printer friendly pagePOLISCI 115B: Israel, the Middle East and Nuclear Weapons
Israel, the Middle East and Nuclear Weapons is intended for students who are interested to learn about Israel's national security policy in the context of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. The course is divided into three parts, and combines approaches based on historical research, political science, and science and technology studies. The first part of the course will examine the different factors which shape Israeli national security policy, and the role technology and innovation play within this process. The second part of the course will examine the evolution of Israel's nuclear program and it related nuclear policy. We will place this in historical and theoretical perspective within the academic corpus of literature which deals with nuclear proliferation. The third part of the course will focus on the study of counter-proliferation operations. Using nuclear proliferation literature and intelligence studies literature, we will chart the evolution of counter-proliferation operations, i.e. operations targeting the nuclear program of hostile actors, and the development of Israel's counter-proliferation doctrine. We will place our discussion in the context of the study of special operations and intelligence collaboration.
Terms: Aut
| Units: 5
| UG Reqs: WAY-SI
Instructors:
Rabinowitz Batz, O. (PI)
POLISCI 116M: Global Futures: History, Statecraft, Systems (HISTORY 105F, INTLPOL 222, POLISCI 316M)
Where does the future come from? It comes from the past, of course, but how? What are the key drivers of continuity or change, and how can we trace those drivers going forward, too? What are the roles of contingency, chance, and choice, versus long-term underlying structure? How can people, from whatever walk of life, identify and utilize levers of power to ty to shift the larger system? What is a system, and how do systems behave? To answer these questions and analyze how today's world came into being and where it might be headed, this course explores geopolitics and geoeconomics, institutions and technologies, citizenship and leadership. We examine how our world works to understand the limits but also the possibilities of individual and collective agency, the phenomenon of perverse and unintended consequences, and ultimately, the nature of power. Our goal is to investigate not just how to conceive of a smart policy, but how its implementation might unfold. In sum, this course aims to combine strategic analysis and tactical agility.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3-5
| UG Reqs: WAY-SI
POLISCI 117: Chinese Politics and Society: An Expert-Led Seminar (POLISCI 317)
This course provides an in-depth exploration of current issues in Chinese politics and society. Each week features an invited speaker - ranging from world-renowned scholars like Scott Rozelle, Chenggang Xu, and Perry Link, to practitioners and journalists who have deep insights into China. Topics covered include China's political economy, intra-party politics, post-1980 reforms, the urban-rural divide, environmental challenges, media freedom, student movements, and higher education in China. Discussions, moderated by the instructor and TA, follow each seminar. The class is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Reading proficiency in Mandarin is a plus but not mandatory.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3-5
Instructors:
Xu, Y. (PI)
;
Luo, J. (TA)
POLISCI 118P: U.S. Relations with 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.
Terms: Aut
| Units: 5
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, WAY-SI
Instructors:
Milani, A. (PI)
POLISCI 120B: Campaigns, Voting, Media, and Elections (AMSTUD 162B, COMM 162, COMM 262)
(Graduate students enroll in
COMM 262.
COMM 162 is offered for 5 units,
COMM 262 is offered for 4 units.) This course examines the theory and practice of American campaigns and elections. First, we will attempt to explain the behavior of the key players -- candidates, parties, journalists, and voters -- in terms of the institutional arrangements and political incentives that confront them. Second, we will use current and recent election campaigns as "laboratories" for testing generalizations about campaign strategy and voter behavior. Third, we examine selections from the academic literature dealing with the origins of partisan identity, electoral design, and the immediate effects of campaigns on public opinion, voter turnout, and voter choice. As well, we'll explore issues of electoral reform and their more long-term consequences for governance and the political process.
Terms: Win
| Units: 5
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, WAY-SI
POLISCI 120C: American Political Institutions in Uncertain Times (PUBLPOL 124)
This course examines how the rules that govern elections and the policy process determine political outcomes. It explores the historical forces that have shaped American political institutions, contemporary challenges to governing, and prospects for change. Topics covered include partisan polarization and legislative gridlock, the politicization of the courts, electoral institutions and voting rights, the expansion of presidential power, campaign finance and lobbying, representational biases among elected officials, and the role of political institutions in maintaining the rule of law. Throughout, emphasis will be placed on the strategic interactions between Congress, the presidency, and the courts and the importance of informal norms and political culture. Political Science majors taking this course to fulfill the WIM requirement should enroll in
POLISCI 120C.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 5
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, WAY-SI
POLISCI 121L: Racial-Ethnic Politics in US (CSRE 121L, PUBLPOL 121L)
This course examines the profound role race plays in American politics. Topics covered include the construction of political identity among Asian, Black, Latino, Native, and White Americans; the politics of immigration and acculturation; and the influence of racial identity on public opinion, voting behavior, the media, social movements, and in the justice system. We will tackle questions such as: What makes a political campaign ad 'racist?' Why did Donald Trump's support among Black, Latino, and Asian voters increase from 2016 to 2020? Are undocumented immigrants really more likely to commit crimes than U.S. citizens? How can we measure whether there is racial bias in policing? What do we even mean when we use the terms 'race' and 'ethnicity' - and how have the definitions of identity groups evolved over time? Throughout, students will be pushed to carefully evaluate data-based claims, critically analyze their own assumptions, and bring to bear empirical evidence to support their arguments in an inclusive learning environment. Prior coursework in Statistics or Economics strongly recommended.
Terms: Aut
| Units: 5
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, WAY-EDP, WAY-SI
Instructors:
Davenport, L. (PI)
;
Flores, C. (TA)
POLISCI 124A: The American West (AMSTUD 124A, ARTHIST 152, ENGLISH 124, HISTORY 151)
The American West is characterized by frontier mythology, vast distances, marked aridity, and unique political and economic characteristics. This course integrates several disciplinary perspectives into a comprehensive examination of Western North America: its history, physical geography, climate, literature, art, film, institutions, politics, demography, economy, and continuing policy challenges. Students examine themes fundamental to understanding the region: time, space, water, peoples, and boom and bust cycles.
Terms: Win
| Units: 5
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum, GER:EC-AmerCul, WAY-A-II, WAY-SI
Instructors:
Cain, B. (PI)
;
Fishkin, S. (PI)
;
Freyberg, D. (PI)
...
more instructors for POLISCI 124A »
Instructors:
Cain, B. (PI)
;
Fishkin, S. (PI)
;
Freyberg, D. (PI)
;
Kennedy, D. (PI)
;
Shelton, N. (PI)
;
Leonard, D. (TA)
;
Martinez, X. (TA)
;
Shelton, N. (TA)
POLISCI 124L: The Psychology of Communication About Politics in America (COMM 164, COMM 264, POLISCI 324L, PSYCH 170, PUBLPOL 164)
Focus is on how politicians and government learn what Americans want and how the public's preferences shape government action; how surveys measure beliefs, preferences, and experiences; how poll results are criticized and interpreted; how conflict between polls is viewed by the public; how accurate surveys are and when they are accurate; how to conduct survey research to produce accurate measurements; designing questionnaires that people can understand and use comfortably; how question wording can manipulate poll results; corruption in survey research.
Terms: Win
| Units: 4-5
| UG Reqs: WAY-SI
Instructors:
Krosnick, J. (PI)
;
Dalton, M. (TA)
POLISCI 127: Controversies in American Public Policy
Making policy is hard. There are no obvious answers to the most important disputes in modern America: policing, drugs, taxes, abortion, affirmative action, education, and welfare. Politicians, pundits, and the public all may disagree on what to do. Even if they agree on what to prioritize, they might disagree on how to accomplish that goal. And even once a policy is implemented, it is challenging to know if it worked. Yet, deciding how to address each challenge is an essential role of the government. In this class we will examine the most contentious policy disputes. And we will develop a framework for analyzing these policies including. We will develop analytic skills to address these contentious policy disputes and we will learn how to listen and respond to opposing arguments. Students¿ own views about the best policies will be challenged in this class, but they will leave the class better able to advocate for what they think is right.
Terms: Win
| Units: 5
Instructors:
Grimmer, J. (PI)
;
Ramaswamy, A. (TA)
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