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POLS B121 Introduction to U.S. Politics

Fall 2026

As the American political system continues to face challenges from both the right and the left, it is more important than ever to understand its key features, institutions, personnel and policy-making processes. This course provides a broad overview of the structures, personnel and institutions that govern and shape elections and policymaking in the United States. This course provides an overview of these key features.

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POLS B131 Introduction to Comparative Politics

Not offered 2026-27

This course is designed to provide an introduction to the discipline of comparative politics. We will explore the primary approaches and concepts scholars employ in order to systematically analyze the political world. In doing so, we will also examine the political structures, institutions, and behaviors of a number of countries around the world. Questions we will engage with include: What is power and how is it exercised? What are the differences between democratic and authoritarian regimes? How do different countries develop their economies? What factors shape the relationships between states and their societies? By the end of this course, students will be equipped to answer these questions and prepared for further study in political science.

Cross-Cultural Analysis (CC)

Counts Toward: International Studies; International Studies.

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POLS B141 Introduction to International Politics

Fall 2026

This course offers an introduction to international politics to acquaint students with major trends and themes in international relations and global affairs. The course is divided into two units. The first unit explores the foundational concepts and theories and the history of international relations. The second unit focuses on key issues in international relations, such as the rise of populism & authoritarianism, international organizations, global peace & security initiatives, human rights, and forced migration. Throughout the semester, students will be asked to connect these theories and topics to issues that are playing out in the world today. This course is a pre-requisite for other International Politics courses within the Pol Sci department.

Counts Toward: Peace Justice and Human Rights.

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POLS B205 European Politics: Coming Together or Falling Apart?

Not offered 2026-27

Coming together or falling apart - which best describes the state of European politics in the third decade of the 21st century? In this course we will analyze both trends, exploring the changing relationship between supranational organizations, states, and societies in Europe. The European Union is one of the most ambitious experiments in international cooperation ever attempted. Despite the EU's many successes, sources of conflict between and within European countries have persisted. With the recent Greek financial crisis ("Grexit"), the Syrian refugee crisis, Britain's departure ("Brexit"), and the rise of far-right nationalist parties in many member countries, and the twin refugee and energy crises precipitated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the union is starting to look frayed around the edges. In fact, each move toward European unity has dropped barriers for some while raising them for others. In this course, we will explore European politics from the edges, from the borders separating the included from the excluded. These borders may be geographical, political, socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, or cultural in nature. Our focus will be on political initiatives from the bottom up and the outside in. From this perspective, we will try to make sense of the interactions that produce cross-cutting pressures toward European unification on the one hand and toward dissolution of the European experiment on the other. We will cover issue areas such as migrant labor, housing and urban quality of life, immigration and refugee policy, public health, marriage equality, education and collective memory, defense and security, and information politics.

Cross-Cultural Analysis (CC)

Power, Inequity, and Justice (PIJ)

Counts Toward: Environmental Studies.

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POLS B221 Gender and Comparative Politics

Fall 2026

This course explores the dynamic intersection of gender and politics within a comparative framework. Through a feminist and intersectional lens, students will engage in major debates in the field of comparative politics, including but not limited to the State, social movements, authoritarianism, populism, democracy, institutions, and backlash. The course maps the trajectory of feminist work across various areas of comparative research, using examples from different world regions and periods to analyze similarities and differences across global cases. This course fulfills a 200-level requirement for both Comparative Politics and American Politics for Political Science majors. Prerequisite: Students must have taken either Intro to International Politics, Intro to Comparative Politics, or Introduction to Gender and Sexuality Studies.

Cross-Cultural Analysis (CC)

Counts Toward: Gender Sexuality Studies.

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POLS B224 Comparative Political Phil: China, Greece, and the "West"

Not offered 2026-27

An introduction to the dialogic construction of comparative political philosophy, using texts from several cultures or worlds of thought: ancient and modern China, ancient Greece, and the modern West. The course will have three parts. First, a consideration of the synchronous emergence of philosophy in ancient (Axial Age) China and Greece; second, the 19th century invention of the modern "West" and Chinese responses to this development; and third, the current discussions and debates about globalization, democracy, and human rights now going on in China and the West. Prerequisite: At least one course in either Philosophy, Political Theory, or East Asian Studies, or consent of the instructor.

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POLS B228 Living Justly in an Unkind World

Fall 2026

An introduction to the fundamental problems of political philosophy, especially the relationship between political life and the human good or goods.

Critical Interpretation (CI)

Counts Toward: Classical Studies; Philosophy.

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POLS B229 Politics of Women's Empowerment

Not offered 2026-27

The "empowerment of women" has become a key goal, whether real or rhetorical, of governments and politically involved non-governmental institutions across the globe. Whether through foreign aid programs targeted at women or reserved seats within domestic legislatures, it is not uncommon to see policies meant to "empower" women. But what does "empowerment" actually entail? Is it about assimilating women into existing political and economic structures? What types of power are being given to women, and how are they to use it? Which women are being "empowered"? How does the "empowerment" of women fit with other goals of those already in power? Is this a victory for feminism? We will take a cross-national approach to the issue, looking at how various polities are approaching women's empowerment, both at home and abroad.

Writing Attentive

Critical Interpretation (CI)

Cross-Cultural Analysis (CC)

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POLS B231 Introduction to Political Philosophy: Modern

Not offered 2026-27

A continuation of POLS 228, although 228 is not a prerequisite. Particular attention is given to the various ways in which the concept of freedom is used in explaining political life. Readings from Locke, J.S. Mill, Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche and others.

Critical Interpretation (CI)

Counts Toward: Philosophy.

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POLS B233 Intro to Research Design and Data Analysis for PoliSci

Fall 2026

This course offers students an introduction to the research design and methods used in political science. Topics are as follows (but are not limited to): (1) Positivism vs. interpretivism, (2) Causal vs. descriptive inference (3) Conceptualization, operationalization and measurement, (4) Experimental design, (5) Quasi-experimental design, (6) Survey research and sampling, (7) In-depth interviewing, (8) Quantitative data analysis and statistics, (9) Case selection, and (10) Multi-method research design. Students will have problem sets to finish every two weeks for which they will use the necessary software (usually R and R Studio). At the end of the semester, they will submit a research design which they can use as a basis for their senior thesis.

Quantitative Methods (QM)

Counts Toward: Data Science.

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POLS B237 Latin American Politics

Not offered 2026-27

This course examines Latin American politics through the lens of authoritarianism and populism. Since the mid-twentieth century, the region has undergone sweeping political transformations, including a shift from military rule to electoral politics. Despite these changes, democratic instability remains a persistent challenge. Students will analyze key historical and contemporary political moments to understand how colonial legacies, Eurocentrism, religion, patriarchal systems, and neoliberal economic policies have shaped-and often undermined-democratic goals. By the end of the semester, students will have a nuanced understanding of the region's political dynamics from the early 1950s to the present. Prerequisite: One course in Political Science or Latin American Studies

Cross-Cultural Analysis (CC)

Counts Toward: Latin American Iberian Latinx; Spanish.

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POLS B241 The Politics of International Law and Institutions

Not offered 2026-27

An introduction to international law, which assumes a working knowledge of modern world history and politics since World War II. The origins of modern international legal norms in philosophy and political necessity are explored, showing the schools of thought to which the understandings of these origins give rise. Significant cases are used to illustrate various principles and problems. Prerequisite: POLS B141

Critical Interpretation (CI)

Counts Toward: International Studies; International Studies.

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POLS B242 Gender and International Organizations

Not offered 2026-27

Employing a multi-disciplinary feminist lens, this class examines women's and LGBTQIA+ rights within the United Nations system, with a primary focus on human rights and peace & security. This course seeks to expose students to the complex issues - social, political, economic, and legal - that characterize women's and LGBTQIA+ rights around the globe. The theoretical foundations are in the area of gender mainstreaming, which is the practice of integrating a gender equality perspective across all governing systems including but not limited to policy development, political representation, institutional regulations, program building, and budgeting. Students will be asked to conduct research on women's and/or LGBTQIA+ rights within a country of their choice. Students will present their findings to the class as well as write a final report. Prerequisite: Introductory Political Science Course or Instructor's permission.

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POLS B245 Philosophy of Law

Fall 2026

Introduces students to a variety of questions in the philosophy of law. Readings will be concerned with the nature of law, the character of law as a system, the ethical character of law, and the relationship of law to politics, power, authority, and society. Readings will include philosophical arguments about law, as well as judicial cases through which we examine these ideas within specific contexts, especially tort and contracts. Most or all of the specific issues discussed will be taken from Anglo-American law, although the general issues considered are not limited to those legal systems. Recommended Prerequisite: sophomore standing, freshman only with professor's consent.

Critical Interpretation (CI)

Counts Toward: Philosophy.

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POLS B249 Politics of Economic Development

Fall 2026

How do we explain the variations of political and economic systems in the world? What is the relationship between the state and the market? To what extent does the timing of industrialization affect the viability of certain developmental strategies? This seminar introduces the intellectual history of comparative political economy and development studies with readings on both comparative political economy and international political economy. First, we will examine the debates on the dynamics of the state and the market in the development and globalization process. Second, we will explore specific case studies to discuss: 1) how the political and economic processes have changed in response to the interaction of the domestic and international arenas, 2) whether and how the late developers learned from the experiences of early developers, 3) how the international economy and international financial crisis shaped domestic development strategies. Lastly, we will analyze the developmental concerns at the sub-national level with financial liberalization. Prerequisite: Freshman can enroll after they have taken 100 level courses in social science and after getting instructor permission.

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Counts Toward: International Studies.

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POLS B251 Democracy, Politics and the Media

Fall 2026

This course explores the politics of mass communication with an emphasis on the United States. Special attention will be paid to the relationships between the public, media, and government; the institutional structure of the news media and recent changes to the communication system; and factors shaping the construction of the news such as journalistic routines, media economics, and interactions with political actors. Students will critically engage with contemporary political discourse and journalism. Throughout, the course will highlight connections between empirical research and relevant concepts from political theory and philosophy.

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POLS B256 Global Politics of Climate Change

Not offered 2026-27

This course will introduce students to important political issues raised by climate change locally, nationally, and internationally, paying particular attention to the global implications of actions at the national and subnational levels. It will focus not only on specific problems, but also on solutions; students will learn about some of the technological and policy innovations that are being developed worldwide in response to the challenges of climate change. Only open to students in 360 program.

Cross-Cultural Analysis (CC)

Power, Inequity, and Justice (PIJ)

Counts Toward: Environmental Studies; Environmental Studies; Growth and Structure of Cities.

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POLS B263 Which Way to Freedom?: Debates in Black Political Thought

Not offered 2026-27

This course explores the central debates of Black political thought from slavery to the present. Students will encounter major figures including Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs, Ida B. Wells, W.E.B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Angela Davis, and Toni Morrison. Each thinker is placed in the historical context that shaped their arguments about freedom, justice, democracy, and resistance. Class sessions emphasize active debate and dialogue, giving students the chance to inhabit and contest competing visions of liberation. By the end of the course, students will understand how these enduring arguments continue to shape contemporary struggles over race and democracy.

Cross-Cultural Analysis (CC)

Power, Inequity, and Justice (PIJ)

Counts Toward: Africana Studies; Africana Studies.

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POLS B266 Virtue, Friendship, and Democratic Practice

Not offered 2026-27

How are you a friend - to yourself and to others - and how does friendship shape identity, society, and politics? This course brings the everydayness of friendship to imaginative and critical inquiry, examining the meaning of friendship, what it demands of us, and what kind of politics might emerge through practices of friendship. It seeks to prove the value of friendship for philosophical and political thinking while also pursuing friendship at the level of pedagogy and discipline. Bringing together classical texts as well as religious / theological texts and contemporary political theory, this course will bridge the instructors' two disciplines of Religious Studies and Political Science. Readings will include Aristotle and Aquinas; feminist theorists of friendship and accountability such as Sara Ahmed and Judith Butler; and contemporary political theorists of identity and race such as Danielle Allen and Leela Gandhi. Writing projects will pursue practices of friendship through collaboration, call and response, and affective encounters.

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POLS B272 The Power of the People: Democratic Revolutions

Not offered 2026-27

We often invoke "democracy" as the very ground of political legitimacy, but there is very little agreement on what democracy means, why we might desire it, or how state institutions, law, and political culture might embody it. In this seminar we will grapple with some recent and influential accounts of democratic governance and democratic movements today. Our objective will be to develop a critical vocabulary for understanding what democracy might mean, what conditions it requires, and what "best practices" citizens committed to democracy might enlist to confront political challenges such as the structural divisions that persist among class, gender, and race; persistent inequality and influence of money and corporations; and the potential for democratic, grass-roots power as a vital ingredient to democratic flourishing. Writing Intensive.

Writing Intensive

Critical Interpretation (CI)

Counts Toward: Philosophy.

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POLS B275 Interpretive Research Design & Methods in Political Science

Not offered 2026-27

This course introduces students to interpretive research in political science, an approach that centers meaning-making, context, and the lived experience of political life. Rather than focusing on hypothesis testing or causal inference, interpretive methods ask how political realities are made, experienced, and contested by individuals and communities. Prerequisites: Any Intro level course in Political Science.

Critical Interpretation (CI)

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POLS B277 Creating Queer Studies

Not offered 2026-27

This class tackles the origins and development of queer theory in academia. We begin with an overview of late 1980s feminism before turning to the creation of queer theory. During class discussions, students will evaluate the ways that feminist, queer, and trans politics overlap and diverge. The purpose of the course is to enrich students' understanding of critical knowledge production in academia. Throughout the semester we will ask about the implications of "origin stories" and the ways that such narratives shape future directions of queer scholarship.

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POLS B279 City and Immigration

Fall 2026

This course explores how immigration has shaped the social, economic, and political development of American cities. We will examine urban governance, racial and ethnic politics, and the formation of immigrant communities through foundational theories and contemporary case studies. Students will engage with frameworks such as political machines (Erie, Banfield & Wilson), urban regime (Stone), urban growth regimes (Logan & Molotch), and political incorporation (Browning, Marshall, and Tabb), applying them to modern-day issues like sanctuary cities, gentrification, labor resistance, and coalition politics. Particular attention will be paid to Philadelphia-a city shaped by waves of migration, industrial transformation, and immigrant-led activism. American cities have always been built at the crossroads of aspiration and exclusion. From the German and Irish wards of 19th-century Philadelphia to Korean grocery stores in post-uprising Los Angeles, immigrant communities have created, contested, and redefined the urban experience. Yet these same communities have often been scapegoated, surveilled, or displaced by freeways, by finance, by reformers in the name of progress. This course invites students to trace these contradictions through the lens of gender, race, and class, from Chinese homecare workers in New York City to Puerto Rican migrants in Philadelphia to the immigrants resisting displacement today. We will read theory, walk the streets of Chinatown, and ask: who builds the city-and who is it for?

Cross-Cultural Analysis (CC)

Counts Toward: Growth and Structure of Cities.

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POLS B283 Middle East Politics

Fall 2026

This course offers an overview on the contemporary politics of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and the relevant social (mostly political) science work on it. It brings together empirical knowledge on domestic and transnational politics in different countries of the region and how empirical political science around the big questions is conducted. Each module of the course revolves around a central question that has been keeping social and political scientists busy in the last decades: What triggers risky protest movements in authoritarian settings? Why has the MENA region remained authoritarian despite successive global waves of democratization? Under which conditions do transitions to democracies succeed? Do monarchies in the Middle East have an advantage in ensuring political stability, and if so, why? Is it impossible to ensure good governance and peace at the same time in divided societies? What motivates people to take up arms in the name of religion and sect? What are the reasons behind the economic underdevelopment of the MENA region? Students are also invited to think about these "big questions" and take MENA countries as their case studies, while at the same significantly enhancing their contextual knowledge about the region. No prerequisites, but either some prior familiarity with the Middle East or a prior political science course encouraged.

Cross-Cultural Analysis (CC)

Counts Toward: Hebrew and Judaic Studies; International Studies; International Studies.

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POLS B289 Revolutions and Political Violence

Fall 2026

The course aims to understand why ethnic riots, civil conflict, and political protest occur and why participation in these events varies among individuals, groups, and states.

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Counts Toward: International Studies.

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POLS B292 Russian Politics

Not offered 2026-27

This course provides an overview of Russia's government and politics since the fall of the Soviet Union. It answers questions about why the Russian economy collapsed in the early 1990s, what explains Vladimir Putin's rise, and the reasons for Russian foreign aggression, including the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

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POLS B304 Community and the Politics of Places

Fall 2026

This course investigates what community means, how communities organize themselves around place, and how these places are integral/included/participants in community, in particular as sources of energy and resources for extraction. We will take orientation from the argument developed by Daniel Kemmis, former minority leader in the Montana House of Representatives and Mayor of Missoula, who articulated a collective, cooperative model for place-based governance in the American West. We'll then consider this model and some of its critics in three key areas where place has mattered, for better or for worse: Appalachia and coal; Athabasca and oil; and Alaska and nuclear power. Each case will offer an opportunity to think through the meaning and politics of community as well as to develop frameworks of power analysis that can illustrate how change might occur. Prerequisite: One Social Science course or permission of instructor

Writing Attentive

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POLS B310 Comparative Public Policy

Not offered 2026-27

A comparison of policy processes and outcomes across space and time. Focusing on particular issues such as health care, domestic security, water and land use, we identify institutional, historical, and cultural factors that shape policies. We also examine the growing importance of international-level policy making and the interplay between international and domestic pressures on policy makers. Writing attentive. Prerequisite: One course in Political Science or public policy.

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POLS B313 Advanced Topics in Constitutional Law

Fall 2026

This course will focus on cases that are on the Supreme Court's docket for decision in the current term. Through readings of cases and secondary material, students will examine the background of the current controversies, and the political and social issues that they raise. As a part of the course, each student will participate in mock hearings on the cases, acting sometimes as an advocate for one party and sometimes as a judge. In preparation for this, students will conduct research under supervision. Students will also participate in gathering materials on the broader political-social implications of the controversies which will be read and discussed by the class. Prerequisite: one course requiring the reading of legal cases (POLS B220, POLS/PHIL B245, POLS B273, POLS H215, H216) or consent of instructor.

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POLS B323 Consent of the Governed: Mass Opinion and Public Discourse

Not offered 2026-27

This seminar explores how governments maintain widespread consent to their rule, or, in other words, "the ease with which the many are governed by the few." We will study the politics of mass opinion and perception; political language, propaganda, and dissent; and the formation of political identities, with an emphasis on democratic politics and the U.S. in particular. The course includes a mix of political theory and philosophy, empirical social science, and political fiction. Readings from Hume, Rousseau, Marx, Gramsci, Althusser, Foucault, Bourdieu, Orwell, Bradbury and others. Suggested preparation course POLS B251: Democracy, Politics and the Media.

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POLS B330 Queer Rights and Politics

Not offered 2026-27

This is an upper-level course designed to introduce students to the study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer (LGBTQ) politics and activism outside of the US. We will study the formations of LGBTQ identities, state regulation of sexuality and gender, public policy (partnership, healthcare, etc), religious attitudes, political participation by LGBTQ people, and migration and asylum practices. The goal of the course is to familiarize students with the current status of LGBTQ people around the world and help them to hone their independent research and writing skills. Suggested pre-requisite: a 100 or 200 level comparative politics course, political theory course, or gender & sexualities course.

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POLS B331 Environmental Security

Not offered 2026-27

The course explores the effects of environmental pressures on the outbreak of conflict and the rise of both internal and international migration. The course covers how pressures from decreased food and water, as well as natural disasters, floods, and droughts may lead to increases and decreases in conflict and migration as well as other political outcomes related to security.

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POLS B339 Bureaucracy & Democracy in America

Not offered 2026-27

This course will focus on the role of the federal bureaucracy in the U.S. political system. It will take an interdisciplinary approach to help us contextualize and understand President Trump's current efforts to dismantle "the administrative state." It will wrestle with questions about how we reconcile bureaucracy and democracy in the United States including the bureaucracy's role in policymaking and the bureaucracy's vulnerability to presidential power.

Counts Toward: Environmental Studies.

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POLS B345 Big Data, Big Impact, Big Responsibilities: Fundamentals and Ethics of Data Science

Not offered 2026-27

The era of "big data" has dramatically altered the way people tackle political, social, and economic issues to analyze and generate solutions, as well as the way they conduct social science research. Data is powerful and beautiful, yet deceitful. As such, big data can create many impactful solutions across the world while carrying big risks that require bigger responsibilities. This course aims to help students also nurture an informed mindset of how to use data properly and to what end - from ethical, legal, and public policy perspectives. Prerequisite: One course in Data Science AND one course in Social Sciences or International Studies.

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POLS B346 Gender & International Organizations

Not offered 2026-27

Employing a multi-disciplinary feminist lens, this course examines how gender shapes and is shaped by global peace and security governance. With a particular focus on the United Nations Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, students will engage with theoretical, institutional, and empirical perspectives to analyze how global organizations translate gender norms into policy and practice. Through case studies and critical debates, the course interrogates both the promises and limitations of global gender governance in contexts of conflict and peacebuilding. Prerequisite: One Political Science or Gender & Sexuality Studies course.

Power, Inequity, and Justice (PIJ)

Counts Toward: Gender Sexuality Studies.

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POLS B351 Women and American Politics

Not offered 2026-27

This course examines the role of women in American politics the second wave of feminism to present. The course will focus on academic literature from political science and include topics such as partisanship, campaigning, and voter behavior. What has been the role of women in American politics? Are there differences at the federal v. state v. local level? What political changes have they achieved and what strategies were most effective? How do other categories of difference, such as race, ability, sexuality, and class, intersect with our gendered expectations? Prerequisite: One course in US Politics or permission of instructor.

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POLS B352 Peace Studies in International Politics

Fall 2026

This course explores the role and processes of peacemaking in international politics. It examines key theoretical and empirical debates on peace mobilizations, peace negotiations, peace agreements, and transitional justice. This course also considers gendered aspects, perspectives, and debates in each of these substantive research areas. While the geographical scope of the course is global, there will be a large focus on the 1998 Northern Ireland and the 2016 Colombian peace processes. This writing-intensive course prepares seniors for their thesis. It will require writing and peer review assignments throughout the semester, culminating in a 25-30-page paper at the end of the semester. Prerequisite: One intro POLS course or permission from instructor

Course does not meet an Approach

Counts Toward: Latin American Iberian Latinx.

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POLS B357 Labor and Party Politics in the U.S.

Not offered 2026-27

This seminar explores the central but contested role of labor in American politics. From the rise of industrial unionism in the early twentieth century to the struggles of service, care, and gig workers today, the labor movement has shaped debates over democracy, political representation, and economic power in the United States. We will examine how labor has intersected with race, ethnicity, and immigration, highlighting both solidarities and fractures-such as African American workers' uneasy relationship with organized labor and the exclusion or marginalization of immigrant and Asian American workers. The course investigates labor's shifting relationships with both Democratic and Republican parties, considering the benefits and constraints of those alliances. We will also analyze recent controversies surrounding union power and representation, including the Chicago Teachers Union's role in city politics and SEIU 1199's contested representation of health care workers. Students will engage these historical and contemporary debates through seminar-style discussions, short response papers, documentary reviews, and a final research project.

Course does not meet an Approach

Power, Inequity, and Justice (PIJ)

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POLS B358 Freedom in the 21st Century

Not offered 2026-27

This course investigates what freedom means, how political communities organize themselves around freedom, and how contestation about freedom is essential in twenty-first century political life. We will take orientation from the argument developed by David Graeber and David Wengrow in The Dawn of Everything, which suggests that freedom and not equality is the site of political struggle today. We'll give some time to contextualizing Graber and Wengrow's historical inquiry as a political project in response to interrelated crises of ecology and democracy of the present moment. Expanding from this point of origin (which will be linked to the other courses in the 360), we'll then consider how theorists and practitioners around the world have considered freedom's perils and possibilities: abolitionist organizing in the work of Mariame Kaba; democratic socialism in the theory of Axel Honneth; freedom as a mask for state-sactioned violence in the critical queer work of Chanan Reddy; escape and flight from such states realized through "freedom as marronage"; and freedom as an Indigenous political project in the the work of Taiaiake Alfred, Glen Coulthard, and Leanne Betasamosake Simpson. Each approach will offer an opportunity to think through the meaning and politics of freedom as well as to develop frameworks of political analysis that can illustrate how struggles for freedom shape and structure politics today. Prerequisite: One course in Political Theory or Philosophy or Permission of instructor.

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POLS B362 Civil Society and Social Movements in the Middle East

Not offered 2026-27

This course explores the role of civil society and social movements in shaping politics across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Centering this course on practices of society and non-state actors, we will aim to broaden our understanding of the MENA region beyond scholarship more typical to the area, such as authoritarianism, political violence, and international politics. We will examine how civil society has emerged in the region, adapted, and persisted in contexts of political repression, authoritarianism, and conflict. Special attention will be paid to the Arab Spring in 2011, and how those social movements across the region have shaped politics for the past 15 years. Other topics include the rise of Islamist activism, feminist organizing across the region, everyday resistance, labor organizing, the rise of NGOs, and the formalization of civil society, among others. We will engage with the literature on social movements and civil society broadly and specialize our discussion with readings focusing on these themes within the MENA region and the literature. Prerequisite: Preferred course: Middle East Politics

Counts Toward: M Eastern/C Asian/N African St; Middel Eastern Central Asian; Middle Eastern Central Asian.

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POLS B366 From the Great Wall to the DMZ: Power, Politics, and Prosper

Fall 2026

This senior seminar is designed to examine the political, economic, and strategic transformations that have shaped modern East Asia, focusing on China, Japan, and the two Koreas. From ancient tributary systems to contemporary flashpoints, the course will explore the region's historical foundations and current complexities, with a particular emphasis on how power, politics, and economics have intersected in the formation of East Asian states and their relationships with one another. Through a combination of lectures, discussions, and in-class activities, students will engage with key themes that have shaped East Asia's past and continue to influence its future trajectories. This course aims to equip students with the critical tools necessary to analyze the evolving dynamics of East Asia and their broader implications for global politics. Prerequisite: This course is a seminar open to juniors and seniors, featuring extensive readings, discussions, and writing assignments.

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POLS B371 Topics in Political Philosophy

Section 001 (Fall 2025): Governing the Self and Others

Not offered 2026-27

An advanced seminar on a topic in political or legal philosophy/theory. Topics vary by year. Prerequisite: At least one course in political theory or philosophy or consent of instructor.

Counts Toward: Philosophy.

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POLS B372 Beccaria to Black Lives Matter: The Long Abolition Movement

Not offered 2026-27

This course traces the political thought of the long abolition movement, from early critiques of prisons in the eighteenth century to contemporary struggles against mass incarceration and policing. Students will read foundational thinkers such as Beccaria, Douglass, Wells, and Debs alongside modern abolitionists including Davis, Gilmore, and Kaba. Drawing on Philadelphia's carceral history and present, the course integrates site visits and engagement with local organizations to connect theory and practice. Students will develop the ability to interpret complex political arguments, trace historical transformations in abolitionist thought, and analyze how social movements translate ideas into collective action.

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POLS B378 Origins of American Constitutionalism

Not offered 2026-27

This course will explore some aspects of early American constitutional thought, particularly in the periods immediately preceding and following the American Revolution. The premise of the course is that many of the questions that arose during that period-concerning, for example, the nature of law, the idea of sovereignty, and the character of legitimate political authority-remain important questions for political, legal, and constitutional thought today, and that studying the debates of the revolutionary period can help sharpen our understanding of these issues. Prerequisites: sophomore standing and previous course work in American history, American government, political theory, or legal studies.

Counts Toward: History.

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POLS B381 Nietzsche

Not offered 2026-27

This course examines Nietzsche's thought, with particular focus on such questions as the nature of the self, truth , irony, aggression, play, joy, love, and morality. The texts for the course are drawn mostly from Nietzsche's own writing, but these are complemented by some contemporary work in moral philosophy and philosophy of mind that has a Nietzschean influence.

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POLS B382 Political Parties, Polarization and Democracy

Not offered 2026-27

Political parties are facing a crisis around the world. Trust in them as civic organizations plummets. Elite politicians do not invest in party organization-building and find other ways to build linkages with voters. Meanwhile, new forms of civic and political participation emerge, such as social media activism, boycotting and 'buy'cotting, and occupation of urban spaces, the implications of which cannot be very well understood by parties. The Middle East and North Africa region, with its history of personalistic and/or militaristic authoritarian regimes, weak party organizations and divided societies, is experiencing an acute form of this crisis. While there is a heightened sense of political participation in the region, as indicated by the repetitive waves of protests since the early 2010s, people debate whether democracy and/or good governance are attainable without political parties.

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POLS B391 International Political Economy

Fall 2026

This seminar examines the growing importance of economic issues in world politics and traces the development of the modern world economy from its origins in colonialism and the industrial revolution, through to the globalization of recent decades. Major paradigms in political economy are critically examined. Aspects of and issues in international economic relations such as development, finance, trade, migration, and foreign investment are examined in the light of selected approaches. This course is open to all students who have the prerequisites. Prerequisite: One course in International Politics or Economics is required. Preference is given to seniors although juniors are accepted.

Writing Attentive

Counts Toward: International Studies; International Studies.

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POLS B399 Senior Essay

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POLS B403 Supervised Work

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POLS B425 Praxis III: Independent Study

Praxis III courses are Independent Study courses and are developed by individual students, in collaboration with faculty and field supervisors. A Praxis courses is distinguished by genuine collaboration with fieldsite organizations and by a dynamic process of reflection that incorporates lessons learned in the field into the classroom setting and applies theoretical understanding gained through classroom study to work done in the broader community. Note: Students are eligible to take up to two Praxis Fieldwork Seminars or Praxis Independent Studies during their time at Bryn Mawr.

Counts Toward: Praxis Program.

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ARCH B244 Great Empires of the Ancient Near East

Not offered 2026-27

A survey of the history, material culture, political and religious ideologies of, and interactions among, the five great empires of the ancient Near East of the second and first millennia B.C.E.: New Kingdom Egypt, the Hittite Empire in Anatolia, the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires in Mesopotamia, and the Persian Empire in Iran.

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ENVS B202 Environment and Society

Not offered 2026-27

An exploration of the ways in which different cultural, economic, and political settings have shaped issue emergence and policy making. We examine the politics of particular environmental issues in selected countries and regions, paying special attention to the impact of environmental movements. We also assess the prospects for international cooperation in addressing global environmental problems such as climate change.

Writing Attentive

Cross-Cultural Analysis (CC)

Power, Inequity, and Justice (PIJ)

Counts Toward: Environmental Studies; Growth and Structure of Cities; Political Science.

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ENVS B320 Global Environmental Justice: Issues and Places

Fall 2026

In this class, you will explore how communities around the world are responding to unequal environmental burdens, and how these local-scale issues fit into broader global trends such as climate change. We will engage with key environmental justice issues surrounding waste, pollution, water, mining, energy, and more in regions ranging from Latin America to the Arctic and from Sub-Saharan Africa to South and East Asia. At the same time, we will consider how broader geopolitical and economic structures affect environmental justice between countries and regions, and the status of environmental justice work in the US in the current era. The course will prepare you to research and take action on specific environmental justice issues of interest to you, both in and beyond the classroom.

Writing Attentive

Counts Toward: Political Science.

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ENVS B330 Organizing for Climate Action

Not offered 2026-27

To win climate action, you need more than good science, accurate data, and bold ideas. You need power. Behind the scenes of social movements, organizers are setting clear goals, building relationships, and creating meaningful opportunities for others to express their values together. A central premise of this class is that policymaking and social change takes strategic campaigning. Whether you aim to lead campus organizations more effectively, influence public policy, or grow a grassroots movement for a more just and sustainable future, this course will help you develop practical skills for mobilizing collective action.

Course does not meet an Approach

Counts Toward: Political Science.

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FREN B333 Nature and Freedom

Not offered 2026-27

When referring to Rousseau's political theory, the conjectural state of nature first described in his Discourse on the Origin of Inequality (1755) has frequently been identified with native societies as observed in America since 1492. Many scholars have been opposing this primitivist interpretation of his second discourse and showed that Rousseau might instead be considered the father of all 'social construct' theories. But in spite of this scholarly consensus, Graeber and Wengrow still tend to assume Rousseau's state of nature is mostly inspired by the encounter of Europeans with native people. Why is this confusion still informing the way we read Rousseau? How did considerations on the so-called 'noble savage' taint his political theory? How can we assess the role an 'indigenous critique' played in defining Rousseau's state of nature? And incidentally: how 'indigenous' is this 'indigenous critique'? Answering to Graeber and Wengrow's (mis)reading of Rousseau will allow us to cast a new light not only on Rousseau's 'unnatural' anthropology, but also on Graeber & Wengrow's broader claims on human nature and political freedom. Our end goal is not to offer a scholarly take on either Rousseau's discourse of Graeber and Wengrow's book, but to answer this pressing question: should/could we discard the very notion of nature to regain political agency here and now? Authors include: Léry, Montaigne, Hobbes, Rousseau, Lévi-Strauss, Serres, Graeber and Wengrow.

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GERM B223 Topics in German Cultural Studies

Section 001 (Fall 2026): The Global Cold War: Two Germanies, One World

Fall 2026

This is a topics course. Course content varies. Taught in English.

Writing Attentive

Critical Interpretation (CI)

Cross-Cultural Analysis (CC)

Power, Inequity, and Justice (PIJ)

Counts Toward: Comparative Literature; History; History of Art; Political Science.

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HIST B250 Media and Medicine in Modern America:

Not offered 2026-27

Have you ever turned to TikTok for health advice? Are you a fan of medical dramas like Grey's Anatomy? This course explores of the co-development and evolution of modern medicine and the media in the United States, from the late nineteenth century through the present day. Students will delve into a wide range of media formats, including advertising, newspapers, radio, film, television, and the Internet, to analyze the media's long-standing influence on perceptions and practices of medicine. Special attention will be paid to the shifting cultural authority of medicine, as well as the stakes of communicating health information and implications for public health.

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HIST B274 topics in Modern US History

Not offered 2026-27

This is a topics course in 20th century America social history. Topics vary by half semester

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HIST B286 Topics in the British Empire

Not offered 2026-27

This is a topics course covering various "topics" in the study of the British Empire. Course content varies.

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HIST B325 Topics in Social History

Not offered 2026-27

This a topics course that explores various themes in American social history. Course content varies. Course may be repeated.

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HIST B341 Go Burbs: Local Histories of Modern America

Not offered 2026-27

If "all politics is local," then so too is all history. This course takes a local approach to the history of the United States, focusing on the nearby Philadelphia suburbs as a microcosm of modern American society and culture. Paying particular attention to Delaware County, students will investigate local history and local cultural sites and integrate them into a broader historical context.

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MEST B205 Topics: Ethics and Islam

Spring 2027

This is a topics course. Course content varies. This course will provide a foundation in the study of Islam and introduce students to Islamic ethical thought

Critical Interpretation (CI)

Cross-Cultural Analysis (CC)

Counts Toward: Political Science.

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PHIL B225 Global Ethical Issues

Not offered 2026-27

The need for a critical analysis of what justice is and requires has become urgent in a context of increasing globalization, the emergence of new forms of conflict and war, high rates of poverty within and across borders and the prospect of environmental devastation. This course examines prevailing theories and issues of justice as well as approaches and challenges by non-western, post-colonial, feminist, race, class, and disability theorists.

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PHIL B235 The Philosophy of Karl Marx

Fall 2026

Karl Marx is one of the most influential thinkers in human history. He is also one of the most controversial. There are many "Marxists" in the world, and there are many who regard Marx as a dangerous and pernicious figure. Often, however, people form strong opinions like these based on second-hand information. Although most know Marx's name, it is a rarer thing to have actually read him. Marx contributed to many fields: he studied law, he worked as a journalist, he wrote works in classics, economics, history, and anthropology, and he led a major political movement. He was also a philosopher - and it was arguably as a philosopher that he produced his most original works. In this course, we will read a broad selection of Marx's writings with the aim of developing an understanding of his distinctive philosophy. In the process, we will explore fundamental questions, including but not limited to the following: What is the meaning of freedom? Is true equality possible? What is the value of work? What is capitalism? What is class? How and why do revolutions occur? Do ideas have the power to make history? What impact does technology have on our lives? And what, ultimately, does the future hold in store for us?

Course does not meet an Approach

Counts Toward: German and German Studies; Political Science.

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PHIL B240 Environmental Ethics

Not offered 2026-27

This course surveys rights- and justice-based justifications for ethical positions on the environment. It examines approaches such as stewardship, intrinsic value, land ethic, deep ecology, ecofeminism, Asian and aboriginal. It explores issues such as obligations to future generations, to nonhumans and to the biosphere.

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PHIL B252 Feminist Theory

Not offered 2026-27

Beliefs that gender discrimination has been eliminated and women have achieved equality have become commonplace. We challenge these assumptions examining the concepts of patriarchy, sexism, and oppression. Exploring concepts central to feminist theory, we attend to the history of feminist theory and contemporary accounts of women's place and status in different societies, varied experiences, and the impact of the phenomenon of globalization. We then explore the relevance of gender to philosophical questions about identity and agency with respect to moral, social and political theory. Prerequisite: one course in philosophy or permission of instructor.

Critical Interpretation (CI)

Counts Toward: Gender Sexuality Studies; Political Science.

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SOCL B262 Public Opinion

Not offered 2026-27

This course will assess public opinion in American politics: what it is, how it is measured, how it is shaped, how it relates to public policy, and how it changes over time. It includes both questions central to political scientists (what is the public, how do they exercise their voice, does the government listen and how do they respond?) and to sociologists (where do ideas come from, how do they gain societal influence, and how do they change over time?). It will pay close attention to the role of electoral politics throughout, both historically and in the current election. It is focused primarily on the United States, but seeks to place the US in global context. If this course is taken to fulfill an elective in the Data Science minor, students will conduct hands-on analyses with real data as a key component to both their Midterm and Final Essays.

Cross-Cultural Analysis (CC)

Inquiry into the Past (IP)

Counts Toward: Gender Sexuality Studies; Political Science.

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SOCL B323 Communes, Co-ops, and Collectives: Alternative Organizations

Not offered 2026-27

From schools to hospitals to grocery stores, most of the organizations we encounter and participate in throughout our lives are based on a hierarchical, bureaucratic form of organization. How did this form of organization come to be so common in U.S. society? And what are the alternatives? In this course, we will begin by exploring the origins, form, and proliferation of what Max Weber famously referred to as the "iron cage" of bureaucracy. Then we will focus on alternative forms of organization, such as communes, cooperatives, and collectives. How do these types of collectivist-democratic organizations differ from the rational-bureaucratic organizations with which we are most familiar? How are these alternative organizations structured? What makes them work-or not? From the Burning Man (anti)organization to mutual aid societies, democratic schools, farmer cooperatives, and feminist collectives, we will explore the ways in which alternative organizations can enforce the status quo or serve as catalysts for social change. Prerequisite: At least one social science course or permission of instructor.

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