Undergraduate courses in Political Science

Courses numbered below 100 are introductory. Courses numbered from 100-199 are intermediate undergraduate lecture courses. Courses numbered 200-299 are advanced undergrduate seminar courses.

POLISCI 1. Introduction to International Relations

Approaches to the study of conflict and cooperation in world affairs. Applications to war, terrorism, trade policy, the environment, and world poverty. Debates about the ethics of war and the global distribution of wealth. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Aut (Tomz, M), Spr (Krasner, S)

POLISCI 2. Introduction to American National Government and Politics

The role and importance of the ideal of democracy in the evolution of the American political system. American political institutions (the Presidency, Congress, and the Court) and political processes (the formation of political attitudes and voting) are examined against the backdrop of American culture and political history. The major areas of public policy in the current practice of the ideal of democracy. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Win (Fiorina, M; Frisby, T)

POLISCI 3. Introduction to Political Philosophy

(Same as ETHICSOC 30, PHIL 30, PUBLPOL 103A.) State authority, justice, liberty, and equality through major works in political philosophy. Topics include human nature and citizenship, the obligation to obey the law, democracy and economic inequality, equality of opportunity and affirmative action, religion, and politics. GER:DB-Hum, DB-Hum, EC-EthicReas

5 units, Spr (Hussain, N)

POLISCI 4. Introduction to Comparing Political Systems

Politics in major regime types including democratic, authoritarian, and communist; how types of politics affect economic development and state/society relations. GER:DB-SocSci, EC-GlobalCom

5 units, Aut (Diaz-Cayeros, A)

POLISCI 12N. Democracy and Inequality in Latin America

(F,Sem) Stanford Introductory Seminar. Preference to freshmen. The relationship between inequality, attributable to factors such as education, assets, land tenure and family structure, and the spread of democracy. The role of colonial institutions founded on the extraction of mineral resources and plantation labor relations; the deficit in political institutions that often led to the exclusion of the poor; the lack of rule of law and enforcement of property rights; the slow expansion of educational systems; the links between enfranchisement and literacy requirements; and the role of military coups and the frequent interruption of democratic politics.

5 units, Spr (Diaz-Cayeros, A)

POLISCI 13N. 2008 Presidential Election

(F,Sem) Stanford Introductory Seminar. Preference to freshmen. Analytical framework for understanding the U.S. presidential election campaign. Focus is on historical election results, survey data, and experimental data. Concepts from political science, such as party identification and the spatial voting model, and statistics, such as sampling error and survey bias. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Aut (Jackman, S)

POLISCI 16N. Politics of Economic Development

(F,Sem) Stanford Introductory Seminar. Preference to freshmen. Why are some countries rich and others poor? What explains the policies that governments adopt, and how do those policies affect economic performance? Readings from political science and economics about Latin America and other regions. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Win (Tomz, M)

POLISCI 41Q. Building Democracy after Conflict: Iraq in Comparative Perspective

(S,Sem) Stanford Introductory Seminar. Preference to sophomores. Problems of post-conflict situations, the conditions for building democracy and how they relate to post-conflict situations, and historical experiences such as Germany and Japan. Iraq as a principal case study.

5 units, Win (Diamond, L)

POLISCI 43N. Oil, Regime Change, and Conflict

(S,Sem) Stanford Introductory Seminar. Preference to sophomores. Relationships among dependence on oil export, democratization and authoritarian rule, and rising conflict. Case studies including Venezuela, Nigeria, Iran, Iraq, Chad, and Indonesia. The resource curse: the impact of oil on a country's political economy. The relationship between such economic dependence and regime type. Why oil exporting countries are more prone to conflict and civil war than other countries. Research paper.

5 units, Aut (Karl, T)

POLISCI 110A. Theory and Practice in International Relations

Major approaches to understanding international politics including realism, liberalism, and constructivism, and their utility in explaining events and issues over the last century including the WWI and WWII, the Cold War, trade and globalization, and transnational terrorism. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, not given this year

POLISCI 110B. Strategy, War, and Politics

Traditional and modern theories on the causes of war and sources of peace. Contrasting explanations for the origins of WW I and II; alternative theories of deterrence in the nuclear age; the causes of war in the Persian Gulf, ethnic conflicts, and terrorism in the post-Cold War era. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, not given this year

POLISCI 110C. America and the World Economy

(Same as POLISCI 110X.) (Students not taking this course for WIM, register for 110X.) American foreign economic policy. Issues: the evolution of American tariff and trade policy, the development of mechanisms for international monetary management, and American foreign investment policy reflected in the changing political goals pursued by American central decision makers. Prerequisite: 1 or equivalent. GER:DB-SocSci, WIM

5 units, Win (Goldstein, J)

POLISCI 110D. War and Peace in American Foreign Policy

(Same as POLISCI 110Y.) (Students not taking this course for WIM, register for 110Y.) The causes of war in American foreign policy. Issues: international and domestic sources of war and peace; war and the American political system; war, intervention, and peace making in the post-Cold War period. GER:DB-SocSci, WIM

5 units, Spr (Schultz, K)

POLISCI 110X. America and the World Economy

(Same as POLISCI 110C.) (Students not taking this course for WIM, register for 110X.) American foreign economic policy. Issues: the evolution of American tariff and trade policy, the development of mechanisms for international monetary management, and American foreign investment policy reflected in the changing political goals pursued by American central decision makers. Prerequisite: 1 or equivalent. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Win (Goldstein, J)

POLISCI 110Y. War and Peace in American Foreign Policy

(Same as POLISCI 110D.) (Students not taking this course for WIM, register for 110Y.) The causes of war in American foreign policy. Issues: international and domestic sources of war and peace; war and the American political system; war, intervention, and peace making in the post-Cold War period. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Spr (Schultz, K)

POLISCI 111. Peace Studies

(Same as PSYCH 165.) Interdisciplinary. The challenges of pursuing peace in a world with many conflicts and rising regional, ethnic, and religious antagonisms. Historical, social, psychological, and moral perspectives. Contributions of academic disciplines to the study of peace. Students explore a conflict and offer contributions to the building of peace. Limited enrollment. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, not given this year

POLISCI 111D. British Politics

The impact on the world's oldest democracy of major changes in policies, politics, and the institution of government made over the last two decades by Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair. GER:DB-SocSci, EC-GlobalCom

5 units, Spr (Dorfman, G)

POLISCI 112K. Korea and East Asian International Relations

Analytical perspectives on the sources of stability and conflict in East Asia, and empirical evidence gathered between the 19th-century clash of civilizations up to the present. Topics include U.S. strategy in East Asia, the impact of the rise of China on regional security, nuclear proliferation, territorial disputes, nationalism, economic interdependence and regionalism, and the broader global security environment.

5 units, Win (Park, S)

POLISCI 113F. The United Nations and Global Governance

The role of international institutions and organizations in the areas of health, environment, security, trade, development, and human rights. Evaluation, accountability, participation, legitimacy, and autonomy. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, not given this year

POLISCI 114D. Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law

(Same as IPS 230, INTNLREL 114D, POLISCI 314D.) Links among the establishment of democracy, economic growth, and the rule of law. How democratic, economically developed states arise. How the rule of law can be established where it has been historically absent. Variations in how such systems function and the consequences of institutional forms and choices. How democratic systems have arisen in different parts of the world. Available policy instruments used in international democracy, rule of law, and development promotion efforts. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Aut (Stoner-Weiss, K; McFaul, M)

POLISCI 114S. International Security in a Changing World

(Same as IPS 241.) The major international and regional security problems in the modern world. Interdisciplinary faculty lecture on the political and technical issues involved in nuclear proliferation, terrorism and homeland security, civil wars and insurgencies, and future great power rivalries. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Win (Blacker, C; Crenshaw, M)

POLISCI 116. History of Nuclear Weapons

(Same as HISTORY 103E.) The development of nuclear weapons and policies. How existing nuclear powers have managed their relations with each other. How nuclear war has been avoided so far and whether it can be avoided in the future. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Spr (Holloway, D)

POLISCI 117. Political Economy of East Asia

(Formerly 211.) Comparative and international political economy of E.and S.E. Asia. Industrial development and the Asian miracle, economic integration, regional cooperation, the Asian financial crisis, and contemporary challenges.

5 units, Spr (Lipscy, P)

POLISCI 120A. American Political Sociology and Public Opinion: Who We Are and What We Believe

First of team-taught, intermediate-level, three-part sequence designed to introduce students to topics in American politics and government. The sociology of the U.S. and the political beliefs and values of Americans. Students may enroll for one, two, or three quarters, but the course is cumulative so maximum benefit results from enrollment in the entire sequence. Recommended: 2. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, not given this year

POLISCI 120B. Parties, Voting, the Media, and Elections

The electoral process in the U.S. and patterns of voting behavior. Topics include the causes and structure of partisan identity, public opinion, the decision over whether to vote, and candidate preference among the electorate. Materials on campaigns, candidates, and research on determinants of outcome. The function of the electoral system as a whole and proposals for reform. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Aut (Segura, G)

POLISCI 120C. American Political Institutions: Congress, the Executive Branch, and the Courts

How politicians, once elected, work together to govern America. The roles of the President, Congress, and Courts in making and enforcing laws. Focus is on the impact of constitutional rules on the incentives of each branch, and on how they influence law. WIM GER:DB-SocSci, WIM

5 units, Spr (Rutten, A)

POLISCI 121. Urban Politics

(Same as SOC 149X, SOC 249X, URBANST 111.) The major actors, institutions, processes, and policies of sub-state government in the U.S., emphasizing city general-purpose governments through a comparative examination of historical and contemporary politics. Issues related to federalism, representation, voting, race, poverty, housing, and finances. Prerequisite: POLISCI 2 or consent of instructor. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, not given this year

POLISCI 122. Introduction to American Law

(Same as AMSTUD 179, LAWGEN 106.) For undergraduates. The structure of the American legal system including the courts; American legal culture; the legal profession and its social role; the scope and reach of the legal system; the background and impact of legal regulation; criminal justice; civil rights and civil liberties; and the relationship between the American legal system and American society in general. GER:DB-SocSci

3-5 units, Aut (Friedman, L)

POLISCI 123. Politics and Public Policy

(Same as PUBLPOL 101.) How policies come to be formed. How interests compete within public institutions to turn ideas into policies. Examples of this process from contemporary policy areas, including tax, social welfare, and environmental policy; results evaluated using equity and efficiency criteria. Prerequisite: POLISCI 2. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Spr (Frisby, T)

POLISCI 124R. Judicial Politics and Constitutional Law: The Federal System

The impact of constitutional rules on policy making in the U.S. with a focus on structural issues such as separation of powers and federalism. Topics such as: the role of unelected judges in a democracy; the rule of law; and the constitutionality of the war in Iraq. Prerequisites: 2 or equivalent, and sophomore standing. WIM GER:DB-SocSci, WIM

5 units, Aut (Rutten, A)

POLISCI 124S. Judicial Politics and Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties

The role and participation of courts, primarily the U.S. Supreme Court, in public policy making and the political system. Judicial activity in civil liberty areas (religious liberty, free expression, race and sex discrimination, political participation, and rights of persons accused of crime). Prerequisites: 2 or equivalent, and sophomore standing. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Win (Rutten, A)

POLISCI 125V. Minority Representation and the Voting Rights Act

Focus is on whether and how racial and ethnic minorities including African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latinos are able to organize and press their demands on the political system. Topics include the political behavior of minority citizens, the strength and effect of these groups at the polls, the theory and practice of group formation among minorities, the responsiveness of elected officials, and the constitutional obstacles and issues that shape these phenomena.

5 units, Win (Segura, G)

POLISCI 130B. History of Political Thought II: Early Modern Political Thought, 1500-1700

(Same as POLISCI 330B.) The development of constitutionalism, Renaissance humanism and the Reformation, and changing relationships between church and states. Emphasis is on the relationships among political thought, institutional frameworks, and immediate political problems and conflicts. The usefulness of the history of political thought to political science. GER:DB-Hum

5 units, not given this year

POLISCI 130C. History of Political Thought III: Freedom, Reason, and Power

(Same as POLISCI 330C.) Classic works in political theory since the American and French revolutions. Readings include Kant, Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche, and Dewey. GER:DB-Hum

5 units, Spr (Stone, P)

POLISCI 133. Ethics and Politics of Public Service

(Same as ETHICSOC 133.) Ethical and political questions in public service work, including volunteering, service learning, humanitarian assistance, and public service professions such as medicine and teaching. Motives and outcomes in service work. Connections between service work and justice. Is mandatory service an oxymoron? History of public service in the U.S. Issues in crosscultural service work. Integration with the Haas Center for Public Service to connect service activities and public service aspirations with academic experiences at Stanford. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, given next year

POLISCI 134. Democracy and the Communication of Consent

(Same as COMM 136, COMM 236.) Focus is on competing theories of democracy and the forms of communication they presuppose, combining normative and empirical issues, and historical and contemporary sources. Topics include representation, public opinion, mass media, small group processes, direct democracy, the role of information, and the prospects for deliberative democracy. GER:DB-SocSci

4-5 units, not given this year

POLISCI 136. Philosophical Issues Concerning Race and Racism

(Same as PHIL 177.) Concepts of race, race consciousness, and racism, and their connections. What is race and what is its role in racism? How should ethnic and racial identities be viewed to secure the conditions in which humanity can be seen as a single moral community whose members have equal respect? What laws, values, and institutions best embody the balance among competing goals of group loyalty, opposition to racism, and common humanity? Philosophical writings on freedom and equality, human rights, pluralism, and affirmative action. Historical accounts of group exclusion. GER:DB-Hum, EC-AmerCul

4 units, not given this year

POLISCI 136R. Introduction to Global Justice

(Same as ETHICSOC 136R, INTNLREL 136R, POLISCI 336.) Recent work in political theory on the ethics of international relations. Topics include human rights, global economic justice, and the problem of global poverty.

5 units, Spr (Staff)

POLISCI 136S. Justice

(Same as ETHICSOC 171, IPS 208, PHIL 171, PHIL 271, PUBLPOL 207.) Focus is on the ideal of a just society, and the place of liberty and equality in it, in light of contemporary theories of justice and political controversies. Topics include protecting religious liberty, financing schools and elections, regulating markets, assuring access to health care, and providing affirmative action and group rights. Issues of global justice including human rights and global inequality. GER:DB-Hum, EC-EthicReas

4-5 units, Aut (Cohen, J)

POLISCI 137R. Justice at Home and Abroad: Civil Rights in the 21st Century

(Same as EDUC 261X, ETHICSOC 137R, POLISCI 337R.) Focus is on theories of justice. How the core ideals of freedom, equality, and security animate theories which John Rawls considers the first virtue of social institutions. Topics include the U.S. Constitution as a legal framework for the operation of these ideals, civil rights legislation and litigation as the arena of tensions between those ideals, and how ideas of justice function both at home and abroad to impact civil liberties in today's war on terror.

5 units, Aut (Reich, R; Steyer, J)

POLISCI 140. Political Economy of Development

Emphasis is on the interplay between political economic processes, and national and international factors from Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Do governments provide the foundations for economic development? The role of the state in solving problems of violence and capital accumulation. GER:DB-SocSci, EC-GlobalCom

5 units, Spr (Diaz-Cayeros, A)

POLISCI 140C. The Comparative Political Economy of Post-Communist Transitions

Dominant theoretical perspectives of comparative democratization and marketization; focus is on the political economy of transition in Eastern Europe and Eurasia while comparing similar processes in Latin America and Asia. Topics include: meanings of democracy, synergy between democracies and markets, causes of the collapse of communism, paths to political liberalization and democracy, civil society, constitutions, parliaments, presidents, the rule of law, electoral systems, market requirements, strategies of reform, the Russian experience of market building, exporting democracy and the market, and foreign aid and assistance.

5 units, Win (Stoner-Weiss, K)

POLISCI 140L. China in World Politics

The implications of the rise of China in contemporary world politics and for American foreign policy, including issues such as arms and nuclear proliferation, regional security arrangements, international trade and investment, human rights, environmental problems, and the Taiwan and Tibet questions. GER:DB-SocSci, EC-GlobalCom

5 units, Aut (Miller, L)

POLISCI 141. The Global Politics of Human Rights

The global development and changing nature of human rights and the rise of an international human rights movement. Conflicts between national sovereignty and rights, and among types of rights. Case studies include genocide in Rwanda, holding torturers accountable in Chile and El Salvador, factory workers versus Nike, and the rights of women in S. Africa. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Win (Karl, T)

POLISCI 142. Politics of Western Europe

Major challenges to European states since WWII. Topics include: the ramification of the differences in Western European political systems; the explanations and consequences of the emergence of the EU; and how European states have reacted to immigration. Theories in comparative politics and political experiences in UK, France, Germany, and Italy. GER:DB-SocSci, EC-GlobalCom

5 units, Win (Kuo, A)

POLISCI 144T. Democracies and Dictatorships

Social scientific findings and debates; cross-sectional approach. What accounts for the emergence of democracy; under what conditions are democracies stable; why are so many developing countries ruled by dictators; why do rulers who destroy their own societies survive for so long; and what accounts for the breakdown of autocratic regimes?

5 units, Spr (Magaloni, B)

POLISCI 147. Comparative Democratic Development

Social, cultural, political, economic, and international factors affecting the development and consolidation of democracy in historical and comparative perspective. Individual country experiences with democracy, democratization, and regime performance. Emphasis is on the third wave of democratization over the past three decades and contemporary possibilities for democratic change. (Diamond) GER:DB-SocSci, EC-GlobalCom

5 units, not given this year

POLISCI 149S. Islam and the West

Changes in relative power and vitality of each side. The relationship in the Middle Ages revolved around power and domination, and since the Renaissance around modernity. Focus is on Muslims of the Middle East. GER:DB-SocSci, EC-GlobalCom

5 units, Spr (Milani, A)

POLISCI 150A. Political Methodology I

(Same as POLISCI 350A.) Introduction to probability and statistical inference, with applications to political science and public policy. Prerequisite: elementary calculus. GER:DB-Math

5 units, Aut (Wand, J)

POLISCI 150B. Political Methodology II

(Same as POLISCI 350B.) Understanding and using the linear regression model in a social-science context: properties of the least squares estimator; inference and hypothesis testing; assessing model fit; presenting results for publication; consequences and diagnosis of departures from model assumptions; outliers and influential observations, graphical techniques for model fitting and checking; interactions among exploratory variables; pooling data; extensions for binary responses. GER:DB-Math

5 units, Win (Rivers, D)

POLISCI 150C. Political Methodology III

(Same as POLISCI 350C.) Models for discrete outcomes, time series, measurement error, and simultaneity. Introduction to nonlinear estimation, large sample theory. Prerequisite: 150B/350B.

3-5 units, Spr (Jackman, S)

POLISCI 151B. Data Analysis for Political Science

Operationalization of concepts, measurement, scale construction, finding and pooling/merging data, cross-tabulations, tests of association, comparison of means, correlation, scatterplots, and regression models. How to present the results of data analysis in research reports, essays, and theses. Emphasis is on getting and using data with appropriate statistical software. Prior mathematics not required. GER:DB-Math

5 units, Spr (Jackman, S)

POLISCI 152. Introduction to Game Theoretic Methods in Political Science

(Same as POLISCI 352.) Concepts and tools of non-cooperative game theory developed using political science questions and applications. Formal treatment of Hobbes' theory of the state and major criticisms of it; examples from international politics. Primarily for graduate students; undergraduates admitted with consent of instructor.

3-5 units, Win (Fearon, J)

POLISCI 157. Sampling and Surveys

(Same as POLISCI 357.) The importance of sample surveys as a source of social science data including public opinion, voting, welfare programs, health, employment, and consumer behavior. Survey design, sampling theory, and estimation. Nonresponse, self-selection, measurement error, and web survey methods. Prerequisite: 150B or equivalent.

5 units, Spr (Rivers, D)

POLISCI 210R. International Conflict: Management and Resolution

(Same as IPS 250, POLISCI 310R.) (Same as LAW 656) Interdisciplinary. Theoretical insights and practical experience in resolving inter-group and international conflicts. Sources include social psychology, political science, game theory, and international law. Personal, strategic, and structural barriers to solutions. How to develop a vision of a mutually bearable shared future, trust in the enemy, and acceptance of loss that a negotiated settlement may produce. Spoilers who seek to sabotage agreements. Advantages and disadvantages of unilateral versus reciprocal measures. Themes from the Stanford Center of International Conflict and Negotiation (SCICN). Prerequisite for undergraduates: consent of instructor.

5 units, Win (Weiner, A; Holloway, D)

POLISCI 214. The Politics of Nuclear Proliferation

(Same as POLISCI 314.) (Graduate students register for 314.) The origins and effects of the spread of nuclear weapons at international and domestic levels. The role of faulty intelligence, clandestine proliferation networks, and nuclear assistance from third parties on proliferators' programs. Case studies of relevant programs, including Iran and North Korea.

5 units, Win (Montgomery, A)

POLISCI 215. Explaining Ethnic Violence

What is ethnic violence and why does it occur? Should elite machinations, the psychology of crowds, or historical hatreds be blamed? Case studies and theoretical work on the sources and nature of ethnic violence. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Aut (Fearon, J)

POLISCI 216E. International History and International Relations Theory

(Same as HISTORY 202, HISTORY 306E, POLISCI 316.) The relationship between history and political science as disciplines. Sources include studies by historians and political scientists on topics such as the origins of WW I, the role of nuclear weapons in international politics, the end of the Cold War, nongovernmental organizations in international relations, and change and continuity in the international system. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Aut (Holloway, D)

POLISCI 217. International Organizations

(Same as POLISCI 317.) (Graduate students register for 317.) The role of international organizations in interstate cooperation. Theoretical approaches and applications. The UN, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Trade Organization, and regional and supranational organizations.

5 units, Spr (Lipscy, P)

POLISCI 218. U.S. Relations in Iran

The evolution of relations between the U.S. and Iran. The years after WW II when the U.S. became more involved in Iran. Relations after the victory of the Islamic republic. The current state of affairs and the prospects for the future. Emphasis is on original documents of U.S. diplomacy (White House, State Department, and the U.S. Embassy in Iran). Research paper. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Aut (Milani, A)

POLISCI 219. Directed Reading and Research in International Relations

May be repeated for credit.

1-10 units, Aut (Staff), Win (Staff), Spr (Staff), Sum (Staff)

POLISCI 221. Tolerance and Democracy

The value of tolerance and its implications for the principles and practices of democracy. Tolerance as understood by political philosophers and citizens. Readings include: John Stuart Mill's On Liberty, Isaiah Berlin's Two Concepts of Liberty, and modern studies of public opinion. Topics include: ideas and liberty; value pluralism; the interplay of authority and obedience; the role of political elites and mass publics in democratic societies; multiculturalism. Principal forms of value conflict in contemporary liberal democracies. GER:DB-Hum

5 units, Win (Sniderman, P)

POLISCI 221F. Race and American Politics

How the issue of race has helped define the modern era of American politics. Major theories of political cleavage over public policies dealing with race.

5 units, not given this year

POLISCI 222R. Tolerance and Prejudice

Focus is on the contemporary strain in U.S. and W. European liberal democratic politics over accommodation of racial, ethnic, and religious diversity and the major threads of current political discourse including pluralism, diversity, prejudice, multiculturalism, and tolerance. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, not given this year

POLISCI 222S. Topics in Constitutional History

(Same as HISTORY 251G.) Ideas of rights in American history emphasizing the problem of defining constitutional rights, the free exercise of religion, freedom of expression, and the contemporary debate over rights talk and the idiom of human rights. GER:DB-SocSci, EC-AmerCul

5 units, Spr (Rakove, J)

POLISCI 223S. The Imperial Temptation: U.S. Foreign Policy in a Unipolar World

How the collapse of the Soviet Union liberated the U.S. from the constraints of bipolarity. How current policy fits into earlier traditions such as Wilsonianism or realism. Normative questions; what is America's proper role in the world? Prerequisite: senior standing. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Aut (Joffe, J)

POLISCI 227R. Polarized Politics and Special Interest Groups

The influence of special interest groups on electoral competition and policy outcomes in the U.S., and the increasing partisan polarization among elites. How money spent by special interest groups affects the types of candidates who are elected, the agendas of the parties, and the votes of Congressmen. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Spr (Wand, J)

POLISCI 229. Directed Reading and Research in American Politics

May be repeated for credit.

1-10 units, Aut (Staff), Win (Staff), Spr (Staff), Sum (Staff)

POLISCI 230A. Classical Seminar: Origins of Political Thought

(Same as CLASSHIS 133, CLASSHIS 333, HUMNTIES 321, POLISCI 330A.) Political philosophy in classical antiquity, focusing on canonical works of Thucydides, Plato, Aristotle, and Cicero. Historical background. Topics include: political obligation, citizenship, and leadership; origins and development of democracy; and law, civic strife, and constitutional change. GER:DB-Hum

5 units, Win (Ober, J)

POLISCI 231S. Contemporary Theories of Justice

Social and political justice and contemporary debates in political theory. Recent works that develop the principles of justice, and the political arrangements that best satisfy their requirements. Limited enrollment. WIM GER:DB-Hum, DB-SocSci, EC-EthicReas

5 units, not given this year

POLISCI 235. Politics and Religion

Theories about the proper relationship between church and state. Court cases and policy debates.

5 units, Win (Stone, P)

POLISCI 236. Theories of Civil Society, Philanthropy, and the Nonprofit Sector

The historical development and modern structure of civil society emphasizing philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. What is the basis of private action for the public good? How are charitable dollars distributed and what role do nonprofit organizations and philanthropic dollars play in a modern democracy? How do nongovernmental organizations operate domestically and globally? Readings in political philosophy, political sociology, and public policy.

5 units, Spr (Sievers, B)

POLISCI 237. Models of Democracy

(Same as CLASSHIS 137, CLASSHIS 237, COMM 212, COMM 312, POLISCI 337.) Ancient and modern varieties of democracy; debates about their normative and practical strengths and the pathologies to which each is subject. Focus is on participation, deliberation, representation, and elite competition, as values and political processes. Formal institutions, political rhetoric, technological change, and philosophical critique. Models tested by reference to long-term historical natural experiments such as Athens and Rome, recent large-scale political experiments such as the British Columbia Citizens' Assembly, and controlled experiments.

3-5 units, Spr (Fishkin, J; Ober, J; Luskin, R)

POLISCI 239. Directed Reading and Research in Political Theory

May be repeated for credit.

1-10 units, Aut (Staff), Win (Staff), Spr (Staff), Sum (Staff)

POLISCI 240T. American Efforts at Promoting Democracy Abroad: Theory and Reality

Theoretical and intellectual debates about democracy promotion with focus on realism versus liberalism. The evolution of these debates with attention to the Cold War, the 90s, and American foreign policy after 9/11. Tools for and bureaucratic struggles over how to promote democracy. Contemporary case studies.

5 units, Spr (McFaul, M)

POLISCI 242. Political Economy of Oil and Other Resources

Political and economic determinants of oil and resource policies in developing countries, and their impact on world markets. Interaction between states and extractive industries, challenges of resource wealth management, and causal links between resource dependency and institutions. Is there a resource curse? Do mineral rents hinder democracy and development? Why is resource nationalism on the rise again? Why are there such high rents in oil extraction? Limited enrollment. Prerequisite: senior standing.

5 units, Spr (Monaldi Marturet, F)

POLISCI 243R. Research Seminar in Democratization and Human Rights

Goal is to produce a minimum 30-page paper based on field research abroad. Students prepare research problem statement, meet individually with the professor, and circulate drafts for class comment. Graduate students should register for directed reading under the professor's name. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Aut (Karl, T)

POLISCI 245R. Politics in Modern Iran

Modern Iran has been a smithy for political movements, ideologies, and types of states. Movements include nationalism, constitutionalism, Marxism, Islamic fundamentalism, social democracy, Islamic liberalism, and fascism. Forms of government include Oriental despotism, authoritarianism, Islamic theocracy, and liberal democracy. These varieties have appeared in Iran in an iteration shaped by history, geography, proximity to oil and the Soviet Union, and the hegemony of Islamic culture. GER:DB-SocSci, EC-GlobalCom

5 units, Win (Milani, A)

POLISCI 247R. Politics and Economics in Democracies

Comparative political economy. Why do some countries have larger welfare states than others? Why do some countries provide collective goods more effectively than others? Prerequisite: senior standing. WIM

5 units, Spr (Staff)

POLISCI 247V. Elections and Redistribution

5 units, Spr (Magaloni, B)

POLISCI 248. Mexican Politics

Why did Mexico fail to eliminate poverty and destitution despite resources channeled to that end and a rhetoric of social justice inherited from the Revolution? The durability of the political regime, the peculiar characteristics of the Mexican process of democratization, and the regime's incentives to redress ancestral problems of inequality and destitution. Emphasis is on crafting research projects on the political economy of Mexican development, and hypothesis testing with empirical data. GER:DB-SocSci, EC-GlobalCom

5 units, Aut (Diaz-Cayeros, A)

POLISCI 248S. Latin American Politics

Fundamental transformations in Latin America in the last two decades: why most governments are now democratic or semidemocratic; and economic transformation as countries abandoned import substitution industrialization policies led by state intervention for neoliberal economic polices. The nature of this dual transformation. GER:DB-SocSci

5 units, Win (Magaloni, B)

POLISCI 249. Directed Reading and Research in Comparative Politics

May be repeated for credit.

1-10 units, Aut (Staff), Win (Staff), Spr (Staff), Sum (Staff)

POLISCI 299A. Senior Project

Students conduct independent research work towards a senior honors thesis. See "Honors Program" above.

1-5 units, Aut (Staff)

POLISCI 299B. Senior Project

Students conduct independent research work towards a senior honors thesis. See "Honors Program" above.

1-5 units, Win (Staff)

POLISCI 299C. Senior Project

Students conduct independent research work towards a senior honors thesis. See "Honors Program" above.

1-5 units, Spr (Staff)

POLISCI 299Q. Junior Research Seminar

Required of students interested in writing a senior honors thesis. Focus is on finding a manageable topic and an adviser.

2 units, Aut (Rutten, A), Win (Rutten, A), Spr (Rutten, A)

POLISCI 299R. Senior Research Seminar

Required of students writing honors theses. Focus is on acquiring research skills and developing an appropriate research design. WIM WIM

3 units, Aut (Rutten, A)

POLISCI 299S. Senior Honors Tutorial

Required of students writing honors theses. Focus is on solving problems in writing a thesis such as keeping on schedule and rewriting drafts. Students work with other honors students and graduate student tutors.

2 units, Win (Rutten, A)

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Stanford Bulletin, Archive 2008-09

Stanford Bulletin, Archive 2008-09

Alphabetical Index

Bulletin Archive

Undergraduate courses in Political Science