PSCI - Political Science

An in-depth examination of the causes and patterns of modern terrorism and reactions intended to achieve justice. Students will investigate case studies of recent occurrences of terrorism and responses. Central themes will include retribution vs. reconciliation, state-sponsored terrorism, and/or international tribunals.

This course examines politics from a gendered perspective with an emphasis on how gender interacts with race, class and sexuality to impact women as political beings and focuses on women’s political participation in radical social movements.

Credit by exam. An introduction to the U.S. system of government and its policy process. Will explore the foundations and structure of the government, the way in which policy is crafted in the U.S. governmental institutions and other electoral processes including elections.

Prerequisite: Any 3 credits of social science or permission of the instructor. Sophomore standing required. For political science majors, PSCI 203 or PSCI 210 is recommended. This course introduces students to a variety of quantitative and qualitative research methods used in political science. Students learn the tools needed to conduct original research. Among the topics to be covered are: survey research, interviewing, content analysis, historical analysis and legal analysis.

An introduction to the methods of comparative inquiry with close examination of select western democracies, communist, post-communist and developing countries. Comparisons of historical processes, governmental institutions and current public policy challenges.

An introduction to the theories and current issues of international relations. Attention given to tension between nationalism and transnationalism and to modern phenomena such as the international economy and the global environment.

The Model United Nations is a national and professional organization that hosts an annual simulation experience in New York City every spring. Participants assume the role of a delegate from another country, craft, and submit position papers. The course provides critical preparation for the simulation experience.

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. The MD Student Legislature is a student-run organization that brings together students from Maryland universities to conduct two legislative simulations per semester. Participants assume the role of the legislator, craft and submit legislation and shepherd bills through committee and floor debate. Grading is on S/U basis. May be repeated for a total of 4 credits.

Law and the legal system in the United States. The impact of legal institutions on society. The law as a reflection of political, economic and social values.

An examination of African-American political activity in the 20th century. African-American participation in the U.S. electoral process and the power structure in African-American communities.

Prerequisite: PSCI 203. This course will be a general topics course in political science allowing faculty and students to study particular special interests in politics.

Prerequisite: 3 hours in African-American history, literary criticism or politics, or permission of the instructor. This course examines the connections between autobiography, political philosophy, utopian thought and politics in African-American autobiographies analyzing to determine the criticisms authors launched against their societies, the social and political alternatives suggested and the agencies they suggested be mobilized to institute change.

Prerequisites: PSCI 200 or PSCI 215 or permission of instructor. This course explores the philosophical motives of Al Qaeda, the U.S. government’s institutional responses and failures, creation of a 9/11 commission, the compromise to constitutional rights and law, the effect on political attitudes and popular culture, the ensuing Afghan and Iraq wars, and the international community’s response to the tragedies of that day.

Prerequisite: PSCI 203 or permission of instructor. Students will explore the public policy-making process and engage in public policy analysis, focusing on the theories of public policy formation and the institutions involved in the policy making process. The course will focus on several case studies of substantive policy areas.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of the Social and Behavioral Analysis or Historical Analysis areas of the Core or permission of the instructor. The course examines the political and practical aspects of philanthropy. Attention is given to the responsibilities of democratic citizenship, the merits of strategies for change and the relationship between scholarly inquiry and direct action. Students will study a community-based organization.

Prerequisite: PSCI 203 or PSCI 215. Review of the contemporary U.S. foreign policy-making process. Emphasis on the history of the U.S. foreign policy, the conflict between the executive and the legislative branches, the role of interest groups and recent foreign policy crises.

Prerequisite: CJ 230, LWPS 230 or PSCI 203 or permission of the instructor. The powers of the state and national governments as interpreted by leading decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States. The development of modern constitutional doctrines.

Prerequisite: LWPS 230. This course addresses the substantive study of criminal law, how society declares what conduct is criminal and what punishment should be imposed for such conduct. Such questions as what effect does heredity, environment, poverty, urban life, lack of education and unemployment have on the proclivity for criminal behavior will be examined.

Prerequisite: PSCI 304 or permission of the instructor. Introduction to the basic concepts of grant writing and fund-raising in the corporate and public sectors for nonprofits.

Prerequisite: LWPS 230 or permission of the instructor. This course analyzes great political trials that have reflected the political controversies of their time. Western tradition of law and legal analysis through trials held in the United States, France and England will be examined and contrasted and compared with trials held under socialist, Islamic and indigenous political systems.

Prerequisite: PSCI 203. The course examines the politics of urban areas theoretically and considers some of the classical explanations used to explain how they are governed. The course also examines cities historically, with consideration paid to the growing divide between the haves and the have-nots in U.S. cities and the growing inequalities that are based on race, gender and class.

Prerequisite: PSCI 203 or permission of the instructor. This course analyzes the development of the modern presidency in the United States, the structure of the institution, and presidential elections. It assesses how presidents make decisions and shape policy and their relationships with Congress, the courts, and the public.

Prerequisite: PSCI 210 or PSCI 215. Political regimes in the developing nations of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.

Prerequisite: PSCI 203 or permission of the instructor. An analysis of U.S. campaigns and elections. Emphasis on the role that parties, interest groups and media play in our electoral system.

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. Designed to acquaint the student with political activity. Supervised work with political campaign of student’s choice.

Prerequisites: Completion of the Social and Behavioral Analysis area of the Core. Open to political science majors or with permission of the instructor. Frederick City will be studied from the perspectives of art, demography, economics, history, literature, race, politics and sociology. The evolution of Frederick City from a frontier colony to a suburb of Washington, DC will be examined in the light of regional, national and global forces,

Prerequisite: Fulfillment of the Historical Analysis section of the Core or permission of the instructor. A critical examination of the political writings of classical and medieval philosophers. Emphasis will be on the development and evolution of concepts such as democracy, justice, citizenship, community and the relationship between church and state.

Prerequisite: PSCI 203 or permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors. Development of political ideas from Machiavelli to the present day. Analysis of the great political traditions in the context of contemporary problems. Democratic liberalism, socialism, fascism and communism.

Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing, PSCI 203 and permission of the department. The assistant attends classes, tutor students, show films and participates in periodic conferences with the instructor and other teaching assistants, and may. include assisting in other class-related projects, such as organizing field trips, speakers and discussion sessions. May be taken only once. Grading is on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Prerequisite: PSCI 203, PSCI 307 or permission of the instructor. A study of the various areas of sex-based legal discrimination and an examination of the relevant cases and statutes.

Prerequisite: HIST 246 or AFPS 350 or completion of the Philosophical Inquiry section of the Core. An introduction to African political thought from the pre-colonial period to the present. Emphasis will be given to the impact of Islam, cultural nationalism, nationalism, revolutionary theories, democracy, African socialism and Marxism of major African political theorists.

Prerequisite: HIST 246, AFPS 353, or completion of the Philosophical Inquiry section of the Core. This course explores the connections between autobiography, political philosophy and politics in African autobiographies. Selections from the 17th to the 21st centuries will be analyzed by authors from East, North, Central and Southern Africa to determine how they criticized their societies, suggested social and political alternatives and promoted social change

Prerequisites: Completion of the Social and Behavioral Analysis category of the Core. Open to political science majors. This course will explore the ways in which national historical events are commemorated with specific reference to the 2007 Jamestown celebrations. The issues of race, politics, and gender will be examined as well as the ways in which the founding of Jamestown is represented in film and literature.

Prerequisite: Permission of the department. A readings course to supplement the regular offerings of the department. Conferences and written reports.

An upper-level special topics course offered at the discretion of the department. The content and methods vary with the interest of students and faculty members

Prerequisites: 18 credits in political science and permission of the instructor. Note: only 3 credits from PSCI 399 count toward the 30 credits of political science required for majors. An introduction to political behavior in a legal or policy-making setting through supervised full- or part-time work for a complete semester or an equivalent summer term (14 weeks). Students may be placed in a variety of settings: governmental or legislative offices, the court system, interest groups or research organizations. Grading is S/U.

Co-Requisite: PSCI 399. The class will meet on a regular basis, read the assigned materials, process the internship experience with reference to the courses they have completed in the discipline, and present their experiences at the end of the semester. This course is mandatory for all students taking an internship for the first time. For a second internship, it is optional. Grading is S/U.

Prerequisites: 12 credits of political science, history and sociology, including PSCI 203 and SOC 101, and permission of the instructor. The theory and history underlying civil liberties in contemporary American culture. Cases and readings. Freedom of expression and association, freedom of religion, fair trial and rights of the accused.

Prerequisites: PSCI 215 or LWPS 230 or PSCI 307, or permission by instructor This course will investigate the basic question underlyingthe debate over the utility of international lawThe influence of global civil society, multinational corporations, and other non-state actors in the development and application of international law will be examined

Prerequisites: PSCI 203, PSCI 210 or PSCI 215 and ECON 310 or permission of the instructor. This is a comparative course on the making and implementing of environmental policies in developed and developing countries. The focus is on the evolution of environmental policymaking and on the problems associated with implementing environmental policies in different political and institutional contexts.

Prerequisites: PSCI 205 and senior standing or permission of the department. This is the capstone course required of all political science majors. It is an intensive study of political topics which will vary each year. Presentation of oral reports and preparation of research papers.

Prerequisite: By invitation of the department. The departmental honors paper is a two-semester senior-year program designed for students who wish to pursue intensive research or special projects in close coordination with faculty advisers. Departmental honors students are known as the Christine P. Tischer Scholars and receive 6 credits for this work.