Philosophy, Law, and Public Policy

Law and public policy grapple with the problems that arise when politicians and citizens attempt to justify and enact political commitments. This track offers normative and philosophical perspectives on these problems, as well as courses analyzing the record of governments' policy successes and failures from a variety of contexts. Several courses in this track push learning beyond the classroom, involving students directly in the world of policy implementation and analysis.

  • PSCI 104 Introduction to Political Philosophy
  • PSCI 116 Introduction to the U.S. Health System
  • PSCI 121 Democracy in America
  • PSCI 167M Democracy: Past and Present
  • PSCI 209 The Politics of Punishment
  • PSCI 210 Pandemic Politics
  • PSCI 212 The United States Supreme Court: The Constitution at a Crossroads
  • PSCI 213 Black Politics
  • PSCI 214 Race and the Law
  • PSCI 216 Environmental Health and Justice
  • PSCI 217 Public Policy and Black Communities: Education, Poverty, Affirmative Action, and Crime
  • PSCI 220 Agriculture Law, Property Rights and Sustainability
  • PSCI 221 Philosophical Foundations of the American Revolution
  • PSCI 223 Constitutional Structure and Rights
  • PSCI 224 Incarceration Nation
  • PSCI 225 Cultural Politics of Prison Towns
  • PSCI 226W Act Locally? Local Government in the U.S.
  • PSCI 228 Race, Ethnicity, and American Politics
  • PSCI 229 Environmental Health Policy
  • PSCI 230 Public Health Law and Policy
  • PSCI 231 Maternal Child Health Policy and Advocacy
  • PSCI 232 Disagreement in a Democratic Society
  • PSCI 233W Innovation in Public Service
  • PSCI 234W The Past and Future of Our Financial System
  • PSCI 235 The Political Economy of U.S. Food Policy
  • PSCI 236 Health Care and the Law
  • PSCI 237 U.S. Policymaking Processes
  • PSCI 238 Business and Politics
  • PSCI/INTR 239 International Environmental Law
  • PSCI 240 Criminal Procedure and Constitutional Principles
  • PSCI 241 Race, History and Urban Politics
  • PSCI 242 Research Practicum in Criminal Justice Reform
  • PSCI 243 Environmental Politics
  • PSCI 244K Politics and Markets: Innovation and The Global Business Environment
  • PSCI/INTR 245 The Politics of Science and Expertise
  • PSCI 246 Environmental Law and Policy
  • PSCI 247 Green Markets: Environmental Opportunities and Pitfalls
  • PSCI 248 Discrimination
  • PSCI 249 Environmental Policy in Action
  • PSCI/INTR 277 Caste, Class, and Race
  • PSCI 282 Making Public Policy
  • PSCI 284 Democratic Theory
  • PSCI 287 Theories of Political Economy
  • PSCI 291 First Amendment and Religion
  • PSCI 292 Ethics in Markets and In Public Policy
  • PSCI 293 Politics, Philosophy, and Economics: How to Change the World
  • PSCI 293 The Political Thought of Frederick Douglass
  • PSCI 294 Political Economy of African-American Communities
  • PSCI 295W The Good Society
  • PSCI 296 Freedom and Domination in Black Political Philosophy
  • PSCI 304 Urban Crime and Justice
  • PSCI 305 Poverty and Mental Health
  • PSCI 306 Governing a City
  • PSCI 316W Pandemics, Politics and Policies in the U.S., 1918-2020
  • PSCI 317W American Health Politics and Policy
  • PSCI 394 Local Law and Politics Internships
  • PSCI/INTR 394C Washington Semester Internship
  • PSCI 394F Health Policy Internship
  • PSCI 399 Washington Semester
  • PHLT 218 Introduction to Health Policymaking