History, Political Science & International Studies

HIST 100. Experiencing History. 3 Credits.

This seminar course puts history into practice and focuses on experiential explorations of historical topics. Approaches and subjects will vary by instructor and semester, but might include role-playing immersion scenarios, walking tours, service learning, museum work, and archival research. Formal writing is required.

HIST 124. American Civilization. 3 Credits.

This course surveys the major political, social, and cultural events, movements, and ideas of the American past.

HIST 150. Roots: History. 3 Credits.

An intensive and critical examination of selected historical texts and developments from the medieval period to the present that contribute to an understanding of the modern world.

HIST 152. Roots: History - FYS. 3 Credits.

An intensive and critical examination of selected historical texts and developments from the medieval period to the present that contribute to an understanding of the modern world.

HIST 203. History of the Medieval World. 3 Credits.

A survey of the history of Medieval Europe. Major topics include the transformation of Rome; development of the church, rise of the papacy and monastic reform; Germanic migrations; consolidation of the medieval monarchy; the Commercial Revolution; scholasticism and the universities; pilgrimage and saints; the Crusades; heresy; and the family.

HIST 204. History of the Ancient World. 3 Credits.

This course examines the development, spread, and transformation of empires in the Mediterranean world during antiquity. Special emphasis will be on the poleis of Greece, the Hellenistic World, and the Roman Republic and Empire.

HIST 206. United States Through 1876. 3 Credits.

The United States, from its origins through the Civil War and Reconstruction, with an emphasis on the main political, economic, and social developments. Major wars and cultural trends will also be addressed, as well as the lives of important and representative individuals.

HIST 207. United States Since 1876. 3 Credits.

The United States since the end of Reconstruction, with an emphasis on the major political, economic, and social developments. Major wars and cultural trends will also be addressed, as well as the lives of important and representative individuals.

HIST 210. Great Issues American History. 3 Credits.

An examination of selected critical issues and events in the history of the United States.

HIST 217. World History to 1600. 3 Credits.

This course surveys the history of civilization before the seventeenth century. Focus will be on the developments of world cultures in Europe, South and East Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as encounters between these regions. Topics will include the growth of cities, court culture, and the agricultural economies that supported them; global trade networks; spread of disease; religious movements, and military conflicts.

HIST 218. World History Since 1600. 3 Credits.

This course surveys the history of the world from the European encounter with the non-Western world to the present day. It will explore the major trends which have shaped the modern world, including the rise of modern states; the revolutionary era; the ideologies of socialism, liberalism, and nationalism; European imperialism, and the shifting balance of power in the postcolonial world.

HIST 220. Race & Gender in Medieval Europe. 3 Credits.

Survey of race and gender in Medieval Europe, and the ways in which Medieval Europe remains a contested period for these concepts. Focus is on medieval primary sources. Topics include relationships between Christians, Jews, and Muslims, anti-Semitism, LGBTQ people and histories, monsters and the monstrous, and concepts of gender and race.

HIST 225. Modern Latin America. 3 Credits.

An introduction to the history of the Spanish-speaking regions of the Western hemisphere beginning with the pre-Columbian period. Special attention will be given to the era since independence.

HIST 230. History of the American Economy. 3 Credits.

This course on the rise of American economy from the colonial period to the present will go beyond economic history to examine issues of politics, philosophy, and legal theory and their impact on economic developments. Special emphasis will be given to advancements in science and technology, the creation of educational systems, and the links between global economic conditions and the economy of the nation-state. The course will highlight themes of continuity and change that have characterized American economic history.

HIST 231. Introduction to African American History. 3 Credits.

Survey from before Columbus until the present, focusing on what is now the United States, including origins and growth of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, racial discrimination, resistance, the American Civil War, emancipation, Reconstruction, struggles against Jim Crow, black life under segregation, the civil rights struggles, and post-civil rights developments.

HIST 239. Pre-Modern East Asian Civilizations. 3 Credits.

This course examines the development of the pre-modern societies, governments, and cultures across East Asia, mostly what we today call China, the Koreas, and Japan. We will examine how they developed, spread, changed, and interacted. We will be reading a variety of both primary and secondary sources, which will help to inform our discussions.

HIST 240. East Asian Civilizations. 3 Credits.

This course explores how the distinct cultures of China, Korea and Japan developed within a broadly shared civilization over the last 4000 years, but with an emphasis on early-modern and modern times. The focus is on socio-political, religious and cultural developments.

HIST 242. Introduction to African History. 3 Credits.

This course is an introduction to the history of African peoples. A general survey of the continent and case studies illustrate the differing regional experiences and diversity of African communities and political formations.

HIST 290. Special Topics. 3 Credits.

An introduction to a theme, problem, movement, or era in history.

HIST 300. Historical Methods. 3 Credits.

This course introduces students to the discipline of history. An overview of historical methodologies contributes to an understanding of how the craft of history is practiced and has evolved. Class assignments will develop and strengthen techniques of historical research, information literacy, and writing skills. Required for history majors and Adolescent Education majors concentrating in social studies and intended to be taken during the first or second semester of major course work. This course is open to others with permission of the instructor.

HIST 304. Europe in the Middle Ages. 3 Credits.

This course will explore the economic, social, and cultural history of Europe from the fifth through the fifteenth centuries. Major topics will include the transformation of the Roman Empire into Christendom; the development of the church with the rise of the papacy and monastic reform; Germanic migrations; consolidation of the medieval monarchy; the Commercial Revolution; scholasticism and the universities; pilgrimage and the cult of the saints; the crusades, heretical movements, and the medieval family.

HIST 305. Early Modern Europe. 3 Credits.

This course traces the transformation of Europe between the Renaissance and the French Revolution. Special emphasis will be placed on the wars of religion, the revolution in European military practice, the emergence of national states, the structure and function of the absolutist monarchies and, especially, the wide-ranging impact of the Enlightenment.

HIST 306. History of the Modern Middle East. 3 Credits.

This course is an introduction to the history of the modern Middle East with an emphasis on the twentieth century. The first four weeks of the course will briefly cover the Ottoman history of the Middle East from the sixteenth through the nineteenth centuries, and the remaining weeks will introduce important topics relating to twentieth-century Middle Eastern history, such as the creation of nation-states, the Israel-Palestine conflict, authoritarian regimes, Islamist movements, and the Arab Uprisings.

HIST 307. Genocide and Racism. 3 Credits.

This course investigates the emergence of modern racism and its expression as genocide. In-depth examinations of the events in Armenia, Rwanda, Bosnia, East Timor, Cambodia, and Darfur complement an exploration of the German attempt to annihilate certain groups like the Jews during World War II. Recommended for Education majors to satisfy state education laws in New York and New Jersey that require the teaching of the Holocaust in all schools.

HIST 308. Premodern Women and Gender History. 3 Credits.

This course examines the history of women and gender in premodern Europe. Emphasis is on women's lives and experiences as well as representations of women constructed during the period. Topics include women's roles in religious communities, the family, the workforce, politics, and gendered representations of women in literary, legal, medical, and religious discussions. Special emphasis is on women's perceptions of their social and cultural lives, described in their own words.

HIST 312. Modern China 1839 - Now. 3 Credits.

The modern transformation of China, its values and institutions, resulting from the impact of the West and revolution.

HIST 313. Vietnam to the Philippines. 3 Credits.

Political, social, economic change, and the kaleidoscope of outside intervention in modern Southeast Asia since the founding of Singapore in 1819.

HIST 314. Modern Africa. 3 Credits.

This course introduces the multiple histories, diverse cultures and complicated geography of modern Africa. Three areas: modern-day Algeria; Ghana; and South Africa will serve as case studies in order to place continent-wide trends in their local contexts and to explore key historical events and developments from a consistent perspective that will illustrate change over time. This course will also emphasize the dynamic role of Africans in the events and processes that have shaped modern Africa.

HIST 318. Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. 3 Credits.

Political, economic, and cultural developments of the region, including the history of relations with the U.S.

HIST 319. The Crusades. 3 Credits.

The course examines the crusading energy of the High Middle Ages. Focus will be on the medieval imagination of the Latin West as Christendom and attacks on threats to that identity. Topics will include the strengthening of the papacy; the growth of chivalry; the history of Jerusalem and its crucial holy sites; relations between Christendom and the Byzantine Empire; the Islamic world; the Reconquista; the Albigensian Crusade; the rise of anti-Semitism; and the military orders.

HIST 320. History of Rome. 3 Credits.

This course examines the history of Rome from the city's foundation through the decline of its empire. Emphasis will be on the major political, social, military, and cultural developments of Rome's history.

HIST 321. Special Topics. 3 Credits.

An extensive study of a theme, problem, movement, or era in history.

HIST 322. Special Topics. 3 Credits.

An extensive study of a theme, problem, movement, or era in history.

HIST 325. The Byzantine Empire. 3 Credits.

The political, social, and cultural history of the Eastern Roman Empire from the fourth to the fifteenth centuries and its relations with Islam, the Latin West, and the Slavs.

HIST 326. Diplomatic History of Europe 1815-1914. 3 Credits.

The international relations among the European states from the Congress of Vienna through the era of Imperialism and the origins of the First World War.

HIST 328. Cold War Diplomacy in Asia. 3 Credits.

This course investigates Cold War diplomacy and international relations in the Asian context. Focus is not only on the politics and economics of international relations, but also on their interplay with societies, cultures and individuals. Topics include the Soviet-China split, the Korean War, the Vietnam wars, Nixonian diplomacy, and Japan's role as an aircraft carrier for American military bases.

HIST 334. Diplomatic History of the Vietnam Wars. 3 Credits.

This course explores the diplomatic history of the Vietnam Wars, approximately from 1945 to 1975. It treats these wars not as an American conflict, but as an international conflict between a multitude of actors, especially the Vietnamese themselves.

HIST 337. England to 1688. 3 Credits.

An overview of the history of the British Isles from antiquity to the Glorious Revolution. The creation of England as a unified kingdom with a centralized monarchy and its influence over Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. Emphasis will be on the power and personalities of the monarch and the nobility as well as on the lives of ordinary people. Roman Britain, the Anglo-Saxon period, Norman conquest, Plantagenet Empire, Hundred Years War, Tudor and Stuart dynasties, Anglican Reformation, civil war, plague, constitutionalism, monasticism, and the universities.

HIST 347. The Sixties. 3 Credits.

This important, contentious era in the United States will be examined from various angles, from the various protest movements to the conservative reaction, from music and cultural flowering to presidential politics. All of this will be analyzed in relation to the various historical interpretations of the era.

HIST 348. Modern Japan. 3 Credits.

This course introduces the history of Japan from the late Tokugawa period to the present day. The political, economic, social, cultural, and national dimensions of historical change compose the course's central focus, but the concept of identity is also strongly emphasized.

HIST 351. Age Of The French Revolution. 3 Credits.

The course explores European history from the Enlightenment to the fall of Napoleon. The origins, course, and aftermath of the French Revolution will receive particular attention. Other themes include the Enlightenment, early industrialization, and the Napoleonic Empire.

HIST 352. Nineteenth-Century Europe. 3 Credits.

This course explores European history from the fall of Napoleon in 1815 to the start of World War I in 1914, with emphasis on the revolutions in 1830, 1848, and 1871, the acceleration of imperialism, nation-building, and the social transformations stemming from industrialization.

HIST 353. Modern Germany. 3 Credits.

The influence exercised in German history of the medieval empire, Luther, the Thirty Years War, Frederick the Great, and the Age of Revolution. A chronological treatment from 1848 to the present.

HIST 354. History of the Soviet Union. 3 Credits.

The course deals with the background, revolution, and establishment of the Soviet Union, focusing on both domestic developments and the role of the Soviet Union in world affairs. Special attention is given to the problems of continuity and change in Soviet policy between 1917 and 1991.

HIST 355. East Europe in Modern Times. 3 Credits.

A survey of the history of Eastern and Central Europe, the area between Germany and Russia, from the end of World War I to the present day. The countries of the region are examined both comparatively and individually to identify the economic, social, cultural, and national forces which have shaped their developments.

HIST 357. Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. 3 Credits.

This course explores the rise of the Nazis to power, their governance of Germany, their conquests, and their defeat. Special emphasis will be placed on the Nazis' treatment of various minorities. Their ideology and practical issues shaping the decisions and actions of both leaders and ordinary Germans will be examined. The Holocaust will be situated throughout in its contemporary context and understood through the eyes of perpetrators, victims, and bystanders.

HIST 358. The Industrial Revolution. 3 Credits.

This course examines the economic transformation known as the Industrial Revolution (1750-1850) from its roots in Western Europe to its later spread to other parts of Europe and then across the Atlantic Ocean primarily from the perspective of laboring people.

HIST 360. Women in the United States. 3 Credits.

This course will focus on the changing roles of women in American society from the 17th century to the present. Beginning with pre-industrial society and tracing women's experiences in agricultural, commercial, industrial, and post-industrial America, we will discover how women's roles have changed-and not changed-in the course of American history. In an historical context, the various experiences of women as housewives, mothers, consumers, workers, professionals, and citizens will be analyzed.

HIST 362. US Foreign Relations, 1900 to the Present. 3 Credits.

"The American Century." The rise of America to world power. Relations with other countries before, during, and between the world wars, in the Cold War, and in the post-Soviet era, including politics toward Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

HIST 366. US Labor Patterns and Movement. 3 Credits.

This course analyzes the patterns of the US labor force and labor movements in the industrial age. Structural factors such as race, class, gender, geography and technology are considered along with the business and political contexts. The questions of individual agency on the part of labor leaders is also addressed.

HIST 368. Formation of U.S.Public Health. 3 Credits.

Beginning in the eighteenth century and continuing through the twenty-first century, this course will explore the formation of U.S. public health. It will examine how social, political, cultural, and economic factors have influenced responses to epidemic disease and the shaping of public health policies in the United States.

HIST 371. The American West. 3 Credits.

A survey of the region that has long captured people's imagination. Enduring themes such as cowboys and Indians as well as newer concerns such as the role of women and the rise of technology will be analyzed in light of historical evidence, both primary and secondary.

HIST 372. History in Public. 3 Credits.

This course is an introduction to how and why history is presented in public and the audience, funding, motivation, and ethics of this work. Course will include discussion of family and neighborhood history projects, monuments, history in museums and archives, and history on the Internet.

HIST 375. Internship. 3 Credits.

Students participate in an off-campus training experience closely related to their area of study. Frequent meetings with the internship advisor and a paper are required. Internships are arranged through the Center for Career Development and must be approved in advance by the chair and the Dean of the School of Arts.

HIST 377. Science, Technology, and Society. 3 Credits.

This course explores major developments in both science and technology from the perspective of their social impact. Particular emphasis will be placed on industrialization and how science and technology affect society as a whole.

HIST 380. Sport and American Society. 3 Credits.

An interdisciplinary course on the history of American sport from the colonial era to the present. Special emphasis will be given to the economic, sociological, political, and psychological aspects of twentieth-century American sport.

HIST 381. Colonial and Revolutionary America to 1789. 3 Credits.

The political, economic, social, and cultural status of the British-American colonies in the mid-eighteenth century; the coming of the American Revolution; the problems of war and independence; the constitutional development of the new nation; the impact of the Revolution on all of the American people.

HIST 383. Civil War and Reconstruction. 3 Credits.

The causes of the Civil War: economic and political, legal and constitutional, ideological and moral. The great people, the great battles, and the great events. The results and the cost of the war, human and economic. Reconstruction, racism and segregation.

HIST 385. Modern America, 1930 to Present. 3 Credits.

The nation's domestic, political, social, and economic issues from the Great Depression of the 1930s to terrorism in 2001. The New Deal and the Fair Deal, the Home Front in World War II, Civil Rights and the Great Society, consensus in the 1950s and conflicts in the 1960s, the domestic cost of Vietnam, Watergate, and Reaganomics, the Information Revolution and the Clinton Paradox.

HIST 386. American Biography. 3 Credits.

Analysis of signal figures of both genders and of different racial/ethnic backgrounds from a variety of eras and fields, from business leaders and inventors to labor leaders and social reformers, from presidents to creative artists. Perennial questions that will be addressed include what constitutes a significant life and the relative roles in a life of one's personality and choices -- and of fate -- along with such structural factors as one's race, class, gender, geographic region and particular generation. Various biographical schools of thought will also be addressed, along with variations on biography, notably autobiography and memoir.

HIST 387. New York City and the American Urban Experience. 3 Credits.

The colonial and Revolutionary city, urban imperialism, the city in the American mind, immigration, social mobility, the rise of the ghetto, the impact of the New Deal, suburbanization, the modern metropolis, recent trends.

HIST 388. Women in Modern Europe. 3 Credits.

This course surveys the role of women in European society in the modern period. Special emphasis will be given to the articulation and evolution of the "women's question" and the impact of industrialization, political revolution, and war on gender roles. Drawing on the contemporary documents as well as secondary analyses, the course will provide a historical context for debates on women and gender that continue to the present day.

HIST 389. Gender and Sexuality in the Modern Middle East. 3 Credits.

This course will explore the role of gender and sexuality in modern Middle Eastern history. It will begin by examining gender and sexuality in Muslim societies under Ottoman rule and will then explore how gender and sexuality have been shaped by processes of colonialism, capitalism, nation-building, and middle-class formation. Special emphasis will be placed on how women in the Middle East have responded to these historical changes.

HIST 390. Terror and Terrorism. 3 Credits.

This course examines the major ideas and problems associated with terror and terrorism from the French Revolution to the present and considers the historical development and role of political violence both by and against the state in contemporary society.

HIST 391. Decolonization: The End of Empires. 3 Credits.

This course will explore the process of decolonization with an emphasis on the end of European empires and the agency of the colonized.

HIST 392. History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. 3 Credits.

This course will cover the origins, development and consequences of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Special emphasis will be placed on the effects that the conflict has had on people living in the region.

HIST 393. Global Feminisms. 3 Credits.

This course uses an intersectional lens to explore how and why feminist movements have emerged around the world in the modern era and how they have changed over time.

HIST 394. Diplomatic History of the Ottoman Empire. 3 Credits.

This course examines the diplomatic history of the Ottoman Empire from the late fifteenth century to its dissolution after World War I. The focus is on Ottoman relations with European and neighboring states.

HIST 415. Research in History. 3 Credits.

Supervised participation in research design, source collection, analysis, and interpretation in conjunction with ongoing research projects in history. Permission of the faculty mentor, the department chair, and the Dean of the School of Liberal Arts are required at the time of registration.

HIST 416. Research in History. 3 Credits.

Supervised participation in research design, source collection, analysis, and interpretation in conjunction with ongoing research projects in history. Permission of the faculty mentor, the department chair, and the Dean of the School of Liberal Arts are required at the time of registration.

HIST 475. Internship. 3 Credits.

Students participate in an off-campus training experience closely related to their area of study. Frequent meetings with the internship advisor and a paper are required. Internships are arranged through the Center for Career Development and must be approved in advance by the chair and the Dean of the School of Arts.

HIST 490. Senior Seminar. 3 Credits.

An exploration of a specific historical theme through class discussion and student papers, with an emphasis on proper research methodologies and presentation. Intended for advanced history and social studies majors, but open to others with the permission of the chair. Prerequisite: HIST 200.

HIST 498. Independent Study. 3 Credits.

Supervised reading and research. Permission of Department Chair required.

INTL 201. Global Issues. 3 Credits.

This course highlights the interrelatedness of political, economic, ecological, and cultural events as they affect nations, regions, and the global community. The course is designed to illuminate the complex nature of world events and the nature of international studies.

INTL 310. Technology and Society. 3 Credits.

Technology and Society. How gadgets and techniques, hardware and software, interact with people for better and occasionally for worse, and how governments consider difficult trade-offs in their policy-making.

INTL 312. Ethnicity in the Modern World. 3 Credits.

Study of several sub-national and trans-national ethnic and cultural movements. Their impact on local governments and international relations.

INTL 313. Argentina:History,Society&Cult. 3 Credits.

This course will provide an advanced introduction to the political, social and cultural history of Argentina since the Spanish conquest to today.

INTL 315. Special Topics: Area Studies. 3 Credits.

Special Topics in Area Studies. Course description will be announced when courses are offered.

INTL 375. Internship. 3 Credits.

Students participate in an off-campus training experience closely related to their area of study. Frequent meetings with the internship advisor and a paper are required. Internships are arranged through the Center for Career Development and must be approved in advance by the chair and the Dean of the School of Arts. Open to majors only.

INTL 400. Study Abroad. 15 Credits.

INTL 405. Senior Seminar. 3 Credits.

A study of one specific international problem seen from the viewpoint of different disciplines. Student research and class discussions on the origins and nature of, and possible solutions to, the problem. Open to International Studies seniors and by permission of the Director.

INTL 450. Tutorial. 1-3 Credit.

A course of study for students with particular interdisciplinary research interests not covered in the college's offerings. Research under supervision of a faculty member. Written permission of the Director and the supervising professor has to be secured before registration. Majors only.

INTL 475. Internship. 3 Credits.

Students participate in an off-campus training experience closely related to their area of study. Frequent meetings with the internship advisor and a paper are required. Internships are arranged through the Center for Career Development and must be approved in advance by the chair and the Dean of the School of Arts. Open to majors only.

POSC 150. Roots: Government. 3 Credits.

This course uses a selected theme to explore basic concepts and important debates in political science. Open only to students in the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences. (Not open to students who have completed POSC 201 or POSC 153.).

POSC 153. Roots:Government - FYS. 3 Credits.

This writing-intensive first year seminar uses a selected theme to explore central concepts and important debates in political science. Open only to 1st year students in the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences. (Not open to students who have completed POSC 201 or POSC 150.).

POSC 201. Introduction to Government and Politics. 3 Credits.

This course examines selected concepts and debates in government and political science through exploration of contemporary issues. (Not open to students who have completed POSC 150 or POSC 153.

POSC 203. United States Government and Politics. 3 Credits.

An introductory course about the foundation of the U.S. Government, its institutions and how they work, and how individuals, organizations, and corporations participate in the political process leading to public policy.

POSC 205. Political Geography. 3 Credits.

A study of states and other political units in the context of their physical, human, economic, cultural, strategic, and other features that are relevant to power and ultimately the course of history.

POSC 207. Introduction to Peace Studies. 3 Credits.

This course introduces students to the nature, scope, and methodology of Peace Studies as well as explores some major contemporary problems that threaten peaceful and just relations between individuals, groups, or nations. Prerequisites: RELS 110 or RELS 152 or RELS 161.

POSC 209. Comparative Politics. 3 Credits.

Why do some countries have democratic systems of government while others are ruled by ruthless dictators? Why do revolutions and civil wars erupt in some places and not others? This is just a sample of fundamental questions that define the study of Comparative Politics. Our course tackles these important matters (and many others) through the lens of institutions, or the formal and informal rules that govern political behavior.

POSC 210. Research Methods in Political Science. 3 Credits.

An introduction to political research methods. The course will enable students to be better practitioners and consumers of political research. Focus is on basic qualitative and quantitative methods, with an emphasis on the stages in the research process and date analysis. Among the topics covered: research design, strategies, ethics, conceptualization, measurement, sampling, causation, generalizability, reliability, methods (surveys, observation/participation, evaluation...), elementary and advanced data analysis, reviewing, proposing, and reporting research.

POSC 212. Wall Street. 3 Credits.

The interactions among the world’s investors, investment institutions, and various self-regulatory bodies involved in the capital markets. Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, hedge funds, derivatives, and many other investment instruments as well as psychological mindsets directing the markets will be investigated. Includes field trips for practical, on-the scene insights into Wall Street operations, employment possibilities, and the stock market’s role in everyone’s life.

POSC 221. Urban Govt & Politics. 3 Credits.

More than 80% of Americans live in urban areas, making the study of the distribution of power in the urban context important. This course examines government and politics in major United States cities and suburbs, focusing on urban inequality, the politics of urban development, the power of economic and social elites, labor, and ethnic and racial groups.

POSC 222. Power in the City. 3 Credits.

This course examines buildings, public works, and business improvement districts as case studies of personal, interest group, economic, or political power in the development of New York City.

POSC 223. Environmental Politics. 3 Credits.

Analyzes United States and global environmental politics and major issues involved in ecological sustainability and development, including resource management, pollution control, and climate change.

POSC 251. Global Issues. 3 Credits.

This course highlights the interrelatedness of political, economic, ecological, and cultural events as they affect nations, regions, and the global community. The course is designed to illuminate the complex nature of world events and the nature of international studies.

POSC 254. Global Cities. 3 Credits.

Studies several global or world cities, investigating how cities have built nations and dominated beyond national bases, looking at the characteristics of a global city, the different bases of international status, and the changing forms of urbanization due to new technology and environmental factors.

POSC 270. Introduction to Political Theory. 3 Credits.

Political theories articulate concepts that identify the basic elements of the political universe; they also specify principles that state how things both are and how they ought to be. The questions explored include the nature and scope of political regimes, justice, equality and changing concepts of human nature.

POSC 271. American Political Thought. 3 Credits.

Through close reading of original sources, this course explores the big debates in American politics from colonial times to the present. Topics include the American Revolution, the Constitution, slavery, Civil War and Reconstruction, Social Darwinism, populism, progressivism, 20th century liberalism, conservatism, civil rights, and anti-war protest.

POSC 303. The United States Congress. 3 Credits.

Analysis of the dynamics, organization and policy-making processes of the United States Congress: the relationship of legislators to constituents, lobbyists, bureaucrats, the President and one another.

POSC 306. The United States Presidency. 3 Credits.

Exploration of the institution of the U.S. Presidency, its powers, paradoxes, limitations, and responsibilities. Analysis of the Presidential selection process, as well as examination of Presidential leadership in domestic and foreign policy arenas.

POSC 310. Special Topics: in Comparative Politics. 3 Credits.

Explores the politics of a particular country or a particular topic within comparative politics. Specific topics vary and are announced by the department.

POSC 315. State and Local Government in the United States. 3 Credits.

The history and development of federalism in the United States political system, with emphasis on contemporary state and local political institutions and public policy issues. Governmental structures and processes are considered in relation to policy outcomes.

POSC 318. Community Organizing for Social Change. 3 Credits.

Community organizing is a strategy that has empowered individuals and communities to make social change. It has been a major factor in shaping the Bronx, the college's home, as it is today. The class will provide a historical perspective on community organizing and assist in developing skills critical to organizing, such as , identifying and researching issues, developing leaders and developing an organizing campaign. The class includes opportunities for real-world experience with a local community organization.

POSC 319. Government and Business: Political Economy. 3 Credits.

A survey of alternative economic ideologies, the private and public sectors, the interplay between them, and the formulation of economic public policy.

POSC 320. United States Parties, Public Opinion and Elections. 3 Credits.

Democracy means that the government is subject to popular control -- that is, control by the people. This class focuses on three related instruments of popular control of government – public opinion, parties and elections. What can polls tell us about what Americans think? In what ways do we expect parties and elections to subject government power to popular control? Do they have a substantial impact on government decisions? How can they be made more democratic?.

POSC 322. Public Administration. 3 Credits.

This course examines the way governments carry out public policy. We explore the role of government agencies, and the influence of internal and external forces in the implementation of policy.

POSC 323. Constitutional Law: Governmental Powers. 3 Credits.

Case studies of judicial decisions relating to the powers of the national government and the separate branches; judicial review: federal-state relations; as well as commerce, taxation, spending, treaty-making and war powers.

POSC 324. Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties. 3 Credits.

Case studies of judicial decisions on the rights of individuals; first amendment freedoms, equal protection of the laws, rights of defendants.

POSC 325. Special Topics: United States Government. 3 Credits.

A course exploring a particular topic within the United States Government. Specific topics vary and are announced by the department.

POSC 330. Government and Politics of Western Europe. 3 Credits.

A comparative analysis of political institutions and behavior in West European states, and an examination of their increasing integration through the European Union.

POSC 331. Government and Politics of Russia and Selected Soviet Successor States. 3 Credits.

Examines the development, structure, and functions of Soviet political institutions, with special attention to the role of the Communist Party. Examines glasnost, perestroika and the disintegration of the U.S.S.R., and new successor republics.

POSC 332. Government and Politics of Central and Eastern Europe. 3 Credits.

Explores the remarkable changes in the region from the end of World War II, through the Soviet socialist regimes, to the startling movements for change in 1989, to the nations of today.

POSC 340. Government and Politics of Asia. 3 Credits.

The politics of the leaders, the institutions in which they operate, and the impact their policies have on their citizens as well as the whole Pacific Basin. Particular attention will be paid to China, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, and India.

POSC 343. Government and Politics of the Middle East. 3 Credits.

Comparative study of the political organizations, institutions and groups in the Middle East. Discussion of politics in selected countries, as well as analysis of national and regional conflicts and the roles of the major powers in the area.

POSC 344. Government and Politics of the Caribbean. 3 Credits.

Comparative study of the politics of selected Caribbean nation-states. Analyzes their diverse colonial heritages, political cultures, ideologies, institutions, groups, and changing development strategies (including regional integration efforts), and domestic and global challenges.

POSC 345. Government and Politics of Latin America. 3 Credits.

Comparative study of the political organizations, institutions and groups in Latin America. Discussion of politics in selected countries, as well as analysis of national and regional conflicts and change and the role of the United States in the region.

POSC 346. Government and Politics of Africa. 3 Credits.

Impact of traditional culture, Western colonialism and neocolonialism on contemporary African ideologies, political organizations, institutions and groups. Nation-building strategies for overcoming underdevelopment and dependence.

POSC 348. Government and Politics of the European Union. 3 Credits.

Examines the evolution of the institutions and policies of the European Union. Gives students an understanding of the European dynamic and the economic integration of Europe, as well as the obstacles to further political integration.

POSC 350. Special Topics: Global Politics. 3 Credits.

A course exploring a particular topic in global politics. Specific topics vary and are announced by the department.

POSC 351. International Relations. 3 Credits.

Analyzes various factors underlying war, peace, diplomacy, economic policy and other means by which international actors conduct their relations with one another.

POSC 352. International Organizations. 3 Credits.

Examines the nature, functions, operations, and politics of the United Nations and global, regional, or specialized international bodies.

POSC 353. Technology and Society. 3 Credits.

Examines how gadgets, techniques, hardware, and software, interact with people for better and occasionally for worse, and how governments consider difficult trade-offs in their policy-making.

POSC 354. Human Rights. 3 Credits.

This course is an examination of the emergence and development of an international movement dedicated to the promotion of human rights since WWII. It addresses how a variety of factors promote the development of human rights norms and analyzes some of the challenges of contemporary human rights advocacy.

POSC 357. United States Foreign Policy. 3 Credits.

Examines ideology, decision-making processes, instruments, and major issues of contemporary United States foreign policy.

POSC 367. Model United Nations. 3 Credits.

A hands-on, participatory experience in which students acquire expertise on a particular country which they represent at the five-day National Model United Nations Conference in New York City. The U.N. simulation is designed to reinforce an understanding of the basic principles of the international organization, such as maintaining international peace and security, developing better relations among nations based on respect, equal rights, and self-determination of peoples, and the adjustment and settlement of international disputes. Prerequisite: POSC 352 and/or permission of the instructor.

POSC 368. Model United Nations II. 3 Credits.

A hands-on, participatory experience in which students will acquire expertise on a particular country which they will represent at the five-day National Model United Nations Conference in New York City. The UN simulation is designed to reinforce an understanding of the basic principles of the world organization, such as maintaining international peace and security, developing better relations among nations based on respect, equal rights and self-determination of peoples and the adjustment and settlement of international disputes. Prerequisite: POSC 352 and/or permission of instructor.

POSC 370. Special Topics: Political Theory. 3 Credits.

A course exploring a particular topic or particular thinker(s) in political theory. Specific topics vary and are announced by the department.

POSC 372. African American Political Thought. 3 Credits.

This course explores the history and the present of African American political theory and practice, through an analysis of theoretical texts, pamphlets, manifestos, and popular culture from the periods of the abolitionist movement, Reconstruction, civil rights, late 20th Century black feminist thought, and contemporary Black politics and culture.

POSC 374. Western Political Thought. 3 Credits.

Introduction to modern Western political theory through examining the written dialogue between philosophers that has contributed to what we know as the canon on the state and society in the West.

POSC 375. Internship. 3 Credits.

Students participate in an off-campus training experience closely related to their area of study. Frequent meetings with the internship advisor and a paper are required. Internships are arranged through the Center for Career Development and must be approved in advance by the chair and the Dean of the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences.

POSC 405. Special Topics: Senior Seminar: United States Government and Politics. 3 Credits.

An in-depth exploration of a specific political issue in US politics through class discussion, student research papers, and in-class presentations. Open to seniors or others by permission of the Department Chair.

POSC 411. Seminar. 3 Credits.

An in-depth exploration of a specific political issue through class discussion, student research papers, and in-class presentations. Open to seniors or others by permission of the Department Chair.

POSC 412. Senior Seminar: Women in Politics. 3 Credits.

The struggles of the nineteenth century feminists, the suffrage amendment movement and the contemporary women's movement as political action. Urban women as vanguard of the mid-twentieth century and Third Wave American women's movement. Cross-cultural, cross-national comparisons of the concerns that mobilize women, their attainment of political power, and the impact of their activities on public policy. Open to seniors or others by permission of the Department Chair.

POSC 420. Senior Seminar: Conflict Resolution. 3 Credits.

Analysis of sources of conflict and study of methods of conflict management and resolution at the interpersonal, neighborhood, national and international levels. Open to seniors or others by permission of the Department Chair.

POSC 421. Seminar. 3 Credits.

POSC 422. Seminar. 3 Credits.

POSC 426. Senior Seminar: The Politics of Race, Ethnicity, and Class in the United States. 3 Credits.

Analysis of the ignoble paradoxes of American freedom and democracy that are embodied in Indian genocide, African enslavement, social annihilation, white supremacist ideologies and racism. A study of leaders and mass movements that pushed United States' society and its political institutions in the direction of greater racial ethnic and class equality and justice. Open to seniors or others by permission of Department Chair.

POSC 440. Seminar: European Politics. 3 Credits.

A senior seminar in which students will research and write significant papers on topics in European politics. Open to seniors or others by permission of the Department Chair.

POSC 449. Independent Study. 1-3 Credit.

Permission of Department Chair required. Students can undertake independent research or co-curricular travel under the supervision of a faculty member. (1 to 3 credits).

POSC 450. Senior Seminar: Politics of International Economics. 3 Credits.

The interface of governmental authority and politics on the one hand and economics on the other and the outcomes of this relationship in a global political economy and the management of economic change. Open to seniors or others by permission of Department Chair.

POSC 452. Special Topics Senior Seminar: Comparative Politics. 3 Credits.

An in-depth exploration in comparative politics through class discussion, student research papers and in-class presentations. Open to seniors or others by permission of the Department Chair.

POSC 455. Seminar: Diplomacy. 3 Credits.

Survey of development and practices of diplomacy through investigation of negotiation, coercion, crisis, management, diplomatic settlement, and security cooperation among states. Open to seniors or others by permission of the Department Chair.

POSC 473. Senior Seminar: Contemporary Western Political Thought. 3 Credits.

Examines the major political thinkers who have contributed to the notion of statecraft in the West since WW II. Students will research and write a significant paper. Open to seniors or others by permission of the Department Chair.

POSC 475. Internship. 3 Credits.

Students participate in an off-campus training experience closely related to their area of study. Frequent meetings with the internship advisor and a paper are required. Internships are arranged through the Center for Career Development and must be approved in advance by the chair and the Dean of the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences. Credit may apply to majors.

POSC 480. Special Topics Senior Seminar: Political Theory. 3 Credits.

An in-depth exploration of a specific topic or political thinkers (Western or non-Western) through class discussion, student research papers, and in-class presentations. Open to seniors or others by permission of the Department Chair.

POSC 490. Albany Session Internship. 6-12 Credit.

Students have two options for a semester-long internship in Albany. (A) In the NYS Assembly and Senate programs, students intern in a legislator's office, take a course on the legislative process, write a public policy paper and participate in a mock legislative session. Spring Semester only. Deadline to apply is in October. (B) Through Marist College's Albany Internship Experience, students intern at a political advocacy organization, take a course, and meet with guest speakers. Fall and Spring. Permission of the Department Chair and Dean required.

POSC 491. SUNY Washington Internship Program. 15 Credits.

The College at Brockport's SUNY Washington Internship Program allows students to study and intern in Washington DC while earning a full semester's credits. The students intern up to 32 hours per week (6 credits), complete a research project under the supervision of a faculty member (6 credits) and attend a weekly seminar class (3 credits). Students are graded on field supervisors' evaluations, student internship journal, 10-page internship evaluation paper, 20-page research paper and presentation; class participation and short seminar papers. Permission of the Department Chair and Dean required.

POSC 492. Washington D.C. Seminar Internship. 3 Credits.

Students intern with the program of a Washington D.C. university like Catholic or Georgetown. They may take other courses at the University to make a full schedule. Permission of the department chair and Dean required.

POSC 493. SUNY Summer Washington Internship Program. 6 Credits.

The College at Brockport's SUNY Washington Internship Program allows students to study and intern in Washington DC for 8 weeks during the summer while earning 6 credits. The students intern 32-40 hours per week (3 credits) and attend a mandatory evening course that meets one or two evenings a week (3 credits). Students are graded on an internship journal, 5-page internship evaluation paper, and short seminar papers. Permission of the Department Chair and Dean required.

POSC 494. American University Seminar Program. 15 Credits.

Students spend a semester studying and interning in Washington, D.C., earning 12-15 credits. Program choices include: American Politics, Economic Policy, Foreign Policy, Gender and Politics, International Business and Trade, International Environment and Development, Information Technology and Telecom Policy, Journalism, Justice, Peace and Conflict Resolution, Public Law, and Transforming Communities. Permission of the department chair, Dean and Program Liaison required.

POSC 499. Independent Study. 3 Credits.