This introductory course examines key concepts and issues in contemporary world politics. It is a survey course covering topics including political culture, the political impact of economic globalization, the changing role of the state, nationality and ethnic identity, and issues of oppression and empowerment.

Goal Areas:

GE-08

Become informed enough to play your part in governing the United States. Start by learning about the Constitution, our rights and freedoms, how the national government works and the opportunities and challenges of citizen influence. Political Science methods, and the challenges of citizenship are emphasized.

Goal Areas:

GE-05, GE-09

Various topics of current interest. Topics covered in the past include political corruption, contemporary ideologies, revolution, understanding the United States Constitution, political films. Course may be taken more than once for credit.

Students will develop knowledge and understand the application of statistical concepts and quantitative methodologies to real-world social and political issues. Using social science data, students will analyze and interpret data to answer research questions relevant to the public and non-profit sectors.

Goal Areas:

GE-04

An introduction to the dynamics of interactions among sovereign states and other global actors.

The course is intended to prepare students to participate in the model UN. Students learn about issues before the UN and acquire a variety of communication and negotiating skills as they model the role of ambassadors.

Goal Areas:

GE-08, GE-1B

This course is designed to acquaint undergraduates with the data and methods of comparative politics. Approaches to the study of comparative politics may include country studies, regional studies, global surveys focusing on specific policy areas or other issues, and general comparative theory.

A survey of the topics relative to administration in the public sector, including the history of public administration, organization theory, leadership and management, human resources management, budgeting and finance, policy analysis, program evaluation, and government regulation.

Institutions, processes, intergovernmental relations, and politics of U.S. state and local governments.

A survey of Western political philosophy from Plato through the Conciliar Movement. An examination of the origin and development of basic concepts defining the relationship between the person and the state: human nature, community, authority, power, legitimacy, obligation, accountability, government, liberty and personal responsibility.

A survey of Western political philosophy from Machiavelli through Edmund Burke. An examination of the development of ideas about government from the 15th Century through the 18th Century. Emphasis is placed on origins of political authority, purposes for which government exists, relationships between government authority and individual rights, civic virtue, republicanism and democracy.

A survey of Western political philosophy from Hegel through the post-modernist writers. An examination of 19th and 20th Century political philosophers emphasizing German transcendentalism, utilitarianism, economic determinism, state socialism, neoliberism, communitarianism and post-modernism.

Students learn about active citizenship from readings and discussions on the theory and practice of democracy. Students should become more motivated to participate, feel a greater sense of empowerment, improve political skills, and to better understand and appreciate democracy.

An overview of the budgetary and fiscal processes of public budgeting, including the politics surrounding public budgeting and fiscal policy decisions.

This course explores topics in political philosophy beyond what is covered in the existing curriculum. Students study specialized topics of current importance in the field. Specific topics will change depending on the term and instructor. May be retaken with change of topic.

Political thought in the United States from the colonial period to the Civil War. Puritans, American revolution, republicanism, debate over United States Constitution, Jacksonian Democracy, Thoreau, reformers and religious and secular utopias, womens' rights, states' rights, abolitionism, proslavery.

Political thought in United States from reconstruction to present. Controversies over industrial capitalism: Social Darwinism, Utopian Socialism, Populism, Socialism, Progressivism. Women's Rights, suffrage movement and contemporary feminism; African American political thought: liberalism; conservatism.

This course introduces students to the political philosophies of major thinkers from Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The course is designed to enhance students' analytical and writing skills.

This course explores topics in political participation and behavior beyond what is covered in the existing curriculum. Students study specialized topics of current importance in the field. Specific topics will change depending on the term and instructor. May be retaken with a change of topic.

Elections in the United States at the federal, state and local levels. Election law, history, factors affecting elections, voting behavior, campaign finance, role of parties and groups, campaign strategy and tactics. Analysis of contemporary elections.

Political parties at United States, state, local levels. Cross-national comparisons. Decline and revival of parties. What parties do. Is the two party system the best? Are third parties the answer? Party organization. Voting behavior. Legislative, executive parties. Minnesota focus.

Politics impact on women: women's impact on politics and governance; primary focus on United States but some comparative considerations.

History, philosophy, techniques and countermeasures to terroristic and low intensity threats to public order. Both domestic and international terror. The blurring of the lines between low intensity conflict/terrorism and multinational high intensity crime. Same as LAWE 438

Racial and ethnic minorities in U.S. politics. Public opinion on racial issues, minority representation, race (partisanship and voting behavior), and racial issues (affirmative action, school busing, immigration).

Applications of psychological concepts to politics. Intergroup relations, stereotyping, political authoritarianism, presidential character and psychology, foreign policy decision-making, political tolerance, and mass violence and genocide.