Political Science Courses

PS 102. Thinking Like a Social Scientist. 4 Credits.

Illustrates how the ways social scientists think—using quantitative, qualitative, and interpretive methods—help to sharpen thinking for many contexts and careers.

PS 106. Power, Politics, and Inequality. 4 Credits.

Examines power and politics through the lens of inequality, focusing on the constant struggle between the haves and the have-nots.

PS 111. Introduction to Political Science. 4 Credits.

Offers students the tools to think for themselves about politics: multiple ideological and analytical viewpoints on varying political arrangements around the world.

PS 199. Special Studies: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Topics vary from year to year. Repeatable once when topic changes.

PS 201. United States Politics. 4 Credits.

Theoretical introduction to American institutions, political doctrines, and ideology as these affect the course of politics and public policy in the United States.

PS 205. Introduction to International Relations. 4 Credits.

Introduction to theoretical and methodological tools for the analysis of world politics.

PS 206. Ethics, Identity, and Power. 4 Credits.

This course is a gateway for those considering the "Ethics, Identity, and Society" track in the Political Science major. The course examines political power and ethical ideas about its use, with a focus on race, gender, religion, class, and other forms of social differentiation.

PS 210. Politics of Business. 4 Credits.

Introduces the political science subfield of political economy, which studies the relationship between concepts like the market and the state, capitalism and democracy, politics and the economy. The American political economy is examined from both a historical and an international perspective.

PS 275. Legal Process An Introduction to the American Judiciary. 4 Credits.

Overview of the United States legal system. Covers a range of sociolegal writing and provides a context for the legal system under which the U.S. operates.

PS 297. Introduction to Environmental Politics. 4 Credits.

United States environmental policy and alternative environmental political futures.

PS 302. States' Rights and Wrongs. 4 Credits.

Explores the division between U.S. federal, state and municipal power through the lens of our nation's most contentious and most critical political and policy debates. Examines how elected officials, judges and activists influence fights over federalism.

PS 304. Democracy, Dictators, and Development. 4 Credits.

Examines key questions in political science like why some countries are rich while others are poor, why some countries are democratic and others are authoritarian, how these different political systems work, and which are best equipped to address ethno-nationalist conflict and economic development.

PS 308. United States Political Thought. 4 Credits.

Development of United States political thought from the Revolution through the 20th century. Includes writings of Jefferson, Paine, Madison, Tocqueville.

PS 309. Political Ideologies. 4 Credits.

Ideology is a more-or-less coherent lens through which a person views the world in order to process information and direct action. The course examines how the world looks different for those holding liberal, conservative, communist, fascist, or anarchist world views.

PS 310. Roots of Democracy. 4 Credits.

Examines modern conceptions of democracy, citizenship, legality, virtue, equality, and political order, which grew out of ideas initially developed in ancient Greek city-states. Special attention given to ideas of active citizenship.

PS 311. Sovereignty and Revolution. 4 Credits.

Examines contemporary conceptions of politics springing from European debates about the power of kings, law, and the people. Considers key textual moments in the process by which modern conceptions of democracy emerged.

PS 312. Shadows of Modernity. 4 Credits.

Explores the distinct critiques of modernity offered by John Stuart Mill, Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, Michel Foucault, and Sigmund Freud. Concepts explored include liberalism, capitalism, power, morality, and the unconscious.

PS 316. Black Lives Matter and American Democracy. 4 Credits.

Explores the ideological origins and contemporary politics of the Black Lives Matter movement. Modules include the demands of/on democracy, race and the criminal justice system, and the politics of protest.

PS 319. The Politics of the Body. 4 Credits.

This course examines the politics of the body in the US. It will focus on scientific and biological definitions of identity and how that affects policies.

PS 320. International Organization. 4 Credits.

Studies efforts by states to cooperate in an effort to avoid or resolve conflict in the realms of security, trade, human rights, and the environment.

PS 324. European Politics. 4 Credits.

Overview of the formation and current dynamics of national politics in Western Europe.

PS 326. United States Foreign Policy I. 4 Credits.

Basic concepts underlying the formulation and implementation of United States foreign policy; relationships between American society and foreign policy; the relationship of the U.S. to its international environment.

PS 330. Governments and Politics in Latin America. 4 Credits.

Social, political, and economic developments in Latin America; causes and consequences of revolutions, democratization, economic politics; examples from Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Guatemala, Venezuela. Offered alternate years.

PS 337. The Politics of Development. 4 Credits.

Presents alternative perspectives on key north-south issues: trade, aid, foreign investment, debt, and the environment. Includes such institutions as the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization.

PS 340. International Political Economy. 4 Credits.

Links between economics and politics in the international system. Basic concepts include power, dependence, inequality, imperialism, and development. EC 201, EC 202, or PS 205 recommended preparation.

PS 342. Politics of China. 4 Credits.

Survey of the politics of the People's Republic of China. Emphasis on political sociology and group conflict: elites, ideology, social change, and organization.

PS 345. Southeast Asian Politics. 4 Credits.

Surveys major themes in contemporary Southeast Asian politics, including nation-state building, economic development, authoritarianism and democracy, and religious and ethnic politics.

PS 346. Terrorism and Weapons Proliferation. 4 Credits.

Examines causes and control of terrorism, especially preventing terrorist use of weapons of mass destruction; theories and policies of nonproliferation and arms control.

PS 347. Political Power, Influence, and Control. 4 Credits.

Survey of the use of the concept of power in the social sciences, stressing diverse theoretical perspectives and empirical studies of political institutions.

PS 348. Women and Politics. 4 Credits.

Examines the political role of women and questions of equality in the U.S. from historical and contemporary perspectives. Topics may include voting, welfare, reproductive rights, and representation.

PS 349. Mass Media and American Politics. 4 Credits.

The role of the mass media in contemporary American politics; the effect of the media on such institutions as political parties, elections, and the presidency.

PS 350. Politics and Film. 4 Credits.

Examines the political relevance of films and their role as a medium for illustrating, defending, and challenging political ideas.

PS 351. Democratic Dilemmas. 4 Credits.

Core course for the Wayne Morse Scholars Program, exploring significant political and policy challenges confronting our representative democracy.

PS 352. Political Parties and Elections. 4 Credits.

Overview of current developments in political parties and interest groups in the United States.

PS 355. Oregon Government and Politics. 4 Credits.

Current political issues in Oregon with particular attention to political races and ballot measures before the Oregon electorate as well as the state's major political institutions.

PS 367. Politics, Science, and Climate Change. 4 Credits.

How politics influences our understanding of the causes and impacts of climate change and the policies we adopt to address the global climate crisis.

PS 368. Gender in the Law. 4 Credits.

Examines the role courts have played in framing and shaping policies where gender is a central feature with a focus on reproductive rights, pregnancy and abortion, domestic violence, rape, family issues, prostitution, and sexual harassment. Offered alternate years.

PS 371. United States Congress. 4 Credits.

Study of Congress as an institution: congressional elections, the committee system, and the internal distribution of influence; relations with the president and the Supreme Court.

PS 372. Music and Politics. 4 Credits.

In this class we will be asking questions about what is political about music of various musical styles and from diverse historical periods, exploring issues of cultural appropriation, issues of race, gender, and sexuality in music, and the politics of technology and music.

PS 375. Race, Politics, and the Law. 4 Credits.

Examines the development and transformation of race-based domination and resistance in the United States by examining the intersection of policy and law.

PS 378. Games in Politics. 4 Credits.

Politics viewed as strategic interactions among politicians, voters, and countries; focuses on how to model these interactions using tools of game theory.

PS 380. Gender and Politics in Developing Countries. 4 Credits.

Examines gender politics in the developing world and efforts to help women. Topics include female genital cutting, violence against women, economic development, microfinance, migration, trafficking. Offered alternate years.

PS 384. Nuclear Politics of the Middle East. 4 Credits.

History and current nuclear capabilities of all major Middle East states are evaluated. Nuclear strategy, arms control and important technological developments are examined. Theoretical models of proliferation, and debates of a nuclear "taboo" discussed. U.S. foreign policy options toward the Middle East critiqued.

PS 386. United States Social Movements and Political Change. 4 Credits.

Causes and consequences of American social movements. Considers theoretical perspectives. Topics may include agrarian populism, labor movement, civil rights movement, the women's movement, and identity politics.

PS 387. Russian Politics. 4 Credits.

The course traces Russian politics from a communist regime to its current state, investigates contemporary aspects of Russian politics, and examines Russia's vision of the world and its foreign policy.

PS 390. American Indian Politics. 4 Credits.

Examination of the political and constitutional status of American Indian tribes in the United States, with some comparison to Canada. Focus on history, current policy, and potential futures.

PS 391. Non-Western Political Theory. 4 Credits.

This course examines political ideas from outside of the "Western" tradition. It begins by comparing political ideas in classical China and India with those of classical Greece, and then turns to 19th and 20th century colonial experiences in China, India, and North Africa.

PS 399. Special Studies: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Topics vary from year to year. Repeatable when topic changes.

PS 400M. Temporary Multilisted Course. 1-5 Credits.

Repeatable.

PS 401. Research: [Topic]. 1-15 Credits.

Repeatable.

PS 403. Thesis. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

PS 404. Internship: [Topic]. 1-2 Credits.

Repeatable once for a maximum of four credits.

PS 405. Reading and Conference: [Topic]. 1-15 Credits.

Repeatable.

PS 406. Field Studies: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Repeatable for maximum of 10 credits.

PS 407. Seminar: [Topic]. 1-4 Credits.

Offerings vary from year to year, depending on student need and faculty interests. Repeatable when topic changes.

PS 408. Workshop: [Topic]. 1-21 Credits.

Repeatable when title changes.

PS 409. Terminal Project. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

PS 410. Experimental Course: [Topic]. 1-4 Credits.

Offerings vary from year to year, depending on student need and faculty interests. Repeatable when topic changes.

PS 411. Honors Thesis Prospectus. 1 Credit.

Prepares students for writing the senior honors thesis in political science. Provides guidance in framing a suitable topic, conducting preliminary research, and writing a prospectus.
Prereq: majors with honors standing.

PS 433. Marxism and Radical Thought. 4 Credits.

Surveys utopian socialist thought, anarchism, Marxism, and Leninism. Central themes include the nature of radical theory, the role of the state, human nature and the new society.

PS 440. Causes and Prevention of War. 4 Credits.

Surveys theories of causes of war; focuses on major theories of prevention; case studies from World War I, World War II, and other wars.

PS 445. Methods for Politics and Policy Analysis I. 4 Credits.

Introduction to quantitative analysis, concepts and methods of empirical research, applied statistical data analysis in political science. Methods include descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation, and regression techniques.

PS 446. Methods for Politics and Policy Analysis II. 4 Credits.

Survey of multivariate model building for political analysis. Multiple regression, discrete-variable techniques, recursive systems, and cross-level analysis. Application of these techniques to concrete political problems.
Prereq: PS 445/545.

PS 449. Racial Politics in the United States. 4 Credits.

Considers how race has interacted with political development in the U.S. from the New Deal to the present.

PS 455. Theories of International Politics. 4 Credits.

Competing theories of international relations and strategies for testing the theories.

PS 458. Feminist Political Theories. 4 Credits.

Examines the relationship between feminism, gender, and the state. Offered alternate years.

PS 465. LGBT Rights in the Courts. 4 Credits.

Analyzes the role of legal advocates and the courts in advancing and curtailing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights with a focus on relationship recognition, parenting, employment, housing, military, education, and health care. Offered alternate years.

PS 466. Civil Rights in Post-Warren Era. 4 Credits.

Analyzes development in civil rights advocacy in the United States since the heyday of the Warren Court. Focuses primarily on developments in race, gender, disability, and sexuality. Offered alternate years.

PS 467. The United States Presidency. 4 Credits.

An ambivalent view of the presidency as the key institution in the United States political system: source of great good but also of great harm.

PS 470. Constitutional Law. 4 Credits.

Surveys how the U.S. Constitution works as a structure for government. Addresses how the federal courts interact within the U.S. system of government.

PS 472. Matters of Life and Death. 4 Credits.

Examines the right to life from political, legal, and philosophical perspectives. Considers abortion, capital punishment, assisted suicide, just-war theory, and animal rights.

PS 475. Politics of the European Union. 4 Credits.

Surveys the historical development and current workings of the European Union’s major institutions and policies. Offered alternate years.

PS 477. International Environmental Politics. 4 Credits.

How nations solve international environmental problems. Explores major problems, processes, and current debates. Evaluates existing treaties through case studies.

PS 479. U.S. Interventions in Developing Nations. 4 Credits.

Examines theories of intervention: security, economic imperialism, humanitarian intervention, spreading democracy, domestic politics; over thirty-seven U.S. interventions since 1898 are surveyed.

PS 480. Introduction to Rational Choice. 4 Credits.

Introduces the paradigm of rational choice and game theory that is of special significance to politics.

PS 484. United States Supreme Court. 4 Credits.

The Supreme Court as a political body; the judicial role in the context of the economic, political, social, and psychological factors that influence the court's decisions.

PS 485. Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. 4 Credits.

Overview of the role of rights in the United States legal system. Particular emphasis on the role of freedom and equality in a federal system.

PS 491. Politics of Everyday Life. 4 Credits.

Examines how we try to influence each other's behaviors in the course of everyday life. Readings from several disciplines.

PS 495. United States Political Economy. 4 Credits.

Examines United States political-economic institutions from a comparative and historical perspective. Topics include rise and fall of mass production, labor and the law, and regional development.

PS 503. Thesis. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

PS 507. Seminar: [Topic]. 1-4 Credits.

Repeatable. Offerings vary from year to year, depending on student needs and faculty interests.

PS 508. Workshop: [Topic]. 1-21 Credits.

Repeatable.

PS 510. Experimental Course: [Topic]. 1-4 Credits.

Offerings vary from year to year, depending on student needs and faculty interests. Repeatable when topic changes.

PS 533. Marxism and Radical Thought. 4 Credits.

Surveys utopian socialist thought, anarchism, Marxism, and Leninism. Central themes include the nature of radical theory, the role of the state, human nature and the new society.

PS 540. Causes and Prevention of War. 4 Credits.

Surveys theories of causes of war; focuses on major theories of prevention; case studies from World War I, World War II, and other wars.

PS 545. Methods for Politics and Policy Analysis I. 4 Credits.

Introduction to quantitative analysis, concepts and methods of empirical research, applied statistical data analysis in political science. Methods include descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation, and regression techniques.

PS 546. Methods for Politics and Policy Analysis II. 4 Credits.

Survey of multivariate model building for political analysis. Multiple regression, discrete-variable techniques, recursive systems, and cross-level analysis. Application of these techniques to concrete political problems.

PS 549. Racial Politics in the United States. 4 Credits.

Considers how race has interacted with political development in the U.S. from the New Deal to the present.

PS 555. Theories of International Politics. 4 Credits.

Competing theories of international relations and strategies for testing the theories.

PS 558. Feminist Political Theories. 4 Credits.

Examines the relationship between feminism, gender, and the state. Offered alternate years.

PS 566. Civil Rights in Post-Warren Era. 4 Credits.

Analyzes development in civil rights advocacy in the United States since the heyday of the Warren Court. Focuses primarily on developments in race, gender, disability, and sexuality. Offered alternate years.

PS 567. The United States Presidency. 4 Credits.

An ambivalent view of the presidency as the key institution in the United States political system: source of great good but also of great harm.

PS 570. Constitutional Law. 4 Credits.

Surveys how the U.S. Constitution works as a structure for government. Addresses how the federal courts interact within the U.S. system of government.

PS 572. Matters of Life and Death. 4 Credits.

Examines the right to life from political, legal, and philosophical perspectives. Considers abortion, capital punishment, assisted suicide, just-war theory, and animal rights.

PS 575. Politics of the European Union. 4 Credits.

Surveys the historical development and current workings of the European Union’s major institutions and policies. Offered alternate years.

PS 577. International Environmental Politics. 4 Credits.

How nations solve international environmental problems. Explores major problems, processes, and current debates. Evaluates existing treaties through case studies.

PS 579. U.S. Interventions in Developing Nations. 4 Credits.

Examines theories of intervention: security, economic imperialism, humanitarian intervention, spreading democracy, domestic politics; over thirty-seven U.S. interventions since 1898 are surveyed.

PS 580. Introduction to Rational Choice I. 4 Credits.

Introduces the paradigm of rational choice and game theory that is of special significance to politics. Myagkov.

PS 584. United States Supreme Court. 4 Credits.

The Supreme Court as a political body; the judicial role in the context of the economic, political, social, and psychological factors that influence the court's decisions.

PS 585. Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. 4 Credits.

Overview of the role of rights in the United States legal system. Particular emphasis on the role of freedom and equality in a federal system.

PS 595. United States Political Economy. 4 Credits.

Examines United States political-economic institutions from a comparative and historical perspective. Topics include rise and fall of mass production, labor and the law, and regional development.

PS 601. Research: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

PS 603. Dissertation. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

PS 605. Reading and Conference: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

PS 606. Field Studies: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

PS 607. Seminar: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Repeatable.

PS 608. Workshop: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

PS 609. Terminal Project. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

PS 610. Experimental Course: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Repeatable.

PS 612. Qualitative Methods. 5 Credits.

Survey of rationales for qualitative methods in the social sciences and the main conceptual and practical issues raised in qualitative research. Offered alternate years.

PS 613. Interpretive Methods in Political Science. 5 Credits.

This seminar trains graduate students in the philosophy, theory and practice of interpretive methods by engaging five methods: discourse analysis, genealogy, political ethnography, interpretive interviewing, and decoloniality. We will take some time with each approach, devoting a week or more to theory & method

PS 614. Research Design. 5 Credits.

This course is designed to give students the practical skills necessary to craft a well-designed research project for any type of political science research question. In this way, it prepares students for writing a successful dissertation prospectus, as well as design a second-year paper.

PS 615. Teaching and Learning in Politics and Policy. 1 Credit.

This course for beginning PhD students in Political Science and the School of Planning, Public Policy, and Management provides a forum to discuss teaching as as Graduate Employee and fundamental learning skills for new graduate students.

PS 616. Professionalization in Politics and Policy: [Topic]. 1 Credit.

This course for graduate students in Political Science and PhD students the School of Planning, Public Policy, and Management develops skills necessary for future academic professionals. The specific skills taught are indicated by the course subtitle.

PS 618. American Political Institutions. 5 Credits.

This is one of three required core seminars for PhD students who plan to take a comprehensive examination in American politics. We explore how political science approaches the study of institutional contributions to political and policy developments.

PS 619. United States Political Culture. 5 Credits.

In this course we examine the different ways that scholars study the relationship between politics and culture, and then focus on the United States as our case.

PS 620. State of the Discipline. 5 Credits.

Introduction to trends in the political science profession and to the faculty at the University of Oregon.

PS 622. Political Theory. 5 Credits.

Survey of major works in the field of classical and contemporary political theory.

PS 624. International Relations. 5 Credits.

Survey of major works in the field of international relations.

PS 625. Public Policy. 5 Credits.

Survey of major works in the field of public policy.

PS 626. International Political Economy. 5 Credits.

One of two required seminars for PhD students planning to take a comprehensive examination in international relations. Explores how politics and economics interact in shaping economic relations among states.

PS 628. States and State-Society Relations. 5 Credits.

Examines how scholars have studied the state and its relationship to society. Students develop a comparative perspective of contentious politics ranging from peasant rebellions to revolutions to transnational social movements.

PS 629. Comparative Political Economy. 5 Credits.

Doctoral-level survey of how political factors explain variations in national or regional trajectories of economic development, including industrialization, wealth, growth, and inequality.

PS 630. States and Regimes. 5 Credits.

Introduction to the major issues, theories, concepts, and arguments about states and regimes in comparative politics. Offered alternate years.