Department of Political Science

Content: This course serves as an introduction to the study of political theory, with emphasis on the relation of political theory to the other subfields of political science.

Texts:
Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison, TheFederalist Papers
Immanuel Kant, Political Writings
Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan
John Locke, Two Treatises of Government
Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince
Montesquieu, Spirit of the Laws
Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War
Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America

Particulars: Grading -- Participation, short essays, one longer essay.

POLS 507: Research Design & Data Collection

Giles, Tu 8:30-11:30, MAX: 12

Content: This course is designed specifically for students in their first year of the Ph.D. program. It provides an introduction to the discipline, the philosophy of science and research design.

POLS 508: Data Analysis

Reinhardt, MW 9:45-11:00, MAX: 12

Content: This course is designed to introduce students to quantitative empirical research. The primary objective is to give students some basic skills in conceiving and conducting statistical analysis for their own research, in addition to becoming more informed readers of the research reported in the major social science journals. Our approach will emphasize practice (e.g., preparing a dataset, choice of an appropriate statistical procedure, analysis of data, diagnostics, interpretation, presentation) as opposed to theory (mathematical derivations and proofs). Statistical topics covered include measures of central tendency and dispersion, bivariate analysis (crosstabs, correlation, t-tests), and multivariate regression. Assignments will involve the use of statistical analysis software (Stata) on data sets provided by the instructor or, alternatively, on a data set the student may wish to provide.

Texts: Statistics textbook

Particulars: Homework; midterm exam; final exam; and one short research paper (9-12 pages).

POLS 510: World Politics

Reiter, W 1:00-4:00, MAX: 12

Content: This is the introductory course to international relations for political science graduate students. The emphasis is theoretical, covering issues such as international conflict, decision-making, trade, and system structure. The class uses a discussion format.

Particulars: One exam; several short papers. All students other than political science graduate students must receive permission from the instructor.

POLS 520: Comparative Government & Politics

Tworzecki, Th 4:00-7:00, MAX: 12

Content: This seminar gives a comprehensive introduction to major theories in the field of comparative politics. Each week focuses on a different conceptual framework and/or level of analysis, and addresses key features of domestic politics in relevant countries. Central concepts include democratic and authoritarian transitions, political institutions and the state, political participation, civic culture, ethnicity and nationalism, public policy, and globalization. We will also examine the particular problems of cross-national and single country research.

Particulars: Course requirements include student-led discussions based on papers that address key elements in the readings, and active participation in the seminar meetings.

Assignments and grading:
Four short papers (8 pages double-spaced) (10% each)
One 25-page literature review on one topic (30%)
Participation (30%)

POLS 560: Public Policy

Rich, Th 1:00-4:00, MAX: 12

Content: This course provides an introduction to the study of public policy in the United States. The objective is to introduce students to the basic analytic concepts and theoretical approaches used to examine the impact various actors and institutions have on the development of public policy. We will closely examine the processes by which important societal problems are translated into public policies, paying particular attention to the dynamics of policy change. We will also examine issues of evaluation including those related to content (how, if at all, do policymakers utilize the findings of policy analysis and program evaluation) as well as process (does the American policymaking process work well, poorly, or not at all?).

Texts:
Baumgartner and Jones, Agendas and Instability in American Politics
Sabatier, Theories of the Policy Process
Rochefort and Cobb, The Politics of Problem Definition
Schneider and Ingram, Policy Design for Democracy
Hacker, The Road to Nowhere
Schick, The Federal Budget
Wong, Funding Public Schools

Particulars: Final examination; research paper

POLS 570: Limited Dependent Variable Models

Davis, MW 11:15-12:30, MAX: 12

Content: This course presents an overview of more advanced regression-based methods used in political science today. The emphasis of the course is on models where the traditional assumptions of ordinary least-squares regression are violated, primarily in a cross-sectional context. Topics covered include binary logit and probit, multinomial logit and probit, ordered logit and probit, Poisson and other count models, duration models, and models for time-series cross-sectional data. In addition, students will apply these methods to original research in their area of specialization.

Texts: J. Scott Long, Regression Models for Categorical and Limited Dependent Variables

Particulars: Prerequisite—POLS 509 The Linear Model

POLS 585: Variable Topics Seminar

Topic title: Experimental Methods in Political Science

Gillespie, W 1:00-4:00, MAX: 4

Content: In this course, students will gain an understanding of the historical and methodological significance of experiments in political science. Using the work of Harold Gosnell, Samuel Eldersveld, Paul Sniderman, Shanto Iyengar, Donald Kinder, Donald Green, Alan Gerber and others, students will learn the utility of field-, survey-, and laboratory- based experimental methods to answering critical political science questions. They will then put this knowledge to practice as they conduct their own experiments for a final project.

Texts: In addition to journal articles, the following books are required reading:

Donald Green and Alan Gerber, Get Out the Vote!
Donald Kinder and Shanto Iyengar, News That Matters
Donald Kinder and Thomas Palfrey, Experimental Foundations of
Political Science
Stanley Milgram, Obedience to Authority

Particulars: 2 problem sets; students also will conduct their own original experiment and submit a 15-20 page paper based on their work.

POLS 585: Variable Topics Seminar

Topic title: Dictatorship & Development

Gandhi, F 9:00-12:00, MAX: 12

Content: This course offers a thematic introduction to the politics of economic development in dictatorships. In the first part of the course, we compare democracies and dictatorships to determine which type of regime better promotes economic growth and why. In the second part of the course, we attempt to understand the variation in economic performance among dictatorships by analyzing how these regimes use ideology, coercion, and institutions in achieving their goals. The course finishes with regime dynamics and development. We examine whether development has effects on the durability of authoritarian regimes, whether growth is possible during regime transitions, and whether some dictatorships are trapped in underdevelopment.

POLS 585: Variable Topics Seminar

Topic title: Interdisciplinary Human Rights Perspective
[Same as GH 590]

Davis/Evans, Th 2:00-5:00, MAX: 6

Content: This graduate seminar, open to students from the Graduate School and the School of Public Health, examines the theory and practice of global human rights from an interdisciplinary perspective. In addition to issues of the history, origins and legitimacy of universal human rights, the seminar will discuss standards, institutions and processes of implementation. The seminar will also examine human rights across a variety of substantive issues areas, including: conflict; development; globalization; social welfare; public health; and rights of women and other vulnerable groups.

Particulars: Evaluation will be based on seminar participation, a series of short thought papers and major research paper. Students will also make brief presentations of their final papers.

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The Department of Political Science, 327 Tarbutton Hall, 1555 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, 404-727-6572 phone, 404-727-4586 fax
For web comments or questions, contact polisci@emory.edu. Last update November 4, 2009