comparative politics
PLSC 300: Comparative Public Policy
Professor Olga Avdeyeva
TTh 10:00am / LSC
This course will provide a concise overview of the policy process and will invite students to investigate the role of cultural, economic, political, and institutional influences on policymaking in comparative perspective. We will learn the basic rules of comparative analysis, examine the political systems in several post-industrial nations, and analyze policy contexts across these nations. The examination of seven policy areas will constitute the core of this task: immigration policy, fiscal, taxation, health care, social policy, education, and environment. The course will strike a balance between policy analysis and description as it will provide students with a helpful mix of analytical tools and background information.
PLSC 300: Women and Family Policy
Professor Olga Avdeyeva
TTh 1:00pm / LSC
Demographers, sociologists, political scientists, lawyers, and policy analysts agree that family and household structure underwent far-reaching change in the course of the 20th century in Western democracies, which, on one hand, resulted in greater family diversity; but, on the other hand, made family a vulnerable unit in today’s society. In this course, we will engage in analytical discussions on what affects family wellbeing and how to design family policies to better serve the needs of contemporary families. The course has a strong comparative component. We will engage in comparative analysis of family policies in Western democracies (Western Europe, US, and Canada); study the changing socio-economic context in these countries; and try to design policy recommendations that could assist families in coping with challenges of today’s world.
PLSC 300: Women and Politics--A Global Perspective
Ms. Megan Sholar
TTh 2:30pm / LSC
This course examines the role of women in international political life. Our goal is to understand how and why women throughout the world participate in politics. We will examine a set of inter-related questions: What strategies have women used to gain political power? Besides women’s participation in the traditional spheres of what is considered politics—women as voters and politicians—are there other, informal ways that women have become “political” actors? How do different political systems and political cultures influence women’s status and power? How does the presence or absence of women from decision-making power affect public policy and the quality of women’s lives? What barriers continue to exist to women’s full political participation and representation, and what (if anything) can be done to overcome these obstacles? Students will reflect upon similarities and differences amongst women both across societies and within a single society, using the experience of American women as a reference point.
PLSC 324: Civil-Military Relations
Professor John Williams
MWF 12:35pm / LSC
Civil-Military Relations will explore the nature of military professionalism and the relationship between the military and the civil society it is tasked to defend. The interactions are many and complex, involving issues as varied as personnel policies (such as recruitment, gender, sexual orientation), lobbying, and the role of the military in domestic law enforcement (drugs, civil disorder, etc.). The implications of various policy choices for civil liberties and military effectiveness will be considered, as well. The professor hopes for a wide range of opinions on these issues. The focus will be on non-U.S. militaries as well as the U.S. military.
PLSC 368: Middle East Politics
Professor Khalil Marrar
Th 4:15pm / LSC
This is a comparative politics course on the Middle East. While examining international relations between Middle Eastern countries, this course focuses especially on their interactions with the West. In this context, the Arab-Israeli conflict receives special emphasis. This course also examines the impact of globalization on the peoples of the Middle East.