printer friendly pagePOLISCI 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)
POLISCI 131: Imagining Adaptive Societies (CSRE 161, CSRE 261, ENGLISH 131D, POLISCI 331D, SUSTAIN 131, SUSTAIN 231)
The ecological, social, and economic crises of the Anthropocene suggest it is time for us to re-imagine how best to organize our communities, our institutions, and our societies. Despite the clear shortcomings, our society remains stuck in a rut of inaction. During periods of rapid social and economic change, segments of society become gripped by a nostalgia for idealized pasts that never really existed; such nostalgia acts as a powerful force that holds back innovation and contributes to a failure of imagination. How, then, might we imagine alternative social arrangements that could allow us to thrive sustainably in an environment of greater equity? Moshin Hamid reminds us that literature allows us to break from violent nostalgia while imagining better worlds, while Ursula K. Le Guin notes that "imaginative fiction trains people to be aware that there are other ways to do things, other ways to be; that there is not just one civilization, and it is good, and it is the way we have to be
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The ecological, social, and economic crises of the Anthropocene suggest it is time for us to re-imagine how best to organize our communities, our institutions, and our societies. Despite the clear shortcomings, our society remains stuck in a rut of inaction. During periods of rapid social and economic change, segments of society become gripped by a nostalgia for idealized pasts that never really existed; such nostalgia acts as a powerful force that holds back innovation and contributes to a failure of imagination. How, then, might we imagine alternative social arrangements that could allow us to thrive sustainably in an environment of greater equity? Moshin Hamid reminds us that literature allows us to break from violent nostalgia while imagining better worlds, while Ursula K. Le Guin notes that "imaginative fiction trains people to be aware that there are other ways to do things, other ways to be; that there is not just one civilization, and it is good, and it is the way we have to be." There are - there has to be - other and better ways to be. In this multi-disciplinary class, we turn to speculative fiction as a way of imagining future societies that are adaptable, sustainable, and just and can respond to the major challenges of our age. In addition to reading and discussing a range of novels and short stories, we bring to bear perspectives from climate science, social science, and literary criticism. We will also be hosting several of the authors to talk about their work and ideas.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
POLISCI 134: Ethics for Activists (ETHICSOC 134)
Activists devote sustained effort and attention toward achieving particular goals of social and political change. Do we have an ethical obligation to be activists? And how should those who do choose to be activists (for whatever reason) understand the ethics of that role? Questions discussed in this course may include: When is civil disobedience appropriate, and what does it entail? Should activists feel constrained by obligations of fairness, honesty, or civility toward those with whom we disagree? Are there special ethical considerations in activism on behalf of those who cannot advocate for themselves? What is solidarity and what does it require of us? Students in this course will develop skills in analyzing, evaluating, and constructing logical arguments about ethical concerns related to activism, but class discussions will also address the potential limitations of logical argument in ethical and political reasoning.
Terms: Win
| Units: 5
| UG Reqs: WAY-ER
Instructors:
Chapman, E. (PI)
;
Patel, N. (TA)
POLISCI 136R: Introduction to Global Justice (ETHICSOC 136R, INTNLREL 136R, PHIL 76, POLISCI 336)
As we live in a globalized world, our lives are interconnected with many other people within and beyond the state borders. Currently, we face urgent problems of global justice, such as climate change, economic inequality, immigration, and health disparities, and how to address these issues is a crucial question for all of us. This course introduces students to normative inquiries into issues of global justice and offers an opportunity to integrate theories and practices by engaging with essential and timely questions. What normative demands does justice impose on individuals and institutions in a global world? Do people in affluent countries bear the responsibility for the suffering of those who live in other countries? Should relatively developed countries open their borders to those from developing countries? How should we allocate responsibilities for reducing global injustice, such as health disparities? How does injustice with historical roots, such as colonialism, further complic
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As we live in a globalized world, our lives are interconnected with many other people within and beyond the state borders. Currently, we face urgent problems of global justice, such as climate change, economic inequality, immigration, and health disparities, and how to address these issues is a crucial question for all of us. This course introduces students to normative inquiries into issues of global justice and offers an opportunity to integrate theories and practices by engaging with essential and timely questions. What normative demands does justice impose on individuals and institutions in a global world? Do people in affluent countries bear the responsibility for the suffering of those who live in other countries? Should relatively developed countries open their borders to those from developing countries? How should we allocate responsibilities for reducing global injustice, such as health disparities? How does injustice with historical roots, such as colonialism, further complicate the picture of normative demands? While there are no easy answers to these questions, throughout this course, students will be exposed to interdisciplinary approaches (including philosophy, political theory, gender studies, etc.), learn to critically analyze various theoretical approaches, and use them as frameworks to develop their views on issues of global justice. This class meets on Tuesdays & Thursdays from 9:30-11AM. Please note that in addition to the listed lecture time, students must sign up for a 45-min discussion session. The schedule of the discussion session will be arranged and announced during the first week of the quarter.
Terms: Win
| Units: 4
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum, GER:EC-EthicReas, WAY-ER
Instructors:
Lin, T. (PI)
;
Cooper, E. (TA)
POLISCI 137: Philosophy of Law: Protest, Punishment, and Racial Justice (CSRE 175W, ETHICSOC 175W, PHIL 175W, PHIL 275W, POLISCI 337)
In this course, we will examine some of the central questions in philosophy of law, including: What is law? How do we determine the content of laws? Do laws have moral content? What is authority? What gives law its authority? Must we obey the law? If so, why? How can we justify the law? How should we understand and respond to unjust laws? What is punishment? What is punishment for? What, if anything, justifies punishment by the state? What is enough punishment? What is too much punishment? What does justice require under nonideal conditions? Prerequisite: one prior course in Philosophy.
Terms: Win, Spr
| Units: 4
POLISCI 150B: Machine Learning for Social Scientists (POLISCI 355B)
Machine learning - the use of algorithms to classify, predict, sort, learn and discover from data - has exploded in use across academic fields, industry, government, and the non-profit sector. This course provides an introduction to machine learning for social scientists. We will introduce state of the art machine learning tools, show how to use those tools in the programming language R, and demonstrate why a social science focus is essential to effectively apply machine learning techniques in social, political, and policy contexts. Applications of the methods will include forecasting social phenomena, evaluating the use of algorithms in public policy, and the analysis of social media and text data. Prerequisite:
POLISCI 150A/355A.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3-5
| UG Reqs: WAY-AQR
Instructors:
Bonica, A. (PI)
;
Studen, N. (TA)
POLISCI 209: Curricular Practical Training
Qualified Political Science students obtain employment in a relevant research or industrial activity to enhance their professional experience consistent with their degree programs. Meets the requirements for Curricular Practical Training for students on F-1 visas. The student is responsible for arranging their own internship/employment and gaining faculty sponsorship. Prior to enrolling, students must complete a petition form available on the Political Science website (
politicalscience.stanford.edu/undergraduate-program/forms). The petition is due no later the end of week one of the quarter in which the student intends to enroll. If the CPT is for Summer, the petition form is due by May 31. An offer letter will need to be submitted along with the petition. At the completion of the CPT quarter, a final report must be submitted to the faculty sponsor documenting the work done and its relevance to Political Science. This course be repeated for credit up to 3 times but will not count toward the Political Science major or minor requirements.
Terms: Aut, Win, Spr, Sum
| Units: 1
| Repeatable
3 times
(up to 3 units total)
Instructors:
Blaydes, L. (PI)
;
Davenport, L. (PI)
;
Grzymala-Busse, A. (PI)
...
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Instructors:
Blaydes, L. (PI)
;
Davenport, L. (PI)
;
Grzymala-Busse, A. (PI)
;
Milani, A. (PI)
;
Pan, J. (PI)
POLISCI 213E: Introduction to European Studies (INTNLREL 122)
This course offers an introduction to major topics in the study of historical and contemporary Europe. We focus on European politics, economics and culture. First, we study what makes Europe special, and how its distinct identity has been influenced by its history. Next, we analyze Europe's politics. We study parliamentary government and proportional representation electoral systems, and how they affect policy. Subsequently, we examine the challenges the European economy faces. We further study the European Union and transatlantic relations.
Terms: Win
| Units: 5
| UG Reqs: WAY-SI
Instructors:
Crombez, C. (PI)
POLISCI 219: Directed Reading and Research in International Relations
For undergraduates. Directed reading in Political Science with a focus on international relations. To be considered for enrollment, interested students must complete the directed reading petition form available on the Political Science website before the end of week 1 of the quarter in which they'd like to enroll. May be repeated for credit.
Terms: Aut, Win, Spr, Sum
| Units: 1-10
| Repeatable
for credit
Instructors:
Acharya, A. (PI)
;
Blaydes, L. (PI)
;
Cain, B. (PI)
...
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Instructors:
Acharya, A. (PI)
;
Blaydes, L. (PI)
;
Cain, B. (PI)
;
Diamond, L. (PI)
;
Fearon, J. (PI)
;
Goldstein, J. (PI)
;
Hainmueller, J. (PI)
;
Kennard, A. (PI)
;
Krasner, S. (PI)
;
Lipscy, P. (PI)
;
Magen, A. (PI)
;
McFaul, M. (PI)
;
Rice, C. (PI)
;
Sagan, S. (PI)
;
Scheve, K. (PI)
;
Schultz, K. (PI)
;
Tomz, M. (PI)
;
Weinstein, J. (PI)
POLISCI 222F: Seminar on Political Change (POLISCI 422F)
This seminar will examine broad changes in American Politics in the modern era, roughly the beginning of the 20th Century to the present. A central theme of the seminar will be how sociological and economic change disrupts party alignments and leads to a changed politics. Each week a student will lead a critical discussion of a principal reading while others present additional related readings. Open to advanced undergraduates with permission of instructor.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3-5
Instructors:
Fiorina, M. (PI)
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