Course Listing

• PS 101 Introduction to Government and Politics

  Basic survey course designed to acquaint the college student with various governmental structures as well as theories of the state. Topics covered include state functions, sovereignty, concepts of law, current governmental systems, and the relationship of the state to the individual.

• PS 208 Introduction to National Security

  This course introduces students to national security as a concept, strategy, goal, and challenge. It examines the dangers and threats that exist domestically and internationally and analyzes how the United States attempts to deal with those challenges using strategies that range from diplomacy to military force.

• PS 209 Foundations in Intelligence and Counterintelligence

  This course introduces students to intelligence and counterintelligence as concepts, processes, and careers. It elaborates on historical and contemporary approaches to intelligence/counter intelligence. The process of intelligence collection, analysis, research dissemination, consumption, and feedback is examined. Students are exposed to the diverse intelligence community and the responsibilities of its various members.

• PS 210 Ethical Controversies in Security and Intelligence

  This course introduces and engages elements of theoretical and ethical analysis to empirical topics and subject matter. Some of the issues covered will include war, weapons of mass destruction, humanitarian intervention, globalization, and spying. This course explores the deeper underlying philosophical issues within national security.

• PS 305 International Relations

  Survey of the various international political systems with emphasis on the basic factors affecting positions and policies of states, the formulation and shaping of foreign policy, and the instruments and patterns of foreign policy.

• PS 309 Comparative Politics

  Comparative study of the developed and developing governments with an analysis of political parties, bureaucracies, legislatures, and executives; political development, system stability, military intervention and performance; and political culture and socialization.

• PS 317 Introductory Geostrategy

  This course introduces the subfield of geostrategy. It takes a holistic approach to the study of geopolitics and foreign policy when guided by geographical factors. It examines how geography can inform, constrain and affect political, economic, and military planning. Topics covered include how a country's resources, position, and physical factors can change and determine its geopolitical objectives and how geography is sometimes inextricable from strategy.

• PS 318 Essentials in Strategic Thought

  This course promotes the understanding of tactical and strategic thought at the introductory level. The course explores how theory and strategy help form policy by identifying the implications and shifts in long-term strategic patterns and trends. Security culture, use of force, international law, grand strategy, and just and unjust war will be major aspects of course study.

• PS 319 Topics in Global and Political Studies

  In-depth exploration of particular political subjects or issues not treated or treated only briefly in other courses. Specific titles of courses offered under this heading will be listed in the course schedules for the sessions in which they are offered. Not offered every year.

• PS 320 Security Concepts in Science and Technology

  This course provides an in-depth understanding of how science and technology impacts national security and intelligence. It examines how important hard science and technology is in developing areas of national security and intelligence. This includes analyzing cyber-security and cyber-warfare, the emerging relationship between the Intelligence Community (IC) and Information Technology (IT), space reconnaissance, and high-tech espionage.

• PS 403 Guns, Sex, Drugs: Illicit Activity in Global Politics

  This course analyzes transnational crime and corruption issues within global politics. Focus is given to potential national and international responses to transnational threats. This course examines the increasing relevance of criminality and governmental corruption and how it becomes a major aspect of national security policy.

• PS 404 FREEDOM'S CURSE: Problems in Democratization and Development

  This course examines how democratization projects around the world succeed or fail and the international dynamics that flow from that success/failure. International threats that emerge from the problems and flaws of implementation are investigated in depth. Case studies are used as teaching tools about international involvement and difficulties with that engagement.

• PS 405 Threats of Terrorism

  This course covers both international and domestic terrorism, as well as domestic extremist groups in the United States. Topics include a brief historical review of terrorism and effective terrorism countermeasures.

• PS 406 Rogue Leaders and Outlaw States

  This course analyzes issues of leadership and statehood that run contrary to international norms and democratic standards. The course investigates key case studies and how they offer challenges to the global community and international security. Review of current problem areas and issues in world politics and scrutiny of conflict-resolution strategies that are both short and long term are included. How these strategies are employed within U.S. foreign policy and their likely efficacy is also examined.

• PS 407 Eurasian Political Culture and Security

  The study of Eurasia (defined as Russia, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan) with an emphasis on understanding the different political cultures and security issues across the region. Topics covered include individual domestic concerns, international positions, national security/economic interests, and alliances/conflicts between countries within and beyond the region.

• PS 408 Rebellion, Insurgency and War

  This course investigates the various forms and differences of internal/domestic conflict. Students will be exposed to the global context of civil war and insurgency. Numerous case studies will be analyzed, exposing students to the nature and characteristics of revolution. Understanding the changes in our concepts of old/new wars and how that impacts international peacekeeping and global intervention will be highlighted. Students consider transnational issues that emerge within domestic conflicts and how democracy emerges as both a cause and effect within rebellion.

• PS 411 Radical Religion and Political Extremism

  This course examines various fundamentalist movements around the globe and considers the revival of religious radicalism in the 21st century. Students evaluate how various ‘fundamentalisms’ impact domestic and global political processes. The process for morphing religious radicalism into political violence is examined. How various international factors can ameliorate/exacerbate extremism is examined.

• PS 421 Transformative Global Interdependence

  This course analyzes from a global perspective the causes, nature, and effects of globalization and how the world is becoming more interconnected and interdependent across all levels: international, national, local, and personal. Topics include compelling contemporary issues with a focus on the economic, political, social and cultural impacts. The course also includes the application of ethical principles in guiding solutions with the challenges that face our society and world and an emphasis on processing and producing primary source and original scholarship material.

• PS 500 National Security, Transnational Interests

  This course examines the application of national security into the global arena and how complicated transnational threats represent unique dangers to American interests.

• PS 505 Comparative Intelligence Cultures

  Examines in comparative perspective the intelligence communities of various important states around the globe, including both allies and adversaries of the U.S.

• PS 510 Post-Conflict Politics: Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

  This course examines how and what happens when states fail, the challenges and debates surrounding rebuilding conflict-ridden states, the methods available to achieve such objectives, and the criticisms and opponents of peacekeeping. Analyzing what is arguably the chief producer of conflict in the 21st century will be a major element of the course, considering the problems of managing and overcoming internal unrest, economic instability, and political corruption.

• PS 515 Comparative Foreign Policy

  This course defines, analyzes, and compares foreign policies in global perspective. It will examine internal and external factors that influence and complicate the formation of foreign policy as well as consider the various norms and theories that exist about foreign policy construction within the global environment. Finally, numerous case studies will be reviewed to examine in detail how there is divergence and variety across states and regions.

• PS 605 Green Security: Eco-conflict and its Challenges

  Examines how ecological and environmental issues are becoming ever more centered as political security issues for the global community and how the future of conflict may be founded upon deficits and scarcities within this area.

• PS 610 Hard and Soft Power: Balancing Hawks and Doves

  This course examines hard and soft power as concepts, theories, and consequential implications in global politics. It will estimate the applications of diplomatic and military strength and the proper context and applicability of each in given complex foreign dilemmas.

• PS 615 Political Islam and Terrorism: Understanding Martyrs and Messiahs

  This course examines the underlying philosophy behind the most prominent terrorist groups at the international level and the controversies and contradictions entailed within said groups. Analyzing the philosophy of jihad and the logic informing the decision to engage in suicide terrorism will be a major element of the course. The future of global Islam and potential trends emerging from the Islamic community will be considered.

• PS 620 Transnational Crime and Corruption: The Dark Side of Globalization

  This course examines the complexity of international political economy, its manipulation, misuse, and role in the elevation, continuation, and worsening of conflict around the globe.

• PS 625 Analyzing Anti-Americanism

  This course examines the various and diverse forms, philosophies, and political arguments made around the globe for going against American policy and interest. It will analyze the different theoretical approaches used to study anti-Americanism and delve into the various international and domestic factors impacting the phenomenon.

• PS 633 Strategic Deterrence: Past, Present, and Future

  This course examines deterrence in a comprehensive fashion, giving not only an historical grounding in the concept but also its evolution and likely transformation into the future as it applies to American interests.

• PS 636 Deterring the Enemy: Case Studies in Strategic Deterrence

  Examines the successes and failures within deterrence by exposing students to case studies and drawing conclusions as to the future for global stability and workable peace.

• PS 639 Cyberwar and Cyberdeterrence

  This course presents an examination of the arena of national security that meshes high-technology with traditional concerns of war and peace. Topics include war and deterrence in the cyber realm, attribution, threat assessment, retaliation, and offensive and defensive capabilities. Discussion also includes global politics related to cyber activity, and ethical issues linked to privacy, civil rights, national security and national defense.

• PS 650 Democracy, Ethnicity, and Development in Africa

  This course examines the complex, intriguing, and frustrating continent of Africa. Independence and democracy have been accompanied by revolts and mass atrocities; global development and aid has coincided with poverty and famine; the rule of law has been offset by human rights abuses and authoritarian outrages. All of these issues will be covered so as to document the present condition and future trajectory of Africa going forward into the 21st century.

• PS 660 Democracy, Political Economy, and Human Rights across Asia

  This course examines Asia from the perspectives of democracy, political economy, and human rights. It will assess how political and economic factors in the region impact not only individual states, but also transnational relations with other regions like North America and the European Union. How the region’s ongoing economic and political transformation influences governance will be examined. How power interplays with other states on issues pertaining to conflict and human rights will be important. Finally, the course will look at all of these issues from a theoretical and philosophical perspective, asking if culture impacts some of the variations.

• PS 690 Democracy, Gender, and Reform Across the Middle East

  This course examines the greater Middle East (from Morocco to Iran), aiming to expose the issues of democratization, gender relations, and economic/political reform. It will analyze various democratization projects ongoing across the region, comparing similarities and divergence along with strengths and weaknesses. The evolving and complicated role of women in this transformation will be important, across economic, political, and cultural lines.