USC Schedule of Classes

Theoretical, institutional, and functional aspects of American national, state, and local government and politics; contemporary issues. Recommended for freshmen and sophomores.

Gateway to the major in political science. Comparative analysis of political institutions and processes in selected industrial, developing and socialist countries, in terms of contrasting ideologies, parties, elites, and economies.

Interaction between law and politics; overview of the American legal system; value conflicts and public policy questions which arise within it.

Examination of the rules and realities of American politics, and the role politics plays in American life and culture.

Multidisciplinary survey of gender assumptions in relation to sexuality, mental health, social and political relations, and artistic expression.

Examination of the challenges of environmental problem-solving at the personal, local, national and global scales, focused on the issue of climate change.

Overview of environmental policy, law and politics at the international, domestic and local levels. Social science gateway to the Environmental Studies major.

Methodological and theoretical problems of micro-analytic studies in political science. Techniques of data collection and assimilation.

The role money plays in elections and public decisions: disclosure requirements, limits on campaign contributions and expenditures, regulation of radio/television time, tax incentives, public funding.

Introduction to interest group and elite views of the American system, including recent interest group theory and findings and the general critiques of power distribution in American society.

Organization and function of political parties, nominations and elections, strategy and tactics of campaigning, professional candidate management finance, political machines, voting behavior.

Discussion of the relationship between women and the law in light of feminist jurisprudence, U.S. Supreme Court decisions and cross-cultural perspectives.

Theories of development and nation-building; revolutionary and evolutionary modernization; role of history, culture, socioeconomic conditions in affecting political structures and functions.

Political development in the Middle East, emphasizing historical, cultural, and socioeconomic conditions affecting political structures and functions; modernization and countervailing social, economic and religious forces.

Institutions and processes of advanced societies; political culture, interest articulation and aggregation, the governmental process.

The Chinese revolution; social, political, and economic developments in post-1949 China; China after Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung).

Basic concepts of Western political thought from Plato through the contract theorists.

Political theories and philosophies in modern times and their relation to public policy and social reform.

Selected topics in designated area of political science. Discussion of readings and presentation of papers.

Intensive experience in governmental and political offices. Minimum time requirement; evaluation by office and intern report required.

Course covering substantive law, evidence, public speaking and use of societal mores in courtroom advocacy. Open only to Mock Trial team members.

Political practitioners will teach on topics such as political strategy, campaigns and speechwriting.

Role of the Court in American politics; overview of major decisions; the politics of appointment; the process of decision-making; impact of judicial decisions. Recommended preparation: POSC 130

Intensive examination of critical issues of particular interest in the field of American politics.

Analysis of the depiction of law in film; use of film to explore topics in jurisprudence and the politics of law and courts. Recommended preparation: POSC 130

Comparison of relationships between rich and poor countries involving political and economic resources and prospects for development; impact on industrialized states; interdependence; new international economic order.

Intensive examination of critical issues of particular interest in the field of comparative politics.

Twentieth century political philosophy dealing with major movements in psychological, existential, socialist, and nationalist thought as they bear upon the crisis of political authority in our time.

Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.