speech, press, religion, procedural guarantees of persons accused of crime, and the right to be free from racial discrimination, and other matters within the purview of the Bill of Rights.
Prerequisite: POL 215; or instuctor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 356 - Freedom of Speech
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course studies the evolution of freedom of speech protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It focuses on approaches to expressive freedom taken by different Supreme Court justices and legal theorists throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, and analyzes the controversies associated with specific types of expression.
Offered: Not on a regular basis.
Credit: 3 -
POL 357 - Latin American Politics
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course examines politics in Latin America. After a brief overview of history and the theoretical approaches that have been used to understand Latin America, it examines contemporary political, economic, and social issues affecting Latin America generally, combined with country case studies for more detailed analysis.
Prerequisite: One course in political science, or instructor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 359 - The Nation-State and Global Order
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course introduces students to the historical, conceptual, and institutional sources of the modern political world. It emphasizes the historical formation of the nation-state, its development into a global system of states, the alternative forms it has taken in both the developed and under-developed worlds, and the global forms of political and economic organization that currently challenge the nation-state as the primary focus of political power and identity.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 363 - Feminist Social and Political Theory
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course introduces students to feminist theories of politics. It surveys different theoretical traditions in feminist theory, and examines feminist approaches to key issues in political theory. It also introduces students to an important interdisciplinary approach to social and cultural theory.
Prerequisite: WST 200 or 3 credits in Politcal Science; or instuctor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 367 - Third World Politics
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course provides an introduction to the politics of the global South, focusing on the problems and prospects of the world’s poorer countries. The course surveys the varied experiences of third world countries and examines the social, economic, and political challenges they face.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 368 - International Politics and Security of the Asia Pacific
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course surveys the international relations of the dynamic Asia-Pacific region, providing students with the tools to make critical evaluations of the security challenges facing regional actors. The course emphasizes many different facets of international security through discussions of topics like national identity, American hegemony, and the rise of China.
Prerequisite: Three credits in Political Science; or instructor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis.
Credit: 3 -
POL 369 - Terrorism and Political Violence
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course surveys the nature, causes, and implications of terrorism and other forms of political violence. Relevant theoretical understandings, case studies, and policy responses will be explored, with special attention paid to the factors that motivate individuals to become involved in terrorist activities.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 375 - New York State Politics
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course will examine the functioning of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of New York State government. Historical, economic, social and demographic factors will be surveyed. The impact of public opinion, interest groups and political parties on these institutions will also be studied as well as the operation of county, city and town governments.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Spring
Credit: 3 -
POL 378 - Gender and Global Politics
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course introduces a way of analyzing and researching global politics that takes gender seriously as an analytic category. The course covers various approaches to the study of gender, femininity and masculinity in international relations and topics such as war and peace, economics, security, the environment, and human rights.
Prerequisite: Three credits in Political Science; or instructor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis.
Credit: 3 -
POL 385 - Law and Society
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course examines the perennial questions: How does law shape society and conversely, how does society shape law? This is an ongoing discussion which is reflected in the political discourse and decision making in our courts, legislatures, and communities.
Prerequisite: POL 205 or 215; or instuctor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 386 - Vote Oswego
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
In this practical skills-based course students will participate in a non-partisan voter registration and mobilization campaign on campus. Coursework will balance training in practical skills such as setting and revising campaign goals, recruiting and training volunteers, and developing a coalition with reviewing contemporary research on campaigns and elections.
Prerequisite: POL 205; or instructor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis.
Credit: 3 -
POL 387 - Global Environmental Politics
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course addresses environmental issues including acid rain, climate change, desertification, population issues, soil erosion, sustainability, and water access and quality. We will examine the relationship between environmental issues and conflict, focusing on the historical and contemporary efforts of governments, NGOs, and activists to address domestic and transnational environmental issues.
Prerequisite: SUS 115 or GLS 200 or 3 credits in Politcal Science; or instuctor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 388 - Chinese Foreign Policy
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course introduces the foreign policy of the People’s Republic of China, informed by the study of China’s history and the ideas that animate its search for security in the modern world. Students will analyze the geopolitical challenges facing China and the influence of its domestic political situation.
Prerequisite: Three credits in Political Science; or instructor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis.
Credit: 3 -
POL 389 - Security Studies
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course explores contending theoretical approaches to the study of contemporary global security, examines key concepts and relevant debates, surveys specific security challenges, and evaluates attendant policy responses. Subject issues may include alliances, the arms trade, energy security, ethnic conflict, human security, organized crime, peace operations, terrorism, and war.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or instuctor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 405 - Mass Media and Public Opinion
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
A study of the formation of public opinion and how it affects and is affected by the mass media. Critical examination of the media and politics focusing on such subjects as the media and the public interest, problems of objectivity, what the news does not cover, and government regulation of the media.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or instuctor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 409 - Comparative Energy Policy
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course provides an interdisciplinary understanding of current energy issues and responses to those issues. We examine energy policies of several countries and the science relating to those policies, for example, how we get energy from fossil fuels, alternative energy sources, reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, and ethanol.
Prerequisite: SUS 115 or GLS 200 or three credits in Political Science; or instructor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 415 - Women and Politics
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
Historical role of women in politics; women’s movement in America; women today; analysis of political role of women in the future.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in Politcal Science or Instuctor Permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 490 - Political Science Honors
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
In this course exceptional students will read extensively and write a substantial independent honors thesis under the direct supervision of a faculty member.
Prerequisite: Political science major and senior standing.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 6 -
POL 495 - Teaching Assistant in Politics
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
This course offers an introduction to college-level teaching for advanced students with a demonstrated interest in pursuing graduate study or a teaching career. Supervised by a department faculty member, the course allows students the opportunity to gain classroom teaching experience while conducting independent research on relevant topics of interest. Note: A minimum 3.0 GPA will be needed for instructor approval.
Prerequisite: Junior standing and instructor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
Credit: 3 -
POL 497 - Seminar in Political Science
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
Research, writing, and reporting on topics chosen for their particular value to political science majors.
Note: May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: Upper division standing.
Offered: Fall, Spring
Credit: 3 -
POL 498 - Internship in Political Science
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
Field experiences with selected agencies of local, state or national government, or work done directly for individuals actively involved in the political process. Specific assignments individually determined. Departmental approval required. Available for 0 to 12 credits.
Prerequisite: Upper division standing and departmental approval.
Offered: Not on a regular basis
-
POL 499 - Independent Study
2017-2018 Catalog Year:
Individual readings and research projects under supervision of a member of the political science faculty.
Note: Variable credit one to six repeatable for a total of nine credits.
Prerequisite: Upper division standing and instructor permission.
Offered: Not on a regular basis.
|
Print this Page