How valid is any general statement about politics? Through the study of countries other than our own, we have the opportunity to ask about the degree to which political phenomena occur in different nations or in different types of political systems. Intermediate courses suggest comparisons within particular regions of the world such as Latin America or Western Europe. Advanced courses stress current scholarly debates and controversies.

POLSC 25000(W) Comparing Countries
Examination of the core concepts, theories, and issues in the field of comparative relations. Topics include: Comparative analysis of democracies and democratization, revolution, and ethnicity and ethnic conflict. Cases can be drawn from Africa, Asia, Western Europe, the Americas, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.
Prereq/Coreq: ENGL 12000.
3 hrs, 3 cr; PD/A; Pathways: World Culture and Global Issues

POLSC 25100(W) Politics of Africa, Asia and Latin America
An examination of the nature of governance and politics in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Through in-depth study of several countries, students explore topics and concepts such as political culture, modernization, development, dependency, democracy, political leadership and the processes of policy making.
Prereq: ENGL 12000.
3 hrs, 3 cr.

POLSC 25300(W) Government and Politics in Latin America
Ideology, revolution, authoritarianism, democracy, institutions, class structure, distribution of wealth and power, political and economic development.
Prereq: ENGL 12000.
3 hrs, 3 cr; PD/A

POLSC 25400(W) Government and Politics in Western Europe
Theory, practice, institutions and problems of Western European nations, particularly Britain, France, and Germany.
Prereq: ENGL 12000.
3 hrs, 3 cr; PD/D

POLSC 25500(W) Government and Politics of Japan and Korea
Political, social and economic institutions of Japan and Korea; their domestic politics and relations with the world.
Prereq: ENGL 12000.
3 hrs, 3 cr; PD/A

POLSC 25700(W) Government and Politics of China
Chinese politics, institutions and foreign policy.
Prereq: ENGL 12000.
3 hrs, 3 cr; PD/2

POLSC 25800(W) Politics of Climate Change
An examination of the political responses to global warming in a variety of industrialized and other countries, such as the United States, Germany, China, and India, and internationally. Students explore a variety of policies, such as carbon pricing, renewable energy, energy efficiency, transportation, and land use policies, as well as the impact of socioeconomic structures, political institutions, and political processes on policy adoption.
Prereq: ENGL 12000.
3 hrs, 3 cr

POLSC 26000(W) African Politics through African Films
An examination of contemporary African politics using various social science theories, films and documentaries made by African filmmakers.
Prereq: ENGL 12000.
3 hrs, 3 cr; PD/1

POLSC 26100(W) Globalization and Opposition Movements
The environmental, social and political effects of economic globalization in less industrialized and highly industrialized countries; reformist and radical critiques and neoliberal defenses; causes and consequences of opposition movements.
Prereq: ENGL 12000.
3 hrs, 3 cr

POLSC 26200(W) Government and Politics in Central America
Political institutions, ideology, class and ethnic structure, economic development, distribution of wealth and power, foreign influences and revolutionary and evolutionary roads to modernization.
Prereq: ENGL 12000.
3 hrs, 3 cr; PD/A

POLSC 26300(W) Government and Politics in the Middle East
Introduction to Islamic societies and their politics with particular attention to cultures of region.
Prereq: ENGL 12000.
3 hrs, 3 cr; PD/A

POLSC 26400(W) Government and Politics of Israel
Historic evolution of the Jewish state and its political system, social issues and foreign policy.
Prereq: ENGL 12000.
3 hrs, 3 cr

POLSC 26500(W) Government and Politics in Eastern Europe
Political, social and economic institutions of individual Eastern Central European nations and their post-communist transitions.
Prereq: ENGL 12000.
3 hrs, 3 cr; PD/D

POLSC 26700(W) Politics of Southern Africa
Political, economic and social institutions in Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africam and Zimbabwe.
Prereq: ENGL 12000.
3 hrs, 3 cr; PD/A

POLSC 272XX Contemporary Issues in Comparative Politics
Selected topics in comparative politics.
Prereq: ENGL 12000 and any 10000 level course in POLSC. This course number acts as an 'umbrella', with differing courses appearing as decimals (e.g., POLSC 27211, Politics of Development).
3 hrs, 3 cr

POLSC 31000(W) Comparative Legal Systems
Comparative study of major legal traditions of the modern world, including common law, civil law, Soviet, Islamic, Chinese, tribal and hybrid systems.
Prereq: ENGL 12000 and (POLSC 11000 or POLSC 11100 or POLSC 23800 or POLSC 34000 or POLSC 34100 or POLSC 34300 or POLSC 37500).
3 hrs, 3 cr

POLSC 32200(W) Social and Economic Policies in Western Europe and the United States
Evolution of social and economic policies from the 19th century to the present. Policies are analyzed in light of tensions between democracy and capitalism.
Prereq: ENGL 12000 and any course in American politics or comparative politics. Only open to students who have completed 45 credits and 9 credits in POLSC. Not open to students who have completed POLSC 31500. Counts as either American or Comparative (but not both).
4 hrs, 4 cr; PD/D

POLSC 35100(W) Government and Politics of Russia and the Post-Soviet States
Post-Soviet politics, institutions, social forces, economic transformations and regions.
Prereq: ENGL 12000 and any course in comparative politics.
3 hrs, 3 cr

POLSC 35200(W) State and Society in Africa
An examination of the nature of the relationship between the African state and civil society in the post-independence period and how this relationship influences governance and democracy.
Prereq: ENGL 12000 and any course in comparative politics.
3 hrs, 3 cr

POLSC 35300(W) Social Movements, Civil Society, and the State in Latin America
Analysis of the role of popular and opposition movements in Latin America and their relationship to the state, from the challenges to the dictatorships of the 1970s through the contemporary neoliberal economic order and democratic polities.
Prereq: ENGL 12000 and any course in comparative politics.
4 hrs, 4 cr; PD/A

POLSC 35600(W) India's Democratic Experiment
Assesses the nature and durability of India’s democratic political system. Examines key events, personalities, institutions, and movements in Indian politics from Independence (1947) to the present. Focuses on the challenge of adapting democratic institutions to circumstances of extreme social diversity and economic deprivation.
Prereq: ENGL 12000 and any POLSC course at either the 20000 or 30000 level in comparative politics.
4 hrs, 4 cr; PD/A

POLSC 36000(W) Democracy & Development in a Globalizing World
The course examines the relationship between democracy and development in post-colonial countries. Questions include: What relations of causality, in either direction, have political scientists sought to establish between democracy and development? What is the impact of globalization on these relations? How can historical analysis help to illuminate these and other issues, such as why some countries have been better at promoting per capita income growth than others? What efforts have been undertaken – by individual citizens, by civic groups, by aid donors – to plug the democratic deficits that arise in the course of pursuing development under 21st Century conditions?
Prereq: ENGL 12000 and any POLSC course at either the 20000 or 30000 level in comparative politics.
4 hrs, 4 cr; PD/A

POLSC 372XX Contemporary Issues in Comparative Politics
Selected topics in comparative politics.
Prereq: ENGL 12000 and any course in comparative politics. This course number acts as an 'umbrella', with differing courses appearing as decimals (e.g., POLSC 37243, Post-Conflict Peace-Building and State-Building).
3 hrs, 3 cr

POLSC 37800(W) Russian National Interests: Past and Present
In a contemporary, historical, comparative, and international context, this course explores issues at the intersection of Russia’s domestic politics and foreign policies and the implications for Russia and the international system.
Prereq: ENGL 12000 and any course in comparative or international politics. Counts as either IR or Comparative (but not both).
4 hrs, 4 cr; PD/D