DEPARTMENT OF
POLITICAL SCIENCE

Fall 2009 Course Descriptions for the Case Western Reserve University  Department of Political Science

A PDF version of this document is also available.

For courses listed as "300/400," undergraduates should list only the "300" number on their registration forms; graduate students should list only the "400" number. All courses are offered for 3 credit hours unless otherwise noted.  An asterisk (*) indicates the undergraduate course is an approved SAGES departmental seminar.

POSC 334/434            Violence and the Political System
M.W.F. 4:00-4:50        Vincent E. McHale (Limit 30.)

POSC 109
The American Political System
M.W.F. 11:30-12:20
Justin Buchler

(Limit 40.)  If you read the newspapers, watch television, or talk about politics, you know the conventional wisdom. Sometimes conventional wisdom is correct, and sometimes it isn't. The aim of this course is to get beyond conventional wisdom and dispel myths. In the first section of the course, we will discuss the theoretical foundations of American politics. The second section will focus on elections, with perspectives on voters, parties, the media, and other factors in election outcomes. In the third section, we will discuss the three branches of government at the national level. In each section, we will discuss what conventional wisdom says about American politics, and we will contrast that with political science research. In doing so, we will discuss not just where conventional wisdom seems right and where it seems wrong, but how to evaluate conventional wisdom using social science.

POSC 109
The American Political System
Karen Beckwith
T.R. 10:00-11:15

(Limit 40.) POSC109 is an introduction to the U.S. political system, with a focus on national governing institutions, constitutional constraints, and the impacts of mass participation and the political economy on U.S. politics and democracy. The course focuses on the political and economic development and national construction of the United States. In so doing, this course considers fundamental national values such as liberty, equality, racism, capitalism, and democracy, in terms of the impact of these values upon the construction of the nation and of their negotiation in practice across two centuries.

The course is divided into three major sections. The first focuses on civil society and the state, the mechanisms of national government elaborated in the Constitution, and their relationship to the economic system. In the second section of the course, we examine the relationship between state and citizen, and the ways in which political power achieves expression inside and outside of the state. We will consider public opinion, the role of the media, the formation of interest groups and political parties, and the means by which citizens organize to have an influence on governing officials. The third section of the course is devoted to an investigation of the three major branches of national government: the Congress, the Presidency, and the federal court system. The course concludes with a consideration of governance and democracy in contemporary U.S. politics.

POSC 260
Introduction to Comparative Politics
Vincent E. McHale
M.W.F. 2:00-2:50

(Limit 30.) As an introductory course, POSC 260 will focus on transmitting to the student an understanding and appreciation of the basic concepts and techniques used in comparing political behavior across nations. Concepts, issues, and problems will be discussed both generally and through a selected in-depth country approach. Special attention will be given to selected political systems drawn from various regional contexts. The course will emphasize political culture; the relationship of social structure to politics; political parties, movements, and mass participation; political recruitment; national political integration; policy outputs; and the problems of political stability in a changing world. Course requirements will include a mid-term and a final examination, and two brief research exercises.

POSC 272
Introduction to International Relations
Kathryn C. Lavelle
T.R. 1:15-2:30

(Limit 40.) This course is a survey of international relations. The first half examines the problem of war with specific historical reference to World War I, World War II, and the Cold War. The second half examines economic problems among wealthy states, and between rich and poor states. It concludes with an appraisal of new issues in the field, such as the environment and terrorist networks. As a survey course, it aims to introduce major bodies of theory concerning cooperation and conflict in the international system. In a setting characterized by political heterogeneity and economic inequality, how can the actions of states be understood and compared?

Evaluation will be based on a mid-term and final exam, as well as an in-class discussion project grade. The discussion grade will comprise attendance, a formal class presentation, and a write-up of the presentation. Therefore, while formal attendance will not be taken, excessive absences will adversely affect a student's final grade.

POSC 272
Introduction to International Relations
Paul Schroeder
T.R. 4:30-5:45
 
(Limit 40.) This course is a survey of international relations. The first half examines the problem of war with specific historical reference to World War I, World War II, and the Cold War. The second half examines economic problems among wealthy states, and between rich and poor states. It concludes with an appraisal of new issues in the field, such as the environment and terrorist networks. As a survey course, it aims to introduce major bodies of theory concerning cooperation and conflict in the international system. In a setting characterized by political heterogeneity and economic inequality, how can the actions of states be understood and compared?
 
Evaluation will be based on a mid-term and final exam, as well as an in-class discussion project grade. The discussion grade will comprise attendance, a formal class presentation, and a write-up of the presentation. Therefore, while formal attendance will not be taken, excessive absences will adversely affect a student's final grade.

POSC 321/421
News Media and Politics
Alexander P. Lamis
M.W. 12:30-1:45

This course seeks to improve the student's understanding of the political role of the news media in American politics and government and to gain insight into the fascinating transformation taking place today in the way political information is being developed and conveyed to Americans.

To accomplish this goal, during the first half of the course, the class will read and discuss a leading textbook in this field, Doris A. Graber's Mass Media and American Politics, 8th edition, along with an entertaining account of what it is like to be a reporter: Lou Cannon's Reporting: An Inside View.

During the second half of the course, each student will read one of ten books selected from the vast news-media-and-politics literature, write a fifteen-page summary review of the book, and make an oral report to the class on the book. Each of these book-reporting sessions will be devoted to a class discussion of the book's contents (as presented in the student's written review and oral report) with the aim of expanding our understanding of the various analytical topics covered in the first part of the course.

POSC 322/422
Political Movements and Participation
Karen Beckwith
T.R. 2:45-4:00

Political Movements and Participation is concerned with the variety of ways citizens engage in collective activism in the United States and across national boundaries, and with the conditions under which citizens identify common concerns and join together in political movements to bring about change. In the course, we will consider 1) the conditions under which political movements are likely to emerge, as well as the circumstances in which collective political action is precluded; 2) how citizens come to recognize collective grievances and shared political identities; 3) the strategies and tactics of organized movements, and their likelihood of political success; and 4) the relationship between political movements, political parties, and the state.

POSC 323/423
Judicial Politics
Alexander P. Lamis
M.W.F. 3:00-3:50

This course seeks to illuminate the political nature of American constitutional law with a special focus on the political behavior of the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court. Although the development of important and highly controversial constitutional law doctrines will be examined, they will be studied from the perspective of how the political process shaped them.

The student will become acquainted with the rich literature pioneered by judicial politics researchers. These writers have penetrated the "veil of secrecy" that the Court imposes on its internal work, and they offer insight into how these nine "black-robed" politicians actually operate. These works, which are based primarily on the private papers of the justices, reveal the complex political elements involved in the Court's work. Especially useful are numerous excellent judicial biographies.

POSC 326/426
Constitutions in Practical Politics
Laura Y. Tartakoff
T.R. 10:00-11:15

Starting from the premise that, in the words of Professor Kenneth Minogue, “constitutions . . . give form to politics, and the study of them led to the emergence of political science,” this course will examine the practical role played by constitutions in ancient, modern, and contemporary politics.

First, it will explore the impact of constitutional order not only in Periclean Athens, republican Rome, and medieval law, but also in the Republic of Venice and the Dutch Republic.

Then, after reflecting on the constitutionalist vision of the English, American, and French Revolutions, the class will turn to contemporary constitutional experiences in South Africa, Hungary, and Chile, noting how constitutions have controlled and enhanced politics in these countries.

POSC 334/434
Violence and the Political System
Vincent E. McHale
M.W.F. 4:00-4:50

(Limit 30.) This course focuses on the role of violence in political life, from the micro perspective of the individual to macro level concerns over global warfare. The course is designed to acquaint students with three types of literature concerning the nature of political violence. First, recent social science theorizing with respect to the social conditions and processes that are hypothesized to cause and mediate these phenomena will be reviewed. Second, we will turn to studies that are directed to the discovery and categorization of these phenomena both cross-temporally and cross-culturally. Finally, our attention will be given to systematic attempts to apply particular theoretical perspectives in selected "real world" contexts.

Course requirements include a mid-term and a final examination and three brief research papers.

POSC 349/449
Political Science Research Methods
Kelly M. McMann
T.R. 10:00-11:15

(Limits: 15 in POSC 349; 2 in POSC 449. Approved SAGES departmental seminar. Permit required.) This course examines approaches that political scientists use to understand events and processes. In doing so, the course provides students with skills helpful to completing senior projects, such as the ability to evaluate and conduct research. Through exercises and projects, students will take part in the research process from developing a question to creating numerous research designs. Students will learn and apply key techniques, including inductive and deductive reasoning, hypothesis construction, operationalization of concepts, measurement, sampling and probability, causal inference, and the logic of controls. By the end of the semester students will have written a prospectus that can be used as the foundation for the senior project.

POSC 354/454
Political and Social Philosophy
Laura A. Hengehold
T.R. 1:15-2:30

(Also offered as PHIL 334/434. Prerequisite: PHIL 101 or consent of instructor.) This course offers an introduction to some of the important topics and thinkers in Western political philosophy by way of a focus on the relationship between space and justice. Through readings from historical and contemporary thinkers, we will examine strategies for evaluating the political and economic organization of social space at the national and international levels. Topics include the moral significance of utopian thinking, the right to property, cultural and racial presuppositions embedded in contemporary forms of social order, theoretical foundations for human rights, and the ways in which geography shapes the economic and political value of human bodies in today's global economy.

POSC 361/461
State-Building and State Collapse
Kelly M. McMann
T.R. 11:30-12:45

Are nation-states the most effective means of organizing society? To answer this question, we will examine the historical rationales behind the development of nation-states. We will also consider the functions that modern states aspire to perform and explore why some states fail to perform these functions, even to the point of state collapse. Finally, we will investigate potential alternatives to the state. Can potential alternatives to the state, such as tribes, mercenaries, mafia groups, and international organizations, provide typical state services? Does the provision of these services by entities other than states undermine state legitimacy and capacity? To explore these issues, we will draw on examples from most regions of the world, including the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, the former Soviet Union, North America, and South America.

POSC 364/464
Dictatorship and Democracy in Modern Latin America
Laura Y. Tartakoff
T.R. 2:45-4:00

(POSC 364 also offered as ETHS364.) This course will examine political leadership in Latin America, exploring the nature, causes, and consequences of dictatorship and democracy in the region. Throughout the semester, we will compare and assess different theoretical approaches to Latin American politics in an effort not only to explain general processes of change, but also to understand the important differences that exist among Latin American republics.

Case studies in dictatorship will comprise not only old-style autocrats Porfirio Díaz (Mexico, 1876-1911), Rafael Trujillo (Dominican Republic, 1930-1961), and the Somoza Dynasty (Nicaragua, 1933-1979), but also fascist Juan Perón (Argentina, 1946-1955) and communist Fidel Castro (Cuba, 1959- ). Augusto Pinochet (Chile, 1973-1988) will be presented to illustrate further the relationship between authoritarianism and the military.

As to democracy in the region, the course will focus on José Batlle y Ordóñez (Uruguay, 1907-1914), José Figueres (Costa Rica, 1953-58, 1970-74), Luis Muñoz Marín (Puerto Rico, 1948-1964), and Ricardo Lagos (Chile. 2000-2006).

POSC 368
The People's Republic of China
Paul Schroeder
T.R. 11:30-12:45

(Also offered as HSTY 383.) Now more than ever, the Chinese state and society are facing tremendous economic, social, and political challenges. This course presents an overview of the development of Chinese Communist theory and practice from 1949 to the present day. Among the topics covered are the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, the Tiananmen student protests, the Communist party's crisis of legitimacy, the Taiwan issue, economic reform and new nationalism, the ecological crisis, and current social developments from domestic migration to the new urban middle class. The course involves a mixture of lectures and discussion and will draw on a combination of primary and secondary sources, including current news reports, and documentary films.

POSC 370B/470B
The Financial Crisis
Elliot A. Posner
M.W.F. 10:30-11:20

This course examines the great financial crisis of the early 2000s from a multi-disciplinary approach. Students will first become familiar with various perspectives on finance from political science, economics, anthropology, and sociology. They will then read about past financial crises; assess the contemporary one; consider competing explanations for its origins and dynamics; and contemplate the implications for the U.S. and other countries and the effects on international economic and security relations. The course will be a seminar with heavy reading, several writing assignments, and multiple in-class presentations. Attendance and participation is mandatory. There are no prerequisites for this course. First-year students are welcome.

POSC 373/473
Politics of the European Union
Elliot A. Posner
M.W.F. 2:00-2:50

The creation of the European Union ranks among the most significant developments in contemporary European and international history. Yet scholars and other observers disagree about nearly every important aspect of its origins, nature and implications. The seminar's readings, discussions and written assignments will introduce students to the main debates by addressing four questions: First, what is the EU? An emerging federation, an international organization or a completely new type of polity? Second, what accounts for its origins and evolution? Third, what impact has it had on the national societies, politics and economies of Europe? Finally, how does the EU influence relations among members, neighboring countries, global society and international politics and economics?

POSC 378/478
International Relations Theory
Kathryn C. Lavelle
T.R. 4:30-5:45

(Limits: 15 in POSC 378; 2 in POSC 478. Permit required. Approved SAGES departmental seminar.) This course is a seminar in international relations theory. As such, we will bring a wide range of theoretical perspectives to bear on issues and debates in the area of international relations by systematically studying the evolution of the world system. The seminar is roughly divided into a first half focusing on war and the political system, and a second half focusing on trade, finance, and the economic system. Each section devotes particular attention to ethical problems associated with political and economic issues. This course should develop students' ability to read and critically evaluate academic literature in the field of international relations, and enable students to produce a scholarly paper on one substantive area of the field.

POSC 379/479
The Middle East: Politics, Economics, and American Policy
Peter W. Moore
M.W.F. 11:30-12:20

(Limit 35.) This is an introductory course about Middle East Politics, in regional as well as international aspects. Though popular today for regrettable reasons, the Middle East is nevertheless one of the world's most fascinating and diverse regions. In this course we will explore broad social, economic, and political themes that have defined the region since the end of the World War Two. Since this is an introductory course, a major goal will be to gain comparative knowledge about the region's states and peoples. The 22 countries that comprise the modern Middle East are quite diverse; therefore, we will only be able to focus on a few cases in depth. A second goal is to examine and use the tools and theories social scientists employ to answer broad questions related to the region, such as: How have colonial legacies shaped political and economic development in the Middle East? How do oil, religion, and ethnicity interact with politics? How have external powers affected the region's political development? What drives regional conflict? In short, this course will tackle the controversial issues and dilemmas of the region, but from an analytical vantage. We want to try to answer why questions about the region, not simply what and how.

POSC 383/483
Health Policy and Politics in the U.S.
Joseph White
M.W.F. 10:30-11:20

Health care consumes nearly 17 percent of the national economy. Medical services are of fundamental interest to all Americans, even or especially those who are too young or too frail to know what their interests are. Health is therefore an aspect of policy and politics that is worth studying both for its own significance and for what it tells us about American public policy and politics more generally.

When we study health policy, we are forced to recognize how important government and public policy are. It's not theoretical: it involves people living and dying, suffering or thriving. No aspect of American society is as distinctive, internationally, as the fact that this country does not promise decent medical care to all its citizens. Health policy also particularly highlights the difficulty of government. Governments must work through a wide range of institutions and individuals who are not part of government and may not cooperate, and in health policy the medical profession is especially important.

This course therefore will look at the difficulties of both health policy and health politics. We will pay special attention to the disputes about President Obama's promised effort to reform the U.S. health care system, but we will see that there are far more issues than anyone could hope to reform at once. This course is designed especially for two groups of students. One is political science students. The other is those who might choose careers in public health, medicine, or related fields. It may have a bit too much politics for one group, and a bit too much health policy for the other. I hope each will conclude that both aspects of the course are important and interesting.

POSC 395
Special Projects
Times as Arranged
Staff

(Permit Required) POSC 395 (1 to 6 credit hours) permits the undergraduate to do an in-depth study of a topic of particular interest for which no regular course seems appropriate. Research might be pursued through library, computer, or fieldwork, supervised by a faculty member. POSC 395 is open to junior and senior Political Science majors and others, and may be taken for two terms, depending on the project. Some form of written work is required.

Students must obtain approval from a faculty project advisor prior to registration and must list that professor's name on the registration form. IMPORTANT: No later than the end of the second week of the semester of any POSC 395 enrollment, the student must submit to the Department Office a POSC 395 project prospectus form, signed by the faculty project advisor. This form may be obtained from the Department Office (Mather House 111) and must be submitted by all POSC 395 enrollees, whether or not they are Political Science majors. Failure to submit an approved prospectus by the designated deadline may result in the student's name being stricken from the 395 enrollment lists. The prospectus will outline the goals of the project and the research methodology to be used and thus will be part of the basis for grading. This form will become a permanent part of the student's Department file.

POSC 396
Senior Project/SAGES Capstone
Times as Arranged
Staff

(Permit required.) Required for the Political Science major, and serving as the capstone under the SAGES General Education Requirement. Open to juniors and seniors majoring in Political Science.

This course provides an opportunity to do an in-depth, independent study paper on a topic of particular interest to the student. This paper should demonstrate, and ideally even extend, the skills and expertise developed over the course of study in the department.

IMPORTANT: Students must obtain approval from a faculty project advisor prior to registration and must list that professor's name on the registration form. No later than the end of the second week of classes for the semester of POSC 396 enrollment, the student must submit to the Department Office a POSC 396 project prospectus form, signed by the faculty project advisor. This form may be obtained from the Department Office (Mather House 111). Failure to submit an approved prospectus by the designated deadline may result in the student's name being stricken from the POSC 396 enrollment lists. The prospectus will outline the goals of the project and the research methodology to be used and thus will be part of the basis for grading. Any changes in project goals or methodology will require a new prospectus form or addendum, also signed by the supervising professor. The prospectus will become a permanent part of the student's Department file.

In addition to the written paper, students are required, in line with the SAGES capstone requirement, to make an oral presentation about the core findings of their research projects. Students will present as part of groups of three or four, each for about 15 or 20 minutes total, including questions. The presentations will be made towards the end of the term during which the project is completed, and will be open to any faculty and students who wish to attend.

It is recommended that students do the senior project in their senior year, and students in the SAGES GER should do it after completing their departmental seminar. There is no need to wait until final semester of senior year to do POSC 396; in fact the department would like to encourage students to do their senior project during Fall semester if that fits their schedules.

Political Science majors are reminded that no more than six hours of independent study (POSC 395 and/or POSC 396) may count toward the major. However, independent studies taken under a Washington Study program are excluded from this limitation.


Washington Center Program

Students from any Arts and Sciences or Case Engineering discipline are encouraged to consider the WASHINGTON CENTER PROGRAM, which provides the opportunity to spend a semester in the nation's capital while earning up to a full semester's credit.

Students participate in a seminar and attend a weekly lecture/discussion group. The emphasis, however, is on practical experience in the form of a full-time internship that provides the opportunity for intensive research in the student's area of major interest. Programs are available in most areas of study--from accounting to zoology.

The credits earned can be counted as general electives or applied to a student's major or minor, with the consent of the particular department(s). For example, in Political Science, a maximum of nine credits may be applied toward the major and six credits toward the minor.

In addition, the Washington Center offers a variety of one- and two-week academic seminars and symposia during intersession and in the summer for which credit can be earned. Participation in these special seminars is open to all students (that is, not limited to juniors and seniors, as is the case for the regular program).

More information can be found at http://www.twc.edu/students/index.html.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS. To be eligible for participation, the student must be a junior or senior and have at least a 3.0 GPA. Seniors in the College of Arts and Sciences must have completed the general education requirements, and juniors must be near completion of these requirements. Each application must be approved by the student's major advisor and Case's Washington Study liaison. Students can attend the Washington Center Program in the summer before their junior or senior year, as well as during the regular academic year, although seniors cannot attend during their final semester.

THE DEADLINES FOR APPLICATION to the Washington Center are early November (Spring), early March (Summer), and early June (Fall), although some specific internship deadlines are as much as two months earlier, in each case. Students interested in the opportunity should contact Prof. Alexander P. Lamis (Mather House 221; Office Phone: 368-2696; E-mail: alexander.lamis@case.edu) and should do so as far in advance of application as possible. Freshmen and sophomores are encouraged to make early inquiries in order to make sure they will be eligible by the time of their junior year and to plan their majors and other requirements properly.

Integrated Graduate Studies (IGS)

It is possible for a qualified student to obtain an M.A. in Political Science simultaneously with, or shortly after, completion of the baccalaureate program. If by the end of the senior year the student has completed successfully 90 undergraduate hours, 30 graduate hours (for a total of 120 hours), and the Political Science M.A. Examination, that student can receive both the Bachelor's and Master's degrees within the four undergraduate years.

Admission to the Political Science IGS program is competitive, and only a limited number of students are accepted in any academic year. Admission is determined by fulfillment of specific requirements (see below), and by the Department's estimate of the student's potential for advanced study and independent work.

Phase I of IGS alerts the Department and the School of Graduate Studies to your interest in the program and allows the monitoring of your junior year for fulfillment of the undergraduate prerequisites to graduate study. Application to Phase I must occur no later than second week of classes at the beginning of the junior year, but preferably earlier. To qualify for Phase I, the student must have completed 54 hours of undergraduate work and must have minimum grade point averages of 3.7 in Political Science courses and 3.3 overall.

During Phase I, the student must complete 90 undergraduate hours (ordinarily by the end of the junior year) and must have satisfied all general requirements for the B.A., including at least 21 hours in the Political Science major, the Arts and Sciences Core Curriculum or LAMBDA Core, and one minor program. Included in the 21 Political Science hours must be one course each in American, Comparative, and International politics taken at CWRU. Also, the student must maintain minimum GPAs of 3.5 in Political Science courses and 3.3 overall to qualify for admission to Phase II.

Before enrolling for any graduate-level course work, the student must be formally admitted to the School of Graduate Studies (Phase II of IGS). Therefore, it is mandatory that application to Phase II occur during the second semester of the junior year, specifically no later than April 1 or November 1 (for graduate status to begin the following semester). If admitted to the M.A. program, the student will take, or begin to take, 30 hours of graduate-level Political Science courses during the senior year, adhering to all departmental regulations governing the Master's degree program; and if completed successfully with maintenance of academic standing as pertains to both the B.A. and M.A. programs, these hours will count simultaneously toward both degrees in Political Science. The B.A. will be awarded upon completion of all requirements for that degree, including total hours; the M.A. will be awarded upon successful completion of the 30 hours of graduate-level Political Science courses and the M.A. Examination.

A separate, more detailed IGS handout is available in the Political Science Department Office (Mather House 111), as are Phase I and Phase II application forms. For additional information on application procedures and program requirements, make an appointment to see Professor Kathryn Lavelle (Mather House 220, x. 2691, e-mail: kcl6@case.edu).

GRADUATE STUDENTS

POSC 495
Independent Study
Times as Arranged
Staff

(Requires consent and a permit from instructor.) Independent study on particular topics that are not covered by individual graduate courses or are not available in a timely manner for the student's needs. Requires consent and a permit from instructor. The student must submit a prospectus form to the department, approved and signed by the faculty project supervisor, no later than the end of the second week of classes. The prospectus must outline the material to be covered and the basis for grading of the course. POSC 495 is designed especially for reading courses but can be used for other purposes as well. Note that this course will result in a letter grade. Graduate students wanting to take independent study on a pass/fail basis should speak with their project supervisors about registering for POSC 601, "Individual Investigation."

POSC 601
Times Arranged
Individual Investigation
Staff

IMPORTANT: No later than the end of the second week of the semester of a POSC 601 registration, the student must submit to the Department Office a POSC 601 project prospectus form, signed by the supervising professor and the Department's Graduate Coordinator.  This form may be obtained from the Department Office (Mather House 111) and must be submitted by all POSC 601 enrollees, including students based in other departments.  Failure to submit an approved prospectus by the designated deadline may result in the student receiving a grade of F for the course. The prospectus will outline the goals of the project and the research methodology to be used and thus will be part of the basis for grading.  This form will become a permanent part of the student's Department file.

POSC 701
Times As Arranged
Dissertation Ph.D.
Staff

(Requires consent and a permit from instructor.) Credit (1-9 hours) and times as arranged. However, Graduate School regulations specify that a student must register for a minimum of 3 hours of 701 per semester until 18 hours of 701 credit have been completed.  After having earned 18 hours of 701, a candidate may be permitted to register for less than 3 hours per semester, but only with the prior approval of his/her dissertation advisor and only for a maximum of four semesters.  Thereafter, the student must resume registering for a minimum of 3 hours of 701 credit per semester until the dissertation is completed and defended.  See the Political Science Graduate Brochure or your POSC dissertation advisor for complete details on eligibility to register for 701.