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Additional Information
J. Mark Ruhl, Glenn E. and Mary L. Todd Professor of Political Science (On partial leave Spring 2009-Fall 2009)Douglas T. Stuart, Professor of Political Science and International Studies; J. William Stuart and Helen D. Stuart Endowed Chair in International Studies, Business and Management; Adjunct Professor, U.S. Army War College (Director of the K. Robert Nilsson Center for European Studies in Bologna, 2008-10)David Strand, Charles A. Dana Professor of Political Science (On leave Fall 2008)H. L. Pohlman, Executive Director of the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues, Professor of Political Science, A. Lee Fritschler Professor of Public Policy Russell Bova, Professor of Political Science James M. Hoefler, Professor of Political Science Stephanie Greco Larson, Professor of Political Science John S. Ransom, Associate Professor of Political Science Andrew C. Rudalevige, Associate Professor of Political Science; Walter E. Beach Chair in Political Science (Director of the Dickinson Humanities Program in England, 2007-09)Neil J. Diamant, Associate Professor of Asian Law and Society, ChairDouglas E. Edlin, Associate Professor of Political Science (On leave Fall 2008)Kristine Mitchell, Assistant Professor of Political Science and International StudiesEdward W. Webb, Assistant Professor of Political Science and International StudiesVanessa Tyson, Instructor in Political ScienceDaniel Kenney, Visiting Instructor in Political ScienceAndrew T. Wolff, Visiting Instructor in Political Science and International StudiesTen courses, including Political Philosophy (180), American Government (120), International Relations (170), any course in Comparative Politics (150, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 270, and, when appropriate, 275, 276, 190, 290), and a 390 seminar. This seminar is normally to be taken on campus during the junior or senior year. No course may be taken Pass/Fail. Normally five courses must be taken in residence.
Six courses. Course work submitted for the minor must be from at least four of the subfields: political theory, American politics, comparative politics, and international relations. Normally three courses must be taken in residence.
For information, see the Director of Teacher Education, or visit the
Education Department web site.
Many majors take courses in independent study and research, as well as internships. A major will receive political science credit for one internship (if taken for academic credit) if the subject matter is within the field of political science and if the academic advisor is a full-time member of the Political Science department, a faculty member of a Dickinson overseas program, or a faculty member of an off-campus program with which Dickinson College is affiliated. A major may petition the chair to count an additional internship as a political science course. A major will receive political science credit for all courses of independent study (or research) if supervised by full-time members of the Political Science department. A student may petition the chair to count an independent study supervised by any other individual. If students have any questions about receiving political science credit for internships or independent studies, they should consult the department chairperson.
The honors in the major option involves one semester of independent research in the spring of the senior year leading to a defense of a major project before the political science faculty at the end of the spring semester. Candidates interested in pursuing honors in political science must obtain a faculty supervisor during the fall semester and submit an annotated bibliography and a well-developed thesis statement explaining the project's goal by December 1. A grade point average of 3.50 in the major and 3.25 overall are required to undertake an honors project. Students who plan to complete the honors option are strongly encouraged to take POSC 239: Research Methods, in their junior year.
Majors may apply to spend: (1) their junior year in Bologna, Italy, as students at Dickinson's K. Robert Nilsson Center for European Studies specializing in European and International Studies, or (2) in Washington, D.C. in The Washington Center Program specializing in a wide variety of programs, such as American Government, Justice, Foreign Policy, and International Development. Please see the appropriate coordinator for these and many other off-campus study possibilities.
The following courses are grouped according to the four major subfields of political science: political theory, American politics, comparative politics, and international relations. Introductory and intermediate courses are numbered in the 100s; advanced courses are numbered in the 200s. Within the 100 and 200 ranges, numbering sequences reflect subdivisions of the field, not level of difficulty.
Political Theory180 Political Philosophy An introduction to the history of Western thought on the problems of the possibility of knowing political justice and creating a just polity. Major texts from the tradition will be discussed.
202 Recent Political Thought An introduction to the political thought of the 20th century focusing on the works of Weber, Freud, Dewey, Strauss, and others.
Prerequisite: 180 or permission of the instructor.205 American Political Thought An historical exposition of the ideals of American political culture. Concepts that will be addressed include natural law, liberty, constitutionalism, democracy, equality, and privacy.
Prerequisite: 120 or permission of the instructor.207 Marxist Political Thought An examination of the political philosophy of Karl Marx, Lenin, Trotsky, and others within the tradition of Marxist scholarship and politics.
Prerequisite: 180 or permission of the instructor.American Politics120 American Government A basic introductory course in American federal government which emphasizes its structure and operation. Special attention is given to the executive, legislative, and judicial processes.
220 Constitutional Law I An analysis of constitutional adjudication in the areas of separation of powers, federalism, and economic rights. Special emphasis is placed upon the idea of a written constitution and the role that judges play in our constitutional system. Topics include Watergate, war powers, and legislative veto.
Prerequisite: 120 or permission of the instructor.221 Constitutional Law II An exploration of American constitutional rights. Both historical developments and contemporary issues are addressed. Topics include racial and sexual equality, affirmative action, seditious speech, and school prayer.
Prerequisite: 120 or permission of the instructor.222 Public Policy Analysis The purpose of this course is to acquaint students with the concepts embraced in policy analysis and the methods employed by those individuals who study and analyze public policy. It is designed not only to provide a working knowledge of technique but also a knowledge of the intellectual support for that technique. Some emphasis will be placed upon the economic approach to public policy and the implications of that approach.
Prerequisite: one course in political science or economics.231 Public Administration An analysis of the organization and functioning of the national bureaucracy in a democratic society. Special attention is given to presidential management, theories of organization, independent regulatory agencies and bureaucratic pathology, financial and personnel administration, and administrative responsibility.
Prerequisite: 120 or permission of the instructor.241 Race and Gender in American Politics This course will examine the role of race and gender in the American political process, paying special attention to identity politics and how interests achieve representation in the electoral and legislative arenas. How do social movements achieve (or fail to achieve) social change? How do race and gender affect the politics and policy outcomes of areas such as immigration, affirmative action, and health care?
Prerequisite: 120 or permission of the instructor.242 Political Behavior Cultural, social, and psychological factors which contribute to forms and directions of political behavior. Special attention is given to American voting behavior, ethnic political behavior, and personality influences on politics. Field surveys are undertaken to illustrate contemporary trends.
Prerequisite: 120 or permission of the instructor.243 Mass Media and American Politics Examines the causes, content, and consequences of political news, primarily focusing on television. It will explore the ways in which audience characteristics, organizational routines, and professional socialization influence the style and substance of the news. The content of news will be analyzed for: the three branches of government, war, foreign governments, crises, and presidential campaigns. The impact of the media on political behavior will also be discussed. Content analysis will be used by students to systematically analyze television network news.
Prerequisite: 120 or permission of the instructor.244 Public Opinion Examines the origins, nature, and impact of public opinion in the United States. The ways that the public's attitudes are shaped and used by interest groups, politicians, and the mass media will be discussed. Methods of measuring public opinion, with special attention to polling, will be studied.
Prerequisite: 120 or permission of the instructor.245 Political Parties and Interest Groups A study of the functions, structures, and operations of American political parties and interest groups. Special attention is given to the techniques of running a campaign for office, to the role of the media in superseding American parties, and to the interactions of government with the two largest "interest groups": business and labor.
Prerequisite: 120 or permission of the instructor.246 The Legislative Process An analysis of the legislative branch of government, especially Congress. Emphasis is placed upon the legislature as a social system, the decision-making process, the interrelationships with the political parties and interest groups, the executive and the judiciary.
Prerequisite: 120 or permission of the instructor.247 The American Presidency An in-depth analysis of the nature and significance of "the Man" and "the Office," including constitutional development, presidential roles and customs, the recruitment process, the executive branch, and the politics of the presidency.
Prerequisite: 120 or permission of the instructor.248 The Judiciary A study of the structure, processes, and institutional role of the American judiciary. Topics may include: the adversarial system, criminal and civil procedure, implementation of court decisions, judicial decision-making, legal development, and legal reasoning. Special attention is given to the federal judiciary, especially the Supreme Court.
Prerequisite: 120 or permission of the instructor. This course is cross-listed as LAWP 248.249 American Federalism This course examines the practical policy consequences of America's constitutional alliance between 50 state governments and the general union. Politics in the American states will provide the substantive focus for discussions about the complex and ever-changing intergovernmental relationships that constitute American federalism today.
Prerequisite: 120 or permission of the instructor.Comparative Politics150 Comparative Politics An introduction to comparative political analysis with applications to political systems, processes, and issues in countries of the Third World and in advanced industrial states alike. The purpose of the course is to learn to observe systematically, to analyze political phenomena, and to distinguish and evaluate the assumptions underlying alternative approaches to the study of politics.
250 West European Government and Politics This course provides a general overview to West European politics and the
different political configurations that exist in the major West European countries. The course outlines some of the common features of the region's ongoing political development (e.g. democratization, institutionalization of the welfare state and political integration within the European Union) as well as the differences among today's national systems of political organization.
251 Latin American Government and Politics An introduction to the politics of contemporary Latin America. Emphasis is placed upon the varied political institutional responses to socio-economic change in the Americas. Major countries to be analyzed include Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Cuba.
Prerequisite: one course in political science or Latin American Studies.252 African Government and Politics An introduction to the politics of contemporary, sub-Saharan Africa. After analyzing the historical and socio-economic context of African politics, the course examines a number of contrasting political systems in depth. The final section of the course discusses the current problems of South Africa from an international perspective.
Prerequisite: one course in political science.253 Russian Politics An introduction to contemporary Russian politics and policy, set against the backdrop of both the communist legacy and traditional Russian political culture. Coverage includes political institutions such as the presidency and the legislature, political processes and behavior such as elections and voting, and key policy issues such as economic policy. The course will conclude with an examination of Russia's evolving place and role in the international system.
Prerequisite: one course in political science or permission of the instructor.254 Comparative Asian Governments and Politics Comparison of selected Asian political systems with special attention given to the emergence of new nations from old cultures, contrasting patterns of political and economic development, and the current state of political affairs in each country studied.
Prerequisite: one course in political science or East Asian Studies.255 Chinese Politics An introduction to the contours of contemporary politics as shaped by traditional and revolutionary legacies, the institutions of state socialism, China's underdevelopment and struggles over power and policy.
256 The City An introduction to urban politics from a broadly comparative vantage point. Topics include the socioeconomic and cultural bases of city politics, power struggles and policy making within urban political arenas, and the relationship between urbanization and political development.
257 Democracy and Democratization A comparative examination of democratic politics and government with an emphasis on transitions from authoritarianism to democracy and on the consolidation or collapse of democratic institutions. Case studies and regional analyses from Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa will be combined with examination of broader issues such as the advantages and disadvantages of democracy, the question of cultural or economic preconditions to successful democratization, and the impact of democracy on international relations.
258 Human Rights The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights embodies a global consensus on the fundamental importance of human rights as a political value. But the idea and its practical applications have provoked intense controversy around the world on issues such as freedom of expression, capital punishment and torture, gender and sexuality, religious freedom, social and economic justice, and cultural and minority rights.
Prerequisite: one social science course or permission of the instructor.International Relations170 International Relations An introduction to global politics which examines the interaction of states, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and individuals in the world arena. Topics covered include traditional concerns such as war, balance of power, the UN and international law along with the more recent additions to the agenda of world politics such as international terrorism, human rights, and economic globalization.
270 European Union The European Union (EU) remains a work-in-progress, and this course will help students to contextualize the EU's development since the mid-1950s, understand the way that it currently functions, and think about how it is likely to evolve in the future. Substantively, the course covers the theory and history of European integration; the EU's unusual (and evolving) institutional structure and political processes; the major policy areas of the EU; and the power dynamics between the EU and its member states.
271 Ethics and World Politics A course in applied ethics which examines the role which ethical considerations both do and should play in the conduct of international relations and world politics. Special attention is given to the ethics of warfare (defined broadly to include conventional war, weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, and economic warfare) and to issues of human rights and humanitarian intervention.
Prerequisite: 170 or permission of the instructor.273 International Political Economy This course examines the politics of global economic relations. Specific topics discussed include: trade and protectionism, international monetary relations, foreign direct investment, global institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and World Trade Organization (WTO), regional economic integration (e.g. the European Union [EU] and North American Free Trade Agreement [NAFTA]), economic development, and the economic emergence of China and India. The larger issue serving as the backdrop to all of this is economic globalization-- its significance, sources, and consequences.
Prerequisite: 170 or permission of the instructor.275, 276 Studies in Modern European Politics To be offered only in Bologna.280 American Foreign Policy Since 1945 A survey of U.S. foreign policy since World War II. American approaches to such issues as containment, detente, arms control, deterrence, international law, and third world economic development will be discussed. Students will also address issues of U.S. foreign policy formulation, including the roles of the public, Congress, and the president in the foreign policy process.
Prerequisite: 170 or permission of the instructor.281 American National Security Policy Analysis of formulation and implementation of American national security policy within the context of American society and the international system. National security will not be considered simply in a military/strategic sense but as connoting the preservation of the core values of a society.
Prerequisite: 170 or 120 or permission of the instructor.Special Topics Courses190, 290 Selected Topics in Political Science Topics not normally studied in depth in the regular offerings are analyzed in these special topics courses. Recent offerings have included: Contemporary Political Ideologies, Mexican Politics, Political Thought of the Enlightenment, Politics in Fiction, Separation of Powers, The Bill of Rights, and Italian Politics.
239 Research Methods Helps the student answer (in the affirmative) the question, "Is political science a science?" Students will learn how to generate and test hypotheses through creating and executing research designs. Survey research, experimentation, content analysis, participant observation, and other methodologies will be studied. Although no prior knowledge of statistics is necessary, MATH 120 and/or MATH 121 are helpful. This class is especially recommended for prospective graduate students in the social sciences.
390 Seminar A seminar in selected topics in Political Science. Recent offerings have included: Political Leadership, Crime and Punishment, Democratization, Presidential Elections, Revolutions and Political Thought, Constitutional Politics, International Regimes, Russian Leadership Politics, Central American Politics, and Comparative Political Modernization.
Not appropriate for first-year students.
