POLITICAL SCIENCE
College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
(See Political Science in the Academic Programs section for information on degrees)
Undergraduate Courses
100 Understanding Politics (3) [GE]
F,S
Study of basic concepts and principles of political thought, action, and institutions. PLSI 100 is required of all political science majors and minors.
106 Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy: Introduction to Political Economy (3) [GE]
For course description, see S S 106.
200 American Politics (3) [US,CA]
F,S
Study of governmental institutions, politics, and issues in the United States and California in historical, social, and cultural perspective. (See U.S. History and Government Requirement which includes California State and Local Government Requirement.) [CAN GOVT 2]
300 Scientific Inquiry in Political Science (4) [GE]
Prerequisite: PLSI 200 or equivalent. Recommended: a course in critical thinking. Science in the study of politics: problems and possibilities. Practice in scientific reasoning and analysis. Critical analysis of the uses of scientific method in political argument.
302 Introduction to International Political Economy (3)
Prerequisite: IR 301. For course description, see IR 302.
310 Contemporary Issues in American Politics (3)
Theories, problems, and issues relating to current public policies in the United States. Contemporary issues including environment and ecology, poverty, race relations, education, drugs, violence, war and institutional reform.
320 Political Forum (2)
Prerequisites: PLSI 200 or equivalent and consent of instructor. Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Discourse about current issues in U.S. politics. Student organization of topics and structure; presentations, discussions, and arguments on issues in government, politics, and public policy. May be repeated on advisement when topics vary.
342 Strategy and War (4)
For course description, see IR 342.
343 Arms Control and Peacekeeping (4) [GE]
Survey of international arms control, disarmament, and United Nations peacekeeping developments and policy issues since World War II. Evolution of military technology and political institutions. Analysis of security dilemmas, arms control negotiations and agreements and peacekeeping crises. Simulated disarmament conference. (Also offered as I R 343.)
351 Political Theory: The Classical Tradition (4)
Critical analysis of such concepts as nature of the state, power and authority, forms of government, law and justice, leadership and citizenship, as presented in the writings of Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, and Machiavelli.
352 Political Theory: Reformation to Nineteenth Century (4)
Critical analysis of such concepts as political obligation, sovereignty, liberty, equality, property and revolution, as presented in the works of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Burke, and Tocqueville.
353 Political Theory: The Twentieth Century (4)
The changing nature of political theory since the mid-nineteenth century; emergence of the social sciences, the impact of sociology, psychology and existentialism on political speculation. Technology, totalitarianism, and the crisis of the modern political order.
360 Development of American Political Thought (4)
Prerequisite: PLSI 200 or 310. Political theories associated with movements in the historical development of the United States. Persisting and recurring problems in American political thought.
365 Systematic Political Theory (4) [GE]
Analysis of the scientific enterprise and its applicability to the study of political phenomena; basic concepts and recent disputes in the philosophy of social science, the fact-value dispute, explanatory versus recommendatory theory.
370 Classical Marxism (4) [GE]
Critical examination of the origins, nature, and development of Marxist theory, and its subsequent practice in the hands of V. I. Lenin and the Revisionists of the Second International.
380 Problems in Political Theory (4)
Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Issues selected from relationships between political theory and civilizations past and present: political alienation, politics of literature and art, sexuality, child rearing, family and politics; politics of violence, value theory, anarchism. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
402 Politics of Western Europe (4) [GE]
Prerequisite: upper division standing. Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Comparative study of the political development of two or more European nations. Historic, cultural, and ideological background; parties and groups; elections and leadership; constitutional structures; current policies and problems. May be repeated for credit on advisement.
403 Latin American Politics (4) [GE]
Prerequisite: upper division standing. Political processes and structures in Latin America. Rise of militarism and revolution. Stability of constitutional and corporatist regimes. Relations with United States. Historical, cultural, and economic contexts are also discussed.
404 Politics of China (4) [GE]
Subject is the contemporary government and politics of the People's Republic of China with some modest concern for the way the past has shaped the present. The main focus is on political institutions and political processes.
405 Politics of France (4)
Politics, policy, and constitutional development in a multiparty parliamentary system. French culture and history, governmental structures, ideological conflicts, the shifting party system, roles of major interest groups, leadership patterns and personalities, and major questions of domestic and foreign policy.
406 Central American Politics (4)
Prerequisite: upper division standing. Focuses on the following themes: revolutionary processes, socio-political mobilization, militarism, economic development, and dependency. Countries studied in depth are El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala.
407 Politics of the USSR (4)
Our subject is the contemporary government and politics of the Soviet Union with some modest concern for the way the past has shaped the present. The main focus is on political institutions, political processes, and ideologies.
412 South Asian Politics (4)
Prerequisite: upper division standing. Comparative study of political development in the South Asian states. Historical, cultural, and economic background; political institutions and processes; parties and election; leadership; current policies and problems.
413 Comparative Communism (4)
Selected communist systems. Emphasis on continuities and discontinuities in contemporary Marxist theory and practice. Analysis of political institutions and processes associated with development and maintenance of socialist societies.
414 Problems in Comparative Politics: Crisis and Change (4)
Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Study of selected problems, topics, and theoretical approaches in comparative politics and foreign government. Examples include: revolution, political parties and participation, political modernization and dependency relationships. May be repeated once for credit when topics vary.
415 Development and Democracy (4) [GE]
Prerequisite: upper division standing. Focuses on the emergence and establishment of electoral democracy in developing societies. Comparison of cases from Asia and Africa. Explores transitions to and from authoritarian rule by uncertain democracies.
416 Comparative Ethnic Politics (4)
Prerequisite: upper division standing. Focuses on issues and problems related to ethnicity, ethnic conflict, and conflict resolution in a comparative context. In-depth study of particular divisive cases in Asia and Africa.
463 Public Opinion and the Communication Media (4)
Role of mass media in the political process. Relevance of communication theory to public opinion. Social, cultural, psychological factors affecting opinion formation and communication. Agents of manipulation and attitude change.
466 Racial Politics and American Democracy (4) [GE]
Prerequisite: ENG 214 or equivalent. An examination of the subordinate status of African/Americans in the United States, with a theoretical and historical focus on the nexus between power, racism, and violence. Attention is also given to strategies for social change in terms of leadership, organization, and movements.
468 Political Parties (4)
Prerequisite: upper division standing. Party origins, history, functions; how constitutions and electoral systems create types of parties and party systems; internal organization; nominations, campaigns, voter response; parties in government; party decline and possible reform. U.S. and selected foreign party systems.
473 California Government and Politics (4) [GE,CA]
Prerequisite: upper division standing. Study of policymaking and exercise of power within federal framework. State and local issues and institutions explored through field trips and intensive research project. Satisfies the California state and local government requirement. (See U.S. History and Government Requirement which includes California State and Local Government Requirement.)
475 San Francisco Political Issues (4)
Prerequisite: upper division standing. Issues of political mobilization and governance. Electoral processes. Economic, ethnic, and cultural conflicts. Discussions with community and political leaders. May be repeated with consent of the instructor. (Also offered as URBS 485.)
476 Political Campaigning (4)
Prerequisite: upper division standing. Professional campaign management: strategy formulation; techniques. Impacts on democratic progress. Seminars conducted by professionals in the field. Laboratory application of campaign techniques. Classwork, four units; laboratory, two units.
477 Congress and the Presidency (4)
Analysis of structure, roles, and functions of the legislative and executive branches of national government with emphasis on their relationships with each other and their respective constituencies. Examination of particular legislative-executive policy controversies.
478 Campaign Practicum (4)
Prerequisite: PLSI 200 or equivalent. Students work on electoral campaign of their choice. In-depth analysis of campaign organization, strategy, message communication, and outcome.
480 Policy Analysis (4)
Prerequisite: upper division standing. Political and institutional settings for policy making in the United States. Basic concepts and techniques of analysis applied to problems of policy, planning, and administration. (Also offered as URBS 480.)
492 Research Methods (4)
Prerequisite: upper division standing. Research methods for politics, public policy, administration, and urban studies. Problem formulation; research design; finding, organizing, and reporting data; surveys; introduction to computing and data analysis; uses and limitations of applied research. (Also offered as URBS 492.)
493 Data Analysis (4)
F,S
Prerequisite: PLSI/URBS 492 or equivalent. Statistical analysis for politics, public policy, administration, and urban studies. Uses, interpretation, and limitations of statistical methods; use of computers. (Also offered as URBS 493.)
500 Labor and Government (4)
For course description, see LABR 500.
501 American Bureaucracy (4)
Prerequisite: ENG 214 or equivalent. Critical analysis of the nature of American bureaucracy extant in public and non-profit organizations. Emphasis on how bureaucracy works and influences the directions of public policies. Public bureaucracy from an analytic and descriptive point of view.
512 Urban Politics and Community Power (4)
Examination of political dynamics in the contemporary metropolitan context and of the bases and distribution of power in urban and suburban areas. Leadership, decision-making, and representation in metropolitan politics. Intergovernmental relations and urban political power.
513 Politics, Law, and Urban Environment (4) [GE]
Prerequisite: upper division standing. For course description, see URBS 513. (Also offered as GEOG 668.)
520 Modernization and Third World Countries (3) [GE]
Prerequisite: upper division standing. For course description, see S S 520. (Also offered as I R 520.)
551 Judicial Power in Public Policy Making (4)
Prerequisite: PLSI 200 or equivalent. Leadership and power in Supreme Court decision-making. Principles and meaning of the United States Constitution governing the powers and relationships of the branches and levels of the American political system as developed by the Supreme Court. Analysis of leading cases.
552 Individual Rights in the Constitution (4) [GE]
Prerequisite: PLSI 200 or equivalent. Principles and meaning of the United States Constitution controlling the relationships between the individual and government as developed by the Supreme Court. Analysis of leading cases.
553 Legal Issues (4)
Prerequisite: PLSI 551 or 552 or consent of instructor. Intensive investigation of such topics as: judicial decision-making, judicial influence on the formulation of public policy, political influence on the judiciary, individual rights, the impact of judicial decisions, legal reform. May be repeated for credit on advisement.
561 Jurisprudence (4)
Studies in the philosophy of law. Relationship between law, morality, social and political institutions. Analysis of various schools of jurisprudence.
570 Urban Health Policy (3) [GE]
For course description, see URBS 570. (Also offered as LABR 570.)
580 Urban Housing (3) [GE]
For course description, see URBS 580.
603 Public Service Internships (3)
F,S
Prerequisites: upper division standing and consent of instructor. Corequisite: PLSI 604. Field work in approved public, private, non-profit, or political organization under supervision of organization staff and faculty coordinator. Training in relevant analytical and applied skills. May be repeated for credit on advisement.
604 Internship Seminar (1)
F,S
Corequisite: PLSI 603. Analysis of internship experiences. May be repeated for credit on advisement. (Also offered as URBS 604.)
660 The Roles of Non-Profit Organizations in Urban Life (3)
For course description, see SW 660. (Also offered as URBS 660.)
699 Special Study (1-4)
F,S
Prerequisites: consent of instructor, major adviser, and department chair. Supervised study of a particular problem selected by the student with the advice of the instructor. Enrollment by petition.
Graduate Courses
708 College Teaching of Political Science (4)
F,S
Prerequisite: PLSI 780. Emphasis on planning and teaching of college level political science courses. Supervised experience to be evaluated through examination of contemporary literature and practice regarding special pedagogical problems. May be repeated for a total of eight units. Offered in cooperation with Department of Higher Education.
710 Seminar in American Politics (4)
Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor. Approaches to the study of American government and politics: political parties, interest groups, presidency, legislative assemblies, judiciary, electoral behavior, and political opinion.
711 Topics in American Politics (4)
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Intensive discussion and research on a topic in American politics. May be repeated once for credit when topics vary.
712 Seminar in Urban Politics and Policy Formation (4)
An overview of metropolitan problems, structures and policies from the perspective or urban political science. Focus on those national and local factors that shape urban politics and policies.
720 Seminar in Comparative Politics (4)
Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor. Study of seminal writings and approaches to the subject, with a focus on modernization and political development, development theory, bases of political power, and role of the state.
721 Topics in Comparative Politics (4)
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Intensive discussion and research on a topic in comparative politics and government. May be repeated once for credit when topic varies.
730 Seminar in Political Theory (4)
Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor. Investigation of the literature of political thought in terms of major writers and contemporary attempts to define the nature and scope of that literature.
731 Topics in Political Theory (4)
Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor. Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. Intensive discussion and research on a topic in political theory. May be repeated once for credit when topic varies.
740 Seminar in Political Organization (4)
The new scholarship on political parties, interest groups, campaign organizations, mass movements, revolutionary organizations, terrorist movements, etc. Structures, goals, membership recruitment, leadership, communication patterns. Consideration of normative questions relevant to various modes of political organization.
741 Seminar in Political Skills (4)
The new technology of politics (polling, direct mail, targeting, etc.). Leadership and organizing skills. Political research and data analysis applied to problems of strategy and tactics. Questions of ethics and feasibility.
743 The Politics of British and French Neocolonialism (3)
For course description, see I R 743.
780 Seminar in the Literature of Political Science (4)
Comprehensive investigation of the discipline as a whole and its major areas of specialization. One of the course requirements is an acceptable general plan for a supervised thesis project. Required for the master's degree in political science.
782 Methods of Political Inquiry (2)
Conceptual and epistemological foundations of political inquiry. Survey of methodological approaches including phenomenology, positivism, and hermeneutics. Review of selected empirical and normative methods employed in various political science subfields.
895 Field Project (4)
Application of basic principles and theories to practical political work in the field by conducting research designed to be of practical use to a specific politically-oriented group. Graduate Approved Program and Proposal for Culminating Experience Requirement forms must be approved by the Graduate Division before registration.
898 Master's Thesis (4)
F,S
Prerequisites: advancement to candidacy for the master's degree and consent of chairman of candidate's committee for the master's degree. Intensive study of a topic or problem within the field of political science. Graduate Approved Program and Proposal for Culminating Experience Requirement forms must be approved by the Graduate Division before registration.
899 Special Study (1-4)
F,S
Prerequisites: consent of graduate major adviser, supervising faculty member, and department chair. Study is planned, developed and completed under the direction of a member of the departmental faculty. Open only to graduate students who have demonstrated ability to do independent work. Enrollment by petition.