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Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate understanding of the core questions and basic literatures in at least one subfield of political science.

2. Apply political science theories to real world problems.

3. Show a fluency in reading quantitative research findings and the ability to undertake basic analysis using quantitative tools.

4. Show familiarity with basic issues of research design.

5. Demonstrate mastery of writing.

Legislative Process
The function of the legislative branch in the American governmental system. Emphasis on Congress and comparison with state legislatures.

Voting Behavior, Elections, and Campaigns
Political participation and behavior in U.S. primaries and elections, management of campaigns, mass media, and political organizations.

Women, Politics, and Public Policy
A wide variety of issues of concern to women, including healthcare, welfare, educational equity, employment discrimination, and reproductive rights are examined through the lens of the formal policy-making process.

Democratization: Past, Present, Future
This course helps students construct a cognitive road map of the extensive literature on democracy and democratization. The course mostly addresses recent processes (those of the last 25 years) of democratization, which have been concentrated in the developing world. In particular, the focus is on empirical examples from Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. After defining and measuring democracy, the class discusses democracy's causes and out puts, considers hybrid (with authoritarian and democratic characteristics) regimes, and democratic political institutions including government branches, political parties, electoral systems, and civil society groups.

Political Violence in Comparative Perspective
This seminar in comparative politics provides an introduction to the study of political violence and intra-state conflict. The course extends the study of political violence beyond civil war by examining lower-level violence ranging from communal riots to extortion rackets to crime. A variety of both qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches are included.