This course is an introduction to political science research methods. We will address basic principles of research design and data analysis, including hypothesis testing, measurement, case selection and data gathering. What are the strengths and weaknesses of particular methods? How can we improve our ability to draw inferences from data? Our goals are to learn how to ask good questions and to consider different approaches to answering them.

Topical offerings in American Politics

Conceives of the international system as hierarchical, and considers how states gain, maintain, and lose predominance; whether hierarchy is necessary to international order; and how hierarchy affects the options of smaller states and other actors. Prerequisites: At least one course in PLIR.

This course explores the critical and the constructive dimensions of African American political thought from slavery to the present. We will assess the claims that black Americans have made upon the polity, how they have defined themselves, and how they have sought to redefine key terms of political life such as citizenship, equality, freedom, and power.

Course considers whether differences over the best societal, regional, or global order affect patterns of conflict and cooperation in international affairs; and if so, how. We emphasize both theory and history. Requisite: One PLIR course

This course examines both academic and policy debates about democracy and foreign policy. We begin by reviewing the theory and practice of democracy and the literature on democracy in international politics.

Examines the content and formulation of foreign policies in Europe and the European Union from the twentieth century to the present. Prerequisite: Some background in international relations or European history. Students who have previously taken PLIR 3620 will not receive credit for PLIR 3610; students who take PLIR 3610 may not receive credit for PLIR 3620 if taken subsequently.

This course examines the development of American political thought from the Puritans through the Civil War. The questions they posed and attempted to answer are the eternal questions of all political thought, such as, what is the best form of government; what are the rights and obligations of citizens; what is the proper relationship between the state and religion.

Seminar focusing on politics of the international trade and monetary systems, emphasizing third world industrialization, trade conflicts between the U.S. and Japan, and the global debt crisis. Prerequisite: PLIR 2050 or instructor permission.

Explores why policies on issues like health care, social welfare, education, and immigration differ markedly from nation to nation, focusing on how contrasting cultures, state institutions, and societal organizations shape the historical trajectory of public policies. The primary focus of the course is on policies in advanced industrialized nations such as Britain, the U.S., Japan, and Sweden.Prerequisites: Prior course work in American and/or comparative politics is required.