CPO 2002   Comparative Politics

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of Government

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

Examination of political processes and political institutions in selected foreign countries such as Britain, France, Germany, USSR, Japan and India. Methods of cross-national political analysis. Meets General Education requirement in Social Sciences. Meets Multicultural Requirement.

CPO 3055   Dictatorships

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of Government

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The course will carry out a comparative analysis of dictatorships across time and space, with special attention paid to 20th century totalitarian regimes, including those of Hitler, Stalin, and Mao. The analysis will focus on some of the causes for the rise and fall of these dictatorships, their ruling personalities and methods, the costs imposed on their subject populations, and their long-term effects on the politics of their representative countries. Course readings range from selections on tyranny from classical political philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Suetonius, and Machiavelli to modern biographical works and empirical analysis pieces. Historical cases from several continents are evaluated using a variety of media that may involve scholarly texts, novels, and films in order to draw parallels and contrasts among the cases.

CPO 3322   Cuba, Castro and the USA

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of Government

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The course will carry out an analysis of Cuban politics, domestically and in relation to the USA, from the outbreak of the Spanish-American War to the present, with special emphasis on the Castro era (i.e., 1959 to the present). The analysis will compare Cuba's standard of living, nature and structure of standing before Fidel Castro seized power in the early years of the Cuban Revolution and at different times during his nearly 50-year reign. Some attention will be paid to how Cubans who came to the USA after Castro have fared, especially politically. Meets Multicultural Requirement.

CPO 3773   Great World Leaders

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of Government

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course compares and evaluates both ancient and modern leaders from around the world. It compares their statesmanship, exercise of political power, vision and agendas as leaders. Their personalities and styles of leadership including how they led and mobilized people will be explored. It considers their strategies pertaining to political adversaries and how they dealt with challenges during their time as leaders. Finally, how they prepared for transfer of power or their departure from leadership roles will be examined.

CPO 4074   Political Economy

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of Government

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course has two objectives in mind. One is to inquire into methods of analysis that borrow certain ideas from economics, such as self-interest and incentives, to the study of politics. One might call this the methodological objective. The other objective is to examine the reciprocal relations between government and the domestic economy. Specifically, it surveys what political scientists and public intellectuals have said about the effect of economic conditions on regime survival and elections, on the one hand, and on the other the impact of regime type and public policy on various measures of the general welfare as economic growth, human development, and income or wealth inequality. We shall begin with excerpts from ancient and modern thinkers, then proceed to analyze scholarship by contemporary political scientists and political economists.

CPO 4314   Democracies

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of Government

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course examines what it means to be a 21st century democracy. It explores institutional variants of democracy, including different structures of government and electoral systems. It considers the promise and the problems within democracies. The course explores democratic variants by examining factors such as accountability, competitiveness, transparency, and representation. The course examines democratization including how to build and sustain democracy. The class will consider preconditions for democracy and discuss the complex relationship between democracy and economics.

CPO 4761   Religion and International Politics

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of Government

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course analyzes how religious beliefs and institutions shape politics that cross borders. It draws upon an array of writings to examine major global phenomena like the religious roots of international order; religious challenges both to modern states and to recent globalization; and activism amongst global religious movements. In turn, the course concentrates on two major issues for scholars, policy-makers and citizens alike: 1) international religious extremism and violence and 2) religious influences on - and targets of - U.S. foreign policy. Examples of topics covered along the way include Evangelical activism and ideologies, religious terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

CPO 4905   Directed Study

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of Government

1-12 sh (may be repeated indefinitely for credit)

CPO 5769   Religion and International Politics

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of Government

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course analyzes how religious beliefs and institutions shape politics that cross borders. It draws upon an array of writings to examine major global phenomena like the religious roots of international order; religious challenges both to modern states and to recent globalization; and activism amongst global religious movements. In turn, the course concentrates on two major issues for scholars, policy- makers and citizens alike: 1) international religious extremism and violence and 2) religious influences on - and targets of - U.S. foreign policy. Examples of topics covered along the way include Evangelical activism and ideologies, religious terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

CPO 6006   Seminar in Comparative Politics

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of Government

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

Comparison and analysis of political systems, theoretical and empirical.

CPO 6206   African Politics and Security

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of Government

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

Africa is a diverse and expansive continent. Its politics are no different. This course examines African politics with significant appreciation for and attention to the historical and geographical factors that shaped and continue to shape them. A key phenomenon in African politics is the lack of security, or insecurity. This, too, will be examined and discussed in detail. Furthermore, the role of technology on African politics will be studied. Africa will be examined as a continent as well as in its constituent parts, including sub-regions and individual nation-states. And the role of both state and non-state actors will be considered throughout. The course does not assume specific knowledge or understanding of Africa or its politics; but it does assume general knowledge and understanding of international and comparative politics.

CPO 6905   Directed Study

Col of Arts, Soc Sci and Human, Department of Government

1-12 sh (may be repeated indefinitely for credit)