Spring 2026 Courses

POLS 102: Intro to Comparative Politics
MWF 10:20AM - 11:20AM (Leah Gilbert)

Introduction to the central questions in comparative politics. Fundamental differences in the organization of states, democratic political institutions (presidentialism versus parliamentarianism, for example), and domestic social forces (for example, social capital, ethnic versus non-ethnic identities). The impact of political organization on economic performance and social peace.

Prerequisites: None.

POLS 103: Intro to American Politics
MWF 11:30AM - 12:30PM (Ben Gaskins)

The politics of the founding period; interactions within and among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches; the federal division of institutionalized powers; public opinion, interest groups, and political parties; the policy process in areas such as defense, welfare, civil rights and liberties, and international affairs.

Prerequisites: None.

POLS 250: Transitions to Democracy and Authoritarianism

MWF 12:40PM - 01:40PM (Leah Gilbert)

Why do some countries transition to democratic forms of rule while others do not? We will investigate this question by examining not only the rise of democracy, but also the origins and persistence of authoritarianism. While the course will consider historical processes of democratization and authoritarianism, emphasis will be placed on developments in the past 30 years. This course will draw on country examples from multiple world regions to illuminate why some autocrats have fallen and others have not - even in the current “age of democratization.”

Prerequisites: POLS 102 or permission of instructor.

POLS 302: Political Parties and Elections
MWF 01:50PM - 02:50PM (Ben Gaskins)

Examination of the role of political parties as organizations, in the electorate, and in
government. The evolution of parties in America and how they differ from interest groups. The intersection of race, identity, and ideology in American party systems and elections. How parties and elections are regulated by different levels of government, and the consequences of those regulations. The role of money in politics and the factors affecting polarization in the American electorate. Social choice theory and the
construction and maintenance of democratic electoral processes.

Prerequisites: POLS 103

Restrictions: Sophomore standing required.

POLS 305: American Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties

MW 03:00PM - 04:30PM (Todd Lochner)

Focus on the First Amendment, particularly free speech (including areas of national security,
incitement to lawless action, individual and group defamation, indecency, and obscenity), as well as criminal defendants’ rights (including Fourth Amendment search and seizure law, Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination, and Eighth Amendment prohibitions against cruel and unusual punishment in the context of the death penalty). Discussions of actual Supreme Court rulings, majority opinions, and dissenting arguments, as well as the political and historical context of those decisions in an effort to understand how and why the Supreme Court has played such an influential role in American politics and political thought.

Prerequisites: POLS 103.

Restrictions: Sophomore standing required.

POLS 310: Pillars of Western Political Thought: Plato to Machiavelli

TTh 01:50PM - 03:20PM (John Holzwarth)

Great works of political philosophy from ancient Greece and Rome, early Christianity, and the Renaissance. Themes include the foundations of morality and justice, the role of hierarchy in politics, and the role of politics in cultivating human excellence. Works may include Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War; Plato’s Apology, Crito, and Republic;
Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and Politics; Augustine’s City of God; and Machiavelli’s The Prince, among others.

Prerequisites: None.
Restrictions: Sophomore standing required.

POLS 314: Russian Politics in Comparative Perspective

TTh 11:30AM - 01:00PM (Leah Gilbert)

Comparative perspective of Russian politics. Examination of Russia’s political development in the early 20th century through developments in the postcommunist period. Investigation of the ways Russia is both similar to and different from countries in the “West,” former communist countries, and countries at Russia’s same level of economic development, culminating in an analysis of how Russia is ruled today. Students will read predominantly scholarly articles, but will also be exposed to various materials from novels, news
media, or films.

Prerequisites: POLS 102.

Restrictions: Sophomore standing required.