Yeshiva College Syllabi -- 2021 - 2022 courses (past versions for reference ONLY) -- POL (Politics)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12202/6980
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Item Restricted POL2430: American Political Thought(Yeshiva College, Yeshiva University, 2022-08) Bevan, Ruth A.COURSE DESCRIPTION The genius of America lies in its politics. No other country has as self-consciously and as scrupulously examined its reason for being politically or as mindfully elevated its political principles virtually into a moral standard. The American Political Tradition has implied a consensual core. Yet this liberal democratic tradition has its inner contradictions as well as variations on its central theme. Indeed the American political tradition might be defined as a set of uneasy tensions in constant struggle for supremacy. In this course we shall be examining the consensual core and the inner tensions of the evolving American political tradition.Item Restricted POL 2135: Voting and Elections(Yeshiva College, Yeshiva University, 2022-08) Incantalupo, Matthew B.COURSE OVERVIEW: This course is an introduction to political behavior – the ways in which everyday citizens interact with politics. We will focus on the United States of America, but the concepts and skills we learn apply to other countries as well. Our exploration covers three main areas: political participation, campaigns and elections, and voting. Since this course is being offered in the fall of an election year, we discuss the presidential elections and current events at great length. Students are assigned to become resident “experts” on a particular Senate race and cover the race throughout the semester, producing a report about their designated Senate race. One goal of this course is to be able to describe and explain an electoral contest using the sophisticated tools and concepts developed by political scientists.¶ This course is conducted online, using both asynchronous and (optional but recommended) synchronous components, split across thirteen modules. On your own and at your pace, you will read and watch pre-recorded lectures, as well as complete quizzes and exams and write papers. But you will not be entirely on your own. Each module includes discussion boards on which you can post questions for me, as well as respond to prompts I will post. At the end of each module, we will meet for a group discussion on Zoom that will last between 45 and 60 minutes. In many cases, I will post discussion questions for our Zoom meetings in advance, or I may have an activity planned. Attendance at these synchronous meetings is optional but recommended.1 These group discussions will be recorded and posted to Canvas. Of course, I will also hold regular office hours and will be able to meet by appointment or answer your questions via emailItem Restricted POL1301: Introduction to International Relations(Yeshiva College, Yeshiva University, 2022-08) Zaitseva, Maria N.; 0000-0002-5865-589XCOURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES: This course provides an introduction to the systematic study and analysis of international politics. It exposes students to major theoretical approaches in the study of international affairs and applies these approaches to the analysis of historical and contemporary political issues. The course has three main objectives: 1) to enable students to distinguish between different explanations of world events; 2) to teach students to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of varying explanations; and 3) to teach students to think critically about international politics and to develop their own analytical stance.Item Restricted POL1101: Introduction to American Politics(Yeshiva College, Yeshiva University, 2022-08) Incantalupo, Matthew B.COURSE OVERVIEW: This course introduces you to the American political system and the core theories that seek to explain U.S. politics. We cover basic information, like what powers Congress and the president have, as well as deeper questions like: Why do elected officials behave as they do? What role do parties and interest groups play in representing the diverse views of the American people? Why does America rarely have a credible third-party alternative? Why do citizens participate in politics? Is American democracy functioning as it is supposed to function?.... I have three main GOALS: first, I hope that you establish a solid foundation for understanding U.S. politics in a systematic way, beyond what you might get from just following current events. To accomplish this, the course introduces you to a variety of academic theories that scholars have developed to explain the American political system. Second, I hope you will hone your critical thinking, reading, and writing skills. I want you to improve your ability to carefully interrogate and articulate ideas, arguments, and evidence. Finally, I hope that this course encourages you to ask questions about the politics. As developing scholars, it is essential that you learn how to ask and answer questions that are important to you. This course shows you how previous scholars have asked and answered their questions about how American politics works.Item Restricted POL 2390: WMDs: Old Challenges and New Problems(2021-01) Zaitseva, Maria N.; 0000-0002-5865-589XCourse Description and Objectives: The course introduces students to the challenges posed by the invention and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and asks students to think critically and creatively about these challenges and their possible solutions. The course provides students with the theoretical framework for understanding WMD proliferation. It explores reasons for why states and non-state actors might wish to acquire these weapons or give them up; how deterrence works; what international norms and regimes govern proliferation; how nuclear energy relates to proliferation; and what are the prospects for WMD disarmament. Students will be exposed to both historical and contemporary cases of WMD proliferation, and will learn how proliferation challenges have evolved. The course will wrap up with some of the recent issues on proliferation, including rogue proliferators and WMD terrorism. The objective of the course is to 1) provide a historical context for understanding current proliferation challenges; 2) expose students to an array of issues relating to WMD; 3) challenge students to think critically about proliferation problems and possible ways of curbing WMD spread.Item Restricted POL 2185H: Power and Public Policy(2021-01) Incantalupo, MatthewCourse Overview: An exploration of the relationship between policy and economic outcomes—or "who gets what"—in the United States. We will examine the causes of rising inequality and its effects on American democracy, with a focus on wages, taxes, food, education, and criminal justice. The first part of the course will be a look at the current state of inequality and policymaking in the United States. We will discuss the political causes and consequences of economic and social stratification, as well as the role that inequality plays in voting and elections. Along the way, we will pick up some basic skills related to statistical literacy and research design, particularly experimental research design. We will then pivot to an in-depth exploration of “who governs,” as we examine the extent to which government represents the interests of Americans across the income distribution. The final part of the course will be a survey of several policy areas that are influenced by economic inequality and serve to structure socioeconomic outcomes themselves. We will assess the levels of inequality across various dimensions (e.g.: education, criminal justice), as well as analyze policies that serve to ameliorate or exacerbate inequality. Students will complete a midterm exam as well as a longer research paper. Goals: • Understand the feedback loops between economic and political inequality • Synthesize ideas related to social policy and inequality from across social sciences • Apply various methodological and analytical approaches from across the social sciences • Learn how social scientists ask and answer interesting questions about politics • Hone critical thinking, reading, research and writing skillsItem Restricted POL 2215: Latin American Politics(2019-09) Losson, Pierre1. Course description How did colonialism influence Latin America’s lasting affair with authoritarianism? Why and how have most Latin American countries transitioned from authoritarianism to democracy? What role does economic development play in a country’s transformation? What are some of the most pressing issues facing Latin American countries in the early twenty-first century? What has been the role of the USA over the past century and a half? This course provides answers to these ambitious questions by conducting a comparative analysis of Latin American and Caribbean countries in a historical perspective. We will use chapters from textbooks and primary sources that cover not only the realm of political science, but also economics, sociology, and history, to examine some of the most pressing topics in Latin American politics: populism and democracy, poverty and inequality, U.S.-Latin American relations, indigenous movements, etc. Classes will consist of lectures dictated by the instructor. Students are advised to come prepared to class by doing all the readings. You will find it difficult or impossible to participate and fully comprehend the discussion if you have not read the assigned materials. ___ 2. Course objectives This course aims for students to learn about: • Important concepts in comparative politics, such as states, nations, regimes, revolutions, • The different stages of political and economic development in Latin America since the late nineteenth century • The persistence of problems such as poverty, inequality, and political representation in the early twenty-first century • The role that the U.S. and other foreign powers have held at shaping the regions’ political and economic institutions. • Recent political trends such as the end of the ‘pink wave’ and the ‘return of the right.’Item Restricted POL 2170: Media and Politics(2021-01) Incantalupo, MatthewCourse Overview: The mass media is an important political institution and has played an indispensable role in American political history. In order to fully grasp American politics, it is essential we understand how citizens consume and learn from the media. Today, more than ever, Americans have a plethora of choices for how they can follow current events and be exposed to politics, as well as ways to tune out politics entirely. In an era of social media, “fake news,” and low political trust, it is imperative that we study the relationships between media and politics. In this course, we will look at how the media environment shapes political behavior, how it affects political learning, and how (if at all) it can change minds. We will examine how politicians and political campaigns use the media to communicate with citizens to try to achieve their goals and we will investigate allegations of media bias. This course should be of interest to students of political science, psychology, sociology, and communications. We will draw from a wide range of perspectives in order to develop a holistic understanding of how Americans learn about politics, and how the media operates as a “fourth branch” of government. The readings in this course will be a mixture of classic and cutting-edge research, as well as some commentary (and, of course, media content ranging from broadcasts to articles to op-eds to tweets). Students will write a pair of short papers that involve analyses of media content and our readings, as well as complete midterm and final examinations. Goals: • Understand the development of the mass media and its role in American politics • Understand how the interaction among journalists, politicians, and citizens shapes contemporary American politics • Learn how politicians use the media to communicate with citizens • Learn how social scientists ask and answer interesting questions about politics • Hone critical thinking, reading, and writing skills • Become a savvy consumer of political news, in this class and beyondItem Restricted POL 1305: American Foreign Policy(2021-01) Zaitseva, Maria; 0000-0002-5865-589XCourse Description and Objectives: The course examines the sources and conduct of U.S. foreign policy in both historical and theoretical perspectives. The first part of the course explores the domestic and international sources of American foreign policy. In particular, it looks at the roles of international system, ideas, government agencies, and public opinion, as they relate to various issues of U.S. foreign policy in the post-1945 period. The second half of the course examines several key issues of American policy-making, including U.S.- Soviet relations during the Cold War, globalization, nuclear proliferation, the Arab Spring, humanitarian intervention, among others. The course aims to introduce students to theories behind the conduct of US foreign policy and to apply those theories to various issues in the practice of US foreign policy in the post WWII period. The course also aims to strengthen students’ analytical and writing skills.Item Restricted POL 1401: Great Political Thinkers: Ancient Political Thought(2021-01) Rogachevsky, NeilCourse Description It has been commonly said that Western Civilization—of which America has long been considered a part—was formed through the combination of, or creative tension between, the ideas typified by two cities: Athens and Jerusalem. Scholars have recently highlighted Biblical teachings ideas on questions we might now call political. But it is in the political thought of Greece that we find active philosophic reflection on the nature of politics and an argument for the centrality of politics in human life. One can even go further: in the writers of Greek antiquity we encounter the argument that the study of politics may be the key to understanding everything. This course aims to offer an introductory tour through the political thought of several of the greatest minds of Greece. But their insights are not only “Greek” insights; they remain relevant and in need of reckoning with in our times. Those insights relate to questions including: what is the relationship between individual excellence and communal excellence? Is thought superior to action or is action superior to thought? What is justice and how much justice can be realized in the world? What does war teach us about human nature? What is virtue and what is its relation to laws? To what extent are knowledge and politics tied together? These questions, and many more, will be addressed through a careful and close reading of seminal texts of ancient political thought: Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian war, Plato’s Republic, and Aristotle’s Politics. Read in tandem, these works present difficult and richly illuminating accounts of fundamental questions thoughtful people face in all times and placesItem Restricted POL 1201: Politics Across Cultures(2021-01) Panzarelli, Alexandra1. Course Description Why do some countries enjoy democracy while others endure dictatorships? What is the relationship between political institutions and economic development? How can we account for similarities and/or differences in terms of political and economic development across regions? This course provides answers to these questions by focusing on Comparative Politics—one of the main sub-fields of Political Science. Topics include the different types of political regimes, forms of democratic governance, party systems and electoral systems, elections under authoritarianism, populism and comparative development. Classes will consist of lectures dictated by the instructor. Active student participation is highly encouraged. Students are advised to come prepared to class by doing all the readings. Complementary readings (those listed under For Background) are not required, though students should use them for references and/or resources. 2. Course Objectives This course aims for students to learn about: § The State and the different types of government that exist throughout the world. § The challenges for democratization in some countries § The relationship between political and economic development. § The various types of party systems and electoral systems that are used around the world. § The trends and challenges that account for the expansion of development and democratization.Item Restricted POL1301: Introduction to International Relations(2021-08) Zaitseva, Maria N.; 0000-0002-5865-589XCourse Description and Objectives: This course provides an introduction to the systematic study and analysis of international politics. It exposes students to major theoretical approaches in the study of international affairs and applies these approaches to the analysis of historical and contemporary political issues. The course has three main objectives: 1) to enable students to distinguish between different explanations of world events; 2) to teach students to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of varying explanations; and 3) to teach students to think critically about international politics and to develop their own analytical stance.Item Restricted POL2391: Writing Social Science: Directed Research for the Majors(2021-01) Zaitseva, Maria N.; 0000-0002-5865-589XCourse Description and Objectives: This course introduces upper level majors to the practice of writing, reviewing, and presenting original social science research. The course teaches students how to select a research topic, write a paper proposal, compile a bibliography, do original research in the library and online, write and rewrite drafts, and present the findings of their research in an oral format. Students will also learn how to comment on and critique each other’s written work. Finally, students will experiment with condensing their research into an op-ed format. The course aims to help students in the major to refine their writing, research, and oral skills. In addition, the course teaches majors how to evaluate work of their peers in a collaborative and supportive environment.Item Restricted POL2330: Terrorism: an Introduction(2021-08) Zaitseva, Maria N.; 0000-0002-5865-589XCourse Description and Objectives: The course introduces students to the study of modern terrorism. It explores terrorism’s definitions, history and typology with a particular focus on the internationalization of terrorism in the last couple of decades. The course further aims to understand terrorists’ goals, tactics, sources of financing, and recruitment. The second half of the course focuses on counter-terrorism, including evaluation of terrorism’s success and the prospects of effectively combating it in the future. The objectives of course include: 1) exposing students to the complexities of modern terrorism; 2) refining students’ oral and written skills through a series of group-based terrorism case studies; 3) challenging students to think critically about solutions and approaches to terrorism.Item Restricted POL2145: American Constitutional Law(2019-09) Kaminetzky, Benyamin S.Course Goal: To gain a deep understanding and appreciation for the Supreme Court’s role in creating, defining, interpreting, expanding and limiting civil rights in the United States by carefully reading and analyzing Supreme Court decisions and the U.S. Constitution. Through our analysis of majority opinions, concurrences and dissents we will identify, explore and discuss the various methods of constitutional interpretation -- such as Textualism, Original Meaning, Judicial Precedent, Pragmatism, Moral Reasoning, among others – and question the utility, fairness, limitations and risks of each approach.Item Restricted POL2015: Congress and the Legislative Process(2019-09) Incantalupo, MatthewCourse Overview: The purpose of this course is to analyze the politics of the contemporary U.S. Congress, with an emphasis on the historical roots of the institution. We will cover such topics as representation, elections, parties and leaders, committees, public policy, and the relationship between Congress and the other branches of government. The objectives for this course are fourfold: 1) To gain an understanding of the historical foundations of the modern Congress 2) To better understand and evaluate the nature of America’s representative democracy 3) To assess, with a critical eye, current practices in Congress, representatives’ behavior and their responsiveness to citizens in a democracy 4) To improve students’ ability to present cogent analytical arguments, both in writing and in oral discussion.