Take me to the Spring Time Schedule
Primarily for First and Second Year Students
101. Introduction to Political Theory. (4). (SS).
An overview of some classic texts of political thought, including
Homer, Plato, Machiavelli, Locke, Rousseau, Burke, Mill, Marx, and Rawls. We will explore and evaluate these theorists' answers
to questions such as: What's the point of politics? What makes
state power legitimate? What is the proper relation between the
individual and the state? What's Appealing and what's lamentable
about democracy? The course will include both lectures and discussions
each week. Cost:2
WL:1 (Mazie)
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Times, Location, and Availability
160. Introduction to World Politics. (4). (SS).
This course will introduce students to the fundamental issues
of international relations. It will familiarize the students with the main theories that help us to understand the behavior of states
in the international arena. We will discuss and criticize the
major theories, or explanations, of conflict and cooperation and will simultaneously apply these theories in a critical and logical
manner to the major topics of international politics. Some of the more specific topics that we will be analyzing are the end
of the Cold War and the new international environment, nuclear
deterrence, and the role of the United Nations in the international
system. Cost:2
WL:1 (Lopez)
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Times, Location, and Availability
Primarily for Juniors and Seniors
412. The Legal Process. Two courses in political science. (3). (Excl).
Legal Process will examine a host of different issues pertaining
to legal theory and legal organizations. Among them, we'll ask:
(1) What is the difference between law and politics and why is that distinction worth investigating? Is politics simply an arena
where the most powerful person wins whereas law exists to uncover
truth? (2) How can one justify the law, in all its myriad manifestations, as autonomous and "logical"? What are the implicit assumptions
in these theories that allow them to justify the authority and autonomy of law? By exposing these latent assumptions, can we
still view law, in principle, as impartial and infallible? (3)
Is law really neutral with regard to the identities of members
in society, or does it reflect the individual interests of certain
groups? Do the theoretical underpinnings of law affect the marginal
members of society the same way as the powerful? (4) Does law
differ from morality? If so, what's at stake in such a distinction?
That is, what do we gain and lose as a matter of theory by thinking
of the two as different? Can judges ever refrain from introducing their own personal morality into their decision-making process?
We'll read court cases, articles, and a few books as we embark
on our journey to answer these questions. (Kang)
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Times, Location, and Availability
423. Politics of the Metropolis. Two courses in political science. (3). (Excl).
This course will examine the development and current state
of local politics in the United States. The course will focus
upon the distribution of power and influence in urban America.
Throughout the course we will discuss the historical developments
and other realities that shape politics in American cities, including
suburbanization, the global economy, intergovernmental relations, and issues of race and class. We will also consider recent attempts
to increase citizen participation in local government. Cost:2
WL:1 (Schuckman)
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Times, Location, and Availability
440. Comparative Politics.
Any 100-level course in political science or upperclass
standing. (3). (Excl).
Section 101 – The Other Europe: Russia, Eastern Europe, and Turkey
in the Twentieth Century. Prerequisites: Political Science 101, 140, or 160 desirable, but not necessary. There are many
good reasons to study Russia, Eastern Europe, and Turkey. For
one, the study of comparative government has largely ignored these
regions in favor of the advanced industrial democracies of Western
Europe. Yet the less wealthy and democratic countries of eastern
Europe and the Mediterranean arguably have more to teach us that
is relevant to the rest of the developing world. Second, over the last decade these countries have been democratizing their
authoritarian governments and radically liberalizing their economies.
Because these reforms have succeeded in some of these countries
but not in others, we can learn what conditions are conducive
to democracy and free markets. Third, Turkey is a U.S. ally, a
member of the NATO, and a country with a predominantly Muslim
population. In coming decades Islam is projected to surpass Christianity
as the world's most practiced religion. In addition, these countries
are also central to contemporary International politics. Russia
possesses the world's second largest nuclear arsenal and occupies the center of the "Eurasian heartland," bordering many
countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Its location makes
it extremely important diplomatically and militarily. Second, the region contains several ethnic conflicts, most notably in
Yugoslavia where the U.S. has peace-keeping troops deployed. This
course will examine the Yugoslav and Bosnian civil wars in some
detail. Finally, the Russian Revolution of 1917 was far and away the most important event of the twentieth century. The communist
form of government which it created spread to much of the world
and still exists today in Vietnam, North Korea, Cuba, and the
world's next superpower, China. Hence, understanding twentieth-century
history requires knowledge of what the Russian Revolution created.
Cost:2 WL:1
(Rivera)
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Times, Location, and Availability
460. Problems in World
Politics. Any 100-level course in political science.
(3). (Excl). May be elected for credit twice with permission of the instructor.
Section 101. Students study both theories of World Politics
and how to theorize in general. While we study familiar theories, such as Realism, Marxism, or rational choice, the course emphasizes
both the philosophy of science behind theories and hands-on experience
working with them. Students write several problems sets and complete
in-class worksheets that provide practice in both inductive and deductive reasoning as well as hypothesis testing in several settings.
Both what we know and how we got to know it are central to the
course. Cost:2
WL:1 (Pahre)
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Times, Location, and Availability
472. International Security Affairs. Two courses in political science. (3). (Excl). Laboratory fee ($30) required.
The course focuses on the process by which officials make national
security decisions, and it introduces complementary explanations
of national security affairs, including rational choice, bounded
rationality, and prospect theory. In the forest of East-West politics, the West slew a dying Soviet bear. Thereafter, the United States
perceives itself in a jungle teeming with additional beasts -
fresh threats to the Washington-dominated post-Cold War world.
Viewed through an American prism, they are the rogue elephants
of the international system. Students should have taken an introductory
course in international politics, such as PS 160. There are a
midterm and final paper. Students will be evaluated regarding the quality and quantity of their participation in a computer
conference – Conferencing on the Web, (COW). The course meets
at a computer site in order to access the Internet. Cost:3
WL:1 (Tanter)
See: http://www.lib.umich.edu/libhome/Documents.center/frames/ps472fr.html
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Times, Location, and Availability
491. Directed Studies. Two courses in political science and permission of instructor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies. (1-6). (Excl). No more than four credits of directed study credit may be elected as part of a concentration program in Political Science. (INDEPENDENT). Political Science 491 and 492 may be elected for a total of eight credits.
Political Science 491 and 492 may be elected for a total of
eight credits. No more than four credits of directed study credit
may be elected as part of a concentration program in Political
Science. A directed study on any subject agreed upon by a student
and an advising instructor that does not duplicate a regular course
offering. Students wishing to enroll for a directed study course
are urged to work out the details of the course before the start
of the term. Cost:1
WL:1
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Times, Location, and Availability
Take me to the Summer Time Schedule
Primarily for First and Second Year Students
111. Introduction to
American Politics. (4). (SS).
This course examines a wide range of topics related to politics
and government in the United States. We will begin by examining the theoretical framework of American government, with an emphasis
on the U.S. Constitution and the Federalist Papers. From there, we will examine the role individual citizens and government
officials play in the American system, paying close attention
to how various institutions shape political activities and public
policies. While this course will primarily focus on the national
government, recent developments and debates over federalism and the role of state and local governments will also be addressed.
Cost:2 WL:1
(Nemec)
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Times, Location, and Availability
Primarily for Juniors and Seniors
412. The Legal Process.
Two courses in political science. (3). (Excl).
Legal Process combines the study of legal theory with selected
case studies in American and comparative law. The course examines the nature of legal interpretation, the organization of legal
institutions, the role of constitutions in structuring governments
and legal systems, and the relation between law and politics.
Cost:2 WL:1
(Fuentes-Rohwer)
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Times, Location, and Availability
440. Comparative Politics.
Any 100-level course in political science or upperclass
standing. (3). (Excl).
The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with politics
in different types of political systems in key developing countries.
The theme of PS 440 will be a systematic comparison of the political
impact of structural economic reform in key developing areas in
Asia: Taiwan, China, and selected ASEAN countries. No prior knowledge
of China, Taiwan, or Indonesia is required. Cost:2
WL:1 (Landry)
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Times, Location, and Availability
442. Governments and Politics in Western Europe. Any 100-level course
in political science or upperclass standing. (3). (Excl).
This course examines the institutional structures, processes, and actors involved in making public policy in Western European
countries. We will also consider the significant changes that
are brought to European politics by the growth in importance of the European Union. The primary concern will be the effectiveness
of linkages between citizens and government. The method of instruction
is primarily lecture, although considerable class discussion will
also take place. Grades will be based on several short papers/presentations
and an exam. Cost:2
WL:1 (Bennett)
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Times, Location, and Availability
492. Directed Studies.
Two courses in political science and permission of
instructor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies. (1-6). (Excl).
No more than four credits of directed study may be elected as
part of a concentration program in Political Science. (INDEPENDENT).
Political Science 491 and 492 may be elected for a total of eight
credits.
Political Science 491 and 492 may be elected for a total of eight
credits. No more than four credits of directed study credit may
be elected as part of a concentration program in Political Science.
A directed study on any subject agreed upon by a student and an
advising instructor that does not duplicate a regular course offering.
Students wishing to enroll for a directed study course are urged
to work out the details of the course before the start of the
term. Cost:1
WL:1
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Times, Location, and Availability
592. Advanced Internship
in Political Science. Two courses in political science
at the 400 level or above and concentration in political science;
or graduate standing. Permission of supervising instructor and review by the Department's internship advisor. (2-6). (Excl).
No more than four credits of internship may be included as part
of a concentration plan in political science. (EXPERIENTIAL).
All internship courses may be elected for a maximum total of eight
credits.
This class offers students with summer internships in Washington the opportunity to build on their internship experiences to gain
UM course credit. The class will combine students' internship
experiences with reading scholarly research on American government
and politics. Our goals will be to discover how well the political
science literature describes the "real world" of American
government, and to discuss what hands-on experience with the world
of politics can add to this scholarly work. Requirements: Basic
knowledge of American government and permission of the instructor.
The class is limited to 15 students and admission will be on a
first-come/first-served basis. Cost:2
WL:3 (Sherman)
This course can also be elected as an independent study with any
of the department's faculty, and students must contact faculty
members directly and work out course requirements before enrolling.
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Times, Location, and Availability
Take me to the Spring/Summer Time Schedule
Primarily for Juniors and Seniors
491. Directed Studies.
Two courses in political science and permission of
instructor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies. (1-6). (Excl).
No more than four credits of directed study credit may be elected
as part of a concentration program in Political Science. (INDEPENDENT).
Political Science 491 and 492 may be elected for a total of eight
credits.
A directed study on any subject agreed upon by a student and an
advising instructor that does not duplicate a regular course offering.
Students wishing to enroll for a directed study course are urged
to work out the details of the course before the start of the
term.
Check
Times, Location, and Availability
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