DEPARTMENT OF
POLITICAL SCIENCE

Fall 2008 Course Descriptions for the Case Political Science Department

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 109
The American Political System
M.W.F. 3:00-3:50
Alexander P. Lamis

(Limit 40.)  All aspects of American politics are covered in this introduction to our political system, including the Presidency, Congress, the Supreme Court and constitutional law, political parties and elections, public opinion, and U.S. foreign policy, among other topics.

The object of the course is to provide the student with useful analytical guides that will help him or her sort out the barrage of political information that all citizens confront daily.  This learning process requires "tuning in" American politics for the semester, which is done by following political developments through reading the New York Times and by watching public affairs television programs.  Then, the course books and class discussion seek to provide the student with analytical insights that help make sense out of the confused and confusing political world surrounding us.  Special attention will be given to the 2008 presidential election.

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

(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 ends with a consideration of governance and democracy in contemporary U.S. politics.

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

(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
T.R. 1:15-2:30
Peter W. Moore

(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 302/402
State Politics and Policy
T.R. 4:30-5:45
Staff

(POSC 302 -- Limit 20.) The purpose of this course is to examine the role that the 50 state governments play in our federal system of government. State governments may make more decisions that affect the life of an average citizen than does the federal government. The study of state politics and policy includes the different ways states organize the basic parts of American political systems (such as legislatures, executives, courts, and parties); how state cultures, economies, and other factors shape how political institutions work; institutions of state governance that do not exist at the national level (such as the initiative and referendum); and the continual contest between state and federal governments to control policy, shift costs, and avoid blame. (devolution and federalism) This course will focus on those issues, with particular attention to two cases: Ohio and California. We will also be examining the various issues that are affecting the Congressional and Presidential races in the various 50 states this year.

POSC 320C/420C
Major Issues in American Politics
Section C: The Presidential Election M.W. 12:30-1:45
Alexander P. Lamis

The course will examine all aspects of the complex and fascinating process by which Americans elect the nation's most important political leader. The focus will be on the unfolding 2008 presidential election between the Republican and Democratic nominees for president, plus any relevant third-party or independent candidates.

The class will scrutinize the fall 2008 campaign in every region of the country and in all the battleground states. In fact, each student will be assigned to report on the election from the perspective of at least one key state using newspaper accounts and other sources available on the Internet. Students will report regularly to the class on their election research assignments, which also will include covering the campaigns for Congress in their respective assigned state or states.

The class will also thoroughly examine various past presidential elections in order to set the stage for unraveling the current struggle for the White House. Each student will read and review a book about a past presidential election as well as make an oral report on the book to the entire class.

There will be at least one examination in addition to the research and reporting projects already mentioned. And, of course, there will be an Election Night party to watch the returns and cheer on the winners!

POSC 328/428
Topics in Civil Liberties
T.R. 2:45-4:00
Laura Y. Tartakoff

(POSC 328 ― Limit 20.) Justice Frankfurter once noted that the history of liberty has largely been the history of fair criminal procedures. Without such safeguards provided by the rule of law in a pluralist society, criminal prosecution might be used to crush opposition and dissent. Constant fear -- the greatest of human evils according to Montesquieu -- would reign; the arbitrary power of government would go unchecked.

This course will focus on the rights of the accused as outlined in sections of the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments and will cover the following topics: (1) arrests. searches, and seizures, (2) the privilege against compelled self-incrimination, (3) the rights to counsel and jury trial, and (4) torture and capital punishment. Recent Supreme Court decisions on the extended detention of enemy combatants (Rasul v. Bush and Hamdi v. Rumsfeld) and on the right "to keep and bear arms" (D.C. v. Heller) also will be discussed. Our approach will be case-specific, but special attention will be given to the complex interplay of history, philosophy, and politics in the framing of each topic.

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

(POSC 334 -- 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 346/446
Women and Politics
T.R. 2:45-4:00
Karen Beckwith

(Limits: 15 in POSC 349; 2 in POSC 449. Permit required. Approved SAGES departmental seminar.) This departmental seminar on Women and Politics includes the critical examination of the impact of gender on the forms and distributions of power and politics, with primary reference to the experience of women in the US. Major concerns of the course include what we mean by "sex," "gender," and "politics;" the relationship between women and the state; how women organize collectively to influence state policies; and how the state facilitates and constrains women's access to and exercise of political power. In the fall 2008 semester, we will pay particular attention to the gendered aspects of the US national elections.

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

(Limits: 15 in POSC 349; 2 in POSC 449. Permit required. Approved SAGES departmental seminar.) 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 research design to interpretation of results. 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
T.R. 1:15-2:30
Laura A. Hengehold

(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
T.R. 1:15-2:30
Kelly M. McMann

Are nation-states the most effective means of organizing society? This course will challenge the prevailing wisdom that nation-states are necessary and efficient. First, we will explore whether the historical rationales behind the development of the nation-state remain relevant today. Second, we will consider potential challenges to the modern state. For example, do international humanitarian interventions, transnational advocacy networks, economic globalization, and human migration erode state sovereignty and undermine democratic accountability? Third, we will investigate potential alternatives to the state. Can charities, for-profit companies, mercenaries, or tribes provide typical state services, including a social safety net, economic prosperity, and national defense. Does the provision of these services by non-governmental actors undermine state legitimacy and capacity? To explore these questions, 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 368/468
The History and Politics of Modern China
T.R. 10:00-11:15
Paul E. Schroeder

China has scuttled Mao Zedong's call for permanent revolution and ideological orthodoxy, replacing it with an effort to raise Chinese living standards and make the country one of the major nations in the world.

This course explores the changes and continuities between traditional and modern China to aid our understanding of a country still in transition. A series of economic and structural reforms raise questions for the country's future:

How is China changing? Where does power lie? Can the Chinese Communist Party maintain political control over a rapidly growing civil society increasingly differentiated by new-found wealth, education, and opportunities? What has replaced Marxism, Leninism, and Mao Zedong Thought that gives the society a moral grounding? Will the Communist dynasty collapse, as so many other dynasties have, or will it evolve?

POSC 370/470
Major Issues in World Politics Section A: Political Economy
M.W. 9:00-10:15
Elliot Posner

This course introduces students to theoretical and substantive issues of international political economy. It emphasizes the political foundations that support global economic activity. How are cross-border economic relations governed? Who decides and by what process? Who is likely to benefit and lose from the alternative sets of choices? In short, who gets what they want and why? We will focus on the influence of states and global firms but will also consider other global actors such as non-governmental and international organizations. Students will first become familiar with competing theoretical approaches to the above questions. They will then use the theoretical framework to examine issues, from the past and present, about the governance of global economic relations and the intersection of states, markets and societies. Topics include the origins of the global economy; the politics and economics of international trade and monetary relations; the internationalization of finance and its implications; the emergence of multinational corporations and other global non-state actors; regionalization; the global distribution of wealth; North-South relations; and the backlash against globalization.

POSC 379/479
The Middle East: Politics, Economics, and American Policy
T.R. 4:30-5:45
Peter W. Moore

(POSC 379 ― Limit 40.) The Middle East is quite popular today. Most of the reasons for that popularity are lamentable. In this course we will go beyond the lament to explore politics in one of the most important and fascinating regions of the world. Since this is an introductory course, our first goal is to gain comparative knowledge about the people of the region, their religions, cultures, and societies. The 22 countries that comprise the modern Middle East are quite diverse; therefore, we will only be able to focus on a few cases and issues. The period of analysis will be since World War Two. A second goal is to examine and use the tools social scientists employ to answer broad questions related to the region, such as: How have historical trajectories and colonial legacies shaped political and economic development in the Middle East? What drives regional conflict? How do oil, religion, and ethnicity interact with politics? 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 381/481
The City As Classroom
T. 4:30-7:00
Rhonda Y. Williams

(Also offered as HSTY 381/481 and SOCI 381/481.) In this course, the city is the classroom. We will engage with the urban terrain. We will meet weekly at League Park Community Center in Hough, interact with community members, and interface―both literally and figuratively―with the city as a way to examine the linkages among historical, conceptual, and contemporary issues, with particular attention paid to race and class dynamics, inequality, and social justice. This course will have four intersecting components, primarily focusing on American cities since the 1930s: the social and physical construction of urban space, the built environment, life and culture in the city, and social movements and grassroots struggles.

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

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.

Health care consumes 15 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. The absence of national health insurance is the great case of American exceptionalism. 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.

In the first half of the course we will work to understand the extremely complex system of health care finance and delivery in the United States, and the extensive range of issues that people can raise if they want to improve the system. For those who expect to work in the health care system in some way, this should give you a more realistic sense of what you will be getting into. In the second half of the course we will focus on the process of policy-making. That includes two themes: how people argue about policy, and a bit on how American political institutions are said to bias the outcome of those arguments.

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.

POSC 703
Times as Arranged
Dissertation Fellowship
Staff

(Requires consent and a permit from instructor.) Students who have been advanced to candidacy and are within the five-year time limit for completion of the degree, but have not completed the dissertation, can register for 703 upon departmental recommendation and the approval of the School of Graduate Studies.  Students will register for up to 8 credit hours for Dissertation Fellowship (703), but must also co-register for a least 1 credit hour of 701 or one credit hour of 701 and a course, with the total registration hours equaling 9 credit hours.  No tuition is charged for 703 when accompanied by a paid credit hour(s) of tuition.  This Dissertation Fellowship is available for a maximum of 6 consecutive semesters and cannot exceed a total of 36 credit hours.  If the dissertation is not completed and defended in the last semester of the fellowship, the fellow must resume registration for course 701 at a minimum of one credit hour each semester through the allowed five-year limit.  Registration for 703 cannot be used to postpone the normal timetable for completion of the 18 credit hour 701 requirement.