Political Science

College of Liberal & Creative Arts

Dean: Dr. Andrew Harris

Department of Political Science

Humanities Building, Room 304
Phone: (415) 338-2247
Website: http://politicalscience.sfsu.edu/

Chair: Nicole Watts
Graduate Coordinator: Katherine Gordy

Mission Statement

The Department of Political Science seeks to guide students towards becoming active and informed members of the community, locally and globally. We train students in four subfields—American Politics, Comparative Politics, Political Theory, and Public Law—with the aim of increasing their knowledge of the historical and geographical specificity of political power, institutions, values, and practices, as well the ways in which these can be transformed. Our faculty supports students as they learn to think and act as conscious and fully engaged political agents, committed to social justice and political transparency and participation. Students leave the classroom with the knowledge and skills to open doors to diverse career opportunities.

Program Scope

Undergraduate study in political science is designed to develop knowledge, analytical skills, and critical insight into the nature of politics and political problems. The aim is to prepare students for active engagement in political life, whether as informed citizens or in a range of possible careers. The department endeavors to acquaint students with the issues of political life that have absorbed political thinkers and actors through the ages, as well as to equip students with the most contemporary skills for research analysis and policymaking.

The Master of Arts in Political Science is designed for students who wish to proceed to further post-graduate study at the doctoral level as well as those who seek to terminate their study with the M.A. degree. Areas of specialization may include American politics, political theory, comparative politics, public law, research methods. Student teaching assistant opportunities are also available. Limited financial aid is available in the form of scholarships and teaching assistantships. The program is professional in its standards, substantive offerings, and levels of expectation.

Pre-Law Program

No specific major is required for admission to a school of law. Since law schools generally expect their students to have a broad foundation in the social sciences and the humanities, selection of a major in such areas is recommended. For more information, the student should consult the catalog of the school of law to which they expect to apply for admission.

For pre-law students who choose a major in political science, the department offers a rich array of courses in public law that are appropriate as preparation for legal training. The department also provides advising and other services (e.g., mock LSAT) for pre-law students in any major who wish to improve their preparation for law school.

Other Programs

Upon advisement, majors and minors in Political Science may select options enabling them to concentrate in a variety of career-related fields: education and teaching, research methods, public service, community action, pre-professional (for students anticipating graduate study in political science), political journalism, research and policy analysis, comparative studies, and various area studies concentration and minors.

Professor

AARON BELKIN (2009), Professor of Political Science; B.A. (1988), Brown University; M.A. (1992), Ph.D. (1998), University of California, Berkeley.

KATHERINE GORDY (2008), Professor of Political Science; B.A. (1993), State University of New York, Albany; Ph.D. (2005), Cornell University.

SUJIAN GUO (2002), Professor of Political Science; B.A. (1983), University of International Business and Economy, Beijing, China; M.A. (1987), Peking University, China; M.A. (1993), Marquette University; Ph.D. (1999), University of Tennessee.

RON HAYDUK (2016), Professor of Political Science; B.A. (1981), B.S.W. (1981), Rutgers University; Ph.D. (1996), Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

JOEL J. KASSIOLA (1995), Professor of Political Science; B.A. (1967), Brooklyn College, City University of New York; M.A. (1971), Ph.D. (1974), Princeton University.

JAMES R. MARTEL (2002), Professor of Political Science; B.A. (1986), Williams College; M.A. (1987), Ph.D. (1995), University of California, Berkeley.

AMITA SHASTRI (1989), Professor of Political Science; B.A. (1975), M.A. (1977), M.Phil. (1980), University of Delhi; Ph.D. (1985), Jawaharlal Nehru University.

ANDREI TSYGANKOV (2000), Professor of Political Science, Professor of International Relations; Ph.D. (1991), Moscow State University; Ph.D. (2000), University of Southern California.

NICOLE WATTS (2003), Professor of Political Science; B.A. (1989), University of Washington; M.A. (1992), University of London School of Oriental and African Studies; Ph.D. (2001), University of Washington.

Associate Professor

MARCELA GARCÍA-CASTAÑON (2013), Associate Professor of Political Science; B.A. (2007), University of Arizona; M.A. (2009), Ph.D. (2013), University of Washington.

JASON MCDANIEL (2009), Associate Professor of Political Science; B.A. (1995), University of Southern California; M.A. (2001), University of Southern California; Ph.D. (2007), University of Southern California.

FRANCIS NEELY (2002), Associate Professor of Political Science; B.A. (1994), M.A. (1996), University of Arizona; Ph.D. (2001), State University of New York, Stony Brook.

Assistant Professor

NICHOLAS D. CONWAY (2017), Assistant Professor of Political Science; B.A. (2000), Wabash College; J.D. (2003), Indiana University Maurer School of Law; Ph.D. (2016), Texas AM University.

REBECCA EISSLER (2018), Assistant Professor of Political Science; B.A. (2012), Tulane University; M.A. (2015), Ph.D. (2018), The University of Texas at Austin.

AMANDA ROBERTI (2020), Assistant Professor of Political Science; B.A. (2004), Kutztown University; M.A. (2011), Rutgers University, Newark; Ph.D. (2017), Rutgers University, New Brunswick.

WHITNEY K. TAYLOR (2019), Assistant Professor of Political Science; B.A. (2013), University of Minnesota; M.A. (2016), Ph.D. (2019), Cornell University.

Lecturers

Dominic Caserta, Kevin Croshal, Mimi Glumac,  Ali Kashani, Michael Loebs, Chris Longenecker, Benjamin Lozano, Alex Otruba, Blake Respini, Al Schendan, Carol Silverman

Major

Minor

Masters

Explanation of Course Descriptions, Symbols, and Terms

PLSI 100 Understanding Politics (Units: 3)

Concepts and principles of political thought, action, and institutions.

Course Attributes:

  • D1: Social Sciences
  • Social Justice

PLSI 105 Principles of Government and Politics (Units: 3)

The individual's role in government and politics as active agents rather than observers, citizens rather than subjects, and the means for engaging in broad political questions and one's own position. Exploration of the various political relationships that define and motivate individuals.

PLSI 106 Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy: Introduction to Political Economy (Units: 3)

Political-economic approaches to the analysis of questions each society must solve: governance, production, allocation, distribution, freedom, and equity. The development of contemporary market vs. non-market organization, political direction of economic activity, and political-economic struggles.

Course Attributes:

  • D1: Social Sciences
  • Social Justice

PLSI 112 Quantitative Reasoning for Civic Engagement (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Category I or II placement for QR/Math, or satisfactory completion of ELM requirement, or MATH 70 or ESM 70 with a grade of C or better. Students with Category III or IV placement for QR/Math or students who have not passed MATH 70 or ESM 70 with a C or better must concurrently enroll in MATH 112.

Participation in civic society requires not only understanding principles of governance, but also problem-solving. Develop the mathematical concepts and skills relevant to the challenges and issues facing individuals and societies. Enables both quantitative understanding and decision-making about aspects of work, life, and civic participation. (Note: For this course to satisfy General Education, students must earn a grade of C- or CR or better.)
(This course is offered as LCA 112/PHIL 112/PLSI 112/HIST 112. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • B4: Math/QR
  • Social Justice

PLSI 150 Contemporary Moral/Political Issues (Units: 3)

Theories of the good life, ethics, rights, and justice through the examination of contemporary moral issues including capital punishment, affirmative action, abortion, racial and sexual equality, privacy, pornography, and environmental protection.
(This course is offered as PHIL 150 and PLSI 150. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • C2: Humanities
  • Social Justice

PLSI 200 Introduction to American Politics (Units: 3)

Introduction to contemporary American politics and institutions of government, including California. Study of the structure, functions, and politics of Congress, the presidency, Supreme Court; examination of principles of federalism, the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights; the role of public opinion, elections, political parties, interest groups.

Course Attributes:

  • U.S. Govt CA State Local Govt
  • D3: Social Sciences: US CA Gov

PLSI 216 The 2020 Presidential Election: Issues and Analysis (Units: 2)

Public issues in the Presidential election race. Topics may include but are not limited to: health care and insurance, the economy, international affairs, the environment and climate change, same-sex marriage, free trade, and education. Experts on political campaigns will discuss the polls, media, the campaign, campaign financing regarding the Presidential contest, and how the Presidential race will impact Congressional and State races. (CR/NC grading only)

PLSI 250 Comparative Politics (Units: 3)

Governmental institutions, political processes, socio-economic development and issues in countries around the world.

PLSI 275 Introduction to Political Theory (Units: 3)

Competing traditions of political theory: the foundation of political thought; the nature and scope of politics.

PLSI 302GW Writing for Political Science - GWAR (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Restricted to Political Science majors and minors; GE Area A2.

Introduction to the practice of writing for politics and political science. Development of skills in active reading, crafting of rigorous research questions and arguments, utilization of sources, conducting literature reviews, and logic and craft of different forms of political writing ranging from blogs to reports and scholarly papers. Particular emphasis on writing research essays in the discipline of political science to provide the foundation for further work in the major. Subfield emphasis may vary according to the instructor. (Plus-minus ABC/NC grading only)

Course Attributes:

  • Graduation Writing Assessment

PLSI 303 Fundamentals of Political Science (Units: 2)

Prerequisite: GE Area A2.

Introduction to the discipline and practice of political science for majors. Objectives of the discipline, overview of different subfields of political science, principal methodological approaches, introduction to research design, and principles of social scientific inquiry.

PLSI 304 Scientific Inquiry in Political Science (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: PLSI 200 or equivalent; PLSI 303 recommended.

Introduction to empirical research in political science. Topics include the philosophy of science, research design, and inferential statistics. Lecture, 3 units; activity, 1 unit. [Formerly PLSI 300]

PLSI 307 Qualitative Methods in Political Science and International Relations (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Examination of qualitative research methods in theory and practice. Topics include interviewing, participant observation, ethnography, and the ethics of conducting research in the political and social sciences.
(This course is offered as PLSI 307 and I R 307. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 308 Research and Writing for Public Law (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Introduction to practical skills of legal writing and research in public law. Essentials of legal writing, analyzing and briefing cases in public law, legal research and analysis, research organization, and effective advisory and persuasive writing.

PLSI 309 Methods and Approaches in Political Theory (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Introduction to methods and approaches that political theorists employ in their work. Includes dialectics, moral sentimentalism, contractarianism, and historical reflection. Establishes both what methods are and the ways diverse theorists draw on common methodologies. (Plus-minus ABC/NC grading ony)

PLSI 318 Modern Citizenship: Pundits, Podcasts, and Political Know-How in the 21st Century (Units: 2)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Examination of what it means to be an engaged citizen in the 21st century through the study of different forms of political information and participation. Analysis of political images and sources of information including campaigns, podcasts, political satire, media, and TV. Exploration of various forms of political participation and the principles of media literacy.

PLSI 320 Political Forum (Units: 2)

Prerequisite: PLSI 200 or equivalent, or consent of the instructor.

Focus on one or more political issues that are current and illuminate important aspects of American politics. Topics to be specified in the Class Schedule. May be repeated on advisement when topics vary.

PLSI 321 Development and Foreign Policy: Africa (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

A comparison of the foreign policies of various African nation-states; in particular, a consideration of those policies as expressions of national frameworks, ideological perspectives, etc. (Plus-minus letter grade only)
(This course is offered as I R 321 and PLSI 321. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 322 Latin American Policy Analysis (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Examination of the international relations and foreign policy-making systems of Latin American nations and analysis of selected foreign policy problems facing Latin American decision-makers with oral and written reports.
(This course is offered as I R 322 and PLSI 322. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Global Perspectives
  • Social Justice

PLSI 325 Chinese Foreign Policy (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

Examination of China's international relations and the actors involved in constructing it. Analysis of the factors influencing China's participation in international affairs. Assessment of the international realm's effect on Chinese foreign policy.
(This course is offered as I R 325 and PLSI 325. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 327 Europe: Forming a More Perfect Union (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

A broad description and analysis of comparative foreign policies of the European Union (EU) and its key member states, efforts to forge a common foreign policy, and the EU's external relations with the United States and Russia.
(This course is offered as I R 327 and PLSI 327. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 328 Domestic and Foreign Policy: Post-Communist Regions (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

Development and subsequent dynamics of what used to be called the Soviet Bloc. Analysis of current relations in light of events in the post-World War II period.
(This course is offered as I R 328 and PLSI 328. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 329 U.S.-Japan Politics (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

In the postwar period, U.S.-Japan relations have moved from the periphery of international politics to the center, yet our understanding of this development has lagged behind. The origins of the trade deficit, competition, and related economic and security questions.
(This course is offered as I R 329 and PLSI 329. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 342 Strategy and War (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

War as an instrument of national policy. Causes of war and classical and modern strategies for winning it from Clausewitz to Herman Kahn. Strategic theory, games, deterrence, guerrilla warfare, counter-insurgency, weapons technology, and the political consequences of preparedness.
(This course is offered as I R 342 and PLSI 342. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 351 Political Theory: The Classical Tradition (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Nature of the state, power and authority, forms of government, law and justice, leadership and citizenship, as presented in the writings of Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, and Machiavelli.

PLSI 352 Political Theory: Reformation to Nineteenth Century (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Political obligation, sovereignty, liberty, equality, property, and revolution, as presented in the works of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Burke, and Tocqueville.

PLSI 353 Political Theory: The Twentieth Century (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

The changing nature of political theory since the mid-19th century. The impact of sociology, psychology, and existentialism on political speculation. Technology, totalitarianism, and the crisis of the modern political order.
This course has a GWAR approved format (noted by a GW suffix that follows the course number) and a non-GWAR format (no suffix). Students who complete the course in one format may not repeat the course under the other format. Students who complete the non-GWAR formatted course will not receive GWAR credit.

PLSI 354 Politics, the Environment, and Social Change (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better; PLSI 200; or consent of the instructor.

The political impact of environmental problems and the challenges they present for American and international policy-making, values, and institutions.

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Social Justice

PLSI 355 Politics and Ethics of the Consumer Society (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Politics and ethics of consumption-oriented society; nature of industrial society; its structures, values, and consumption practices.
(This course is offered as PLSI 355 and PHIL 355. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Social Justice

PLSI 356 Political Theories of Neoliberalism (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

Analysis of the theoretical and practical dimensions of neoliberalism; focus on political ramifications of neoliberalism, how it operates and how it can be resisted.

PLSI 360 Development of American Political Thought (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: PLSI 200.

Political theories associated with movements in the development of the U.S. Persisting and recurring problems in political thought.
This course has a GWAR approved format (noted by a GW suffix that follows the course number) and a non-GWAR format (no suffix). Students who complete the course in one format may not repeat the course under the other format. Students who complete the non-GWAR formatted course will not receive GWAR credit.

PLSI 362 Domestic & Transnational Sources of U.S. Foreign Policy (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: I R 310 or PLSI 200 or consent of the instructor.

The role of domestic and transnational actors in making US foreign policy. Examination of American culture, media, interest groups, social movements, corporations, and lobbies on policy outcomes. Transnational influences on US foreign policy. Impact of international events on Americans.
(This course is offered as I R 362 and PLSI 362. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 371 Marxist Political Theory (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Examination of the development of Marxist thought and its application. The writings of Karl Marx and its effect on Western and world thought since the 19th century in diverse fields such as political economy, sociology, philosophy, historiography, aesthetics, and numerous others.

PLSI 372 Critical Political Theory (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Focus on the critical tradition in political theory that responds to and differentiates itself from classical and modern canonical texts.
(This course is offered as PLSI 372, HUM 372, and I R 372. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 373 Essentials of California Politics (Unit: 1)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Basics of California state and local politics for students from out of state (including international students) who have satisfactorily completed a course that fulfills the US government requirement, but not the California State and local government requirement. [Formerly PLSI 273]

Course Attributes:

  • Calif State & Local Govt

PLSI 381 Political Theories of Sexuality (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

The ways political theory has conceived of, engaged with and deconstructed notions of gender and sexuality. Twentieth-century thought destabilized the concept of gender even as it produced a new "identity:" queerness.

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Social Justice

PLSI 382 Politics and Literature (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Examination of political themes in classical drama and contemporary novels. Possible authors include Sophocles, Shakespeare, Coetzee, and Tabucchi.

PLSI 386 Introduction to Critical Social Thought (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

The tradition and development of critical social thought in interaction with socioeconomic and political conditions from Kant, Hegel, and Marx in the 19th century to 20th century Marxism, phenomenology, and feminism.
(This course is offered as CST 300 and PLSI 386. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Social Justice

PLSI 387 Non-Western Comparative Political Thought (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

Comparative political thought as a site for interdisciplinarity across comparative studies, political theory, and philosophy. Central debates include the role of global citizenship, global culture, cross-cultural philosophical analysis, and human and civil rights.

PLSI 388 Politics and the Popular (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Examine the relationship between political theory on the one hand, and experienced, common sense and tradition, on the other. Do these forms need to be theorized into coherent ideology? What are the dangers of doing so?

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Social Justice

PLSI 389 Latin American Revolutionary Societies (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper division standing.

Revolution implies a dramatic break with the past, but revolutions actually develop slowly over time, calling upon shared histories that inspire and impede change. Examination of the extent to which Latin American revolutions lived up to the goals that they set down.

PLSI 392 Latin American Political Thought (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper division standing.

Introduction to influential Latin American political thinkers including Bolivar, Marti, and Mariategui. Exploration of the notion of Latin American political thought and its place within political theory.

PLSI 393 Anarchist Political Theory (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Analysis of the basic theories and practices of anarchism from its classical to its contemporary forms. Focus on the relationship between theory and practice and the question of process and organization.

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Social Justice

PLSI 394 Political Theories of Work, Labor, and Free Time (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

Examination of the tension between the desire to work and the desire to be free from work by looking at texts from liberalism, Marxism, feminism and critical theory. Questions to explore include: Has this tension always existed and how might it be overcome? Where and when did people begin to prioritize paid work over all else? What constitutes "work" and who decides? Is work different than labor?
(This course is offered as PLSI 394 and LABR 394. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 395 Political Theories of Pedagogy and Community Activism (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Exploration of the connection between radical pedagogy and activism from a political theory perspective. Approved preparatory course for Experimental College instructors.

Course Attributes:

  • Social Justice

PLSI 396 Fascism and Communism in 20th Century Europe (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Examination of the intellectual and socio-political foundations of fascism and communism in 20th century Europe. Analysis of the ways in which these foundations reflect on contemporary politics. (Plus-minus ABC/NC, CR/NC) [Formerly PLSI 405]

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Global Perspectives
  • Social Justice

PLSI 401 The Political Economy of Sub-Saharan Africa (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Examination of the politics surrounding issues of development, aid, and the effects of globalization on Sub-Saharan African countries. (Plus-minus ABC/NC, CR/NC)

PLSI 403 Cases in Comparative Politics (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Examination of country case studies to be used as a basis for understanding broader themes of comparative politics. [Formerly PLSI 319 and PLSI 253]

Course Attributes:

  • Global Perspectives
  • Social Justice

PLSI 404 Politics of China (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Contemporary government and politics of the People's Republic of China with modest concern for the way the past has shaped the present. The primary focus is on political institutions and political processes.
(This course is offered as PLSI 404 and I R 404. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Global Perspectives

PLSI 406 Radical Right Politics: Far-Right Parties in Contemporary Europe (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Examination of the rise of far-right political parties across Europe since 2008 and their implications.

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Global Perspectives
  • Social Justice

PLSI 407 Politics of Russia (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Contemporary government and politics of Russia, the way the past has shaped the present. Political institutions, political processes, and ideologies.
(This course is offered as PLSI 407 and I R 407. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Global Perspectives

PLSI 408 Mexican Politics and Society (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Peoples, politics, and cultures of Mexico. The implications of rapid change in Mexico for California and the U.S. [CSL may be available]
(This course is offered as LTNS 670 and PLSI 408. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
  • Global Perspectives
  • Social Justice

PLSI 409 Russia and World Order (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Introduction to theories of world order and Russia's role in it. Review of historical and contemporary foundations for understanding world order. Discussion of Russia's role in various regional and global settings. (Plus-minus letter grade only)
(This course is offered as I R 409 and PLSI 409. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • Global Perspectives

PLSI 410 Middle East Politics (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Government and politics of the Middle East and North Africa. Comparative political institutions, ideology, political culture, political economy, social movements, regional conflicts, and international relations.

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Global Perspectives

PLSI 411 East Asian Politics (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Government and politics of East Asia (China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan). Systematic comparison of nations utilizing common themes: political development, political institutions, political economy, political change.
(This course is offered as PLSI 411 and I R 411. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Global Perspectives

PLSI 412 South Asian Politics (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

Political development in the South Asian states; political institutions and processes; parties and election; leadership; current policies and problems. (Plus-minus letter grade only)
(This course is offered as PLSI 412 and I R 412. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • Global Perspectives

PLSI 416 Ethnicity and Nationalism (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Issues and problems raised by the phenomena of ethnicity and nationalism, ethnic conflict, and efforts at conflict resolution in a comparative context.
(This course is offered as PLSI 416 and I R 416. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Global Perspectives

PLSI 417 Gender, Equality, and Politics: A Comparative Perspective (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Examination of gendered nature of political representation, employment, and welfare state policy in post-industrialized nations. Emphasis on different political and social arrangements that European governments and social movements have developed to accommodate the growing demand for gender equality.
(This course is offered as PLSI 417 and I R 417. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 418 Political Transitions in East & Southeast Asia (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Examination of political transition theories and divergent patterns of political transition in East and Southeast Asia. Exploration of controversial issues associated with political transition and the prospects for democracy in these regions.

PLSI 419 Comparative Political Economy (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

The interplay between politics and economics and the interaction between states and markets. Comparison of major competing ideologies and modes of political economy in developed, developing, and communist/post-communist world with particular emphasis on Asian political economies.

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Global Perspectives

PLSI 421 Social Movements in the Francophone World (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: FR 305 or equivalent.

Present and analyze the major social movements in France and the Francophone world from the French Revolution to today. Provide a cultural, historical, and social background to allow students to reflect on the contemporary French and Francophone identities, and to understand the background behind key artistic and literary movements of French expression. Taught in French.
(This course is offered as FR 421 and PLSI 421. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • Global Perspectives

PLSI 422 Law and Courts in Comparative Perspective (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Introduction to law and courts in comparative perspective in countries around the world. Examines concepts such as the rule of law, judicial review, judicial independence, accountability, and legal pluralism; compares and contrasts features of legal systems and the politics of the judiciary in both democratic and nondemocratic contexts.
(This course is offered as PLSI 422 and I R 422. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 424 Social Movements (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Examines social movements, mobilization, and collective action in comparative perspective. Analysis of movement origins, tactics, methods, and outcomes, as well as contexts in which movements may use violent and nonviolent repertoires.
(This course is offered as PLSI 424, SOC 424, and I R 424. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 425 Imagining Power in the Middle East (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Examine conceptions of power in countries of the Middle East and North Africa, through film, literature, memoir, and other forms of documentation and imagination. Topics may include political, military, ideological, economic power; colonialism, independence, equality, nation-building, social movements, revolution.
(This course is offered as PLSI 425 and I R 425. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • Global Perspectives

PLSI 430 Israeli Democracy: Politics, Institutions, and Society (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Knowledge of Israel's political system, its origins, its formal structure, the way it functions, and its main attributes in comparison to other democratic political systems. Ideology, state and religion, and civil liberties.
(This course is offered as JS 430, I R 430, and PLSI 430. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Global Perspectives

PLSI 431 Constructing Kurdistan (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: Upper-division standing; PLSI 250 or PLSI 410 or HIST 381 or I R 323 or I R 324 or MEIS 300; or consent of the instructor.

Examines Kurdish nation- and state-building efforts in Iraq and Turkey in the 20th and early centuries. Includes introduction to theories on nationalism, state formation, social movements, and ethnic conflict.
(This course is offered as PLSI 431 and MEIS 431. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • Global Perspectives

PLSI 434 Arendt and Heidegger (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: GE Area A2 or consent of the instructor.

Hannah Arendt, a student of Heidegger, is renowned in her own right as a philosopher and political theorist. Explore the relationship of Arendt and Heidegger's ideas and question the extent to which Arendt was disciple or critic.
(This course is offered as HUM 434, JS 414, PHIL 434, and PLSI 434. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 435 Politics of Global Finance and Crisis (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

The development and role of late 20th- and early 21st-century financial technologies in modern market crises. Research and critical analysis of 21st-century finance capitalism. Political and financial interactions, including limits and possibilities for controlling financial behavior.
(This course is offered as PLSI 435, I R 435, and FIN 435. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 451 Engaging Democracy: Participating in Historical Debates (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

Explore the history of democracy through participation in multiple historically-embedded live-action role-playing games ("Reacting to the Past") set in different societies and eras. Two games per semester; one based on the construction or implementation of the US Constitution, the other based on the construction or implementation of the constitution of another country. Games are contextualized through lectures outlining the nature of democracy and its evolution. Written, oral debates, and negotiations to solve the issues with which democratic societies wrestle.
(This course is offered as HIST 308 [formerly HIST 551]/PLSI 451. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • U.S. Govt CA State Local Govt
  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Global Perspectives
  • Social Justice

PLSI 459 Refugees in Global Perspective (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Examine the diversity of global refugee experiences. Reviews the international refugee regime, including the Refugee Convention, UNHCR, and state responsibilities. Studies the global root causes of refugee flows and forced migration. Analyzes life in refugee camps, refugee resettlement and integration, health and education challenges, and refugee returns. Particular emphasis on gender issues, unaccompanied minors, and the impact of rising native hostility on refugee reception and integration. Provides case studies of refugee populations.
(This course is offered as I R 459/PLSI 459. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
  • Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
  • Global Perspectives

PLSI 460 Topics in American Politics (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Exploration of a specific area of American politics. Topics may include elections, voting, and representation; policymaking in areas such as education and social welfare; relations between state and federal government; the politics of reform, the media, and politics, etc. May be historical or contemporary. Topics to be specified in the Class Schedule. May be repeated for when topics vary.

PLSI 461 Voting Behavior, Campaigns, and Elections (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Examination of voter behavior, including the decision to vote, the choice of candidates, and partisan identification. Investigation of political science literature on campaign dynamics and strategy.

PLSI 462 Applied Public Opinion Research (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Public opinion research: data collection, survey construction, data management, data analysis, and data communication. Lecture, 3 units; activity, 1 unit. [CSL may be available]

PLSI 463 The Politics of Immigration in the United States (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Overview of immigration policy and politics in the United States. Course topics include sources of migration, historical and contemporary patterns of immigration, immigrant civic and political engagement, assessment of immigrant incorporation, and impacts of various public policies. Exploration of federal immigration policy and consider how states and municipalities handle immigrant issues. Consideration of how well (or poorly) immigrants manage life in America, what policies facilitate or hinder their incorporation, impacts of immigrant political activity, and how immigrants make and are re-made by American life. [CSL may be available]

Course Attributes:

  • Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
  • Social Justice

PLSI 464 Race and American Politics (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Examination of racial and ethnic politics in contemporary U.S. society. Drawing on theoretical models, historical comparisons, and local case studies, study racial and ethnic communities from a comparative perspective. Examination of constraints and opportunities, tensions between separatism and assimilation, electoral politics and protest politics, definitions of immigrants and minorities, and cooperation and competition within and among minority groups. [Formerly PLSI 466/AFRS 466]

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
  • Social Justice

PLSI 465 Reason, Passion, and Political Behavior (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Examination of the cognitive processes involved in the formation of political beliefs, and their link to political behavior. Emphasis on the connection of theoretical models with politics focusing on campaigns and voter choice.

PLSI 467 Politics and Community Organizing (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

An overview of the role that community organizing has played throughout US history; and critical examination of the current state of community organizing today. Approved preparatory course for Experimental College instructors. [Formerly PLSI 390]

PLSI 468 Women and American Politics (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Examination of women's participation in the American political sphere and the broader role of gender in U.S. politics. Study of the institutional, structural, and cultural challenges facing women in American politics; ways in which gender affects campaigning, representation, and leadership styles; the effects of women's representation on policy and political participation.

PLSI 470 The Politics of Sex and Reproduction (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Examination of the politics of sex and reproduction in the United States through policy, law, and theory. The role of the state on issues such as abortion, infertility, pregnancy, pornography, sex work, contraceptives, and procreative and non-procreative sex. Analysis of gender roles and the way conceptions of femininity and masculinity are written into U.S. law.
(This course is offered as PLSI 470, SXS 470, and WGS 470. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 472 Civic and Political Engagement (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Examines civic engagement: theories and practices of civic and political action in the U.S. Draws on the scholarship, history, practices, and lessons of community organizing traditions to connect those lessons to current political issues. Includes study of participating in public dialogue on issues, volunteering, voting, holding public office, community organizing and political advocacy, protest, and civil disobedience.

Course Attributes:

  • Social Justice

PLSI 473 California Politics and Government (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Policy-making and exercise of power within the federal framework. State and local issues and institutions. [CSL may be available]

Course Attributes:

  • Calif State & Local Govt
  • Social Justice

PLSI 475 San Francisco Political Issues (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

Political mobilization and governance. Electoral processes. Economic, ethnic, and cultural conflicts. Lecture, 3 units; activity, 1 units. May be repeated with consent of the instructor. [CSL may be available]
(This course is offered as PLSI 475 and USP 485. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 476 The American Presidency (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Examination of the many facets of the American presidency: powers and person of the presidency, its history and evolution, interactions between the executive and other branches of U.S. government, and the role of the president in the policy process.

PLSI 477 Congress and the Presidency (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Structure, roles, and functions of the legislative and executive branches of national government. Legislative-executive policy controversies.
This course has a GWAR approved format (noted by a GW suffix that follows the course number) and a non-GWAR format (no suffix). Students who complete the course in one format may not repeat the course under the other format. Students who complete the non-GWAR formatted course will not receive GWAR credit.

PLSI 478 Judicial Process (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing; PLSI 200; or consent of the instructor.

Introduction to American law and courts. Study of the various sources of American law, their interactions with each other, and of the structure, varieties, powers, and limits on the powers of American courts, both state and federal. [Formerly PLSI 551]

Course Attributes:

  • Social Justice

PLSI 479 The United States Congress (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Study of the members and institutions of the U.S. Congress. Examination of individual members of Congress, their interests, and their actions; how Congress interacts with other institutions and groups; and the role that parties and partisanship play in Congress.

PLSI 480 Introduction to Urban Policy and Analysis (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

Political and institutional settings for urban politics and policymaking. Concepts and techniques of policy analysis. USP majors and minors must complete the course with a grade of C or better. Approved preparatory course for Experimental College instructors.
(This course is offered as PLSI 480 and USP 480. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 481 Race and Public Law (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: Upper-division standing; PLSI 200; or consent of the instructor.

Examine the role of the U.S. legal system in perpetuating and challenging racism in the United States. Explore laws of slavery, segregation, immigration, equal protection doctrine, federal civil rights statutes, and criminal justice (including hate crimes and First Amendment/free speech implications). Introduction to critical constitutional and statutory law in the areas of the First Amendment, Equal Protection Clause, and major federal civil rights statutes, and the role of judicial review in interpreting such legal doctrine.

PLSI 485 Political Sociology (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division standing; completion of GE Areas A and B4; or consent of the instructor.

Examination of the social dimensions of power, particularly those embedded in institutions of the state. Exploring relations between state and society, social movements, political organization and civic participation, political culture, voting behavior and citizenship. (This course is offered as SOC 485 and PLSI 485. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 492 Research Methods (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

Problem formulation; research design; data collection, organization, and analysis; introduction to computer-generated analyses; report writing and presentation; applied research. Lecture, 3 units; activity, 1 unit.
(This course is offered as USP 492 and PLSI 492. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 493 Data Analysis (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: PLSI 492/USP 492 or equivalent.

Statistical analysis for politics, public policy, administration, and urban studies. Uses, interpretation, and limitations.
(This course is offered as PLSI 493 and USP 493. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 500 Labor and Government (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Exploration of labor-government relations at local, state, and national levels. Consideration of labor's political action in relation to the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government and in the electoral process. Examination of government's responses as they protect or restrict labor's interest.
(This course is offered as LABR 500 and PLSI 500. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 512 Urban Politics and Community Power (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Political dynamics in the contemporary metropolitan context; bases and distribution of power in urban and suburban areas. Intergovernmental relations and urban political power.
(This course is offered as PLSI 512 and USP 512. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 513 Politics, Law, and the Urban Environment (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Law and the legal system as mechanisms for regulating urban development and protecting the environment; intervention in development and land use; environmental decay, conservation of open space, other related resources. Lecture, 3 units; activity, 1 unit.
(This course is offered as USP 513, GEOG 668, and PLSI 513. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 544 Women in the World (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Analysis of women's roles in the political, social, and economic development of selected nations and international relations. The effect of the global movement for women's rights. Case studies of female leaders and their impact on world affairs.
(This course is offered as I R 544 and PLSI 544. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Global Perspectives
  • Social Justice

PLSI 552 Individual Rights and the Constitution (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Principles and meaning of the U.S. Constitution controlling the relationships between the individual and government.

Course Attributes:

  • Social Justice

PLSI 553 Legal Issues (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Judicial decision-making, influence on the formulation of public policy, political influence on the judiciary, individual rights, the impact of decisions, legal reform.

PLSI 554 Separation of Powers and Federalism (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: PLSI 478 or consent of the instructor.

Leading Supreme Court decisions establishing the powers and limits on power of the Federal Courts, Congress, the President, and the States under the U.S. Constitution.

PLSI 555 Moot Court (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor.

Learn and develop oral advocacy and legal research/writing skills. Work with a hypothetical United States Supreme Court case provided by the American Moot Court Association (AMCA) to develop familiarity with the substantive legal issues presented in the hypothetical case. The skills developed in this course prepare students for moot court competition, an activity typically required of law students. May be repeated for a total of 8 units.

PLSI 556 Constitutional Law: First Amendment (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor. PLSI 478 is recommended.

Examination of important Supreme Court decisions interpreting the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment. Exploration of cases on the First Amendment and analysis of Supreme Court opinions on free speech doctrine.

PLSI 557 Constitutional Law: The Fourteenth Amendment (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of the instructor. PLSI 478 is recommended.

Examination of important Supreme Court decisions interpreting the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Study of the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses.

PLSI 560 Urban Poverty and Policy (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Nature and causes of urban poverty. Theories of poverty and their policy implications. The role of education, employment, family status, gender, race, metropolitan location, global economic restructuring, anti-poverty policies and proposals, and development of policy alternatives. [CSL may be available]
(This course is offered as USP 560 and PLSI 560. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Social Justice

PLSI 561 Jurisprudence (Units: 4)

Prerequisite: PLSI 478 or consent of the instructor.

Philosophy of law. Relationship between law, morality, social and political institutions. Various schools of jurisprudence.

PLSI 562 Jurisprudence Writing Workshop (Units: 2)

Prerequisites: Upper-division standing; PLSI 302GW and PLSI 478.

Research a topic of choice in U.S. jurisprudence; draft and revise a research paper on that topic. May be repeated for a total of 4 units with consent of the instructor.

PLSI 570 Urban Health Policy (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

The political economy of the urban health system. A critical review of urban health policy and analysis of alternatives. Politics of health care reform. Particular needs of women and communities of color.
(This course is offered as USP 570, LABR 570, and PLSI 570. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 580 Housing Policy and Planning (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Social, economic, and technical aspects of urban housing; market analysis, housing production, tenant/landlord relations, finance, government regulation, and subsidies.
(This course is offered as USP 580 and PLSI 580. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
  • Global Perspectives
  • Social Justice

PLSI 603 Public Service Internships (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Upper-division standing; concurrent enrollment in PLSI 604; consent of the instructor.

Fieldwork in approved public, private, non-profit, or political organization under the supervision of organization staff and a faculty coordinator. May be repeated on advisement. [CSL may be available]
(This course is offered as PLSI 603 and USP 603. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 604 Internship Seminar (Unit: 1)

Prerequisites: Upper-division standing; concurrent enrollment in PLSI 603.

Analysis of internship experiences. May be repeated on advisement. [CSL may be available]
(This course is offered as PLSI 604 and USP 604. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 605 Senior Seminar: Student's Choice Empirical Research Project (Units: 4)

Prerequisites: Restricted to senior Political Science majors; all core PLSI courses and a PLSI GWAR.

Culminating experience that focuses on students' interests. Students develop research questions, learn and apply appropriate quantitative methods to test expectations, and write an article-length paper.

PLSI 606 Senior Seminar in American Politics (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Senior Political Science majors; all Political Science core courses and PLSI 302GW.

Focus on the specialization and particular interests of the professor in question in the field of American Politics. Topics to be specified in the Class Schedule. May be repeated when topics vary.

PLSI 607 Senior Seminar in Comparative Politics (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to Political Science majors and minors; upper-division standing; PLSI 250; a PLSI GWAR.

Focus on the specialization and particular interests of the professor in question in the field of Comparative Politics. Topics to be specified in the Class Schedule. May be repeated when topics vary upon advisement.

PLSI 608 Senior Seminar in Political Theory (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to Political Science majors and minors; upper-division standing; a PLSI GWAR and PLSI 275.

Focus on the specialization and particular interests of the instructor in the field of political theory. Topics to be specified in the Class Schedule. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

PLSI 609 Senior Seminar in Public Law: Legal Issues (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to Political Science majors and minors; upper-division standing; a PLSI GWAR and PLSI 478.

Critical review and synthesis of Public Law, focusing on legal issues. Topic to be specified in the Class Schedule. May be repeated when topics vary.

PLSI 610 Judicial and Legal Internship (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Upper-division standing; interview required; concurrent enrollment in PLSI 611; consent of the instructor.

Fieldwork in approved legal and judicial organizations under supervision of judges, lawyers, legal organization staff, and faculty coordinator. May be repeated for a total of 6 units on advisement.

PLSI 611 Judicial and Legal Internship Seminar (Unit: 1)

Prerequisite: Require concurrent enrollment in PLSI 610.

Analysis of internship experiences. May be repeated for a total of 2 units on advisement.

PLSI 685 Projects in the Teaching of Political Science (Units: 1-4)

Prerequisites: Senior standing; PLSI 100, PLSI 200.

Reading and discussion in the teaching of political science. Responsibilities include working with supervising faculty member in preparing course materials, tutoring students, and conducting small discussion sections. (Students may earn a maximum of 4 units toward the baccalaureate degree for any course(s) numbered 685 regardless of discipline.)

PLSI 699 Independent Study (Units: 1-4)

Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor, major adviser, and department chair. Enrollment by petition.

Supervised study of a particular problem selected by the student with advisement from the instructor. May be repeated for a total of 4 units.

PLSI 700 Research Methods (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing.

Introduction to methodologies that pertain to designing a research project in political science. (Plus-minus AB/NC, CR/NR not allowed)

PLSI 701 Graduate Writing in Political Science (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

Hands-on study of the practice of writing for graduate-level political science. Foundations of good political science writing, the revision process, writing for scholarly publications. Topics to be specified in the Class Schedule. May be repeated when topics vary.

PLSI 707 Practicum in Teaching in Political Science In Higher Education (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

Focus on pedagogical techniques to be used by teaching assistants in higher education in political science, as well as for possible work teaching in higher education after earning the M.A. [Formerly PLSI 781]

PLSI 708 College Teaching of Political Science (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

Planning and teaching of college-level political science courses. Supervised experience to be evaluated through examination of contemporary literature and practice.

PLSI 740 Seminar in American Politics (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

American government and politics: political parties, interest groups, presidency, legislative assemblies, judiciary, electoral behavior, and political opinion.

PLSI 742 Public Opinion, Elections, and Media (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

Seminar seeks to evaluate key elements of the transformation of American politics by focusing on recent developments in political science that model contemporary public opinion, electoral and media processes. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

PLSI 743 Racial Politics and American Democracy (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

How immigration impacts the practice of racial and ethnic politics in the U.S. Focus on Asian Americans, Blacks, and Latinos.

PLSI 744 U.S. Supreme Court in the Making of Public Policy (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

Focus on the political and policy-making powers of the U.S. Supreme Court. Topics include political jurisprudence, constitutional and statutory interpretation, the selection process, the decisional process, appellate process, and the impact of Supreme Court decisions.

PLSI 745 Post Civil Rights Period in American Democracy (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

The substantive theoretical and methodological problems associated with the study of racial politics in the literature of political science. A particular focus is that of analyzing Black politics in the post civil rights era.

PLSI 746 Urban Politics and Power (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

Study of urban politics including competing theories of power, racial and ethnic politics in the urban context, and various issues concerning cities including governance, gentrification, and globalization.

PLSI 760 Seminar in Comparative Politics (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

A graduate-level introduction to the field of comparative politics. Topics include the nature of the contemporary state, state-society relations, democratic and authoritarian regimes, regime change, social movements, nationalism, and ethnic conflict.

PLSI 764 Democracies and Democratization (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

Theoretical and empirical analyses of the relationship between state and society in selected third world nations.

PLSI 765 Social Movements of the Islamic World (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

Examines social movements in different Muslim countries and societies, with an emphasis on the Middle East. Topics include social movement theory and comparative case studies of 20th and 21st century religious and national movements.

PLSI 766 State-Society Relations (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

State-society relations in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Development of the modern state; how states and societies interact; how social groups limit and empower states.

PLSI 767 Indian Politics Seminar (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

Contemporary government and politics in India. Analysis of political institutions and processes, patterns of political mobilization and change. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

PLSI 768 The Politics of Dissent in Comparative Perspective (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Political Science or consent of the instructor.

Exploration of political dissent; study of theories and cases concerning everyday forms of resistance, collective action, protest, social movements, political violence, and revolution. Particular but not exclusive emphasis on cases in the Middle East and North Africa.

PLSI 769 China's Environmental Crisis (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

Crisis state of the environment in the largest country, by population, and second largest economy in the world: China; focus on different Chinese environmental problems from the most recent literature available.

PLSI 780 Seminar in Political Theory (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

Literature of political thought. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

PLSI 782 Colonialism, Gender and Scientific Racism (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

Intellectual history of scientific racism, colonial regimes, and gendered oppression. Impact of colonialism on contemporary identities and contemporary approaches to knowledge; in particular, the museum, the household, the body, mission schools, and new forms of work.

PLSI 785 Seminar on Rawls (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

Study of the work of John Rawls, arguably the most influential western political theorist of our time; focus on his major work, A THEORY OF JUSTICE, as well as his final work, JUSTICE AS FAIRNESS: A RESTATEMENT. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

PLSI 786 Great Theorists: Walter Benjamin (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

Walter Benjamin, one of the premier thinkers of the 20th century, and a major influence on figures such as Hannah Arendt, Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault and others. To thoroughly examine Benjamin is to make inquiries into the basis of thought for the previous century as well as our own.
(This course is offered as PLSI 786, GER 786, and HUM 725. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

PLSI 787 The Political Theory of Franz Kafka (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing; upper-division standing permitted with the consent of the instructor.

The writings of Franz Kafka and his influence on philosophers and thinkers ranging from Derrida to Arendt to Benjamin. Although Kafka often seems to be oriented precisely against any kind of system or order from which one could derive any kind of "political theory," this course will look at the ways that Kafka's work supports consistent and specific kinds of radical and anarchic politics even as it busily undermines and subverts other more conventional and normative forms. (Plus-minus letter grade only)

PLSI 788 Latin American Political Theory (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

Examination of Latin America political thought from the 16th century to the present. Focus on arguments about Spanish colonialism and Latin American independence and identity, the value of European thought and other sources of knowledge, and the nature of populism and revolution.

PLSI 789 Political Theories of Colonialism and Anti-Colonialism (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

Explores political theories of colonialism and anti-colonialism from a variety of time periods, geographic spaces and ideologies. Analyzes how these theories have traveled and been appropriated. (Plus-minus AB/NC/RP grading only)

PLSI 896EXM Culminating Experience Examination (Units: 0-3)

Prerequisites: Consent of the instructor, committee chair, and approval of Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) and Culminating Experience (CE) forms by Graduate Studies. ATC and Proposal for Culminating Experience Requirement forms must be approved by the Graduate Division before registration.

Enrollment in 896EXAM required for students whose culminating experience consists of an examination only. Not for students enrolled in a culminating experience course numbered PLSI 898. (CR/NC, RP)

PLSI 898 Master's Thesis (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Advancement to candidacy (ATC) for the master's degree and consent of the candidate's committee chair, and approval of Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) and Culminating Experience (CE) forms by Graduate Studies.

(CR/NC, RP grading only)

PLSI 899 Independent Study (Units: 1-4)

Prerequisite: Consent of the graduate major adviser, supervising faculty member, and department chair.

Study is planned, developed, and completed under the direction of a member of the departmental faculty. Open only to graduate students who have demonstrated the ability to do independent work. Enrollment by petition.