printer friendly pageLAW 7036: Law of Democracy
This course is intended to give students a basic understanding of the themes in the legal regulation of elections and politics. We will cover all the major Supreme Court cases on topics of voting rights, reapportionment/redistricting, ballot access, regulation of political parties, campaign finance, and the 2000 presidential election controversy. The course pays particular attention to competing political philosophies and empirical assumptions that underlie the Court's reasoning while still focusing on the cases as litigation tools used to serve political ends. Elements used in grading: Class participation and final exam. Cross-listed with Communication (
COMM 361) International Policy (
INTLPOL 351), and Political Science (
POLISCI 327C).
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
Instructors:
Persily, N. (PI)
OSPBER 77: Understanding Intl' Politics Today:¿From the German Philosophers to Modern Social Science
International politics is beset by problems. States go to war. The global economy is volatile and unequal. The human community is divided into multiple nation-states. Some states dominate others. People commit acts of evil. Luckily, we are not the first people to have noticed that international politics is not characterized exclusively by peace and harmony. War, capitalism, racism, and totalitarianism have all been subjects about which German thinkers - many based in Berlin - have made profound contributions over the last two centuries. Do their ideas and arguments stand up in the cold light of modern social science? What can we learn from them - and what do we need to discard? This course will introduce students to perennial problems in international politics from two perspectives: those of key German political thinkers, and those of modern social science. It is structured around five core questions: Why do states go to war and what could be the basis for a lasting peace? If war is unavoidable, what is the role of morality in war? How can/should the world be governed in the absence of a world state? How has international politics been transformed by capitalism? What role has been and is played by race and racism in international politics?
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, WAY-SI
Instructors:
Stephen, M. (PI)
POLISCI 1: The Science of Politics
Why do countries go to war? How can we explain problems such as poverty, inequality, and pollution? What can be done to improve political representation in the United States and other countries? We will use scientific methods to answer these and other fundamental questions about politics.
Terms: Aut, Spr
| Units: 5
| UG Reqs: WAY-SI
POLISCI 1Z: The Science of Politics
Why do countries go to war? How can we explain problems such as poverty, inequality, and pollution? What can be done to improve political representation in the United States and other countries? We will use scientific methods to answer these and other fundamental questions about politics.
POLISCI 29SC: Coastal Resilience: Problems and Solutions to Extreme Weather Challenges on the West Coast
This course will explore the resilience challenges that coastal areas in the American West must deal with in the face of climate change. These include problems such as projected sea level rise, flooding, land subsidence, drought-stressed water supply, pollution, unsustainable fishing practices, wildfires, and erosion. Solutions to these problems - such as sea walls, levees, and grey infrastructure like dams and reservoirs - are often controversial and the politics over them happens at all levels of government. Some of this controversy occurs along partisan lines, but even in the politically bluest areas adjacent to the oceans and bays, many communities have been slow to take on the planning and actions needed to protect people and property from future extreme weather challenges. Traveling up and down the West coast, this course will combine classroom instruction with visits to the communities, facilities and agencies involved in coastal resilience from the Canadian to the Mexican borde
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This course will explore the resilience challenges that coastal areas in the American West must deal with in the face of climate change. These include problems such as projected sea level rise, flooding, land subsidence, drought-stressed water supply, pollution, unsustainable fishing practices, wildfires, and erosion. Solutions to these problems - such as sea walls, levees, and grey infrastructure like dams and reservoirs - are often controversial and the politics over them happens at all levels of government. Some of this controversy occurs along partisan lines, but even in the politically bluest areas adjacent to the oceans and bays, many communities have been slow to take on the planning and actions needed to protect people and property from future extreme weather challenges. Traveling up and down the West coast, this course will combine classroom instruction with visits to the communities, facilities and agencies involved in coastal resilience from the Canadian to the Mexican border. We will look at solutions like conventional desalination that have been debated and implemented for decades, but also novel possibilities such as wave-powered desalination. We will discuss the relative merits of creating more water storage through groundwater recharge and water recycling versus building more dams and reservoirs. And as we have done in the past with Bill Lane Center Sophomore Colleges, we will meet with relevant policy experts and public officials from governmental agencies, utilities, universities, and public interest groups. The course will conclude with group presentations by the students.
Terms: Sum
| Units: 2
Instructors:
Cain, B. (PI)
POLISCI 102: Introduction to American Politics and Policy: In Defense of Democracy (AMSTUD 123X, PUBLPOL 101, PUBLPOL 201)
American democracy faces a series of unprecedented challenges. This course will identify the greatest areas of weakness in the American political system, make sense of the most pressing threats facing democracy, and contemplate how democracy can be strengthened. With this them - in defense of democracy - in mind, we will examine several questions: What guiding principles, norms, and institutions organize and structure American politics, and how do they affect the health and effectiveness of American democracy? What do patterns of political participation and representation in the United States tell us about the health of our democracy? How do partisan and social identities breed hostility and antagonism among the mass public? How does information from the media and other sources advance or frustrate democratic outcomes? What does increased violence - political, racially motivated, or otherwise - reveal about the trajectory of democracy in the United States? This is a course built on the science of politics, and our aim is to bring the scientific study of politics to bear on these pressing questions.
Terms: Win
| Units: 5
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, WAY-SI
Instructors:
Bonica, A. (PI)
;
Jefferson, H. (PI)
;
Belo-Osagie, A. (TA)
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Instructors:
Bonica, A. (PI)
;
Jefferson, H. (PI)
;
Belo-Osagie, A. (TA)
;
Fikejs, E. (TA)
;
Flores, C. (TA)
;
Sturdivant, M. (TA)
POLISCI 111: The Politics of Climate Change
This course explores domestic and international dimensions of the politics of climate change. Selected topics include mitigation efforts at the national, state, and local level; international climate bargaining and cooperation; and implications of a warming climate for various political outcomes.
Terms: Aut
| Units: 5
| UG Reqs: WAY-SI
Instructors:
Kennard, A. (PI)
;
Leonard, D. (TA)
POLISCI 113: Understanding Russia: Its Power and Purpose in a New Global Order (INTLPOL 231B, INTNLREL 131, REES 231B)
Russia presents a puzzle for theories of socio-economic development and modernization and their relationship to state power in international politics. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 brought into being the new Russia (or Russian Federation) as its successor in international politics. Russia suffered one of the worst recessions and experienced 25 years of halting reform. Despite these issues, Russia is again a central player in international affairs. Course analyzes motivations behind contemporary Russian foreign policy by reviewing its domestic and economic underpinnings. Examination of concept of state power in international politics to assess Russia's capabilities to influence other states' policies, and under what conditions its leaders use these resources. Is contemporary Russia strong or weak? What are the resources and constraints its projection of power beyond its borders? What are the determinants of state power in international politics in the twenty-first century? This course is a combination of a lecture and discussion, and will include lectures, readings, class discussions, films and documentaries.
Terms: Win
| Units: 5
| UG Reqs: WAY-SI
Instructors:
Stoner, K. (PI)
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 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)
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