Political Science
Department Website:
https://www.haverford.edu/political-science
The Political Science Department seeks to address issues of power, citizenship, government, and justice in the United States and throughout the world by studying the diversity of political life and thought in our own age and in the past. Our goal is to provide students with a deep understanding of the core concepts and practices of politics and government while developing the analytical, research, and writing skills that enable them to think critically and creatively about existing structures of power and privilege. In doing so, we hope to nurture a lifelong fascination and engagement with the political realm.
Haverford’s program is designed to provide an understanding of how and why decisions are made. For many students this knowledge serves as the foundation for participation in public affairs and the shaping of the policies that affect their communities and their personal lives. Many majors choose to go on to law school. Many others choose to go into government service, journalism, teaching, or community organizing, among other career pathways. Given that most of our classes are small enough to allow ample discussion and dialogue, students leave Haverford well equipped for those continuing discussions that determine the quality of life in our society.
Learning Goals
The Political Science Department provides students with an opportunity to explore politics and government from multiple vantage points—at the grassroots, the nation-state, and the global community—and from a variety of theoretical, conceptual, comparative, historical, and experiential perspectives.
We aim to:
- provide students with a broad background in the discipline of political science, including its multiple methods and subfields as well as substantive knowledge (i.e., facts, concepts, theories, etc.) about different debates and topics within the discipline.
- guide students so they can make pathways through the curriculum in ways that reflect an accumulation of learning and that help them develop a greater level of mastery over at least one body of scholarship within political science.
- cultivate critical, analytic and synthetic thinking about local, national, international and transnational politics, as well as about the nature of political power, governance, citizenship, and justice.
- help students acquire the skills of communication, collaboration, and listening necessary for effective participation within an intellectual community.
- train students to carry out sustained independent research.
- prepare students to become informed and reflective citizens who are knowledgeable about the forces that shape political life.
Haverford’s Institutional Learning Goals are available on the President’s website, at http://hav.to/learninggoals.
Curriculum
We offer courses in four subfields of political science at the introductory (100), intermediate (200), and advanced (300 and 400) levels.
Courses fall into the following four subfields:
- American Politics: the major political institutions (like the presidency, Congress, Supreme Court, and bureaucracy); public policy; urban politics and urban policy; and public law.
- Comparative Politics: politics and political institutions throughout the world; politics of identity; political transitions; political ideologies; comparative political economy and development; political violence and human rights.
- International Relations: international political economy and international security; the state system; international organizations; causes of war, terrorism, peace-building, and reconciliation; and American foreign policy.
- Political Theory: justice, equality, liberty, and society; power, authority, and order; democratic theory; American political thought; feminist theory; and politics, identity, and culture.
Major Requirements
Students must take eleven political science courses to complete the major. Specifically, students must take:
- Two 100-level courses in two of the four subfields. We recommend taking these courses at Haverford, but Tri-Co introductory courses are permissible with the consent of the Chair. We recommend completing 100-level courses prior to the start of junior year.
- Seven elective courses taken above the 100-level in at least three of the four subfields. No more than four of the elective courses for the major may come from institutions outside of the Tri-Co.
- One 300-level research seminar, taken with your thesis advisor in the fall semester of senior year. (This is in addition to the seven elective courses described above.)
- POLS H400, the senior thesis course. This course is typically taken in the spring semester of senior year and culminates in the writing and oral defense of a thesis.
If a course is designated as covering two subfields, students must select one subfield.
Senior Project
The senior thesis represents the capstone of the political science major. It is a year-long independent research project designed and implemented by each senior political science major with the guidance and support of an assigned thesis advisor. Students receive one credit for an advanced-level seminar in the fall semester of their senior year. With few exceptions, this seminar is taken with the student’s thesis advisor. During the fall semester seminar students select a research topic, formulate a research question, begin acquiring conceptual and theoretical sophistication through a comprehensive review of the relevant scholarly literature, and prepare a thesis proposal or research design. This proposal will guide each student’s original research during the spring semester. Early in the spring semester, seniors present their thesis idea to all members of the department at a poster event. These presentations are intended to provide students with useful critical feedback, build an esprit de corps among majors, and provide valuable experience with oral presentation.
In the spring semester students register for POLS H400, a supervised research and writing course. During this semester, students conduct independent research and write up their findings with the guidance and feedback of their advisor. Throughout the spring semester students meet regularly with their thesis advisor and submit drafts of thesis chapters to their advisor. After students submit their final written theses in April, they are required to give a 30-minute oral defense of their theses to their advisor and at least one other political science faculty member in early May.
Senior Project Learning Goals
The goal of the thesis is to promote the ongoing acquisition of research and analytical skills, as well as the ability to carry out extensive projects independently and consistent with the highest standards of excellence. Most students writing a thesis will identify an interesting and important research question, explore how other scholars have attempted to address that question, and devise a viable research plan. Students who choose to concentrate in political theory pursue normative research and focus on interpretation and analysis of philosophical texts. Students are expected to conduct their own research, often using both primary and secondary sources, and to evaluate how their findings relate to existing scholarship in the field.
Senior Project Assessment
Students are assessed based upon their proposal, their written thesis, their oral defense, and their performance throughout the thesis process. They are evaluated according to several criteria, including:
- their conceptualization of a research question.
- their ability to effectively and concisely present their argument and findings.
- their ability to draw conclusions and extensions of their research to broader arenas.
- their engagement with secondary material and use of primary sources.
- their ability to identify, critique, develop, and apply core concepts and theories.
- their ability to obtain a basic understanding of research methodologies.
- their ability to comprehend and respond to questioning.
- the quality and organization of their writing.
- the timely submission of work and responsiveness to feedback.
- the originality of their ideas and the ambition of their project.
- the breadth of their knowledge related to their thesis topic.
- the depth of their knowledge related to their thesis topic.
- their comprehension of the scope and limitations of their own research.
During the fall semester, students receive feedback from their professor and their peers on various assignments that often include a combination of the following: thesis proposal, annotated bibliography and literature review. The presentation of the thesis proposal in the fall semester is an opportunity for members in the department other than the advisor to weigh in on and evaluate a student’s progress. The feedback received in the fall from fellow students and the department faculty at the thesis proposal defense is beneficial for students as they move ahead with their projects in the spring.
Throughout the spring semester students receive feedback from their thesis advisor through regular meetings and comments on thesis drafts. The schedule for the submission of drafts and individual meetings in the spring semester is determined by the student and his/her advisor. Prior to the oral defense of the thesis in May each student submits a thesis abstract. This abstract is an important element of the defense in that it is designed to serve as a succinct overview of the thesis argument and methodology. The defense is attended by the student, the thesis advisor, and one other member of the department faculty. After the defense, the two faculty members discuss the student’s project and overall performance. Ultimate responsibility for grading of the thesis (POLS H400) belongs to the supervising faculty member.
Requirements for Honors
The department awards honors to senior majors who have demonstrated excellence in their coursework in political science and their senior thesis. The department may grant high honors to a select number of senior majors who have attained an outstanding level of distinction in their political science courses and senior thesis.
Affiliated Faculty
Craig BorowiakAssociate Provost for Faculty Development; Professor of Political Science
Jessica Croteau
Mellon Post-Doctoral Fellow in the John B. Hurford '60 Center for the Arts and Humanities and Visiting Assistant Professor
Ruodi Duan
Assistant Professor of History and East Asian Languages and Cultures
Molly Farneth
Professor and Chair of Religion
Anita Isaacs
The Benjamin Collins 1920 Professor of Social Science; Professor of Political Science
Jeffrey Lamken
Visiting Professor of Political Science
Steve McGovern
Professor of Political Science
Barak Mendelsohn
Professor of Political Science
Vatsal Naresh
Assistant Professor of Political Science
Zachary Oberfield
Professor and Chair of Political Science
Giri Parameswaran
Associate Professor and Chair of Economics
Kathrin Reed
Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science
Juan Carlos Rueda
Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science
Susanna Wing
The William Penn Foundation Professor in Political Science; Professor of Political Science
Courses
POLS H121 AMERICAN POLITICS (1.0 Credit)
Zachary Oberfield
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This course introduces students to the American political system and the core theories that seek to explain how it operates. We will grapple with questions like: Why do elected officials behave as they do? Why do citizens participate in politics? How healthy is America’s democracy? The course also helps students develop the skills needed to ask and answer their own questions about the political world.
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H131 INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS (1.0 Credit)
Susanna Wing
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
An introduction to basic concepts and themes in comparative politics analyzed through case studies. Themes include political authority and governance structures; political culture and identity politics; political participation and representation; and political economy.
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H151 INTERNATIONAL POLITICS (1.0 Credit)
Barak Mendelsohn
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This course offers an introduction to the study of international politics. It considers examples from history and addresses contemporary issues, while introducing and evaluating the political theories that have been used by scholars to explain those events. The principal goal of the course is to develop a general set of analytical approaches that can be used to gain insight into the nature of world politics – past, present and future.
POLS H161 GLOBAL POLITICAL ECONOMY: RACE, LABOR, POWER (1.0 Credit)
Craig Borowiak
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
An introduction to the study of the global political economy with a focus on racial and class inequalities. The course examines how the global economy is governed and how power asymmetries contribute to racialized forms of labor exploitation and social dislocation. Attention will be paid to how larger economic forces influence local politics and shape individual experiences. Key themes include: racial capitalism, international trade and finance, globalization, global inequality, neoliberalism, multinational corporations, sweatshops, global cities.
POLS H171 AN INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL THEORY (1.0 Credit)
Vatsal Naresh
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This course offers a modestly global introduction to political thought. This year, the course will focus on six anchoring thinkers – Jean Jacques Rousseau, Karl Marx, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Mohandas Gandhi, Simone de Beauvoir, and Hannah Arendt. Along the way, we will read influential interlocutors, antecedent, contemporary, and subsequent. The course aims to equip you to write theoretical papers that forward a specific and contestable thesis and defend it with argumentation and evidence.
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H212 POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY (1.0 Credit)
Juan Carlos Rueda
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This course introduces students to the field of political psychology by examining how psychological theories, concepts, and methods help us understand political judgment and behavior. Throughout the semester, we will consider questions that are central to the study of political psychology, including: how individuals form and organize their belief systems; why they resist information that challenges those beliefs; how social identities, stereotypes, and threat perception structure group evaluations; and how emotions motivate political participation.
(Offered: Fall 2026, Spring 2027)
POLS H213 SEPARATION OF POWERS AND CONSTITUTIONAL LAW (1.0 Credit)
Jeffrey Lamken
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
The U.S. Constitution establishes a framework for government that preserves individual liberty. The Constitution protects liberty, in part, through a Bill of Rights that promises freedom from certain types of government intrusion. The Constitution also seeks to guarantee liberty through the structural framework it establishes. This course will examine one of those structural protections—the separation of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the U.S government. Lottery Preference: Political Science majors
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H216 THE SUPREME COURT (1.0 Credit)
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
Examines the Supreme Court's interpretation of the civil rights and civil liberties expressed in the U.S. Constitution and its impact on American society and politics. Prerequisite(s): One 100-level course in Political Science
POLS H218 THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM (1.0 Credit)
Zachary Oberfield
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
An analysis of the politics and policies surrounding the U.S. criminal justice system.
(Offered: Spring 2027)
POLS H222 PUBLIC OPINION (1.0 Credit)
Juan Carlos Rueda
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This course examines the nature of public opinion, with a particular focus on the United States. Throughout the semester, we will return to a central question in the study of democratic politics: Are citizens equipped to meet the demanding responsibilities expected of them in a democracy? Additionally, we will ask questions like: How do citizens form their opinions? How do we measure these opinions?
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H224 THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY (1.0 Credit)
Zachary Oberfield
Division: Social Science
This course examines theories of presidential power and the interplay between presidents, Congress, the bureaucracy, and the public.
POLS H226 SOCIAL MOVEMENT THEORY (1.0 Credit)
Steve McGovern
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
Theoretical analysis of origins and development of mass-based protest movements in the U.S. Scholarly explanations of recruitment of individuals, modes of organization and leadership, strategies and tactics, countermovements, and the impact of movements on policy and politics.
POLS H227 URBAN POLITICS (1.0 Credit)
Steve McGovern
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
Examines who wields power in American cities amidst broad social and economic change. Includes both historical and contemporary analysis of urban politics, with close attention to the influence of race, ethnicity, and class.
POLS H228 URBAN POLICY (1.0 Credit)
Steve McGovern
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
Assessment of public policies aimed at revitalizing U.S. cities following several decades of suburbanization and capital disinvestment. Focus on economic development, housing and community development, environmental protection, transportation, education, crime, and the management of regional sprawl.
POLS H234 THE POLITICS OF RESISTANCE IN LATIN AMERICA (1.0 Credit)
Anita Isaacs
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This course examines how citizens challenge state power and repression across a range of tactics — armed insurgency, mass nonviolent campaigns, resistance through law, and indigenous self-governance. Drawing on cases from Guatemala, Chile, and Colombia, we analyze why movements choose the tactics they do and whether resistance delivers the change it promises. Cross-listed: Political Science/Peace, Justice and Human Rights Prerequisite(s): One course in Political Science
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H235 AFRICAN POLITICS (1.0 Credit)
Susanna Wing
Division: Social Justice
Analysis of political change in Africa from the colonial period to contemporary politics. Selected case studies will be used to address central themes including democracy, human rights, gender, interstate relations, economic development, and globalization.
POLS H236 COMPARATIVE FOREIGN POLICY (1.0 Credit)
Kathrin Reed
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
Who really shapes foreign policy? And why do states facing similar international pressures pursue different strategies? This course introduces students to key approaches to foreign policy analysis and compares how states define and pursue their national interests across a range of issue areas. Students engage with a diverse range of case studies across regions, including East Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and Latin America. These cases allow for systematic comparison across countries and contexts.
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H241 IMMIGRATION POLITICS AND POLICY (1.0 Credit)
Anita Isaacs
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
Examines the causes and rights of forced migrants and refugees along with the responses and responsibilities of the international community. Focus on Mexico and Central America. Prerequisite(s): One political science course or instructor consent
POLS H242 WOMEN IN WAR AND PEACE (1.0 Credit)
Susanna Wing
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
Analysis of the complex issues surrounding women as political actors and the ways in which citizenship relates to men and women differently. Selected cases from the United States, Africa, Latin America, and Asia are studied as we discuss gender, domestic politics, and international relations from a global perspective. Prerequisite(s): one course in POLS or instructor consent
(Offered: Spring 2027)
POLS H247 POLITICAL ECONOMY OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (1.0 Credit)
Kathrin Reed
Division: Social Science
Explores concepts and dynamics of political and economic reform in developing countries and the social and international context in which policy is formulated and implemented. Combines theories of development with case studies from Africa, Latin America and Asia. Prerequisite(s): One course in Comparative Politics or International Relations
POLS H249 EUROPEAN POLITICS (1.0 Credit)
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This course examines the European Union and its member states as a unique experiment in democratic governance, integration, and diversity. We will explore how Europe’s political systems evolved historically and are tested today by nationalism, populism, migration, democratic backsliding, and war. By the end of the semester, students will be able to situate contemporary European politics within broader debates about democracy, sovereignty, and global governance—while also reflecting on what Europe’s experience reveals about the future of democracy itself.
POLS H254 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA (1.0 Credit)
Kathrin Reed
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This course provides an overview of the international relations of Southeast Asia, a highly diverse and fast-growing region at the center of U.S.-China competition. Are small and middle powers simply pawns in great power games? It examines the foreign policies and strategic orientations of Southeast Asian states and their efforts to assure an autonomous future. An overarching theme is understanding how smaller states exert agency in a world of relationships with power asymmetries.
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H256 THE EVOLUTION OF THE JIHADI MOVEMENT (1.0 Credit)
Barak Mendelsohn
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This course explores the evolution of the jihadi movement, focusing on its ideological development throughout the twentieth century, and the structural changes it has gone through since the jihad to drive the Soviets out of Afghanistan during the 1980s.
POLS H257 GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS (1.0 Credit)
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This course explores the domestic and international politics of the environment. The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with current environmental problems in relation to the efforts of local, regional, and international governments—as well as interest groups—to remedy them. We will study environmental problems locally, regionally and globally. Students will learn to identify the key policy actors, the key policy institutions, and their associated roles in crafting policy. Then, the course will delve into contemporary environmental issues—such as climate change, environmental issues in land, and ocean—across different parts of the world. Therein, students will learn to understand the severity of issues stemming from climate change and its effects on humans. Finally, this course will introduce politicizing and political division around the issues of global environmental politics. The goal of this course is to understand how politics shape environmental policies and how climate change and related environmental problems affect domestic and international political outcomes.
POLS H260 GOVERNING THE GLOBAL ECONOMY IN TIMES OF CRISIS (1.0 Credit)
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
An examination of how the global economy is governed and how governance bodies have responded to and/or been complicit in crises and their aftermaths. Critical attention will be paid to power asymmetries in the international system and their consequences. Particular focus will be paid to the history and politics of global finance. Other cases might include the international governance of intellectual property rights, digital governance, and international trade regimes, among other possibilities. Prerequisite(s): One political science course or instructor consent
POLS H262 GRASSROOTS ECONOMIES: CREATING LIVELIHOODS IN AN AGE OF URBAN INEQUALITY (1.0 Credit)
Craig Borowiak
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
The aim of the course would be to examine the political and economic constraints generated by poverty and racial and class segregation in contemporary urban environments and how grassroots economic initiatives rooted in mutual aid often fill the gaps and provide alternative ways to meet needs and generate supportive community. Examples of such initiatives range from guerrilla gardens and artist collectives to worker cooperatives and informal revolving loan funds. Many of these initiatives are informal. Some are legal, others less so. Many also fall under the radar of mainstream studies, which instead focus on capitalist markets, government welfare, and nonprofit philanthropy. Though many grassroots economic initiatives take place on a relatively small scale, they have a much larger footprint and impact when they are looked at together. The course will engage with them both theoretically and with numerous concrete examples and interactive experiences with practitioners. We will also examine various efforts in different cities to cultivate solidarity-based economic alternatives through public-private partnerships and grassroots coalitions. Case studies will be drawn from a variety of countries, though the focus will be on U.S. cities, with a particular emphasis on Philadelphia. This course will be taught in Philadelphia as part of the Tri-Co Philly Program. Prerequisites:Priority in registration will be given to students participating in the Tri-Co Philly Program (https://www.haverford.edu/philly-program) and Political Science majors. Remaining seats are available to other Tri-Co students, by lottery, if demand exceeds remaining spaces in the course. If you are interested in the program, you must fill out the application, which is due on Friday, April 5 by 11:59 pm. This program includes registering for two of three of the program’s courses, which include this course or Food Cultures in Philadelphia (ENGL B287) or Philadelphia and the 2024 Election (SOCI 056C). Those not participating in the Philly program do not need to complete the application and can simply pre-register for the class.
POLS H265 CAPITALISM AND THE HISTORY OF POLITICAL ECONOMIC THOUGHT (1.0 Credit)
Craig Borowiak
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
Theoretical approach to the role of politics and markets in modern societies. Draws from the history of political economic thought to evaluate the modern capitalist system and its critics. Key authors include the Mercantilists, Adam Smith, anarchist authors, Karl Marx, Karl Polanyi, F.A. Hayek, J.M. Keynes, and Milton Friedman. Prerequisite(s): One political science course or instructor consent
(Offered: Spring 2027)
POLS H272 DEMOCRACY AND RESISTANCE IN ASIA AND BEYOND (1.0 Credit)
Ruodi Duan, Vatsal Naresh
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
Democracy arrived in most of the world as an imaginary before its institutional or governmental form was established. In recent decades, state policies have engendered diverse modes of resistance across Asia, and popular uprisings today continue to challenge assumptions about passivity not only in authoritarian states, but under electoral rule as well. This co-taught interdisciplinary course reads the contemporary politics and histories of China, India, and other societies through the lens of democracy and resistance. Crosslisted: HIST,EALC,POLS.
POLS H276 CONSTITUTIONS: THEORY AND POLITICS (1.0 Credit)
Vatsal Naresh
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
What is its binding force of a constitution? Do constitutions obstruct or can they foster social change? What is the relationship between constitutions and democracy? The course explores these fundamental questions of political theory through a historical, a theoretical and a comparative perspective. Reading encompasses historical accounts of constitution-making, constitutional text, case law, and scholarship on constitutionalism in the US, France, India, South Africa, Mexico, and Haiti.
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H277 INTRODUCTION TO QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE (1.0 Credit)
Juan Carlos Rueda
Division: Quantitative; Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
Introduces students to the quantitative analysis of politics. Students will learn how to formulate a research question, design a research project, find a relevant dataset, produce descriptive statistics and visualizations, and conduct basic statistical analysis. Prerequisite(s): One introductory course in political science
(Offered: Spring 2027)
POLS H280 ENVIRONMENTAL LAW AND POLICY (1.0 Credit)
Jessica Croteau
Division: Humanities
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This course examines how law shapes human relationships with the environment. Students will analyze how legal systems regulate the treatment of nonhumans, control pollution, and respond to environmental crises across international jurisdictions. Topics include the legal status of animals, global plastic regulation, corporate responsibility for pollution, and the evolving concept of environmental rights. Through case studies, statutes, and policy debates, students explore how law reflects competing ethical frameworks, economic interests, and ecological realities. Crosslisted: ENVS, POLS.
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H281 FEMINIST POLITICAL ECONOMY (1.0 Credit)
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)
This course is an introduction to current debates in radical feminism. Beginning with the psychanalytical, Marxist, and Black Radical feminists of the 1960’s and 70’s, the course outlines contemporary radical feminist positions on race, gender, consumption, domesticity, care, labor, ecology, and the prospects of collective life within and beyond capitalist planetary endgame. Crosslisted: POLS. Pre-requisite(s): PEAC 101 or 201 or any PHIL or POLS class, or consent of instructor. Lottery Preference: PJHR and GenSex students first
POLS H283 AFRICAN POLITICS, AFRICAN NOVELS AND FILM (1.0 Credit)
Susanna Wing
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World
The study of politics in Africa through African literature. We explore themes including colonial legacies, gender, race and ethnicity, religion and political transition as they are discussed in African literature. Crosslisted: Political Science, Africana Studies Prerequisite(s): One previous course in political science or instructor consent
POLS H286 RELIGION AND AMERICAN PUBLIC LIFE (1.0 Credit)
Molly Farneth
Division: Humanities
This course explores the complex relationship between religion and politics in the U.S. We ask: what, exactly, is religious freedom? What do we mean by the separation of church and state? In what ways has religion shaped U.S. democracy? And how do citizens navigate the tensions between their religious commitments and democratic allegiances?
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H296 TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE: THE POLITICS OF ACCOUNTABILITY (1.0 Credit)
Anita Isaacs
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
Challenges of transitional justice--confronting human rights violations in the aftermath of violent conflict and repressive dictatorship. We will address questions raised in transitional justice studies, focusing on purpose, goals and implications, and assessing practical experiences with key transitional justice mechanisms, including truth commissions, trials and reparations. Prerequisite(s): one course in political science or instructor's approval
POLS H302 DEATH AND POLITICS: THE POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSIONS OF DEATH (1.0 Credit)
Jessica Croteau
Division: Humanities
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This course explores the intersections of death, politics, and the environment across literature, philosophy, political theory, and cultural studies. From classical tragedies to contemporary environmental humanities, students will examine how societies reckon with mortality, how death shapes political life, and how ecological crises reframe our relationship with extinction and regeneration. The course also engages with the paradoxical possibilities of death, both as loss and as a condition of renewal, especially in the face of climate change and environmental degradation. Crosslisted: ENVS, POLS Lottery Preference: Seniors
(Offered: Spring 2027)
POLS H313 ARMED NON-STATE ACTORS IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICS (1.0 Credit)
Barak Mendelsohn
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
The principal goal of the course is to expose students to various types of armed nonstate actors and gain insights into their motives and activities. The course also introduces analytical lens through which scholars have sought to conceptualize the interplay between states and armed nonstate actors. Prerequisite(s): One course in political science or instructor consent
POLS H315 RESEARCH IN AMERICAN POLITICS (1.0 Credit)
Zachary Oberfield
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This course helps students prepare for a senior thesis in political science. Specifically, it assists students in choosing a topic, developing a literature review and hypothesis, and generating a research design to test their hypothesis. Prerequisite(s): Junior or senior standing or instructor consent
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H320 DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA (1.0 Credit)
Steve McGovern
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This seminar explores some of the most pressing challenges to American democracy today, including the intensification of ideological and partisan polarization, increasing economic inequality, and ongoing constraints faced by marginalized groups. The course is geared toward students preparing for a senior thesis in political science.
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H329 POWER AND POLIITCS IN PHILADELPHIA (1.0 Credit)
Steve McGovern
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This course examines power and politics in contemporary Philadelphia. We will devote particular attention to the potential and limitations of grassroots mobilization as a mechanism for effecting positive change. To what extent can movement organizations, advocacy groups, and community-based organizations alter long-standing policies, practices, and institutions in a large, American city like Philadelphia? To what extent are their efforts impeded by well-established interests and structural forces rooted in race, ethnicity, class, and culture? How have recent societal shifts affected underlying tensions between Old Philadelphia and New Philadelphia? We will explore who wins and who loses in the political arena through a series of case studies of key policy issues, including criminal justice reform, immigrants’ rights, precarious labor, gentrification and affordable housing, urban development, and workforce diversity. How these policy issues are resolved will reveal much about the nature of power and whether the source of that power springs from the bottom-up or remains primarily a top-down phenomenon. This discussion-based seminar will feature guest speakers, site visits, and an opportunity to conduct your own research on power and politics in Philadelphia. Pre-requisite(s): One course in political science or consent of instructor
POLS H330 TOPICS IN COMPARATIVE POLITICS (1.0 Credit)
Susanna Wing
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This is a workshop course built around student interests and senior thesis topics. We will explore issues including, but not limited to, ethnicity, religion, gender and the state. We will look at how states pursue both political and economic development and how they cope with violent conflict. Prerequisite(s): Three courses in POLS AND junior or senior status, or instructor consent
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H331 RESEARCH AND WRITING IN COMPARATIVE POLITICS (1.0 Credit)
Anita Isaacs
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This seminar on research and writing in comparative politics seeks to foster advanced reading, analysis, writing and workshopping skills among advanced political science majors Prerequisite(s): 5 courses in political science at the introductory and intermediate levels
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H332 SHORT OF WAR: DETERRENCE AND COMPELLENCE IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICS (1.0 Credit)
Barak Mendelsohn
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
The course examines the way international relations' theory addresses policies short of war, particularly the security policies states use to promote their political and strategic objectives, to dissuade rivals from attacking, to manage crisis situations, and to promote peaceful resolution to interstate conflicts. Prerequisite(s): One political science course or instructor permission
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H341 POLITICS OF FOREIGN ASSISTANCE (1.0 Credit)
Susanna Wing
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This course analyzes how and why governments provide foreign assistance to other countries. We will also explore how donor funds are received and utilized by recipient country governments, organizations, and peoples. The goal of the course is to further understanding of the politics of political and economic development, international security, and foreign assistance. Pre-requisite(s): One 200 level course in political science or consent of the instructor Lottery Preference: Political Science majors
POLS H350 TOPICS IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICS: TERRORISM IN THE US IN THE 1960-70 (1.0 Credit)
Barak Mendelsohn
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This seminar, which would be offered only once (Spring 25), explores domestic terrorism in the US during the turbulent times of the 1960-70s. The seminar focuses on the Weather Underground organization: exploring its rise and demise; its ideology, strategy, and internal dynamics; and its relationship with the New Left protest movement. The seminar also explores the role of race and gender in shaping domestic terrorism in the U.S. during that era, examining additional players, such as African-American separatist terrorism, and Puerto Rican ethno-nationalist terrorism. Lastly, the seminar compares the dynamics producing domestic terrorism in the US and in Europe, with particular attention to the left-wing social movements of the era in Western Europe, especially in Germany. Prerequisite: A course in international or comparative politics or consent of instructor.
POLS H351 INTERNATIONAL SECURITY (1.0 Credit)
Barak Mendelsohn
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This course offers an introduction to the study of international security. It considers examples from history and addresses contemporary issues, while introducing and evaluating the political theories that have been used by scholars to explain those events. The principal goal of the course is to develop a general set of analytical approaches that can be used to gain insight into the nature of world politics - past, present and future. The first section introduces key conceptual issues and review main theoretical approaches in the field. The second section addresses specific issues in international security such as war, military doctrines, alliances, crisis, deterrence, grand strategy, and proliferation.
POLS H366 ADVANCED RESEARCH IN GLOBAL GOVERNANCE (1.0 Credit)
Craig Borowiak
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
Research seminar designed for students interested in working on long research papers or preparing for senior theses related to the global governance subfield or similar fields. The course will cover research methodologies, writing strategies, and discussions of contemporary global governance scholarship, which will be used to anchor the course thematically and to model different approaches to research. Students' independent research will be complemented with regular and intensive collaborative workshopping of one another's work in class. Prerequisite(s): Three courses in POLS AND junior or senior status, or instructor consent
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H375 ADVANCED TOPICS IN POL THEORY: DEMOCRATIC THEORY (1.0 Credit)
Vatsal Naresh
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This course examines the main contemporary theories of politics by focusing on democracy - especially the values, principles, and institutions of democratic rule, past and present. We will explore how theories of democracy can be used to deal with contemporary problems as defined by particular interests of students in the course. Pre-requisite(s): Instructor Permission
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H377 JUNIOR RESEARCH SEMINAR: POLITICAL ECONOMY (1.0 Credit)
Giri Parameswaran
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts); B: Analysis of the Social World; C: Physical and Natural Processes
The focus is on critical reading of seminal works and developing students own research skills. Topics include: models of elections and application of voting models to redistributive policies; legislative bargaining; interest groups/lobbying; dynamic models of fiscal policy, debt and more. Crosslisted: Economics, Political Science Prerequisite(s): MATH 118 and ECON 300 or ECON B200 at Bryn Mawr; MATH 121 (or MATH 216) is desirable
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H381 GARBAGE: THE POLITICS, PROBLEMS, AND POSSIBILITIES OF POLLUTION (1.0 Credit)
Jessica Croteau
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
What if waste—something we often overlook as mere garbage—held significant political and social power? This course invites an exploration of waste as a complex and deeply political subject, examining how pollution and discarded materials impact ecological and social systems in ways that are both profound and frequently unnoticed. We will critically engage with issues such as plastic and food waste, nuclear waste, waste colonialism, and the concept of “wasteland.” Crosslisted: POLS. Lottery Preference: #1 - Senior ENVS and POLS majors; #2 - Junior ENVS and POLS majors; #3 - ENVS minors
POLS H400 SENIOR THESIS (1.0 Credit)
Anita Isaacs, Barak Mendelsohn, Craig Borowiak, Steve McGovern, Susanna Wing, Vatsal Naresh, Zachary Oberfield
Division: Social Science
Domain(s): B: Analysis of the Social World
This course consists of tutorials and intensive research, culminating in a senior thesis. Prerequisite(s): Limited to political science senior majors
(Offered: Spring 2027)
POLS H460 TEACHING ASSISTANT (1.0 Credit)
Vatsal Naresh, Zachary Oberfield
Division: Social Science
Teaching assistant. Prerequisite(s): Instructor consent
(Offered: Fall 2026)
POLS H480 INDEPENDENT STUDY (1.0 Credit)
Division: Social Science
This course is conducted through individual consultation; supervised independent reading and research is expected; research papers and oral reports on special topics are based upon the individual interests of advanced students. Prerequisite(s): Instructor consent