Government and Politics BA

GOVT1000 Structure and function of American national government: roles of interest groups and political parties, voting behavior, powers of president, Congress, bureaucracy and federal judiciary, Fall, Spring.

GOVT1101 The basic concepts of the discipline, its school of thought, its subfields and terminologies.

GOVT1102 This course investigates the linkage among geographical factors, political process and economic systems. This class will focus on that relationship as it impacts the political, economic and human environment of this diverse geopolitical world.

GOVT1200 Overview of substantive and procedural law, and scholarly research on legal behavior and institutions. Course emphasizes the contemporary U.S. legal system, but includes discussion of comparative and historical issues.

GOVT2030 The Supreme Court of the United States has emerged as the most powerful tribunal in the world. It plays a major role in resolving conflicts, making policy, and developing the rule of law. This class examines how history, theory, social science research, jurisprudence, public opinion, and a range of social and political forces help us in understanding why and how the Court is a major force in American politics.

GOVT2130 Theories and problems of international politics and foreign policy.

GOVT2211 Origin and development of international organizations; the League of Nations, United Nations, regional organizations.

GOVT2212 Development and principles of International law, nature of diplomatic relationship, international agreements, jurisdiction over persons and property, tariff and shipping relations, arbitration of disputes, operations of international institutions.

GOVT2216 This course is designed to link current events in the American and international political systems with political theory and contemporary research in political science and related disciplines. Students will make use of a variety of news media, including written, video and podcasts on a weekly basis to inform themselves about current events in the political system, then combine this with readings from scholarly research to understand what's really driving politics in the US and around the world. Students will discuss these events, and linkages to the scholarly reading, in seminar style class meetings.

GOVT2230 Students will be introduced to the litigation process, including basic evidentiary rules, courtroom procedures and trial advocacy. Students will use this knowledge to prepare and conduct a simulated trial in which they serve as attorneys and witnesses.

GOVT2231 Comparison of the development and functions of governmental institutions of selected modern political systems.

GOVT2281 Students in the mock trial class use hypothetical cases to develop their knowledge of (and ability to analyze) criminal and civil law and to develop courtroom advocacy skills.

GOVT2400 This course surveys and critically examines the dominant approaches to political ethics, including deontology and rights, consequentialism and utilitarianism, and contemporary critiques of liberalism. Students will explore the substance and implications of these approaches in applications to contemporary ethical and political problems and questions.

GOVT2500 Theory and method of the study of politics, research designs, theory building techniques of data collection and analysis.

GOVT3200 Development, Scope and role of judicial review; problems of federalism; civil rights and civil liberties.

GOVT3210 Analysis of Supreme Court decisions concerning speech, press, religion, rights of women, racial discrimination and affirmative action.

GOVT3220 A basic introduction to criminal law in the United States. Emphasis is upon social factors, values and social policy, considerations that shape modern criminal law. Subject areas include issues such as the justification of punishment, the elements of just punishment and the death penalty as well as the study of substantive laws of homicide, rape and other criminal acts. Attention is also given to the emergence of international criminal law and the punishment of war crimes.

GOVT4200 In this class, we examine the Constitution from the perspective of a political architect or framer-someone actually responsible for designing and maintaining a polity. We supplement (and transcend) the traditional emphasis on the Constitution as supreme law and as a text that courts alone should consider. Instead, we look at our Constitution as a dynamic blueprint for achieving certain aspirations, a "machine that would go of itself". We evaluate the Constitution as a source of American values, a basis for institutional conflicts, and a touchstone for our political and social life.