Spring 2013 Course Offerings

 

This course emphasizes the theoretical underpinnings and practical understanding of the national policy process and institutions of government.  The course also provides students with adequate preparation for further working the major by emphasizing the understanding of specific political issues, the manners through which the process works (and does not), and explores the implications of current political events and investigates the ways in which political scientists measure and analyze political issues.

 

Examination of the objectives, principles, institutions and processes of formulation of current American policy and programs. Problems of administration of strategic, military, diplomatic and economic policies toward specific countries and geographic regions will be analyzed. Prerequisite: PO 105

 

This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the Policy Process.  The course will help students better understand the effects of policy by examining structures of the policy process through theoretical and practical terms.  In the beginning, we will discuss the fundamentals of policy, followed by the theories of the process, and, finally, implementation and evaluation of policy.  Three themes running through the course are  the structure of institutions, decisions made throughout the process, and consequences of decision-making or non decision-making.

 

This course will emphasize the disproportionate oppression women face in developing nations worldwide. Students will  explore the role of women in various contemporary global conflicts and their role in the peacekeeping process.  We will further study the institutions worldwide that allow the oppression of women, humanitarian efforts to help women, and the availability of women's viewpoints in conflict areas.

This course explores trends in violent international conflict during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. We will evaluate the causes and consequences of war using theories of international relations and case studies. In addition to international conflict, a central component of the course is an in-depth examination of civil conflict. We will explore individual motivations for civil conflict (rebel greed and rebel grievance), and domestic political situations that provide the opportunity to rebel. The course concludes with a review of diplomacy and conflict resolution.

 

This course acts as an introduction to constitutional case law and to the practical effects of our legal system (courts and judicial politics) on the American political system.  The role of the federal judiciary, focusing on the Supreme court, in interpreting constitutional and statutory law and in making policy will be studied.  Exploration of the elements of judicial interpretation and the examination of judicial opinion writing will be major components of this course.

Prerequisite:  PO105.

The course will employ the “closed case” method that is used at most moot court competitions. A packet of information will be provided to students (“the text”). This packet will include numerous items, including: a statement of the facts of the case, the rulings by the lower courts, select relevant court precedents (with a primary focus on U.S. Supreme Court opinions), and specific statutory and/or constitutional language. On the basis of this material and this material only (i.e., no research that goes beyond the closed case materials), students will engage in various aspects of legal reasoning including: case analysis, legal brief writing, and formulation and presentation of oral arguments. The course will employ a “simulation” model in which we conduct mock appellate oral arguments in class. Students will roll-play as both attorneys and judges.

 

This course is associated with the Model Illinois Government (MIG) program offered by a consortium of Illinois universities, colleges, and community colleges dedicated to the teaching of state government. The major activity of MIG is a student-directed four day simulation each spring at the Capitol Complex in Springfield. At the simulation, students assume the roles of state legislators, executive branch officials, lobbyists, journalists, staffers, justices, and moot court attorneys. Study in preparation for the participation learning activities of this course will be through lectures, readings, discussions, guided research, and role playing. The participation learning activities of this course will familiarize students with the operation of Illinois General Assembly by examination of and involvement in the simulated process of bills becoming laws.

 

To complete a senior thesis a student is expected to produce a substantial original piece of research.  The student will defend the written work before the faculty and students of the Political Science Department.  Open only to seniors whose paper proposal has been approved by the faculty of the department.

Political Science Plagiarism Policy

The goal of this policy is for students to correctly cite, paraphrase, and write in their own voice.  Plagiarism is the uncited use of another’s words, ideas, or work.  Self-plagiarism is the use of one’s own work for multiple assignments that has not been approved by faculty.  Consequences of plagiarizing are a zero on the assignment, redoing the assignment for no credit, and a letter is sent to the registrar, dean, and to the student explaining that the student has plagiarized in the course.  When the plagiarism is severe enough on one assignment (i.e. the entire paper) or has occurred multiple times in the single course, consequences are failure in the course indicated by an XF and a letter written to the registrar, dean, and student will be sent.  All written assignments in Political Science will be submitted to Turnitin.com and all faculty in Political Science have been trained to use this website.  Any concerns about this policy can be addressed by the chair of the Political Science Department.