400 – Level POLS Courses 2015-16 (Updated October, 2015)
Course
Title and Description
400
POLS 400/3.0 Seminar in Political Science – (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.
POLS 402/3.0 Science and Justice (Colin Farrelly) Advances in
biological knowledge bring us closer to a world where we may
have the ability to directly manipulate our genetic make-up.
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, the morality 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.
402
404
405
410/902
Cross-listed
course
415
POLS 404/3.0 Canadian Politics: Questions & Challenges
Proposed Subject: The Voter in Canadian Politics (Tim Abray)
This course will examine a central figure in Canadian
democracy: the Voter. Most basic definitions of democracy
include voting as an essential element. But we know that the
Voter’s influence extends well beyond the simple marking of
a ballot, both in theory and in practice. The Voter is regularly
invoked by a range of actors in a variety of settings. This
course will examine the Voter in this context, primarily
outside of the formal elections process, and examine the
roles this figure is expected to fill – both historically and
within the contemporary Canadian system. Ultimately, our
work will lead us to grapple with two key questions: what are
the weighty expectations of democracy for the Voter and
does the Voter live up to them?
POLS 405/3.0 International Relations: Questions & 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
POLS 410/3.0 Seminar in Canadian Politics (Kyle Hanniman)
For 2015-16
Puzzles in Canadian Politics An application of the theories and
methods of comparative political science to real-world puzzles
in Canadian politics; also explores the pros and cons of the
“comparative turn” in Canadian political science.
Puzzles will cover a broad range of topics, including political
institutions, diversity politics and public policy.
POLS 415/3.0 Canadian Federalism (Kyle Hanniman)
An examination of the evolution and operation of the Canadian
federal system. Topics include the concept and meaning of
federalism, intergovernmental relations, the politics of
constitutional reform, fiscal federalism and Canada’s economic
and social unions.
Format
S = Seminar
L = Lecture
S
Term
F = Fall
W = Winter
F
S
F
S
F
S
F
S
W
S
W
419
421
430
431
433
434
440
442
POLS 419/3.0 Political Communication (Jonathan Rose)
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 421/3.0 Elections (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 430/3.0 Seminar in Comparative Politics (TBD)
Topics vary from year to year, and may include class, ethnic,
and regional politics, law and politics, interests and interest
articulation, and democracy and democratization.
POLS 431/3.0 European Politics (Jesse Hembruff)
Multi-level politics in Europe: the European Union and its
member states. Development of the EU, institutions and policy
processes at the EU level, how the domestic politics of
European states affects the EU and vice-versa. Economic union,
supranationalism, political impulsion for economic integration,
accession of new member states.
POLS 433/3.0 Problems of American Democracy (Catherine
Conaghan)
Focuses on recent debates about the sources of malaise in the
American system, with a special emphasis on
understanding polarization in the party system and its effects
on public opinion and policymaking during the Obama
presidency. The course also examines the implications of
polarized politics in advance of the 2016 national elections.
POLS 434/3.0 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 440/3.0 The Politics of Ethnicity and Nationalism
(Charan Rainford)
An exploration of the causes of ethnic conflict, but focuses in
particular on the strategies which states use to manage or
resolve such conflicts. The review of state strategies is
comprehensive in nature: using case studies, it includes
approaches which are morally unacceptable as well as
approaches which many consider morally desirable.
POLS 442/3.0 Latin American Politics (Catherine Conaghan)
Advanced course focusing on problems affecting the quality
of democracy in contemporary Latin America. In the 2015
offering, the course examines how citizens grapple with the
problems of violence, poverty, and social injustice and how
they use forms of collective action to seek change. Case studies
are drawn from continental South and Central America, along
with Mexico. Course readings will include current ethnographic
S
W
S
F
S
W
S
F
S
F
S
W
S
W
S
F
443/843
Cross-listed
course
450
CANCELLED
451
453
(Updated
Title)
456
457
461
462
research on such topics as identity-based movements,
environmental struggles, and criminal networks.
POLS 443/3.0 Gender and Globalization (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.
POLS450 Political Theory: Appeals to Human Nature (J.A.W.
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 451/3.0 Seminar in Political Theory (Andrew Lister)
An examination of key issues in political theory. Topics will vary
from year to year
POLS 453/3.0 Modern Political Philosophy (Zipporah
Weisberg)
Critical Theory from Adorno to Agamben
An examination of a particular problem or theme in Western
political thought post-1500; issues covered might include
property, revolution, sovereignty, republicanism, or gender.
POLS 456/3.0 Theories of Identity Politics (TBD)
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 457/3.0 Issues in Global Justice (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 461/3.0 International Regimes (Nathan Andrews)
An exploration of problems of order and change in the
international system with particular attention to the theory
and practice of co-operation, ranging from classic concepts of
international organization to current debates about
international regimes.
POLS 462/3.0 Studies in National Security (Jane Boulden)
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.
S
F
S
F
S
W
S
W
S
W
S
F
S
F
L
W
463
465
466
467
468
469
470
482
484
POLS 463/3.0 International Relations Theory (Wayne Cox)
Critical examination of selected themes, issues and works in
classical and contemporary international relations theory.
POLS 465/3.0 The Politics of War (Philippe Roseberry)
A consideration of the main types of war theory, including
descriptive, legal, normative, causal, process, and
consequential, with applications to selected case studies.
POLS 466/3.0 Politics of War in Africa (Andrew Grant)
An examination of the political dimensions of violent conflict in
Africa, including the causes of inter-state and intra-state
conflict, and responses such as peacebuilding and global
governance initiatives.
POLS 467/3.0 International Political Economy (Yakub Halabi)
Theoretical approaches and issues within the field, while
paying particular attention to hegemony and leadership, the
economic dimension of post war and post cold war security,
trade, money, debt, underdevelopment, regionalism, and
international organization.
POLS 468/3.0 The International Relations of the Middle East
(Wayne Cox)
This course analyzes Middle Eastern politics from the
perspective of international relations. Themes covered include
the evolution of various identities in the region, the role of
outside actors in the Middle East, contemporary Middle
Eastern state and social relations, and the role that Middle
Eastern states play in contemporary world politics.
POLS 469/3.0 Issues in Canadian Foreign Policy (Christian
Breede)
This course focuses on Canadian-American relations,
emphasizing the interaction in both bilateral and multilateral
contexts. Primary concern with issues of trade, investment and
resources, with some attention paid to security issues.
POLS 470/3.0 Seminar in International Politics (David
Haglund)
The theoretical problems of analyzing foreign policy and the
practical issues of diplomatic action.
Public Policy (Patrick Galvin)
This course surveys a range of approaches to comparative
public policy. It has two objectives. First, it seeks to impart a
basic understanding of approaches used in comparative public
policy in terms of their basic concepts, their conception of what
studying public policy entails, and the sorts of explanation they
seek to provide. Second, it aims to encourage course
participants to situate the different approaches in relation to
one another along a number of axes (e.g. assumptions, levels
of analysis, ability to explain different phenomena). At the end
of the course, participants should be capable of critically
discussing the merits of the different approaches, and of
situating any of their own research within this field of
competing theories.
S
F
L
W
S
W
S
W
L
W
S
F
S
F
S
W
POLS 484/3.0 The Politics of Globalization (Yakub Halabi)
An examination of the major theoretical debates and issues in
contemporary globalization, including the historical roots of
globalization, and the impact of globalization on culture,
economics, trade, global governance, and global social
movements.
L
F
485
POLS 485/3.0 Seminar in Gender and Politics (Timothy
Luchies)
An examination of key issues in gender and politics. Topics will
vary from year to year
S
W