Political Science
Departmental Office: 710 International Affairs Building; 212-854-3707
http://www.polisci.columbia.edu
Director of Undergraduate Studies:
Prof. Robert Shapiro, 730 International Affairs Building; 212-854-3955; rys3@columbia.edu
Economics-Political Science Advisers:
Economics: Prof. Susan Elmes, Director of Undergraduate Studies, 1006 International Affairs Building; se5@columbia.edu
Political Science: Prof. Carlo Prato, 718 International Affairs Building; 212-854-7540; cp2928@columbia.edu
Political Science-Statistics Advisers:
Political Science: Prof. Naoki Egami, 734 International Affairs Building; 212-854-3623; naoki.egami@columbia.edu
Statistics: Prof. Ronald Neath, 612 West 115th Street, Room 612; 212-853-1398; rcn2112@columbia.edu
Statistics: Prof. Gabriel Young, 612 West 115th Street, Room 614; 212-853-1395; gjy2107@columbia.edu
The discipline of political science focuses on issues of power and governance and, in particular, on political institutions, both formal and informal. It also focuses on political behavior, political processes, political economy, and state-society relations.
The field consists of four substantive subfields: American politics, which covers such topics as national and local politics, elections, and constitutional law; comparative politics, which aims at understanding the political systems of other countries, both by studying individual states and by engaging in cross-national comparisons; international relations, which deals with the ways that states and other political actors behave in the international arena, including such topics as security, foreign policies, international organizations, and international economic relations; and political theory, which analyzes the history of normative political thought as well as of analytic concepts such as the nature of justice or liberty.
Other broad topics, such as “political economy,” or the study of the relationships between economic and political processes, overlap with the subfields, but also constitute a separate program (see below). Methodology, including statistical analysis and formal modeling, also occupies an important place in the discipline.
Advanced Placement
The department grants credit toward the major for work completed under the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) Advanced Placement Program. Students receive 3 academic credits and exemption from POLS UN1201 INTRO TO AMERICAN POLITICS or POLS UN1501 INTRO TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS for scores of 5 in the United States and Comparative Government and Politics AP Exams.
Advising
The Department of Political Science offers a variety of advising resources to provide undergraduate majors and concentrators with the information and support needed to successfully navigate through the program. These resources are described below.
Undergraduate Advising Office
Students should take questions or concerns about the undergraduate program to the department's undergraduate advising office first. If advisers cannot answer a student's question, they then refer the student to the appropriate person.
The undergraduate advising office is staffed by political science Ph.D. students who hold open office hours each week (the schedule can be found online at https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-advising). During open hours, advisers are available to respond to questions and concerns about requirements, course selection, course of study, transfer and study abroad credit, and any other aspect of the program. Students may also reach advisers by email at polisciadvising@columbia.edu.
Students should also consult the undergraduate advisers for assistance in completing the political science program planning form (available online at https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-forms-library). The advisers must sign and date this form in the approval column next to any listed class that requires approval to fulfill program requirements (transfer courses, non-traditional courses, etc.). Each student's planning form is kept on file in the department, so that each semester they may meet with an adviser to update it.
The advisers are also available to speak with students about academic and professional issues, including research interests, internships, and post-college plans. Since the advisers have been through the graduate school application process, they are great resources with whom students may discuss the process. Also, as current Ph.D. students in the department, they are familiar with the research interests of political science faculty and can therefore refer students to a professor whose research aligns with the students' interests for focused thesis advice, information about academic, professional, and research opportunities, or professional development.
Requesting a Faculty Adviser
Often the best way for students to obtain advising from a faculty member is to contact a professor with whom they have taken a class in an area of interest. Students also have the option of having a faculty adviser assigned by the department. To request a faculty adviser, students should complete the Faculty Adviser Request Form and submit it to the undergraduate coordinator during the first two weeks of the semester. The link to the current adviser request form may be found in the undergraduate forms library on the department website.
Students may consult with their faculty adviser for any substantive issue, but still must visit walk-in advising hours to have courses approved, to have planning forms reviewed and approved, and to discuss departmental requirements and regulations.
Director of Undergraduate Studies
The director of undergraduate studies oversees the department's undergraduate programs and is available during office hours. While a student's first stop for advising should be the undergraduate advising office, the director of undergraduate studies is available to answer any questions that the undergraduate advisers or the undergraduate coordinator cannot.
Economics–Political Science Adviser
Economics–political science majors may consult with the economics-political science adviser during office hours. However, students should also see an undergraduate adviser to discuss major requirements and fill out a planning form.
Political Science–Statistics Adviser
Political science–statistics majors may consult with the political science-statistics adviser during office hours. However, students should also see an undergraduate adviser to discuss major requirements and fill out a planning form.
Faculty At-Large
All faculty are available for consultation with students during office hours or by appointment to discuss interests in political science, course selection, and other academic or post-college matters. The faculty may provide advice about graduate schools, suggest literature that the student might consult as sources for research, recommend specific courses or professors based on the student's interests, or offer information about research opportunities with faculty. However, students should note that any issues surrounding departmental regulations and requirements, major certification, course approvals, etc., should be addressed initially with the undergraduate advisers.
Honors Program
The department offers the Honors Program for a limited number of seniors who want to undertake substantial research projects and write honors theses. The honors thesis is expected to be about 75 pages in length and of exceptional quality.
Honors students perform research as part of a full-year honors seminar (POLS UN3998-POLS UN3999, 8 points total) during their senior year, in place of the seminar requirement for majors. Honors students may, however, take additional seminars to fulfill other course requirements for the major. Theses are due in late March or early April. To be awarded departmental honors, the student must satisfy all the requirements for the major, maintain a 3.6 GPA in the major, and complete a thesis of sufficiently high quality to merit honors.
The honors seminar director provides general direction for the seminar and supervises all students. Each student also works with a faculty member in his or her major subfield (American politics, comparative politics, international relations, or political theory) and a teaching assistant. The honors seminar meets weekly for part of the year and addresses general issues involved in research and thesis writing, such as how to develop research questions and projects, methodology, sources of evidence, and outlining and drafting long papers. The sessions are also used for group discussions of students’ research and thesis presentations. Students are also expected to meet periodically with the supervising professor and preceptor.
Students who wish to apply to the Honors Program must notify the department in writing by the end of the spring semester of the junior year. Please check the department website for the official deadline. Normally no more than 10% of graduating majors receive departmental honors in a given academic year. Applicants are required to have already completed the methods requirement for the major.
Application Materials
Applications to the Honors Program must include the following:
- A cover page with the student’s name, CUID number, e-mail address, and school (Columbia College or General Studies);
- An official transcript, which may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar in Kent Hall, or from Student Services Online (SSOL);
- A writing sample, preferably a paper written for a political science course;
- A brief description (no more than one page) of a possible thesis topic.
Completed applications should be sent to:
Department of Political Science
Attn: Departmental Honors
420 West 118th Street
Mail Code 3320
New York, NY 10027
In addition, students are encouraged to find a faculty sponsor for their thesis proposal. Students who have identified a faculty sponsor should indicate the sponsor in the proposal; students without a faculty sponsor should identify a faculty member with whom they would like to work. Research areas for the political science department faculty are listed on the department's website. Students will be notified by e-mail of the decision taken on their applications before fall registration.
Students who are not accepted into the honors seminar or who decide after the application deadline that they would like to write an honors thesis may take one or two semesters POLS UN3901 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH I and POLS UN3902 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH II in order to write a thesis to submit for honors consideration. Any member of the department's full-time faculty may sponsor independent study courses. Part-time faculty are not obligated to sponsor these courses.
For registration information and more details about this process, students should contact the Academic Affairs Coordinator. Note that most honors theses are about 75 pages in length. All theses must be submitted along with a confidential assessment of the paper by the supervising instructor in order to be considered for departmental honors. Students who choose this path must also complete all the requirements for the major and maintain a minimum major GPA of 3.6. Theses are due in late March or early April, and decisions about departmental honors are announced in May.
Departmental Prizes and Fellowships
The Department of Political Science administers the following prizes and awards. Unless otherwise noted, students do not play an active part in the nomination process. Rather, faculty members nominate students at their own discretion. Departmental prizes are reserved for political science majors.
Charles A. Beard Prize
A cash prize awarded every other year to the student who writes the best paper in political science during the academic year.
Caroline Phelps Stokes Prize
A cash prize established at the bequest of Caroline Phelps Stokes is awarded to a student who has been a degree candidate at Columbia College or Barnard College for at least one academic year, and who has written the best essay in course or seminar work on the general subject of human rights.
Allan J. Willen Memorial Prize
A cash prize awarded to the Columbia College student who writes the best seminar paper on a contemporary American political problem.
Edwin Robbins Academic Research/Public Service Fellowship
The Robbins Fellowship provides a stipend each summer for at least two political science students in Columbia College who will be engaged in research in important matters of politics or policymaking or who will be working, without other compensation, as interns in a governmental office, agency, or other public service organization. Each spring, the department invites students to submit fellowship proposals. Awards are announced in late April or early May.
The Arthur Ross Foundation Award
A cash prize awarded to GS students for excellence in the field of political science.
Phyllis Stevens Sharp Fellowship in American Politics
The Phyllis Stevens Sharp Endowment Fund provides stipends each year during the summer for one or more Columbia College or School of General Studies students majoring or concentrating in political science to support research in American politics or policy making, or otherwise uncompensated internships in a government office, agency, or other public service organization. Each spring, the department invites students to submit fellowship proposals. Awards are announced in late April or early May.
Early Admission to the Master's Degree Program in Political Science for Columbia and Barnard Political Science Undergraduates
While the Department of Political Science does not offer a joint bachelor of arts/master’s degree, it does allow Columbia and Barnard undergraduates to apply for early admission to its master’s degree program.
Students should apply during the fall semester of their senior year for admission to the M.A. program in the following fall semester, after completion of the B.A. degree. The department and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences may award up to one-half residence unit of advanced standing and/or up to three courses (nine to twelve credits) of transfer credit for graduate courses (4000-level and above) taken at Columbia in excess of the requirements for the Columbia bachelor's degree, as certified by the dean of the undergraduate school awarding the bachelor's degree.
For further information about the application process and minimum qualifications for early admission, please contact the director of undergraduate studies.
For further information about requirements for the M.A. degree, see https://gsas.columbia.edu/degree-programs/ma-programs/political-science.
Professors
- Richard K. Betts
- Jagdish Bhagwati (also Economics)
- Alessandra Casella (also Economics)
- Partha Chatterjee (Anthropology)
- Jean L. Cohen
- Michael Doyle (University Professor)
- Robert Erikson
- Virginia Page Fortna
- Timothy Frye
- Ester Fuchs (School of International and Public Affairs)
- Andrew Gelman (also Statistics)
- Donald P. Green
- Bernard Harcourt (Law)
- Fredrick Harris
- Jeffrey Henig (Teachers College)
- Shigeo Hirano
- John Huber
- Macartan Humphreys
- David C. Johnston
- Ira Katznelson (also History)
- Sudipta Kaviraj (Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies)
- Jeffrey Lax
- Mahmood Mamdani (Anthropology)
- Karuna Mantena
- M. Victoria Murillo (also School of International and Public Affairs)
- Andrew J. Nathan
- Sharyn O'Halloran (also School of International and Public Affairs)
- Justin Phillips (Chair)
- Kenneth Prewitt (School of International and Public Affairs)
- Robert Y. Shapiro
- Jack Snyder
- Michael Ting (also School of International and Public Affairs)
- Nadia Urbinati
- Gregory Wawro
- Andreas Wimmer (also Sociology)
- Keren Yarhi-Milo (also School of International and Public Affairs)
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Associate Professors
- Allison Carnegie
- Daniel Corstange (also School of International and Public Affairs)
- Sarah Daly
- Turkuler Isiksel
- Kimuli Kasara
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Assistant Professors
- Naoki Egami
- Nikhar Gaikwad
- Junyan Jiang
- Eunji Kim
- John Marshall
- Andrew McCall
- Carlo Prato
- Yamil Velez
Lecturers
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Kevin Funk Elise Giuliano Clara Maier Benjamin Mueser Michael Parrott Tsveta Petrova David Ragazzoni Chiara Superti
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Visiting Associate Professor
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Daniel Smith
On Leave
- Profs. Fortna, Gelman, Harris, Humphreys, O'Halloran Wawro (2022-23)
- Profs. Daly, Doyle Ting (Fall 2022)
- Profs. Betts, Kasara, Snyder (Spring 2023)
Guidelines for all Political Science Majors, Concentrators, and Interdepartmental Majors
Planning Forms
Major Planning forms are available on the department website.
Policy on Double-Counting Courses
- Policies about double-counting courses to fulfill requirements in more than one major may be found here:
- Courses in the Core Curriculum do not fulfill requirements for the Political Science major.
Policy on Counting Credits outside the Department of Political Science
- Courses taken at other institutions or other Columbia departments may not be used to meet the requirement of a major or concentration in political science without the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies or the department’s undergraduate adviser. Students should secure such approval in advance of registration.
Pass/D/Fail and Grading Policy
- A grade of “Pass” is acceptable only for the first course taken toward the major or concentration.
- The course used to fulfill the research methods requirement cannot be taken Pass/D/Fail.
- Students must receive a grade of at least C- in order for a course to count towards the major or concentration.
AP Credit Policy
- Students who receive transfer credit for one or more AP exams in political science may count a maximum of one AP course toward the major or concentration, contingent upon completing an upper-level (3000 or higher) course with a grade of C or higher in the subfield in which the AP exam was taken. All transfer credits must be approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies or the undergraduate adviser.
Transfer Credit Policy
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For the political science major, a maximum of three courses in political science may be transferred from other institutions, including study abroad and AP credit. For the political science concentration as well as the economics-political science and political science-statistics interdisciplinary majors, a maximum of two courses in political science may be transferred from other institutions.
All transfer credits must be approved in writing by the Director of Undergraduate Studies or the undergraduate adviser.
- Students wishing to count transfer credits toward the major or concentration should send the undergraduate adviser their transfer credit report, the syllabi of the courses they want to count toward departmental requirements, and a statement of how they want to apply the transfer credits to the requirements.
Independent Study Policy
- Independent Study (POLS UN3901 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH I in the fall or POLS UN3902 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH II in the spring) taken in fulfillment of course requirements for the major/concentration must be taken for at least 3 points of credit.
Major in Political Science
American Politics
POLS UN3208 STATE POLITICS. 3.00 points.
This course is intended to provide students with a detailed understanding of politics in the American states. The topics covered are divided into four broad sections. The first explores the role of the states in Americas federal system of government. Attention is given to the basic features of intergovernmental relations and the historical evolution of American federalism. The second part of the course focuses on state-level political institutions. The organization and processes associated with the legislative, executive, and judicial branches are discussed in depth. The third section examines state elections, political parties, and interest groups. Finally, the course concludes by looking closely at various policy areas. Budgeting, welfare, education, and morality policy are among those considered
POLS UN3210 Judicial Politics. 3 points.
Law and courts as political institutions. Considers the role of the judiciary within the American system of government, power relations within the judicial hierarchy, politics of decision making on the Supreme Court, the politics of Supreme Court nominations, the role of interest groups and public opinion in shaping judicial doctrine, the social impact and legitimacy of courts, and the political history of the legal system.
POLS UN3225 AMERICAN CONSTITUTIONAL HISTOR. 4.00 points.
This Course is intended to look at key developments of American History through the prism of Supreme Court decisions and their aftermath. In essence, this Course will address three questions: 1. How did the Supreme Court reflect, and affect, historic patterns of U.S. development, and how did it impact the legal and economic framework of the United States? 2. How did the Supreme Court respond to, or worsen, crises in U.S. history? 3. How did the perception of individual and collective rights and liberties, and of the function and role of Governments -- both Federal and State -- evolve over time?
Spring 2023: POLS UN3225
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3225 | 001/12701 | T Th 1:10pm - 2:25pm 401 Chandler |
Robert Tortoriello | 4.00 | 14/20 |
POLS UN3245 RACIAL AND ETHNIC POLITICS. 3.00 points.
This course examines the role of race in American politics and the political behavior of racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. Topics will include, but are not limited to, minority political participation, segregation, gentrification, group identity, implicit bias, political representation, media effects, and the role of race in political campaigns
Spring 2023: POLS UN3245
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3245 | 001/12705 | T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm 413 Kent Hall |
Yamil Velez | 3.00 | 55/70 |
POLS UN3260 LATINO POLITICAL EXPERIENCE. 3.00 points.
This course focuses on the political incorporation of Latinos into the American polity. Among the topics to be discussed are patterns of historical exclusion, the impact of the Voting Rights Act, organizational and electoral behavior, and the effects of immigration on the Latino national political agenda
Spring 2023: POLS UN3260
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3260 | 001/12709 | M W 6:10pm - 7:25pm 401 Chandler |
Carlos Vargas-Ramos | 3.00 | 29/30 |
POLS UN3285 FREEDOM OF SPEECH & PRESS. 3.00 points.
Examines the constitutional right of freedom of speech and press in the United States. Examines, in depth, various areas of law, including extremist or seditious speech, obscenity, libel, fighting words, the public forum doctrine, and public access to the mass media. Follows the law school course model, with readings focused on actual judicial decisions
POLS UN3290 VOTING AND AMERICAN POLITICS. 3.00 points.
Elections and public opinion; history of U.S. electoral politics; the problem of voter participation; partisanship and voting; accounting for voting decisions; explaining and forecasting election outcomes; elections and divided government; money and elections; electoral politics and representative democracy.
Fall 2023: POLS UN3290
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3290 | 001/13490 | T Th 10:10am - 11:25am Room TBA |
Robert Erikson | 3.00 | 114/120 |
American Politics Seminars
POLS UN3921 AMERICAN POLITICS SEMINAR. 4.00 points.
Priority given to senior majors, followed by junior majors, then all other students.
Prerequisites: the instructor's permission. Pre-registration is not permitted.
Prerequisites: the instructors permission. Pre-registration is not permitted. Seminar in American Politics Seminar. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list. For list of topics and descriptions see: https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-seminars
Spring 2023: POLS UN3921
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3921 | 001/12753 | Th 4:10pm - 6:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Michael Ting | 4.00 | 14/20 |
POLS 3921 | 002/12754 | M 10:10am - 12:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Robert Erikson | 4.00 | 16/20 |
POLS 3921 | 003/12755 | M 12:10pm - 2:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Judith Russell | 4.00 | 21/22 |
POLS 3921 | 004/12756 | M 10:10am - 12:00pm 302 Fayerweather |
Lincoln Mitchell | 4.00 | 18/20 |
POLS 3921 | 005/12757 | W 6:10pm - 8:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Gerrard Bushell | 4.00 | 12/20 |
POLS 3921 | 006/12760 | Th 4:10pm - 6:00pm 317 Hamilton Hall |
Robert Amdur | 4.00 | 22/21 |
POLS 3921 | 008/15083 | F 12:10pm - 2:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Greg Bovitz | 4.00 | 5/20 |
Fall 2023: POLS UN3921
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
POLS 3921 | 001/13491 | T 12:10pm - 2:00pm Room TBA |
Fredrick Harris | 4.00 | 0/20 |
POLS 3921 | 002/13492 | T 10:10am - 12:00pm Room TBA |
Shigeo Hirano | 4.00 | 0/20 |
POLS 3921 | 003/13493 | Th 2:10pm - 4:00pm Room TBA |
Jeffrey Lax | 4.00 | 18/20 |
POLS 3921 | 004/13494 | W 4:10pm - 6:00pm Room TBA |
Michael Ting | 4.00 | 0/20 |
POLS 3921 | 005/13495 | T 4:10pm - 6:00pm Room TBA |
Robert Amdur | 4.00 | 0/20 |
POLS 3921 | 006/13505 | Th 10:10am - 12:00pm Room TBA |
Greg Bovitz | 4.00 | 3/20 |
POLS 3921 | 007/13506 | M 12:10pm - 2:00pm Room TBA |
Judith Russell | 4.00 | 0/20 |
POLS 3921 | 008/13507 | W 6:10pm - 8:00pm Room TBA |
Carlos Vargas-Ramos | 4.00 | 0/20 |
Comparative Politics
POLS UN1501 INTRO TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS. 4.00 points.
This course provides a broad overview of the comparative politics subfield by focusing on important substantive questions about the world today. The course is organized around four questions. First, why can only some people depend upon the state to enforce order? Second, how can we account for the differences between autocracies and democracies? Third, what different institutional forms does democratic government take? Finally, are some institutions more likely than others to produce desirable social outcomes such as accountability, redistribution, and political stability?
Spring 2023: POLS UN1501
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 1501 | 001/00298 | M W 10:10am - 11:25am 405 Milbank Hall |
Eduardo Moncada | 4.00 | 95/90 |
Fall 2023: POLS UN1501
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
POLS 1501 | 001/13497 | T Th 8:40am - 9:55am Room TBA |
Benjamin McClelland | 4.00 | 150/150 |
POLS UN3534 AUTOCRACY AND DEMOCRACY. 3.00 points.
With longstanding democracies in Europe and the US faltering, autocratic regimes in Russia and China consolidating, and hybrid regimes that mix elements of democracy and autocracy on the rise, scholars, policymakers, and citizens are re-evaluating the causes and consequences of different forms of government. This course is designed to give students the tools to understand these trends in global politics. Among other topics, we will explore: How do democracies and autocracies differ in theory and in practice? Why are some countries autocratic? Why are some democratic? What are the roots of democratic erosion? How does economic inequality influence a country’s form of government? Is the current period of institutional foment different past periods of global instability? This course will help students keep up with rapidly unfolding events, but is designed primarily to help them develop tools for interpreting and understanding the current condition of democracy and autocracy in the world
POLS UN3528 NEW/OLD FORMS OF POL PROTEST. 3.00 points.
This course will introduce the students to the important topic of political protest. Each week we will address different aspects of the phenomenon: from the determinant to the actors and strategies of protest. We will discuss how the forms of protest have changed and the current role of the internet in general and social media in particular. Finally, we will discuss the role of the state and state repression, in particular censorship in the dynamics of protest. Since this is a comparative politics course, we will cover a range of different countries, including the United States, as well as both democratic and authoritarian regimes
Spring 2023: POLS UN3528
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3528 | 001/12710 | T Th 10:10am - 11:25am 303 Hamilton Hall |
Chiara Superti | 3.00 | 40/42 |
POLS GU4423 POLITICAL ECONOMY ANALYSIS OF ELITES & INSTITUTIONS. 4.00 points.
This course examines political institutions and elite behavior from a political economy perspective. This course has three core goals. First, the substantive goal is to familiarize students with foundational theoretical arguments and frontier empirical evidence pertaining to central questions in political economy relating to political elite and institutions. Second, the methodological goal is to empower students to implement research designs that can effectively address the substantive questions driving their research. Third, the professionalization goal is to expose students to the academic processes of writing reviews, replicating and extending others’ studies, presenting research projects, and writing original research designs or academic papers
Spring 2023: POLS GU4423
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4423 | 001/12785 | T Th 10:10am - 11:25am 603 Hamilton Hall |
John Marshall | 4.00 | 12/20 |
POLS GU4453 POLITICS IN RUSSIA. 3.00 points.
This course begins by studying the late Soviet era—the 1970s through the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991--in order to understand what kind of political system and political culture Russia inherited. We spend some time analyzing why and how the Soviet Union—a superpower for 75 years—disintegrated suddenly and for the most part, peacefully. Then, the bulk of the course focuses on state-building in the Russian Federation. Russia’s effort to construct new political institutions, a functioning economy, and a healthy society represents one of the greatest political dramas of our time. Beginning with Yeltsin’s presidency in 1991 and continuing through the current eras of Putin, Medvedev, and Putin again, we consider phenomena such as economic reform, nationalism, separatism, federalism, war, legal reform, civil society, and democratization. The third part of the course addresses Russia’s foreign relations. Like its predecessor states, the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, Russia is concerned with what kind of state it is (or should be) and where it stands in the international order. We will study how Russian elites make sense of Russia’s identity, as well as Russia’s policies toward the US, Europe, its “near abroad,” the Middle East, and China
POLS GU4471 CHINESE POLITICS. 3.00 points.
This course offers a historical and thematic survey of Chinese politics and of salient issues in China’s public policy and governance. The first half of the course reviews the patterns and dynamics of political development in China, focusing mainly on the last two hundred years, during which the country has been on a rugged yet fascinating path toward modernity. We will examine major political events including the collapse of the Imperial China, the rise of the Communist Party, the Cultural Revolution, and the post-Mao shift toward reform and opening. The second half of the course will look various special topics, including the structure of the party and the state, the relationship between state and society, the modes of economic development, and the governance of the media and the Internet. Throughout the course, special attention will be paid to how China’s domestic political and economic processes intersected with major world events and transnational forces, such as imperialism, world wars, and economic globalization
Spring 2023: POLS GU4471
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4471 | 001/12791 | T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm 633 Seeley W. Mudd Building |
Junyan Jiang | 3.00 | 60/68 |
POLS GU4472 JAPANESE POLITICS. 4.00 points.
POLS GU4496 CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN POLITICS. 3.00 points.
This course aims to teach students what, if any, answers social scientists have to the questions that concern anyone with an interest in African politics: 1) Why have democratic governments flourished in some countries and not others? 2) What institutions may enable Africans to hold their leaders accountable? 3) How do people participate in politics? 4) In what ways do aspiring African political leaders build public support? 5) To what extent does persistent poverty on the continent have political causes? and 6) Why is violence used to resolve some political disputes and not others?
Fall 2023: POLS GU4496
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4496 | 001/13718 | M W 2:40pm - 3:55pm Room TBA |
Kimuli Kasara | 3.00 | 25/25 |
Comparative Politics Seminars
POLS UN3951 COMPARATIVE POLITICS SEMINAR. 4.00 points.
Priority given to senior majors, followed by junior majors, then all other students.
Prerequisites: POLS V1501 or the equivalent, and the instructor's permission. Pre-registration is not permitted. Please see here for detailed seminar registration guidelines: http://polisci.columbia.edu/undergraduate-programs/seminar-registration-guidelines.
Prerequisites: POLS V1501 or the equivalent, and the instructors permission. Pre-registration is not permitted. Please see here for detailed seminar registration guidelines: http://polisci.columbia.edu/undergraduate-programs/seminar-registration-guidelines. Seminar in Comparative Politics. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list. For list of topics and descriptions see: https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-seminars
Spring 2023: POLS UN3951
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3951 | 001/12762 | T 10:10am - 12:00pm 509 Hamilton Hall |
Junyan Jiang | 4.00 | 14/20 |
POLS 3951 | 002/12763 | T 2:10pm - 4:00pm 522c Kent Hall |
Chiara Superti | 4.00 | 16/20 |
POLS 3951 | 003/12764 | T 8:10am - 10:00am 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Daniel Smith | 4.00 | 11/20 |
POLS 3951 | 004/12766 | Th 12:10pm - 2:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Simone Paci | 4.00 | 21/20 |
Fall 2023: POLS UN3951
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
POLS 3951 | 001/13504 | W 10:10am - 12:00pm Room TBA |
Timothy Frye | 4.00 | 0/20 |
POLS 3951 | 002/13508 | T 2:10pm - 4:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Kimuli Kasara | 4.00 | 0/20 |
POLS 3951 | 003/13713 | W 4:10pm - 6:00pm Room TBA |
John Marshall | 4.00 | 12/20 |
International Relations
POLS UN1601 INTERNATIONAL POLITICS. 4.00 points.
This introductory course surveys key topics in the study of international politics, including the causes of war and peace; the efficacy of international law and human rights; the origins of international development and underdevelopment; the politics of global environmental protection; and the future of US-China relations. Throughout the course, we will focus on the interests of the many actors of world politics, including states, politicians, firms, bureaucracies, international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations; the interactions between them; and the institutions in which they operate. By the end of the semester, students will be better equipped to systematically study international relations and make informed contributions to critical policy debates
Spring 2023: POLS UN1601
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 1601 | 001/12683 | T Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm 417 International Affairs Bldg |
Jayme Schlesinger | 4.00 | 172/195 |
Fall 2023: POLS UN1601
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
POLS 1601 | 001/13509 | M W 6:10pm - 7:25pm Room TBA |
Jayme Schlesinger | 4.00 | 150/150 |
POLS UN3648 GOVERNING THE GLOBAL ECONOMY. 4.00 points.
Who governs the world economy? Why do countries succeed or fail to cooperate in setting their economic policies? When and how do international institutions help countries cooperate? When and why do countries adopt good and bad economic policies? This course examines how domestic and international politics determine how the global economy is governed. We will study the politics of trade, international investment, monetary, immigration, and environmental policies to answer these questions. The course will approach each topic by examining alternative theoretical approaches and evaluate these theories using historical and contemporary evidence. There will be an emphasis on applying concepts through the analysis of policy-relevant case studies designed specifically for this course
Spring 2023: POLS UN3648
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3648 | 001/12719 | M W 4:10pm - 5:25pm 503 Hamilton Hall |
Nikhar Gaikwad | 4.00 | 54/54 |
POLS GU4801 GRAND STRATEGY:THEORY, HISTORY & DEBATES. 4.00 points.
Grand strategy is not just a buzzword that commentators and politicians toss around in the news; it is the subject of serious scholarly debate, the focus of intense military planning and diplomatic efforts, and a source of both conflict and stability in the realm of international politics. As such, it is imperative for those interested in international relations and today’s geopolitical environment to understand what grand strategy means, how it has been seen in the past, and the forms it might take in the future. This course aims to introduce students to the concept of grand strategy through a review of both academic and policy-oriented readings. We begin with an overview of the topic of grand strategy and the ways in which it has been defined throughout history. We then examine examples of grand strategy across space and time, from the ancient world, to the European states during the Napoleonic Era, to the strategies of the great powers during the world wars and beyond. We will follow this historical overview with a discussion of contemporary debates in American grand strategy, as well as an examination of the grand strategies of America’s competitors. Following this, we discuss the “building blocks” of grand strategy—economic power, military might, and political, societal, and diplomatic efforts—and then conclude with a discussion of the future of grand strategy in a world of renewed great power competition
POLS GU4814 GLOBAL ENERGY: SECURITY/GEOPOL. 3.00 points.
The course focuses on the nexus between energy and security as it reveals in the policies and interaction of leading energy producers and consumers. Topics include: Hydrocarbons and search for stability and security in the Persian Gulf, Caspian basin, Eurasia, Africa and Latin America; Russia as a global energy player; Analysis of the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on energy markets, global security, and the future of the energy transition; Role of natural gas in the world energy balance and European energy security; Transformation of the global energy governance structure; Role and evolution of the OPEC; Introduction into energy economics; Dynamics and fundamentals of the global energy markets; IOCs vs NOCs; Resource nationalism, cartels, sanctions and embargoes; Asia's growing energy needs and its geo-economic and strategic implications; Nuclear energy and challenges to non-proliferation regime; Alternative and renewable sources of energy; Climate change as one of the central challenges of the 21st century; Analysis of the policies, technologies, financial systems and markets needed to achieve climate goals. Climate change and attempts of environmental regulation; Decarbonization trends, international carbon regimes and search for optimal models of sustainable development. Special focus on implications of the shale revolution and technological innovations on U.S. energy security
Fall 2023: POLS GU4814
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4814 | 001/13539 | M W 10:10am - 12:00pm Room TBA |
Albert Bininachvili | 3.00 | 25/25 |
POLS GU4845 NAT SECURITY STRAT OF MID EAST. 4.00 points.
At the crossroads of three continents, the Middle East is home to many diverse peoples, with ancient and proud cultures, in varying stages of political and socio-economic development, often in conflict. Following the Arab Spring and subsequent upheaval in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya and more, the region is in a state of historic flux. The Sunni-Shia rivalry, especially between Saudi Arabia and Iran, growing Iranian-Israeli conflict, population explosion, poverty and authoritarian control, Russian ascendance and US retrenchment, are the primary regional drivers today. Together, these factors have transformed the Middle Eastern landscape, with great consequence for the national security of the countries of the region and their foreign relations. The primary source of the worlds energy resources, the Middle East remains the locus of the terror-WMD-fundamentalist nexus, which continues to pose a significant threat to both regional and international security. The course surveys the national security challenges facing the regions primary players (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinians and Turkey,) and how the convolutions of recent years have affected them. Unlike many Middle East courses, which focus on US policy in the region, the course concentrates on the regional players perceptions of the threats and opportunities they face and the strategies they have adopted to deal with them. It thus provides an essential vantage point for those interested in gaining a deeper understanding of a region, which stands at the center of many of the foreign policy issues of our era. The course is designed for those with a general interest in the Middle East, especially those interested in national security issues, students of comparative politics and future practitioners, with an interest in real world international relations and national security
Fall 2023: POLS GU4845
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4845 | 001/13540 | T 10:10am - 12:00pm Room TBA |
Charles Freilich | 4.00 | 20/20 |
POLS GU4863 INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. 4.00 points.
This course examines how domestic and international politics influence the economic policies of developing countries. We will critically evaluate different theoretical debates related to foreign economic policymaking in emerging markets, and introduce chief methodological approaches used in contemporary analyses. We will focus attention on different types of cross-border flows: the flow of goods (trade policy), the flow of people (immigration policy), the flow and location of production (foreign investment policy), the flow of capital (financial and monetary policy), and the flow of pollution (environment policy). In the process, we will address several themes that are central to understanding the politics of economic policymaking in emerging economies, including, the legacies of colonialism, trade protectionism and liberalization, globalization and the race to the bottom, the relationship between economic policy and culture, and development and redistribution. There will be an emphasis on applying concepts through the analysis of policy-relevant case studies designed for this course
Spring 2023: POLS GU4863
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4863 | 001/12802 | W 10:10am - 12:00pm 1302 International Affairs Bldg |
Nikhar Gaikwad | 4.00 | 20/20 |
POLS GU4865 INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY. 4.00 points.
This course explores key frameworks and issue areas within international political economy. It examines the history and key characteristics of (economic) globalization, the theories of international cooperation, as well as the nature and role of international organizations (such as the World Trade Organization) in fostering trade and international economic cooperation. Furthermore, the course discusses the pros and cons of globalization and its implications on domestic policies of nation-states, with a particular focus on the tensions globalization creates and the lines of cleavages between winners and losers from globalization. Finally, the course reflects on the future of globalization and international trade and the challenges faced by national and supranational policy makers
Fall 2023: POLS GU4865
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4865 | 001/13541 | T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm Room TBA |
Davit Sahakyan | 4.00 | 40/40 |
POLS GU4895 WAR, PEACE & STRATEGY. 4.00 points.
Survey of the causes of war and peace, functions of military strategy, interaction of political ends and military means. Emphasis on 20th-century conflicts; nuclear deterrence; economic, technological, and moral aspects of strategy; crisis management; and institutional norms and mechanisms for promoting stability
International Relations Seminars
POLS UN3961 INTERNATIONAL POLITICS SEMINAR. 4.00 points.
Priority given to senior majors, followed by junior majors, then all other students.
Prerequisites: POLS UN1601 or the equivalent, and the instructor's permission.
Prerequisites: POLS UN1601 or the equivalent, and the instructors permission. Seminar in International Politics. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list. For list of topics and descriptions see: https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-seminars
Spring 2023: POLS UN3961
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3961 | 001/12770 | Th 10:10am - 12:00pm 1302 International Affairs Bldg |
Allison Carnegie | 4.00 | 19/20 |
POLS 3961 | 002/12771 | W 12:10pm - 2:00pm 401 Hamilton Hall |
Jean Krasno | 4.00 | 16/20 |
POLS 3961 | 003/12773 | Th 2:10pm - 4:00pm 401 Hamilton Hall |
Davit Sahakyan | 4.00 | 16/20 |
POLS 3961 | 004/12774 | Th 10:10am - 12:00pm 317 Hamilton Hall |
David Spiro | 4.00 | 17/20 |
POLS 3961 | 005/13483 | M 8:10am - 10:00am 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Jeremiah Pam | 4.00 | 18/20 |
POLS 3961 | 006/13725 | T 4:10pm - 6:00pm 302 Fayerweather |
Gideon Rose | 4.00 | 19/20 |
Fall 2023: POLS UN3961
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
POLS 3961 | 001/13533 | W 4:10pm - 6:00pm Room TBA |
Jack Snyder | 4.00 | 0/20 |
POLS 3961 | 003/13576 | Th 4:10pm - 6:00pm Room TBA |
Linda Kirschke | 4.00 | 14/20 |
POLS 3961 | 004/13534 | T 12:10pm - 2:00pm Room TBA |
Giulio Gallarotti | 4.00 | 20/20 |
POLS 3961 | 005/13628 | Th 10:10am - 12:00pm Room TBA |
David Spiro | 4.00 | 0/20 |
Political Theory
POLS UN1101 POLITICAL THEORY I. 4.00 points.
This course considers key questions at the foundation of political thought. What is justice? How do we justify the coercive power of states? Do we have an obligation to obey the government? Who should make and enforce the law? What basic rights and liberties should governments protect? How should our economic system produce and divide wealth and material resources? What are the claims of excluded or marginalized groups and how can these claims be addressed? We explore these questions through the works of several classical and contemporary political thinkers. A major goal of the course is to practice the skills needed to understand a political thinker’s arguments and to construct one’s own
POLS UN3100 JUSTICE. 3.00 points.
An inquiry into the nature and implications of justice in areas ranging from criminal justice to social justice to the circumstances of war and peace, considering issues such as abortion, the criminalization of behavior, the death penalty, climate change, global poverty, civil disobedience, and international conflict
Spring 2023: POLS UN3100
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3100 | 001/12697 | M W 2:40pm - 3:55pm 312 Mathematics Building |
David Johnston | 3.00 | 122/116 |
POLS UN3112 GANDHI, KING & POLS OF NONVIOLENCE. 4.00 points.
Since Gandhi’s experiments in mass satyagraha over a century ago, nonviolence has become a staple of protest politics across the globe. From the Occupy movements to the Arab Spring to Movement for Black Lives, it might even be entering a new phase of revitalization. At the same time, what exactly nonviolence is and what it can accomplish in politics is very much under debate. This course aims to understand the politics of nonviolence by examining the political ideas and political careers of its most well-known twentieth-century advocates, M.K. Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Though still venerated as founding figures of nonviolent protest, Gandhi and King have come to be remembered in ways that can misconstrue how they understood and practiced nonviolent politics. To many, Gandhi is a saintly idealist, who wanted to imbue politics with the spirit of ahimsa, truth, and conscience. Likewise, King is taken to be a spokesman for interracial brotherhood and Christian love. While partly true, these images also downplay the political side of their nonviolence – the techniques of organizing and strategies of protest that made their movements successful. We will examine the evolution of Gandhi’s and King’s political thinking in relation to the movements they led – the Indian independence movement and the civil rights movement in the US. We will consider how the theory and practice of nonviolence evolved and changed as it moved from one context to another. We will be especially focused on understanding the dynamics of nonviolent protest
POLS GU4110 RECENT CONTINENTAL POL THOUGHT. 4.00 points.
This course will compare and contrast the theories of the political, the state,freedom, democracy, sovereignty and law, in the works of the following key 20th and 21st century continental theorists: Arendt, Castoriadis, Foucault, Habermas, Kelsen, Lefort, Schmitt, and Weber. It will be taught in seminar format
POLS GU4132 POLIT THOUGHT-CLASSICL AND MEDIEVAL. 3.00 points.
Prerequisites: Contemporary Civilization or a comparable introduction to political theory course.
Prerequisites: Contemporary Civilization or a comparable introduction to political theory course. The course examines the historical and theoretical foundations of democracy. The underlying assumption is that political arrangements and institutions are the embodiment of political ideas and theories. The course will investigate the historical emergence of democracy as a form of government based on equality before the law and equal access to all citizens to the deliberative, decisional and control processes. The historical starting point is identified in Solon’s reforms in Athens which dramatically broke the hegemony of ancient nobility; we will then study Cleisthenes’ reforms and their redefinition of citizenry; in the context of the new political ideal of isonomia. We will proceed to examine the theoretical debate of the fifth century BCE, which includes Herodotus (III, 80-82), Thucydides and Protagoras. We will then examine the criticism levelled at democracy by Socrates, Plato and Aristotle: their thought enables us to compare the ancient idea of democracy to our own. Finally, we will study the Roman contribution to the theory of democracy, namely Cicero’s ideal of ‘republic’ and the role that ius, codified law, played in it
POLS GU4134 MODERN POLITICAL THOUGHT. 4.00 points.
Interpretations of civil society and the foundations of political order according to the two main traditions of political thought--contraction and Aristotelian. Readings include works by Hobbes, Spinoza, Locke, Montesquieu, Hume, Rousseau, Kant, Hegel, Saint-Simon, Tocqueville, Marx, and Mill
Spring 2023: POLS GU4134
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4134 | 001/12778 | M W 10:10am - 11:25am 307 Uris Hall |
Nadia Urbinati | 4.00 | 27/40 |
Political Theory Seminars
Research Methods
POLS UN3704 RESEARCH DESIGN: DATA ANALYSIS. 3.00 points.
This course examines the basic methods data analysis and statistics that political scientists use in quantitative research that attempts to make causal inferences about how the political world works. The same methods apply to other kinds of problems about cause and effect relationships more generally. The course will provide students with extensive experience in analyzing data and in writing (and thus reading) research papers about testable theories and hypotheses. It will cover basic data analysis and statistical methods, from univariate and bivariate descriptive and inferential statistics through multivariate regression analysis. Computer applications will be emphasized. The course will focus largely on observational data used in cross-sectional statistical analysis, but it will consider issues of research design more broadly as well. It will assume that students have no mathematical background beyond high school algebra and no experience using computers for data analysis
Fall 2023: POLS UN3704
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3704 | 001/13547 | M W 8:40am - 9:55am Room TBA |
Shigeo Hirano | 3.00 | 35/35 |
POLS UN3720 RESEARCH DESIGN: SCOPE AND METHODS. 4.00 points.
This class aims to introduce students to the logic of social scientific inquiry and research design. Although it is a course in political science, our emphasis will be on the science part rather than the political part — we’ll be reading about interesting substantive topics, but only insofar as they can teach us something about ways we can do systematic research. This class will introduce students to a medley of different methods to conduct social scientific research
Spring 2023: POLS UN3720
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3720 | 001/12722 | T Th 10:10am - 11:25am 413 Kent Hall |
Daniel Corstange | 4.00 | 70/70 |
Fall 2023: POLS UN3720
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
POLS 3720 | 001/13548 | M W 10:10am - 11:25am Room TBA |
Daniel Corstange | 4.00 | 70/70 |
POLS UN3768 Experimental Research. 4.00 points.
Randomized experimentation is an important methodology in political science. In this course, we will discuss the logic of experimentation, its strengths and weaknesses compared to other methodologies, and the ways in which experimentation has been -- and could be -- used to investigate political phenomena. Students will learn how to interpret, design, and execute experiments
Spring 2023: POLS UN3768
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3768 | 001/12731 | T Th 1:10pm - 2:25pm 331 Uris Hall |
Donald Green | 4.00 | 41/50 |
Fall 2023: POLS UN3768
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
POLS 3768 | 001/14148 | T Th 8:40am - 9:55am Room TBA |
Yamil Velez | 4.00 | 0/40 |
POLS GU4700 MATH & STATS FOR POLI SCI. 4.00 points.
This course presents basic mathematical and statistical concepts that are essential for formal and quantitative analysis in political science research. It prepares students for the graduate-level sequence on formal models and quantitative political methodology offered in the department. The first half of the course will cover basic mathematics, such as calculus and linear algebra. The second half of the course will focus on probability theory and statistics. We will rigorously cover the topics that are directly relevant to formal and quantitative analysis in political science such that students can build both intuitions and technical skills. There is no prerequisite. The course is aimed for both students with little exposure to mathematics and those who have taken some courses but wish to gain a more solid foundation. NOTE: This course does not satisfy the Political Science Major/Concentration research methods requirement
POLS GU4702 METHODS OF INQUIRY & RES DESIGN. 4.00 points.
This course will cover research methods and research design in political science. We will focus on concrete and practical issues of conducting research: picking a topic, generating hypotheses, case selection, measurement issues, designing and conducting experiments, interviews, field work, archival research, coding data and working with data sets, combining quantitative and qualitative methods, etc. The course is designed for several audiences, including: (1) PhD students in Political Science, (2) MAO students undertaking a major research project, and (3) advanced undergrads contemplating an honors thesis, or another major research project
POLS GU4710 PRINC OF QUANT POL RESEARCH 1. 4.00 points.
This course examines the basic methods of data analysis and statistics, through multivariate regression analysis, that political scientists use in quantitative research that attempts to make causal inferences about how the political world works. The same methods apply to other kinds of problems about cause and effect relationships more generally. The course will provide students with extensive experience in analyzing data and in writing (and thus reading) research papers about testable theories and hypotheses
Fall 2023: POLS GU4710
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4710 | 001/13552 | T Th 8:40am - 9:55am Room TBA |
Robert Shapiro | 4.00 | 18/40 |
POLS GU4712 PRINC OF QUANT POL RESEARCH 2. 4.00 points.
Prerequisites: POLS W4710 or the equivalent.
Prerequisites: POLS W4710 or the equivalent. This course will intensively examine some of the data analysis methods which deal with problems occurring in the use of multiple regression analysis. It will stress computer applications and cover, as needed, data coding and data processing. Emphasis will also be placed on research design and writing research reports. The course assumes that students are familiar with basic statistics, inference, and multiple regression analysis and have analyzed data using computer software (e.g., any standard statistical programs on micro-computers or larger machines -- Stata, “R”, SPSS, SAS, etc.). Students will be instructed on the use of the microcomputers and the R and Stata statistical software program(s) available as freeware (R) or in the CUIT computer labs (Stata; several campus locations) or through SIPA. The lectures and required discussion section will emphasize the use of “R.” Students may use whatever computer programs they prefer for all data analysis for the course. There may be an additional fee for classroom instructional materials
Spring 2023: POLS GU4712
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4712 | 001/13071 | T Th 8:40am - 9:55am 825 Seeley W. Mudd Building |
Robert Shapiro | 4.00 | 20/40 |
POLS GU4720 QUANT METH 1 APPL REG CAUS INF. 4.00 points.
Fitting and understanding linear regression and generalized linear models, simulation, causal inference, and the basics of design of quantitative studies. Computation in R. Textbook: Regression and Other Stories by Gelman, Hill, and Vehtari
Fall 2023: POLS GU4720
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4720 | 001/13554 | T Th 8:40am - 9:55am Room TBA |
Andrew Gelman | 4.00 | 2/50 |
POLS GU4722 QUANT METH 2 STAT THEO&CAUS INF. 4.00 points.
This course is the second course in the graduate-level sequence on quantitative political methodology offered in the Department of Political Science. Students will learn (1) a framework and methodologies for making causal inferences from experimental and observational data, and (2) statistical theories essential for causal inference. Topics include randomized experiments, estimation under ignorability, instrumental variables, regression discontinuity, difference-indifferences, and causal inference with panel data. We also cover statistical theories, such as theories of ordinary least squares and maximum likelihood estimation, by connecting them to causal inference methods. This course builds on the materials covered in POLS 4700 and 4720 or theirequivalent (i.e., probability, statistics, linear regression, and logistic regression)
Spring 2023: POLS GU4722
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4722 | 001/12795 | M W 4:10pm - 5:25pm 401 Chandler |
Naoki Egami | 4.00 | 26/30 |
POLS GU4730 GAME THEORY & POLIT THEORY. 4.00 points.
Prerequisites: POLS GU4700 or equivalent level of calculus.
Prerequisites: POLS GU4700 or equivalent level of calculus. Introduction to noncooperative game theory and its application to strategic situations in politics. Topics include solution concepts, asymmetric information, and incomplete information. Students should have taken POLS GU4700 or have equivalent background in calculus. Permission of instructor required
Spring 2023: POLS GU4730
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4730 | 001/12797 | T Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm 602 Northwest Corner |
John Huber | 4.00 | 24/30 |
Senior Honors Seminar
POLS UN3998 HONORS SEMINAR. 4.00 points.
Prerequisites: admission to the departmental honors program.
Prerequisites: admission to the departmental honors program. A two-term seminar for students writing the senior honors thesis
Fall 2023: POLS UN3998
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3998 | 001/13578 | W 2:10pm - 4:00pm Room TBA |
John Huber | 4.00 | 15/18 |
POLS UN3999 HONORS SEMINAR. 4.00 points.
Prerequisites: admission to the departmental honors program.
A two-term seminar for students writing the senior honors thesis.
Spring 2023: POLS UN3999
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3999 | 001/12777 | W 2:10pm - 4:00pm 829 Seeley W. Mudd Building |
John Huber | 4.00 | 16/18 |
Independent Reading and Research
POLS UN3901 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH I. 1.00-6.00 points.
POLS UN3902 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH II. 1.00-6.00 points.
Spring 2023: POLS UN3902
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3902 | 001/18217 | |
Jeffrey Lax | 1.00-6.00 | 1/1 |
POLS 3902 | 002/18280 | |
Andrew Nathan | 1.00-6.00 | 1/1 |
POLS 3902 | 003/18547 | |
Andrew Gelman | 1.00-6.00 | 1/1 |
POLS 3902 | 004/19583 | |
Thomas Christensen | 1.00-6.00 | 1/1 |
POLS 3902 | 005/20164 | |
Nadia Urbinati | 1.00-6.00 | 1/1 |
Of Related Interest
Code | Title | Points |
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Economics | ||
ECPS GU4921 | SEMINAR IN POLITICAL ECONOMICS | |
Human Rights | ||
HRTS UN3001 | INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN RIGHTS | |
HRTS W3930 | International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights |