100 LEVEL
Course
Instructor(s)
Description
POLS 110 A/B:
Introduction to Politics and
Government
Eleanor
MacDonald
(Fall) and
Oded Haklai
(Winter)
An introduction to political science that provides both a framework for
thinking about politics and the institutions of governance, and some
of the vocabulary necessary for political analysis.
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200 LEVEL
Course
Instructor(s)
Description
POLS 211:
Canadian Government
Heather
Bastedo
An examination of the institutions and constitutional foundations of
government and politics in Canada.
POLS 212:
Canadian Politics
Heather
Bastedo
An analysis of the processes, groups, parties, voters, and culture of
Canadian politics.
POLS 230:
American Elections
Not offered
in 2014-15
This course provides a general introduction to the institutions and
politics of the electoral process in the United States. The course
integrates literature on the electoral system (including the system of
primary elections), campaign financing, political parties, voting
behaviour, political sociology, and political communication.
(Note: This course will be delivered ONLINE. No classroom time is
required.)
POLS 241:
Comparative Politics:
Transformations
Not offered
in 2014-15
An examination of how and why societies change and the context in
which transformation occurs.
POLS 242:
Comparative Politics:
Contemporary Regimes
TBA
The nature of political regimes in advanced industrial countries and
the developing world.
POLS 243:
Comparative Politics:
States and Nations
John
McGarry
A comparative examination of the ways in which states around the
world respond to national, ethnic, linguistic, religious, and racial
diversity. The course examines responses that include the morally
reprehensible, such as genocide, and the morally defensible, such
as federalism and power-sharing.
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POLS 244:
Comparative Politics:
Democracy &
Democratization
Zsuzsa
Csergo
A comparative exploration of the apparent disjuncture between the
normative assumptions of liberal democratic theory and the realities of
democracy-building.
POLS 250 A/B:
Political Theory
Colin
Farrelly
A survey of the principal ideas of Western political theorists from ancient
to modern times, focusing in particular on the role and scope of
government; the proper organisation of governmental power; the nature of
political obligation; and the ethics of political power and authority.
POLS 251:
Political Ideologies
Not offered
in 2014-15
This course introduces students to a range of contemporary ideologies,
such as liberalism, socialism, conservatism, fascism, feminism,
anarchism, ecologism, fundamentalism, and nationalism. It includes
primary and secondary readings, and will focus on the critical
interpretation of these competing belief systems.
POLS 261:
International Politics
Stéfanie von
Hlatky
An introduction to the major issues in the study of international relations:
questions of war and peace, national security, the role of the 'state',
foreign and defence policy, gender and international relations, and
international institutions.
POLS 262:
International Political
Economy
Wayne Cox
An introduction to the major issues in the study of international political
economy, including transnationalism, integration, globalization, and
underdevelopment.
POLS280:
Introduction to
Women, Gender and
Politics
Elizabeth
GoodyearGrant
This course analyzes the status of women and men in domestic and
global politics. It presents primary concepts used in political science to
address: What is gender? How is it political? How have the women’s
movement and other collectivities addressed inequality and oppression?
What does gender equality look like, and how can it be obtained?
300 LEVEL
Course
Instructor(s)
Description
POLS 310:
Principles of the
Canadian Constitution
Janet Hiebert
Canadian Political Institutions: Formation and Reform
This course will examine constitutional developments in Canada, with a
focus on constitutional reforms, intergovernmental disagreements, and
significant judicial rulings that influence the scope of federalism and rules
and norms for constitutional changes.
POLS 312:
Political Behaviour
Not offered
in 2014-15
Can citizens make informed choices? Does it matter? This course
considers the principal theories and current debates in the study of
elections, public opinion, and political participation. It will focus on the
effects of political psychology, media, and identity on the behavior and
choices of citizens. While the readings will primarily be Canadian and
American, the course will also consider how the material relates to
other established and emerging democracies.
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POLS 313:
Mass Media and
Politics in Canada
Not offered
in 2014-15
A critical examination of the relationship between the mass media and
politics, focusing on the functions of the media in modern liberal
democracies and the ways in which news stories are created and
packaged.
POLS 317:
Charter Politics
Janet Hiebert
How courts are responding to their responsibility to review legislative and
executive decisions in terms of their impact on citizens; the impact of the
Charter on the way government is viewed.
POLS 318:
The Canadian Welfare
State
Not offered
in 2014-15
An examination of the character and functions of the Canadian welfare
state. Theoretical explanations of the welfare state. The historical
development of the Canadian welfare state. Proposals for social policy
reform and their implications. Offered in alternate years.
POLS 319:
Public Disclosure in
Canada:
Issues and Debates
Not offered
in 2014-15
An introduction to Canadian political thinkers who have addressed
important themes in contemporary Canadian public, legal and theoretical
discourse, including multiculturalism, critical race theory,
antipornography campaigns, sexual violence, globalization and modern
alienation.
POLS 320:
First Nations Politics
Not offered
in 2014-15
An examination of First Nations politics in a Canadian context, including
aboriginal self-government.
POLS 327:
Topics in Comparative
Politics
check BISC
website
for availability
An examination of key issues in comparative politics. Topics will vary
from year to year; consult department homepage
NOTE Offered only at the Bader International Study Centre,
Herstmonceux.
POLS 328:
Topics in European
Politics
check BISC
website
for availability
An examination of key issues in European politics. Topics will vary from
year to year; consult the department homepage.
NOTE Offered only at the Bader International Study Centre,
Herstmonceux.
POLS 329:
European Politics
Not offered
in 2014-15
An introduction to European politics. The themes and geographic focus
vary from year to year; they may include current political institutions and
forces, the historical evolution of the European polities, and both
Western and Eastern Europe.
POLS 331:
American Government
Phillip Wood
Survey of the political process in the United States; functioning and
interaction of the principal formal and informal political institutions, the
relationship between those institutions and their environment, the
making of public policy, and current issues and trends.
POLS 332:
Post-Communist
Politics
Not offered
in 2014-15
The politics of the Russian Federation and selected countries of Central
and Eastern Europe.
POLS 335:
Topics in British
Politics
check BISC
website
for availability
An examination of key issues in British politics. Topics will vary from year
to year; consult the department homepage.
NOTE Offered only at the Bader International Study Centre,
Herstmonceux.
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POLS 336:
British Politics
Phillip Wood
Contemporary problems facing Britain as a result of its historical
evolution: economic stagnation, centrifugal forces of nationalism and
communal violence, and the decline of the two-party system.
POLS 338:
European Integration
Not offered in
2014-15
An introductory overview of the European Union and major issues
facing the EU today. The course presents the history and institutions
of the EU, as well as theories of European integration. It then
discusses current issues, such as enlargement of the EU to new
members, the "democratic deficit" of its institutions, European
identity, immigration, and the Eurozone debt crisis, which threatens
the very future of European integration.
POLS 341:
Chinese Politics
Not offered
in 2014-15
The course begins with an historical overview of the late Qing
dynasty, the origins of the Chinese revolution, and 50 years of the
People’s Republic of China. It then focuses primarily on political
science concepts and approaches to the study of Chinese politics as
well as issues of reform in various sectors of China’s economy and
polity.
POLS 342:
Latin American Politics
Catherine
Conaghan
An introduction to the comparative study of Latin American politics.
The first section focuses on the legacies of colonialism, populism,
military rule, and leftist movements. The second half examines the
quality of democracy in contemporary regimes and public policies in
the post neoliberal era. Our geographical focus is on the countries of
continental South America.
POLS 346:
Development Theory
Not offered
in 2014-15
A critical examination of the current theories of development
influenced by various post-Marxist, postmodernist and postcolonial
tendencies. Growth strategies practised by the state and alternative
visions offered by the social movements will also be discussed.
POLS 347:
The Politics of Africa
Bruce Berman
This course provides an introduction to African politics by exploring a
broad range of issues from both historical and contemporary
perspectives. It examines major themes and issues of importance to
African politics, including the legacy of colonialism, post-colonial
politics and authoritarian rule, economic development and foreign
aid, democratization and ‘good governance’, violent conflict and state
failure, environmental issues and challenges, and the relationship
between Africa and emerging powers such as China and India.
POLS 348:
Middle East Politics
Oded Haklai
An examination of the politics of the Middle East, including regimes,
religion and politics, nation and ethnicity, and political participation in
different countries in the region.
POLS 351:
Liberal Theory
Margaret
Moore
An examination of the major theories and critiques of liberalism,
focusing on the rival conceptions of freedom and equality that
animate classical ‘laissez-faire’ liberalism, egalitarian liberalism, leftlibertarianism, and perfectionist liberalism, and the critical responses
these various kinds of liberalism have provoked from
communitarians, feminists, Marxists, and others.
POLS 352:
TBA
Drawing on historical texts, this course explores the representations
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Women and the History
of Political Thought
of women and the constructions of femininity and masculinity, the
body, and gender relations in the history of political thought, and
explores contemporary feminist responses to these texts and ideas.
POLS 353:
History of Political
Thought
Not offered
In 2014-15
An analysis of the origin and development of certain major ideas in
the western political tradition.
POLS 354:
Democratic Theory
Andrew Lister
An exploration of the normative underpinnings of democracy, based
on a survey of selected historical texts, contemporary theories, and
current problems.
POLS 358:
Critical Perspectives on
Contemporary
Capitalism
TBA
Selected topics in the critique of capitalism, e.g. Marxism,
democracy, the environment, globalization, employment and popular
culture.
POLS 361:
Regional International
Organizations
Charles
Pentland
A survey of selected regional international organizations for political
cooperation, military security and economic integration in Europe,
Latin America, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region.
POLS 364:
International Peace and
Security
Stéfanie von
Hlatky
An examination of the concept of international security and the
causes of war and conditions of peace. Topics include: the role of
nuclear weapons after the Cold War; the economics of security; new
security themes (environmental and ethnic factors); regional security
and peacekeeping; alliance dynamics; and European security and
the future of NATO.
POLS 366:
The United Nations
Charles
Pentland
An examination of the principles, institutions and poltiics of the United
Nations, assessing its effectiveness in maintaining international
peace and promoting cooperation among states.
POLS 367:
American Foreign Policy
David Haglund
An examination of American foreign policy, with particular emphasis
on the analysis of concepts and issues and the study of decisionmaking processes.
POLS 369:
Canadian Foreign Policy
Kim Nossal
An analysis of Canadian foreign policy, its major objectives and
orientations. Topics covered include Canada's role and interests in
major international organizations and its relations with key countries
and regions.
POLS 382:
Women and Politics
Not offered
in 2014-15
Topics include theoretical perspectives on women and politics,
patterns of women’s political socialization and political action,
feminist movements, and feminist contributions to contemporary
political discourse.
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POLS 383:
Law and Governmental
Process
Not offered
In 2014-15
An examination of the role of law in politics, the differences between
legal and political reasoning, the law and politics of constitutionmaking, and the political character of criminal and civil law. Topics
include the victim’s rights movement, pornography and censorship,
and the role of litigation in political life.
POLS 384:
Strategies of Political
Research
Grant Amyot
An exploration of major issues and schools of thought in the
philosophy of social science and in examination of contemporary
approaches to the study of politics.
POLS 385:
Quantitative Approaches
to Political Studies
Elizabeth
GoodyearGrant
An introduction to the role of quantitative analysis, statistical software
and computers in empirical political research. The operationalization
of concepts, the collection of data, data analysis, the logic and uses
of statistical techniques, and the political assumptions that form the
basis of much statistical work and philosophical debate. Minimal
mathematical background is assumed.
POLS 386:
Political Economy and
Mass Media
Not offered
in 2014-15
An examination of the history and political economy of the mass
media, exploring the impact of a partisan press, ownership and use
of technology on how our identity has been shaped. It will draw upon
a comparative assessment of the mass media in advanced liberal
democracies.
POLS 387:
Politics and Culture
Not offered
in 2014-15
The course explores contemporary approaches to understanding the
politics of culture. In the everyday behaviours, attitudes and practices
that form our culture, politics play a role. The course considers a
range of diverse theoretical perspectives on the interrelationship of
culture with social, political, and economic power.
POLS 388:
Citizenship and NonCitizenship
Not offered
in 2014-15
Focusing on issues of citizenship and non-citizenship in the modern
world. How issues of nationality and nationalism, minority rights,
gender, class, race and ethnicity, and immigration status impact on
the rights and obligations of citizenship and central to the politics of
these debates. The relevance of these issues to the current
Canadian context will be an ongoing theme of the course.
POLS 391:
Introduction to Electoral
Systems
Not offered
in 2014-15
This course introduces students to the various families of electoral
systems in use around the world. It examines their variations and
assesses the consequences of electoral systems on political parties,
legislatures and governments.
POLS 392:
Topics in Canadian
Politics
Not offered
in 2014-15
An examination of selected aspects of Canadian politics and
government, including institutions and behavioural approaches. The
focus of this course will vary from year to year.
POLS 393:
Topics in Comparative
Politics
Not offered
in 2014-15
A comparative examination of the politics and government of different
countries, or theories or themes in comparative politics. The focus of
this course will vary from year to year.
POLS 394:
Topics in Political
Theory
Not offered
in 2014-15
An exploration of different aspects of political thought, political theory,
and political philosophy. The focus of this course will vary from year
to year.
POLS 395:
Topics in International
Not offered
in 2014-15
An examination of different topics and issues in global political
economy, such as the role of international financial institutions, the
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Economy
politics of global trade, or the global distribution of wealth. The focus
of this course will vary from year to year.
POLS 396:
Topics in International
Relations: Conceptual
and Theoretical Debates
Andrew Grant
Issues in global politics, international relations, international
diplomacy, or foreign policy will be examined in this course. The
focus of this course will vary from year to year.
POLS 397:
Topics in Gender and
Politics
Not offered
in 2014-15
An investigation of selected problems in feminist and gender
analysis, examining the different authors and issues. The focus of
this course will vary from year to year.
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400 LEVEL
Course
Instructor(s)
Description
POLS400:
Sara Pavan
This seminar will examine key texts in the discipline of political
science. The focus of this course will vary from year to year. See
the departmental website for further details.
Seminar in Political
Science
Theme for 2014-15: Advanced Quantitative Methods
Using numbers can help address many of the questions that
political scientists are interested in. In this course, we will discuss
what kind of research questions are effectively addressed by using
quantitative methods and we will learn how to use quantitative
methods to address such questions. Topics addressed in the
course include the operationalization of concepts, an introduction
to the practice of survey research and network analysis, simple
and multiple regression, factor and content analysis.
POLS 401:
Political Theory:
Questions and
Challenges
Phillip Wood
This course will consider various theoretical writing and topics in
political science. The focus of this course will vary from year to
year.
Theme for 2014-15: Marx’s Capital
This seminar is organized around a close, contextual and critical
reading of Volume 1 of Capital, Marx's magnum opus and one of
the foundational texts of modern social science. The immediate
goal is to use Marx's own words, rather than those of his
interpreters, to develop an understanding of his thought and
method. In the process, some of the most important theoretical
and methodological limitations of liberal theory and conventional
political science will be addressed. As is appropriate for a seminar
that takes places in a world which is in the process of being turned
upside down, we will also try to explore Marx's way of thinking
about the relationship between the world of liberal appearances -
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“Freedom, Equality, Property and Bentham” - on the one hand, and
some of the main features of the contemporary context – growing
inequality and social exclusion, increasingly authoritarian political
forms and practices, and large-scale political upheavals - on the
other. One of the primary effects of the way political science has
developed has been to make capitalism disappear from view as an
important determinant of political life. This seminar seeks to
redress the balance, and to put capitalism and its social and
political effects back under the spotlight.
POLS 402:
Science and Justice
Colin Farrelly
The word ‘science’ comes from the Latin scientia, which means
‘having knowledge’. What is the relation between science and
normative political ideals such as democracy, justice and equality?
The topics covered in any given year will vary, but may include the
ethical, legal and social consequences of advances in the
biomedical or environmental sciences.
Theme for 2014-15
Advances in biological knowledge bring us closer to a world where
we may have the ability to directly manipulate our genetic makeup. With this ability comes new questions concerning the demands
of distributive justice. This course examines key developments in
biology (especially human genetics), and demonstrates why and
how theories of justice may require revision in light of these
changes. Issues addressed include insurance and privacy, the
therapy/enhancement distinction, aging, themorality of inclusion,
future generations, and reproductive freedom. The course is
designed to explore the different challenges society faces as a
consequence of the genetic revolution and to help equip students
with the critical and analytical skills needed to think rationally and
cogently about the regulation of new biomedical technologies.
POLS 403:
Gender and Politics:
Questions and
Challenges
Timothy
Luchies
An investigation of selected issues in gender analysis, considering
a variety of perspectives and case studies. The focus of this
course will vary from year to year.
Theme for 2014-15: The Politics of Power and Resistance
This course draws on poststructural and intersectional analyses to
examine how violence is naturalized in contemporary politics. Such
approaches emerge from and are transforming resistance
struggles across North America as well as providing innovative
ways of researching politics. Covering unique and seminal
contributions to this evolving body of feminist work, we will build a
critical understanding of settler colonialism, imperialism, heterosexism, multiculturalism, dis/ability, and resistance. Through
research and group work, students will develop the skills to engage
with a range of theories / tactics illuminating and contesting
oppression.
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POLS 404:
Canadian Politics:
Questions and Challenges
Erin Crandall
An examination of key issues in Canadian Politics. Topics will
vary from year to year.
Theme for 2014-15: Canadian Courts: Theory, Appointments,
and Reform
This course uses the topic of judicial appointments in Canada
to explore a number of key issues including: judicial
independence, political accountability, judicial decisionmaking, constitutionalism, institutional reform, representation,
and federalism.
POLS 405:
International Relations:
Questions and Challenges
Andrew Grant
Issues in global politics, international relations, international
diplomacy, or foreign policy will be examined in this course.
The focus of this course will vary from year to year.
Theme for 2014-15
The seminar explores contemporary governance questions
and challenges that are expanding the epistemological and
ontological boundaries of the study of International Relations
and International Political Economy. The themes of the
seminar include reflections on the evolving contours of the
present international order, regionalisms and regional
security, conflict and cooperation in natural resource sectors,
and transitional justice.
POLS 406:
Comparative Politics:
Questions and Challenges
Nadége Compaoré
A comparative examination of the politics and government of
different countries, theories or themes in comparative politics.
The focus of this course will vary from year to year.
Theme for 2014-15: Politics of Post-Colonial Africa
This course identifies resources abundance as a prominent
focus in discourses and policies concerned with African
countries in the post-independence era, particularly when
dealing with issues of conflict, democratization, economic
development, poverty and regime crisis. Resource
abundance in Africa has been argued to have an
overwhelmingly negative outcome. This is an argument
championed in the ‘resource curse’ literature, which tacitly
guides many international development policies towards
Africa. The course examines the extent to which resource
abundance plays a role in shaping domestic politics in postcolonial African countries, and looks at historical, economic,
political and social dimensions of resource extraction. The
course questions the focus of existing scholarship on the
nature of “the African state” as a key factor in shaping the
outcomes of resource extraction. Students will be
encouraged to challenge homogenizing assumptions in
dominant literature, and to ultimately consider the ways in
which various historical contexts are important in
understanding the politics of resource extraction in postcolonial Africa. Resource-rich African countries such as
Angola, Gabon, Nigeria, Sudan and Zimbabwe represent key
empirical considerations in this course.
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POLS 410:
Seminar in Canadian
Politics
Randy Besco
An examination of key issues in Canadian politics.
Theme for 2014-15
What role do political parties play in Canada? How are they
changing? This course will examine two themes: parties as
organisations, and party systems. This will includes the
selection of leaders, fundraising, and the role of members. In
addition, the course will look at the historical development
(and decline) of parties, centralization and polarization, and
provincial and federal parties.
POLS 412:
Provincial Politics
Not offered
in 2014-15
Content varies from year to year.
POLS 414:
Politics in Quebec
Not offered
in 2014-15
An introduction to the political history of Quebec: the
development of ideologies (including nationalism),
constitutional developments, and the building of the Quebec
state during the Quiet Revolution. Some contemporary issues
in Quebec politics, and the relationship between Quebec and
the rest of Canada.
POLS 415:
Canadian Federalism
Not offered
in 2014-15
An examination of the evolution and operation of the
Canadian federal system. Topics include the concept and
meaning of federalism, the implications of provincial/federal
interdependence, and the politics of constitutional reform.
POLS 419:
Political Communication
Not offered
in 2014-15
A critical examination of the rhetoric of political persuasion,
the framing and construction of political messages and the
way in which meaning is interpreted and created in the
political system. The mass media are an important, though
not exclusive, focus of this course.
POLS 421:
Elections
“LECTURE”
Elizabeth
Goodyear-Grant
An examination of the importance of elections to the
maintenance of democratic systems. Six themes are
discussed: the history and theory of democratic participation;
the legal framework; campaign organization; why people vote
the way they do; the manifestation of social cleavages during
campaigns; and the future of electoral participation. Canadian
examples are placed in a comparative context.
POLS 422:
Public Opinion
Not offered
in 2014-15
This course provides an extensive survey of the principal
theoretical perspectives and empirical debates in the study of
public opinion.
POLS 430:
Seminar in Comparative
Politics
*Lecture*
Not offered
in 2014-15
Peter Gourevitch’s modern classic Politics in Hard Times
deals with the response of governments to major disruptions
in the world economy. The latest case he studied was the
turmoil of the 1970s. In this course, we shall update the
analysis by studying the political reaction to the global
financial crisis of 2008 and its aftermath, including the
Eurozone debt crisis. While the focus will be on Europe,
responses in the United States and other developed
democracies will also be discussed.
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POLS 431:
European Politics
Jesse Hembruff
This course uses the ongoing debt crises in the European
Union as a lens to explore issues in contemporary European
politics by utilizing both International Relations and
Comparative Politics approaches, both mainstream and
critical. Topics examined include: the structure and history of
the European (Monetary) Union; the causes and
consequences of debt crises in so-called 'peripheral' or
Southern Europe; the changing nature of identity &
nationalisms within the EU; the nature of governance and
statehood within the EU; Germany's unique role; and the Euro
as an international currency.
POLS 432:
The Modern Welfare State
Cross-listed with POLS831
Keith Banting
An exploration of the emergence and functioning of the
modern welfare state in comparative perspective.
POLS 433:
Problems of American
Democracy
“LECTURE”
Catherine
Conaghan
Focuses on recent debates about the sources of malaise and
dysfunction in the American political system. Analysis
includes an examination of the state of public opinion, the
polarization of the party system, and the nature of the political
elite. The course will incorporate discussion of developments
in the 2012 national elections.
POLS 434:
Multiculturalism
Beesan Sarrouh
This course explores the political implications of
multiculturalism from a variety of perspectives, including
theory, policy, and historical meaning. Issues include: history
and policy of multiculturalism in the Canadian, US and global
contexts; the construction of ‘race’ and anti-racism; and the
role of multiculturalism in citizenship inclusion and exclusion.
POLS 435:
The Palestinian-Israeli
Conflict
Oded Haklai
This course introduces students to important questions about
the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. What is the history of the
conflict? How did distinct national identities emerge? What
issues are at stake for the actors involved? How do domestic
factors shape Palestinian-Israeli relations? Why have
peacemaking efforts been unsuccessful? The course will seek
to understand why political actors act the way they do, using
theoretical lenses and analytical concepts that have been
developed in the fields of nationalism, ethnic conflict, and
conflict resolution more generally.
POLS 439:
American Politics
Not offered
in 2014-15
The purpose of this seminar will be to provide an in-depth
examination of the United States to address whether it is in
decline. Several of the topics the course will evaluate include:
the 2012 presidential election, the polarization of American
culture, the paralysis in Washington, the role of religion and
race on foreign policy, the legacy of the war on terror, the
Great Recession, and the rise of the rest, particularly China.
The objective of course will be to present a holistic
understanding of the United States in a global context.
POLS 440:
Politics of Ethnicity and
Not offered
in 2014-15
The goal of this seminar is to explore the sources of
nationalism, the relationship between ethnicity and
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Nationalism
nationalism, and the contemporary challenges of nationbuilding in a globalized world. The latter part of the course will
focus on the manifestation (and peculiarities) of the
relationship between ethnicity and nationalism in post-colonial
societies. Beyond critical evaluation of theories and
arguments, the course also provides opportunities for
students to hone their analytical written skills.
POLS442
Latin American Politics
Grace Jaramillo
Advanced research course focusing on problems relation to
the consolidation of democracy in contemporary Latin
America. Topics may include political parties and elections,
economic policy, mass media, social movements, and political
violence. Case studies are drawn largely from continental
South America.
POLS 443:
Gender and Globalization
Cross-listed with POLS843
Margaret
Little
General issues and selected specific topics reflecting an
interdisciplinary approach combining international political
economy, feminist theory and comparative politics. Case
studies from both industrialized and developing nations.
POLS 445:
Dialetics of Development
Not offered
in 2014-15
A critical examination of selected ‘new’ theories of
development (neo-Marxism, postmodernism, new social
movements, rational choice, flexible specialization, etc.),
followed by a study of selected Asian countries’ development
strategies to evaluate the relevance of the theories.
POLS 450
Political Theory:
Appeals to Human Nature
Jock Gunn
An analysis of texts that take the nature of humans as the
basis for political argument. Emphasis is on the search for
foundations for political claims and the nature of 20th-century
relativism, cultural and moral.
POLS 451:
Seminar in Political Theory:
Libertarianism and its Critics
Not offered
in 2014-15
This course examines the two main traditions that defend free
markets, private property, and the limited state. The first,
"classical liberalism", makes the case for markets and private
ownership primarily on the basis of empirical claims about
their long-run social benefits. For 2013-14, classical
liberalism will be represented by Friedrich Hayek and Milton
Friedman. The second main tradition is that of natural rights
libertarianism. Rights-based libertarianism defends similar
conclusions about policy, but on the basis of the claim that
individuals have the fundamental right of self-ownership,
which then extends (via the mixing of labour) to ownership of
resources. The natural rights tradition will be represented by
Locke (under one interpretation), Rothbard, and
Nozick. Special attention will be devoted to G.A. Cohen's
criticisms of Nozick, and the subsequent development of "leftlibertarianism," which tries to reconcile the libertarian principle
of self-ownership with an egalitarian approach to the division
of the world's resources. The course will end with the recent
development of right-wing Rawlsianism, or so-called
"bleeding-heart libertarianism," which seeks to defend
libertarian(ish) conclusions about policy on the basis of a
Rawlsian concern about the justifiability of social institutions
to all those governed by them.
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POLS 453:
Modern Political Philosophy
Cross-Listed with
POLS853
2014-15
Andrew Lister
An examination of a particular problem or theme in Western
political thought post-1500; issues covered might include
property, revolution, sovereignty, republicanism, or gender.
Theme for 2014-15: Inequality
Recent years have seen a growing debate about inequality.
This course examines the normative significance of economic
inequality in the context of empirical evidence about its
causes and consequences. The course will draw from
political philosophy as well economics, sociology, and political
science. The course will consider questions such as the
following: Should we care about equality as such, even if that
would imply that there is reason to “level down”? Or should
we only be concerned with sufficiency, i.e. that everyone have
enough? Alternately, should we give priority to the worse off,
without any particular threshold? Secondly, what is the
proper dimension in which we should be concerned about
equality: wellbeing, resources, opportunity, capacity to
function, etc.? The two sets of questions are closely related.
If the focus is on opportunity, for example, should our goal be
to equalize opportunity, or to increase the absolute level of
opportunity of those with the least? Thirdly, does it matter
what the causes of inequality are, or are we only concerned
about its effects? What do we know about the causes of
inequality, and about its psychological and social effects?
Can we talk about the value of equality itself, as opposed to
the value of its effects? Finally, the course will consider the
proper scope of our concern with equality i.e. domestic vs.
global.
POLS 456:
Theories of Identity Politics
TBA
An investigation into different theoretical perspectives on the
issue of ‘identity’ and the import of these perspectives for the
‘politics of identity’. Theories of gender, race, class, nation,
and sexual orientation, from a variety of perspectives,
including Marxist, feminist, postmodern, and psychoanalytic
theory.
POLS 457:
Issues in Global Justice
Cross-listed with POLS851
Margaret Moore
An exploration of issues in international politics from a
theoretical and normative perspective, including global
redistributive justice, just war theory, theories of secession,
and normative theories of humanitarian intervention. Among
the questions posed are whether we have an obligation to
redistribute wealth to strangers, what can justify secession,
intervention and war; and the terms on which people can
migrate to other countries.
POLS 458:
Ethics of War and
Intervention
Not offered
in 2014-15
An examination of the debates about when it is (morally)
justified to go to war - and when it isn’t. Topics will include war
as self-defense, humanitarian intervention, preventive war,
and different conceptions of the morally proper way to wage
war.
POLS 461:
International Regimes
Charles Pentland
Problems of order and change in international politics,
exploring the theory and practice of international institutions
from early critiques of the Westphalian state system, through
the emergence of modern international organizations and
regimes, to current problems of global governance.
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POLS 462:
Studies in National Security
“LECTURE”
David
Haglund
Contemporary aspects of Canadian international security
policy. Topics include: the evolution of policy towards NATO;
bilateral defence arrangements with the US; collective
security and cooperative security; peacekeeping; defence
economics; the role of domestic factors in the shaping of
strategy; and aid of the civil power.
POLS 463:
International Relations Theory
Wayne Cox
Critical examination of selected themes, issues and works in
classical and contemporary international relations theory.
POLS 464:
Russian Foreign Policy
Not offered
in 2014-15
An examination of the determinants of Russian Foreign
Policy, and the extent to which they have changed over the
last half-century. The course will cover both historical and
contemporary issues in Russian foreign relations.
POLS 465:
The Politics of War
Philippe
Roseberry
An exploration of the causes, conditions and dynamics of
interstate and intrastate war from the perspectives of
International Relations and Comparative Politics. The course
surveys the main theories and debates surrounding the
causes of war and its unfolding and draws from cases studies.
A number of contemporary cases of interstate and intrastate
war will be examined to illustrate the ways in which the
boundary between international and domestic war is
increasingly blurred.
POLS 466:
Politics of War in Africa
Andrew Grant
This course challenges students to consider African conflicts
in historical perspective and to rethink commonly held
assumptions and narratives. Using a case study approach
(Darfur, Rwanda), this course will challenge students to
consider historical context and what it means to impose labels
like genocide onto conflicts with long and complex histories.
Students will also be introduced to ongoing debates on topics
such as justice and reconciliation in Rwanda, humanitarian
intervention in Darfur, and the role of history in shaping
current narratives and labeling of conflicts. In the final part of
the course students will consider the so-called ‘Arab spring’ in
North Africa and the ‘humanitarian’ intervention in Libya.
Students will be challenged to use the questions and debates
from earlier in the course to think about the evolving situation
in North Africa.
POLS 467:
International Political Economy
Wayne Cox
This course highlights the linkages between economic, social,
and political change through an examination of various
theoretical approaches in the field over the past two centuries.
Students will engage with a range of classic and
contemporary texts – ranging from classical liberalism to
feminism and post-colonialism – with attention to issues of
global inequality, trade, finance, and labour.
POLS 468:
The International Relations of the
Middle East
*Lecture*
Wayne Cox
This course offers an analysis of Middle Eastern politics from
the perspective of the field of international relations. Themes
covered in this course include, the historical evolution of
various identities in the region, the history and role of outside
actors in the Middle East, contemporary Middle Eastern state
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and social relations, and the role that Middle Eastern states
play in contemporary world politics.
POLS 469:
Issues in Canadian Foreign
Policy
Leah Sarson
What drives Canadian foreign policy? This course builds on
basic understandings of international relations and Canadian
foreign policy with an emphasis on new ways of thinking
about Canada’s place in the world. Key themes include
Canada-US relations, Canada in the Asia Pacific, security
issues, and the relevance of non-state actors. The aim is to
provide students with the tools to assess and evaluate policy
decisions, key actors, themes, and myths in Canadian foreign
policy.
POLS470:
Seminar in International Politics
David
Haglund
The theoretical problems of analyzing foreign policy and the
practical issues of diplomatic action.
Theme for 2014-15
In Winter term 2015 we will be focusing upon the issue of
"Wilsonianism" in US foreign policy and international relations.
POLS 471:
Politics and Science in
Technological Societies
Not offered
in 2014-15
An examination of connections between politics, science and
technology. Topics include: ideologies and the autonomy of
science; science in the Warfare State; controlling the social
uses of science.
POLS 482:
Seminar in Public Policy The Politics of Prisons
Phillip Wood
The growth and transformation of prison systems and
punishment regimes, and their increasing use as tools for
maintaining social order, managing class, racial and ethnic
conflict and dealing with the problem of globalization-induced
migration is an important political tendency in western liberal
democracies. Yet it is a tendency mostly neglected by
mainstream political science, perhaps because it questions
the discipline's core liberal assumption that order rests upon
consent rather than coercion, inclusion rather than exclusion.
POLS482 seeks to fill this gap, using historical, theoretical
and comparative analysis as means of investigating the
changing politics of prisons, and is organized in seminar,
research and audio-visual streams. Topics for discussion
include: global patterns and national variations in punishment
regimes and prison systems; law, punishment and class
formation; the prison as a disciplinary institution; punishment
and the labour market; punishment and global post-fordism;
the ideology of authoritarian populism; the prison-industrial
complex; race and incarceration; prison-building and regional
development; the prison and the welfare state; imprisonment
and democratic exclusion; the camp and the exceptional
State. The major assignment for the seminar is to write a
substantial research essay on the politics of prison
privatization in a jurisdiction of the student's choice, and to
present the findings to the seminar in a conference-style
format.
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POLS 483:
Justice and Gender
Not offered
in 2014-15
An examination of how contemporary theories of justice fare
from the standpoint of gender (specifically inequalities in
gender relations) and what a just, non-gendered society might
look like.
POLS 485:
Seminar in Gender and Politics
Not offered
in 2014-15
“Queer Canada” explores how Canada perceives itself, and
has become perceived by others, as a global leader on LGBT
(lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) rights in the postsame-sex marriage era in the 21st century. The course
explores LGBT inclusion and exclusion, and therefore what
has been termed “sexual citizenship,” from multiple
perspectives and along multiple dimensions. The course
mostly attends to qualitative scholarship, but some
quantitative scholarship on public opinion is also considered.
What ties these diverse interventions together is that they are
all looking at issues of LGBT politics (for example, the
decriminalization of same-sex sexual activity, gays and
lesbians serving openly in the Canadian Armed Forces,
same-sex marriage, LGBT immigration and refugee status,”
gay villages”, the persistence of heterosexism in the
education system) in the Canadian context. An attempt is
made in the course to cover some of the varied history of
LGBT exclusion/inclusion in Canada before launching into
contemporary issues of inclusion and exclusion. Students will
be invited to weigh relatively more optimistic accounts of
Canada as a “gay-friendly” country against those that are
relatively more critical of the state of LGBT inclusion and the
inclusion of “others” in Canada.
POLS 486:
The Politics of Rights
Cross-listed with POLS886
Janet Hiebert
A difficult challenge facing a liberal-democratic polity is how to
distinguish allowable state action from the protected sphere of
human activity. The course examines contemporary debates
about whether rights provide an appropriate critical standard
for evaluating state action and looks at different institutional
methods to assess the justification of state actions.
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