Political institutions are the electoral, legislative, executive, and judicial forums where government unfolds. This track looks at how such institutions are designed, their relationship to the cultural and economic context, and the extent to which various institutions succeed in promoting aims like stability, growth, or democracy. Courses also examine the political organizations that form alongside governments such as parties, business lobbies, labor unions, and advocacy groups. Examples are drawn from mature democracies, authoritarian regimes, and developing countries.
- PSC/IR 101 Introduction to Comparative Politics
- PSC 105 Introduction to American Politics
- PSC/IR 167M Democracy: Past and Present
- PSC 202W Argument in Political Science
- PSC 211 Conspiracy Theories in American Politics
- PSC 212 Supreme Court in U.S. History
- PSC 215 American Elections
- IR 215 Populism in 21st Century Politics
- PSC 218 Emergence of the Modern Congress
- PSC 219 Congress as an Institution
- IR 221 European Nationalism
- PSC 222 U.S. Presidency
- PSC 223 Constitutional Structure and Rights
- IR 223 Opposition in an Authoritarian State: Poland, 1945-1989
- PSC 226 Act Locally? Local Government in the U.S.
- PSC 227 Designing American Democracy
- PSC 228 Race, Ethnicity, and American Politics
- PSC 232 Disagreement in a Democratic Society
- PSC 233W Innovation in Public Service
- PSC 235 The Political Economy of U.S. Food Policy
- PSC 237 U.S. Policymaking Processes
- PSC 238 Business and Politics
- PSC 241 Urban Change and City Politics
- PSC 243 Environmental Politics
- PSC 244K Politics and Markets: Innovation and The Global Business Environment
- IR 246 Religious Nationalism
- PSC 247 Green Markets: Environmental Opportunities and Pitfalls
- IR 247 Zionism and Its Discontents
- PSC 248 Discrimination
- PSC/IR 250 Comparative Democratic Representation
- PSC/IR 251 Authoritarianism
- PSC/IR 252 Ethnic Politics
- PSC/IR 253 Comparative Political Parties
- PSC/IR 254 The U.S. in the Middle East
- PSC/IR 256 Theories of Comparative Politics
- PSC/IR 257 The Origins of the Modern World
- PSC/IR 258 Democratic Regimes
- PSC/IR 259 Order, Violence, and the State
- PSC/IR 260 Democratic Erosion
- PSC/IR 261 Latin American Politics
- PSC/IR 262 Elections in Developing Countries
- PSC/IR 264 Comparative Political Institutions
- PSC/IR 265 Civil War and the International System
- PSC/IR 266 The Politics of India and Pakistan
- PSC/IR 267 Identity, Ethnicity and Nationalism
- PSC/IR 269 Migration, Economic Change, and Conflict
- PSC/IR 276 The Politics of Insurgency
- PSC/IR 279 War and the Nation State
- IR 283 Politics in the European Union
- PSC 291 First Amendment and Religion
- PSC/IR 373 Territory and Group Conflict
- PSC 394 Local Law and Politics Internships
- PSC/IR 394A European Political Internship
- PSC 394C Washington Semester Internship
- PSC 399 Washington Semester