Government and International Politics (GOVT)

Public and International Affairs

101 Democratic Theory and Practice (3:3:0). Comparative exploration of contemporary theory and practice of modern democratic states. Topics include contemporary analysis of the meanings of liberty, equality, representation, property rights, voting rights, civil responsibilities, and other key concepts in the theory and practice of democracy.

103 Introduction to American Government (3:3:0). Analysis of American government examined in light of basic concepts and institutions of democracy. Students carry out a "citizenship project," a first-hand observation or participation in, and analysis of, some public activity.

132 Introduction to International Politics (3:3:0). Nature of international politics, approaches to study of international politics, state and nonstate actors in international system, patterns of action and interaction between nation-states, international institutions, and major global issues.

133 Introduction to Comparative Politics (3:3:0). Introduction to the methods and subject matter of comparative political analysis are discussed. Major issues of political systems, politics, participation in politics, government structures, policy-making process, and evaluation of political performance.

149 Global Awareness (3:3:0). Introduction to the study of global systems, with emphasis on basic concepts and ways of thinking about global affairs.

204 American State and Local Government (3:3:0). Nature, organization, functions, and problems of American state and local governments.

300 Research Methods and Analysis (4:3:1). Required for all majors in government and international politics and in public administration. Students are strongly recommended to take 300 before or during the first semester of enrolling in 300-level courses. Emphasis is on asking clear, researchable questions and using appropriate evidence to answer them. Students are introduced to and learn to use a broad range of evidence including quantitative and qualitative information. Design and analysis of surveys, government archives, case studies, and interpretations of events in journals are studied. The ethical implications of information technologies are examined.

301 Public Law and the Judicial Process (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103. American judicial organization and operation, role of the Supreme Court in policy formation, and selected constitutional principles.

305 Contemporary American Federalism (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103. Legal, administrative, fiscal, and political dimensions of evolving American federalism.

307 Legislative Behavior (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103. Organization, processes, functions, and roles of the legislature and its members in the U.S. Congress. Topics include state legislatures and cross-national comparisons as time and resources permit.

308 The American Presidency (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103. Survey of the modern presidency, including constitutional origins of the office, growth and influence of the White House staff, the president's Cabinet, presidential appointees and control of the executive branch, relations with Congress, and domestic and national security policy making.

309 Government and Politics of Metropolitan Areas (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103. Government, politics, and problems of metropolitan centers and surrounding areas.

311 Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior (3:3:0). Prerequisites: GOVT 103 and 300. Study of the actions of voters, candidates, and political parties in relation to the expression of relevant public opinion in a democratic system.

312 Political Parties and Campaigns (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103. Characteristics and functions of political parties, influence of parties and other political forces on electoral decisions, and emphasis on parties' inability or ability to hold government accountable to citizens.

318 Interest Groups, Lobbying, and the Political Process (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103. The role, internal operations, strategies, and activities of interest groups. The ability of these groups to enable citizens to influence or control government and enhance the democratic process is evaluated. Conditions under which social movements become, or fail to become, effective interest groups are considered.

319 Issues in Government and Politics (1-3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103. Study of special issues relevant to government and politics. Topics are announced in advance. Examples include politics and the arts, ethnic conflict and the political system, gender politics, and changing dynamics in political institutions. May be repeated for credit when topic is different, with permission of department.

320 Political Values (3:3:0). Nature of man, origin and nature of the state, basis of political obligation, problems of consent, concepts of power, and sources of political authority as presented in the works of major writers.

322 International Relations Theory (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 132 or 133. Advanced inquiry into international relations. Theories and concepts of international relations as well as major forces and issues in international politics are studied.

323 Classical Western Political Theory (3:3:0). Exploration through lecture and discussion of developments in the western tradition of political thought from the time of the Greek city-state to late medieval Christendom, focusing on such topics as the nature and the purpose of politics, the relationship between the individual and the state, the political significance of religion and tradition, and the concept of natural law.

324 Modern Western Political Theory (3:3:0). Exploration through lecture and discussion of developments in the Western tradition of political thought from the Renaissance to the middle of the 19th century, focusing on such topics as the rise of individualism in political theory, early developments in social contact theory, theories of radical popular sovereignty, and early criticisms of liberal theory.

327 Contemporary Western Political Theory (3:3:0). Exploration through lecture and discussion of recent developments in the Western tradition of political thought from the middle of the 19th century to today. Different sections of this course will focus on one or another of the various political theories that have been influential during this period, such as liberal, libertarian, conservative, communitarian, Marxist, feminist, and postmodern thought. May be repeated for credit when subject matter is different.

328 Non-Western Political Theory (3:3:0). Prerequisites: GOVT 101 or GOVT 133. Theory and history of political community, governance, and development as understood by various non-Western societies, including China, Japan, India, Africa, and the Islamic World; their relations to the Western tradition; methodology of studying other cultures; postcolonial theories and the cultural politics on contemporary globalization.

329 Issues in Political Theories and Values (1-3:3:0). Study of special issues relevant to theoretical and value aspects of government and politics. Topics are announced in advance. Examples include ethics and politics, ethics and environmental policy, changing perspectives on civil rights and liberties, religion and politics, and changing views of public space. May be repeated for credit when topic is different, with permission of department.

331 Government and Politics of Latin America (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 132, 133, or 149. Contemporary political systems of Latin America, with emphasis on institutions, political processes, and political behavior. Case studies of several key Latin American polities are presented. Problems of political development in Latin America are discussed.

332 Government and Politics of the Middle East and North Africa (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 132, 133, or 149. Societies of the Middle East and North Africa and their response to the impact of internal sociocultural-political determinants and external forces. Focus is on their contemporary politics, ideologies, popular manifestations, institutions, and operations.

333 Government and Politics of Asia (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 132, 133, or 149. Government structures and political processes of Asian countries. Patterns of conflict and cooperation, and issues of economic development and political reform in a rapidly changing world are examined.

334 Government and Politics of Europe (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 132, 133, or 149. Contemporary democratic political systems of Europe, with emphasis on political processes, institutions, and behavior. Case studies of key European policies are presented. Problems of multiparty systems, coalition governments, Eurocommunism, and stability and change in postindustrial societies are discussed.

335 Government and Politics of Canada (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 132, 133, or 149. Survey of governmental and political systems of Canada, including political parties, the parliamentary system, the federal system, and specific policy issues of importance to Canadian politics.

336 Political Development and Change (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 132, 133, or 149. Process of political development and change in the context of modernization and industrialization. Patterns of political development, with emphasis on the developing world, are examined.

337 Ethnic Politics in Western Europe and North America (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 132, 133, or 149. Study of the resurgence of ethnic nationalism in the industrial democracies of Western Europe and North America, and the comparative analysis of policy issues related to ethnonationalism. Case studies are drawn from the industrial democracies.

338 Government and Politics of Russia and Central Eurasia (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 132, 133, or 149. Overview of Soviet domestic politics and foreign policy before the breakup of the Soviet Union and an examination of the evolving political systems in the newly independent states as well as their international relations.

339 Issues in the Politics of Advanced Industrial Societies (1-3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103 or 133, or permission of instructor. Study of selected current political issues in the industrial democracies of Western Europe and North America. Specific topics are chosen each semester to reflect contemporary political concerns in these countries, but the political process in advanced industrial countries is the organizing principle throughout the course.

342 Diplomacy (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 132, 133, or 149. Origins of organized diplomacy: tasks, procedures, instruments, and problems of diplomacy. Emphasis is on the current and future role of diplomacy.

343 International Political Economy (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 132, 133, or 149, or permission of instructor. Introduction to international political economy (IPE). Examines the interplay of economics and politics, and applies these to different issues included in IPE. Focus is on issues that have contemporary significance, with attention to historical issues and basic political and economic concepts.

344 American Foreign Policy (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 132, 133, or 149. Central issues surrounding the conduct of America's foreign relations, with special emphasis on structural and constitutional questions, national policy objectives abroad, and the conduct of foreign policy in a democracy.

345 Political Islam (3:3:0). Covers the politics of religion in Muslim societies; history, ideology and practices of key individuals movements, and institutions; case studies of political Islam in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and the West, plurality and diversity of political expression in the Muslim World; nature of democracy in Islam and the Islamic state.

347 International Security (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 132. Explores both enduring security problems and new developments in the field of international security. Examines the effects of the international system on defense policies of states, and especially the tensions of a world caught between emerging interdependence and national demands. Course asks students to draw policy implications because it encourages development of critical-thinking and group and oral presentation skills.

348 Competencies for the Global Arena (1-3:0:0). Prerequisites: GOVT 149 and 60 credits, or permission of instructor. Proficiency-based course that engages students in acquiring skills and competencies that are important for a professional operating in a global society. Consists of a series of self-paced exercises conducted under the supervision of departmental faculty.

349 Issues in the Analysis of Global Systems (1-3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 149 or permission of instructor. Overview of global systems (e.g., technology, environment, communications) with emphasis on the political subsystem and its interactions with other global systems.

351 Administration in the Political System (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103. Administrative structures and processes in the political setting of public management. Presents organization and administrative theory, critiques current practices, and examines the impact of changes in the social, political, and economic environment on these concepts and models.

355 Public Personnel Administration (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 351. Analysis of techniques and tools used in human resource management including the merit system, classification, compensation, evaluation, recruitment, and labor relations. Emphasis is placed on current legal and policy issues in personnel administration, such as diversity and privatization.

356 Public Budgeting and Finance (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 351. Tools and techniques used in budgeting and financial management in governments in the United States, including the management of public financial institutions, the budgetary process, budgetary reform, and the relationship of public budgeting to national economic policy.

357 Urban Governance and Planning (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 351.Framework, subject matter, uses, methods, administration, and future of public planning. Emphasis is on setting goals, defining objectives, and choosing between program alternatives. Political and bureaucratic constraints and problems of implementation are discussed. Illustrations of planning may be drawn from various levels of government.

358 Nonprofit Financial Planning (4:3:1). Prerequisite: 60 credits or permission of instructor. Provides an understanding of the social mission and entrepreneurial cross pressures underlying financial planning and accounting in the nonprofit sector. Topic include revenue sources, revenue projections, entrepreneurial techniques, and cost analysis for nonprofit and nongovernmental entities. Lecture and student case studies.

359 Computers in Public Management (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 300 Application of computers and computer-based analytical techniques to management information needs in the public sector. Focus is on both mainframe and microcomputer applications.

364 Public Policy Making (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103. Processes, agencies, and politics involved in the proposal making, implementation, evaluation, and revision of public policy in the United States.

365 State and Regional Public Policy (3:3:0). Examines public policy decisions that affect local and state jurisdictions in the context of a federal system of government. Context, substance, and impact of such policies as housing, transportation, land use, crime prevention, service delivery, and health care are examined.

366 Public Policy Analysis (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 300. Methods of public policy analysis, evaluation, and research. Design and development of alternative courses of government action and evaluation of results, and problems in applying systematic analysis to political issues are studied.

376 Collective Bargaining in the Public Sector (3:3:0). Collective bargaining and the broad concept of labor relations as involved in selection and hiring, seniority, promotions, and training. Examines labor relations and the bargaining process extending from initial hiring to retirement.

399 Research Practicum in Public and International Affairs (1-3:1-3:0). Prerequisites: GOVT 300 and permission of instructor. Application of research methods in the context of assisting with faculty research. Individualized sections are taught by arrangement with full-time faculty. Methods adopted vary, but generally include library research, data collection, data analysis, and report construction.

400 Political Research and Data Analysis (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 300. Methods of research and data analysis used in research about politics. Examines ways to design research to answer questions, select appropriate techniques for data collections, and use statistics to organize and interpret data. Students also learn to carry out data analysis using microcomputers and programs such as SPSS to process data and compute statistics.

407 Law and Society (3:3:0). Prerequisite: ADJ 100 or GOVT 301. Exploration of the relationship between law and society, including the concept of law, the origin, development, and role of law in society, and the relationship between law and social change. Different approaches to the study of law and society are considered and different methodologies assessed.

409 Virginia Government and Politics (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103. History of politics in Virginia and examination of some current political issues. Particular attention is given to the changing dynamics of the politi cal parties, key legislative issues, and the policies of recent administrations.

412/COMM 412 Politics and the Mass Media (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103. Responsibilities and freedoms of the mass media in a democracy. Influence of media on citizens' opinions, elections, and decisions of public officials is explored.

414 Politics of Race, Gender, and Age (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103. Examination of the political, economic, and social impact of public policies insofar as they have implications for race, gender, and age.

416 Political Persuasion and Propaganda (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103 Techniques and processes of political argument and persuasion as used in campaigns, public education, and political debate. Topics include propaganda in both domestic and international arenas, and political persuasion, myths, and symbols used to induce conformity and form unified polity. Films and tapes supplement examples of classic political speeches.

420 American Political Thought (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103. Major political values and theories in America from the formation of the American republic to the present. Covers changes in American political values in crisis periods and contemporary American political theory, including pluralism, elite theories of democracy, and empirical political theory.

421 Contemporary Political Ideologies (3:3:0). Study of political ideologies that shape the values, beliefs, and actions of contemporary regimes and political movements. Topics include liberalism, conservatism, socialism, communism, and fascism in theory and in contemporary practice, and problems of totalitarianism and nationalism in postindustrial and developing societies.

422 Constitutional Interpretation (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103. Examination of the Supreme Court's interpretation of the constitutional powers of the Congress, the presidency, and the judiciary. Includes an examination of major decisions concerning state regulation, taxation, and interstate relations.

423 Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103. Study of the First Amendment freedoms of speech, press, assembly, association, and religion; the right to privacy; and Fourteenth Amendment equal protection.

424 Constitutional Law: Criminal Process and Rights (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 103. Study of constitutional law pertaining to the rights of the criminally accused from the stages of investigations and evidence through attorney, trial, and punishment stages at federal and state levels.

430 Comparative Political Leadership (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 132, 133, or 149. Comparative political leadership, relationships between political cultures and types of leadership, patterns of leadership recruitment, and linkages between political elites and citizenry.

432 Political Change and Social Development in Sub-Saharan Africa (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 132, 133, or 149. Examination of the relationship between culture, history, ethnicity, and religion and contemporary political and socioeconomic developments in Africa. Special attention is given to the implications of ethnic conflict for nation- building in the post-Cold War period and to strategies for resolving conflicts.

433 Political Economy of East Asia (3:3:0). Prerequisites: GOVT 133 and 60 credits, or permission of instructor. Political economy of East Asia is commonly referred to as a miracle. Analysis and critique of this description by focusing on the historical background, social structure, role of the state, way of politics, and ever-changing realities in the political and economic life of China and Japan.

434 Democracy in Global Perspective (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 133. Comparative study of the structures and performance of democracies around the world since 1975. Examination of growing influence of global forces (for example, economy media, culture) in the process of democratization. Examination of select current elections.

444 Issues in International Studies (1-3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 132, 133, or 149. Major issues in the international system, including international political economy and security. May be repeated for credit when topic is different, with permission of department.

446 International Law and Organization (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 132, 133, or 149. Nature, sources, and subject of the law of nations; the law and the individual; territorial questions; nature, sources, and functions of international organizations; international transactions and organizations; war and the present and future status of international law.

447 Comparative Revolutions (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 133. Historical overview of modern revolutions as well as the different theories about the causes and consequences of revolutions. Special attention is paid to Marxist-Leninist, Arab nationalist, and Islamic revolutions.

448 Ethics and International Politics (3:3:0). Prerequisites: 60 credits and GOVT 132 or PHIL 151. Ethics and international politics ask students to wrestle with dilemmas raised by a desire to behave morally in an international system in which consensus about ethical matters is absent. Distributive justice and the use of force are two overarching themes. Students also develop, apply, and justify their own perspectives on an ethical problem using philosophical theory, history, and social science research.

449 Senior Seminar in International Studies (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Open only to senior majors. Integrative seminar that provides in-depth study of a current international issue. Format varies, but involves the student in the current literature, research techniques, and major issues of the field.

452 Administrative Law and Procedures (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 351. Law of public office. Studies the procedures followed by and the legal limits on the administrative agencies and their officers and employees.

459 Information Decisions and Management in Government (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 300. Information and knowledge systems in government. Information applications, decision-modeling under risk and uncertainty; high-technology development, management, and use; and sociotechnical systems are discussed.

460 Surveillance and Privacy in Contemporary Society (3:3:0). Prerequisite: ADJ 100. Philosophical perspectives, historical context, technological developments, and institutional changes that surround controversies about privacy and surveillance in contemporary society. Explores the public and private institutions doing surveillance, how they calculate and manage risk, and legal constraints on surveillance activities.

464 Issues in Public Policy and Administration (1-3:3:0). Prerequisites: GOVT 103 plus 60 credits. Analysis of selected policy issues in administering public policies. Topics are announced in advance. Examples include environmental policy, government regulation, federal mandates, state policy, and regional policy. May be repeated for credit when topic is different, with permission of department.

480 Internship (3-6:0:0). Contact the department one semester before enrollment. Approved work-study programs with specific employers. Students develop individual contracts defining the learning and competencies they plan to gain from the experience.

490 Synthesis Seminar (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Completion or concurrent enrollment in all other required general education courses, GOVT 300 and 18 hours in major. Readings, individual or group projects, and discussion of papers reflecting on the connections between the liberal arts and sciences and the political world.

491 Honors Seminar (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Completion or concurrent enrollment in all other required general education courses, GOVT 300 and 18 hours in major. Subject varies. Readings, individual or group projects, and discussions of seminar papers constitute the content and format.

496 Directed Readings and Research (1-3:0:0). Prerequisites: Open to majors in Public and International Affairs with 90 credits and permission of instructor and department. Reading and research on a specific topic, under the direction of a faculty member. Written report is required; an oral examination over the research and report may be required.

500 Research Methods in Political Science (3:3:0). Introduction to research methods and data sources for the study of political science and the practice of government. Topics include measurement of political concepts, research design, archival research techniques, survey research and case study development, and data analysis with elementary statistics.

510 American Government and Politics (3:3:0). Examination of the institutions and processes of American government, including the separate institutions of power in the national government, the theory and practice of the federal system, the role of interest groups and political parties, and the effects of the media and public opinion on electoral behavior and policy making. Conducted as a seminar and examines normative and empirical research.

520 Political Theory (3:3:0). Analysis of selected major works of ancient, modern, and/or contemporary political theory that illuminate basic problems and questions for people engaged in political or civic life. Examines topics such as justice, liberty, equality, autonomy, rights, obligation, participation, and the nature of politics.

540 International Politics (3:3:0). Focuses on the changing structure of international politics, post-cold-war security issues (nuclear proliferation, international terrorism, ethnic conflict, clash of civilizations), the effect of a globalized economy and the information technology revolution, the enhanced role of global corporations and nongovernmental organizations, and the rise of nonsecurity issues in the emerging international agenda (human rights, humanitarian intervention, North-South gap, resource limitation, and environmental degradation).

605 Seminar in Congress and the Presidency (3:3:0). Surveys the major institutions of public policy formulation and implementation at the national level in the United States with an emphasis on how public preferences are translated into public policy. The politics, procedures, and personnel of Congress, the presidency, and executive branch bureaucracies are the main focus.

606 Federalism and Changing Patterns of Governance (3:3:0). Prerequisites: GOVT 510. Examines broad trends in governance, including both the theory and practice of key governance choices, with a particular focus on intergovernmental relations and the changing roles of federal, state, and local governments. Specific governance choices examined may include privatization, devolution, mandating, regulatory reform, and comprehensive federalism reform.

631 Seminar in Comparative Politics and Institutions (3:3:0). Examines the theories and practices of governance, development, and conflict resolution in comparative national settings. Covers issues such as elections in presidential and parliamentary democracies, institutional forms, political cultures, and ideologies. Theories of comparative analysis and research reflecting alternative analytic perspectives are brought to bear on the institutions and political processes of nations and regions.

641 Seminar in Global Systems (3:3:0). Prerequisites: Completion of all core courses. Application of the systems approach to an understanding of global politics. Emphasizes the properties and functions of global systems, such as population, food, disease, energy, trade, and so forth, and how the world's political systems interact with them. Discusses how governance at municipal to national to international levels is affected by global systems. Examines the role of nongovernmental organizations in global affairs.

703 Seminar in the Courts and Constitutional Law (3:3:0). Analysis of the role, influence, and effects of the U.S. courts in creating constitutional legal norms and interpreting them. Special attention is paid to the First and Fourteenth Amendments as well the Commerce Clause. Instruction by lecture and discussion with students expected to read and analyze leading court cases.

715 Statistical Methods in Political Science Research (3:3:0). Prerequisites: GOVT 500. Common statistical techniques employed in political science research including OLS regression, logistic regression, probit, factor analysis, multidimensional scaling, discriminant analysis, cluster analysis, and analysis of variance. Sampling and inferential statistics.

725 Democratic Theory and Democratization (3:3:0). Prerequisites: GOVT 520. Examines democracy in terms of versions of liberalism, theories of social capital and civic participation, and discourses about civil, political, and human rights. Deals with the following questions: How is democracy conceptualized both normatively and empirically? What underlying economic, social, and cultural conditions promote democracy? What role do institutions play in creating and sustaining a stable democratic society? Takes a broadly comparative perspective, focusing not only on the United States, but also on a variety of established and emerging democracies from around the world. Serves as an elective for students specializing in American government or in international politics and comparative governments.

731 Advanced Seminar in Comparative Politics (3:3:0). Prerequisites: GOVT 540. Addresses theoretical and methodological issues central to the study of comparative politics by focusing on a specific topic (international development, race and ethnicity, social movements) or region (Latin America, Asia, Middle East, Europe/European Union, Africa, Russia). Assumes basic proficiency in comparative analysis (as provided in GOVT 540) and focuses on advanced modes of inquiry through in-depth analysis and discussion of selected issues and themes. May be repeated for credit when the topic is different and with permission of the department.

741 Advanced Seminar in International Politics (3:3:0). Prerequisites: GOVT 540. Examines theoretical and methodological issues central to the study of international relations by focusing on a specific topic: American foreign policy, diplomacy, international law and organization, international relations theory, international ethics, human rights and humanitarian intervention, the environment, and others. May be repeated for credit when the topic is different and with permission of the department.

743 International Political Economy (3:3:0). Prerequisite: GOVT 343 or equivalent. Examines the interplay of international politics and economics. Discusses theoretical perspectives and analytical tools available in the academic field of international political economy and applies these theories and tools to issue areas such as trade, investment, exchange rates, development, regionalization, and globalization. Explores how international economic and political forces increasingly shape domestic interests and how domestic politics in turn affect international political economy. This course mixes lecture and discussion.

745 Issues in International Security (3:3:0). Prerequisites: GOVT 540. Examination of issues of topical interest in the general area of international security. Possible topics include nuclear strategy, arms control, U.S. defense policy, ethics and international security, and international terrorism.