129 A - D1: Constitutional Law: Civil Rights in America (Sub-field A)
This class examines civil rights law in the United States ­ arguments and legal claims based on the idea of equality. We study disputes which reached the highest levels of the U.S. court system, and which involve policies or practices treating one person differently from another, particularly along racial lines. The course also spends some time on context: the social and political environments in which those policies and disputes existed, and in which the courts hear and weigh those arguments. The course focuses on the United States Supreme Court, and particularly on cases before that court forcing application and interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Prerequisite: POLS 21 and Sophomore standing. Until November 20, course open only to POLS majors and minors.Ewald

138 A - CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: CIVIL LIBERTIES  (Sub-field A)
MWF 10:40-11:30
This course is designed to provide a critical analysis of the United States Constitution as it relates to basic individual freedoms. Specifically, the course will focus on two topics: (i) First and Second Amendment freedoms and (ii) due process, including personal autonomy and the rights of the accused. We will examine and discuss a variety of Supreme Court decisions to determine the scope of our civil liberties.
Prerequisite: POLS 21 and Sophomore standing. Until November 20, course open only to POLS majors and minors.Andersen

143 A - PHILOSOPHY OF LAW I (Sub-field B)
TTH 10:00-11:15
Analysis of the nature of law, the relation between law and morality, the (possible) obligation to obey the law, and the judicial decision.
Prerequisite: POLS 41 and Sophomore standing. Cross listed with PHIL 142A.Loeb

149 A - RELIGION, LIBERALISM & DEMOCRACY (Sub-field B)
TTH 1:00-2:15
It is an interesting feature of American political life that 94 percent of Americans profess to believe in God, and a significant percentage of these believers do not accept the First Amendment prohibitions against governmental establishment or even overt endorsement of religion. Others regard the First Amendment as protecting both religion and democracy, on the view that entanglement threatens the vitality, autonomy and sanctity of both. They believe that government should remain neutral with respect to citizens' notions of good and morality. What should the appropriate role of religious conviction in political life be? In this course we will examine various perspectives on the interaction between religious and political life in America.
Prerequisite: POLS 41 and Sophomore standing. Until November 20, course open only to POLS majors and minors.Feldman

157 A - D2: INTERNATIONAL POLITICS OF THE MIDDLE EAST (Sub-field C)
TTH 2:30-3:45
Prerequisite: POLS 51 and Sophomore standing or appropriate Global & Regional Studies background. Until November 20, course open only to POLS majors and minors. Robison

171 A - WESTERN EUROPEAN POLITICAL SYSTEMS (Sub-field D)
TTH 11:30-12:45
This course will review, mainly in a lecture format, the contemporary West European political experience. This experience is essentially one of liberal democracy and so makes the region similar in general style to the United States although different in cultural, historical and institutional specifics. The central goal of the course is to provide a substantial understanding of those specifics in three of the most significant of these nation-states, concentrating on some common social, political and governmental themes to aid comparison. As time permits, we will also briefly look at the way countries in Europe have come together since WWII to form the European Union.
Prerequisite: POLS 71 and Sophomore standing or appropriate Global & Regional Studies background. Until November 20, course open only to POLS majors and minors.Moyser

174 A - D2: LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS (Sub-field D)
MWF 11:45-12:35
Why has political and economic development south of the Rio Grande diverged so dramatically from the experiences of the United States and Canada? What are the causes and consequences of poverty and political instability in the region? The course attempts to answer these fundamental questions with an overview of contemporary Latin American politics.  The course is organized around the major themes of Latin American politics such as revolution, military rule, democratization, and neo-liberal reform.  Each theme is explained by focusing on one or two countries that are classic examples of that issue.
Prerequisite: POLS 71 and Sophomore standing or appropriate Global & Regional Studies background. Until November 20, course open only to POLS majors and minors.Beer

175 A - D2: GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF CHINA (Sub-field D)
TTH 1:00-2:15
This course will examine the salient features of Chinese government and politics since 1949. The course will offer a review of major political changes in China, including the Communist Revolution, the Cultural Revolution, economic and political reforms initiated under the Deng Xiaoping era, and the Tiananmen Square incident. The course will focus on party and government institutions, political processes, and international relations. The class will also incorporate several films and documentaries on mainland China and will provide an introduction to the government and politics in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Prerequisite: 71 and Sophomore standing or appropriate Global & Regional Studies background. Until November 20, course open only to POLS majors and minors. Carlson

181 A/B - FUNDAMENTALS OF SOCIAL RESEARCH
Section A - MW 9:35-11:15 & F 9:35-10:25Strickler
Section B - TTH 10:00-12:35 McCann
Introduction to research methods in social science. Includes examination of research design, measurement, data collection, data analysis, and the presentation and theoretical interpretation of research findings.
Prerequisite: One Core course and Sophomore standing. (Cross-listed with SOC 100A)

192 A - INTERNSHIPS

198 A - READINGS AND RESEARCH
TBA
See page 27 of the current UVM catalog. Submit project outline to Professor Neal before end of Add/Drop.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing, by permission. See Guidelines for Independent Study. Neal

234 A - TOPICS IN PUBLIC OPINION (Sub-field A)
TTH 1:00-2:15
This course will examine public opinion and mass political behavior in the United States. Among the topics to be explored are the ways in which ordinary citizens make sense of their political world, the quality and sophistication of public opinion, the interplay between mass attitudes and public policy, and the motivations that underlie political participation and electoral choice.
Prerequisite: POLS 21, three hours at 100 level, Until November 19 open to POLS Junior and Senior majors only. Guber

237A - FILM, TV AND PUBLIC OPINION (Sub-field A)
TTH 10:00-11:15
Popular films and television shows are rife with political- or politically-related content. In "The Lord of the Rings" different "races" unite to fight evil (an evil which not only wishes to dominate Middle Earth, but also wants to destroy the environment, "all that is good and green" in it). In the original episodes of the "Star Wars" series the conflict of good versus evil is transformed from a clear-cut, black and white portrayal in the first film to a somewhat ambiguous portrayal in the "The Return of the Jedi"” when a son's belief in his father brings out the good hidden inside the "evil" Darth Vader of the earlier films. Television shows such as "The Simpsons" and "South Park" just ooze cynicism about politics, authority and people in general. Other shows, such as "Friends" completely ignore politics making politics pass'e;. Americans spend a tremendous amount of time and money on movies and entertainment television shows. What impact does this have on their political thinking and behavior? The effect of these forms of entertainment on viewers’ political perspectives and behavior has received very little attention in the political science literature mainly due to the belief that people select only the entertainment that conforms to their view of the world. The mass consumption of film and television suggest that that old dismissal of the effects of the entertainment media no longer applies today. The purpose of this course is to explore the impact of these forms of entertainment media on the public’s view of politics in order to determine whether what people watch affects how they see the political world. Prerequisite: POLS 137 - Politics and the Media; Junior and Senior POLS majors only until November 19.   Gierzynski

249 A/B - GLOBAL JUSTICE (Sub-field B)
Section A: MW 12:50-2:50
Section B: MW 3:00-4:15
The primary concern of traditional political theory has been the question of what normative principles should govern the life of a political community. In the last generation, the question of what normative principles ought to govern relations between political communities has moved to the forefront of scholarly attention. This seminar class is an inquiry into some of the main lines of debate about these issues of "global justice." Issues to be covered include: immigration (what are the proper normative principles governing the rights of states to control their membership?), the issue of "global citizenship" (is there such a thing? What is the relationship between "cosmopolitan" claims of identity and duty and "national" claims?), the issue of human rights (are their philosophical foundations of human rights claims? how do we correctly determine what truly constitute human rights, assuming there are such things?), and others. Readings will be drawn primarily from contemporary sources. A reminder: this is a course in political theory, not international relations. The primary focus is upon arguments about what the right principles of "global justice" should be.
Prerequisite: POLS 41, three hours at 100 level; Junior and Senior POLS majors only until November 19. Neal/Zakaras

259A - THE MEDIA AND THE MIDDLE EAST (Sub-field C)
TTH 11:30-12:45

259B - INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS (Sub-field C)
TTH 2:30-3:45
This seminar will explore the issue of human rights from an international relations perspective. We will begin by questioning the existence and relevance of genuine human rights within the international system and will follow that by exploring and evaluating the attempts of various international actors to promote human rights concerns. The seminar will conclude with a close look at some specific issue areas and a presentation of student research.
Prerequisite: POLS 51, three hours at 100 level. Junior and Senior POLS majors only until November 19. T.Nelson

279 A - COMPARATIVE DEMOCRATIZATION (Sub-field D)
TTH 1:00-2:15
This is a seminar. Weekly meetings will be devoted to discussion of assigned readings. This course will introduce students to the major theories and concepts used to explain democratization. We will focus primarily on transitions to democracy in Southern Europe, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. We will seek answers to the following questions: What are the causes of democratic transition? What are the necessary conditions for democratic consolidation? What are the options for improving the quality of new democracies?
Prerequisites: POLS 71, three hours at 100 level, or appropriate Area Studies background. Junior and Senior POLS majors only until November 19.  VonDoepp

279 B - ASIAN POLITICS AND FILM (Sub-field D)
T 4:00-6:45
In this seminar we will do three things. First, we will read and discuss current literature in the broad study of Asian politics, with major emphasis on East Asian countries (Japan, China, and South Korea) and some coverage of Southeast Asia (Vietnam and Cambodia). We will focus on topics including political economy, history, conflict, foreign policy, human rights, and popular culture. Second, we will view and critique a series of films and documentaries geared to improve our understanding of contemporary Asian politics and societies. We will analyze and view film clips done primarily by Asian directors such as Kurosawa Akira, Zhang Yimou, and Kang Je-gyu. Finally, we will participate in a service-learning project where we will make presentations about Asian politics in local Vermont schools.
Prerequisite: POLS 71, three hours at 100 level. Junior and Senior POLS majors only until November 19. Carlson

295 A - NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY MAKING (Sub-field A or C)
TTH 11:30-12:45
This course focuses on national security and foreign policy making at the presidential level. It approaches the topic historically, beginning with the advent of the modern national security system in the Truman presidency, and then moving through subsequent presidencies to that of George W. Bush. We will be particularly interested in how the decision-making processes of each of these presidencies were organized and then how they operated in key national security decisions in each of these presidencies. Among the case studies explored will be Eisenhower and Indochina intervention in 1954, Kennedy and the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban missile crisis, Johnson and Vietnam escalation in 1965, Nixon and Vietnam and Cambodia, Carter and Iran, Reagan and Iran-Contra, Bush Sr. and the Persian Gulf War, Clinton and Bosnia/Kosovo, G. W. Bush and the Iraq war.
Prerequisite: POLS 21 or 51, three hours at 100 level, Junior and Senior POLS majors only until November 19. Burke

298 A - READINGS AND RESEARCH
TBA
See guidelines for independent study. Submit written project outline to Prof. Neal by end of Add/Drop.
Prerequisite: Juniors and Seniors only by permission of instructor. Neal