POLS 100 American Government

A study of the basic principles of the American system of government with emphasis on problems relating to governmental structure and policies. Five broad areas will be covered: (1) the foundations of American government; (2) constitutionalism; (3) citizens and government; (4) institutions and government; and (5) policy. By the end of the semester, you should be able to answer the following questions: What are the founding ideals of American democracy? What are the rights and civic responsibilities of citizens in a democracy? How do citizens develop their political beliefs? How do citizens participate in politics to effectuate change? What economic challenges face America? And what role does America have in the world? By the end of the semester, you will also have a firm understanding of America’s constitutional design, the bill of rights, September 11th and the Iraq War, and speech issues in the Digital Age.

POLS 141 Governments of the World

Governments of the World: This course compares governments of the world through case studies. Comparative Politics is a subfield of political science that assess the role of governments in determining who gets what, when, and how. Why are most democratic countries rich? How do oppressive dictatorships last for decades? Is government best left to elites or should the people always rule? These are some of the questions that will be explored in this course.

POLS 210 State and Local Government

In this course, we will study the relation between the federal system of government and the organization and function of state and local governments in the U.S. Our focus will be on the general characteristics of federalism and state and local government rather than on the organization of the government of South Dakota—though we will examine some of the unique characteristics of South Dakota government. Apart from a focus on the basic characteristics of state and local governments, this course will include an examination of the competing values which underlie U.S. federalism (both Federalist and Anti-federalist) and some of the contemporary issues which still reflect these values. We will examine how these values have been embodied in institutional arrangements and how they have been altered by political and socio-economic forces since the time of the founding of the U.S. under the Federal Constitution.

POLS 250 Intro to International Relations

Introduction to International Relations: This course introduces the major theories and issues in International Relations, a subfield of political science that assess the economic, political, and security interactions between sovereign states and many other actors. Can democracy, trade, and international organizations deliver global peace and prosperity? How likely is war between major powers, like China, Russia, and the USA? These are some of the questions that will be explored in this course.

POLS 263 Intro to Political Theory

This course is focused on answering big political questions, including: Does justice exist or is the meaning of justice merely dictated to us by the powerful? What rights do we have and how are these rights in tension with one another? How much liberty must we forsake for security? Is democracy really the best political regime? Has capitalism and Modernity delivered all that it promised? To answer these questions, we will survey the development of normative and political concepts in Western thought. Our journey will begin by examining the ancient thinker Plato and his discussion of Socratic justice. Next, we will look at Machiavelli and his challenge to traditional notions of morality. Then, we will trace other paradigmatic shifts in political ideas as they surfaced during the Enlightenment, as evidenced in the writings of social contract theorists Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau. Our journey will also explore Madison’s thesis of factions, Mill’s understanding of free speech, and Smith’s defense of the free market. Finally, we shall investigate power and inequality from the perspective of 19th and 20th century thinkers like Marx, Dubois, and Friedan.

POLS 312 Public Opinion and Polling

This course introduces the history of measuring public opinion, explores the methods of polling, and provides the experience of both formulating and conducting a public opinion poll. Students will learn to: (1) Understand the various methods used to measure public opinion and how to interpret their results, (2) Evaluate theories of how people form opinions and answer survey/interview questions, (3) Understand and reflect upon debates about the “competence” of the public and how much public opinion should affect public policy, and (4) Competently “consume” public opinion data.

POLS 320 Public Administration

This course uses simulations and public management cases, as well as contemporary public administration literature, to introduce students to the theory and practice public administration. Students will work in teams to resolve issues and problems common to the public service environment.

• Students will demonstrate understanding of the historical evolution of public administration as an academic discipline and a field of practice.
• Students will develop a theoretical foundation for understanding public administration.
• Students will demonstrate understanding of the constitutional foundations of the American administrative state.
• Students will develop a practical understanding of how the constitutional system shapes the work of public administrators.
• Students will develop a theoretical foundation for how decisions are made in public organizations.
• Students will develop a theoretical foundation for understanding how public policies are made.
• Students will demonstrate how public administrators deal with organizational problems.

POLS 342 Revolution and Revolt

This course introduces and compares the American, French, Russian, and Chinese revolutions and explores contemporary cases of revolution and revolt globally. Comparative Politics provides frameworks to explore how revolutions and revolts start, succeed, and, more frequently, fail. Is violence necessary for revolutionary success? Are there historical lessons or patterns that can inform future revolutions? These are some of the questions that will be explored in this course.

POLS 345 Model United Nations

This course introduces the history, institutions, functions, and challenges facing the UN from an International Relations perspective. International Relations provides frameworks of analysis to understand the limits and potential of the UN. Who controls and funds the UN? Is the UN the start of world government? Can the UN survive the resurgence of authoritarianism and nationalism in its member states? These are some of the questions that will be explored in this course.

POLS 376 Democracy and Democratization

This course introduces the theory, history, and challenges of democratic government from a Comparative Politics perspective. Comparative Politics provides frameworks to explore how democracies develop, are maintained, and collapse. Why is democracy in retreat globally and can it be revitalized? Why are new democracies vulnerable to instability and conflict? These are some of the questions that will be explored in this course.

POLS 401 United States Institutions

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the U.S. presidency and the American tradition of executive authority. We will place special emphasis on presidential elections, the “bully pulpit,” the evolving use of technology by presidents, and the fickle relationship between the president and media. This course also provides a comprehensive overview of the U.S. Congress, its power of the purse, and its relationship with the executive branch, which can be both adversarial and cooperative. Special emphasis will be placed on war-making powers and the “two congress thesis.” Finally, this course provides a comprehensive overview of the Supreme Court, including the selection of justices, decision making, and the court’s impact on policy. By the end of the semester, you will have a strong understanding of these topics, and you will be able to relate key ideas and concepts to current events.

POLS 417 American Indian Government and Politics

All too often, American Indians are thought to be solely racial minorities within the United States. However, as citizens of Tribal Nations, American Indians have treble citizenship—they are citizens of the Tribal Nations, states, and of course the United States. What does this mean for American Indians residing in the United States? This course aims to answer that question by exploring the government and politics of individual Tribal Nations in the United States. Over the course of the semester, we will examine traditional tribal governments, the influence of colonizers on those governments across time, and what Tribal Nations look like today. Throughout the semester, we will also look at various approaches to improving tribal governmental structures.

POLS 430 Constitutional Law

Justice Frankfurter once wrote, “the question is not whether judges make law, but when and how and how much.” Compare this with Alexander Hamilton’s assessment of the Judiciary as the “least dangerous branch” of the federal government. This course details the policymaking role of the Supreme Court, specifically in the areas of civil rights and civil liberties. In this course you will be introduced to the study of constitutional law by reading and briefing court cases. You will study the history of constitutional interpretation. Recurring issues in constitutional doctrine and judicial review with be highlighted, especially as applied to civil rights and civil liberties. What is the role of the Supreme Court in the American political system? Should that be the Court’s role?

POLS 459 Political Geography

This course is an examination of world regions and concepts that have political significance, such as language, boundaries, electoral geography, local political geography and zoning, the law of the sea and nationalism. International, national, and local perspectives are addressed.

POLS 469 American Foreign Relations

This course introduces the history of American foreign relations and explores contemporary foreign policy debates and issues. International Relations provides frameworks to examine the rationales and effectiveness of foreign policy. What principles should guide a foreign policy? How involved should the US be globally? For what purpose, if any, should the US ever intervene in the internal affairs of another country? These are some of the questions that will be explored in this course.

POLS 470 Contemporary Debates in Political Thought

Is America polarizing in dangerous ways? In this upper-level course, we will attempt to answer this question by examining a range of topics, including questions relating to rights, diversity, inequality, community, patriotism, and globalism. However, our investigation will be centered on three major themes: Speech in the Digital Age. What are the benefits and costs of free speech? Have these been fundamentally altered by the internet, social media, or fake news? What should the speech policy be on college campuses? Multiculturalism. What are multiculturalism’s intellectual origins? What do proponents and critics say about it? What is the relationship between tolerance and multiculturalism? What can politically unify a multicultural America? Nationalist Populism. How is nationalist populism different from other forms of populism? Is nationalist populism a response to globalization and economics? Is it the product of demagoguery, racism, and bigotry? Or is it a reaction to nihilism and the emptiness of the modern world?

POLS 471 Theories of the State

In 1787, Alexander Hamilton said, “Give all power to the many, they will oppress the few. Give all power to the few, they will oppress the many. Both therefore ought to have power, that each may defend itself [against] the other.” Hamilton is not alone in thinking that republics were inherently unstable because of the class conflict that occurs in these regimes between elites and the commoners. This semester we will investigate class struggle and small “r” republicanism by examining the theories of several political thinkers. This will include Montesquieu, his analysis of Rome, and his theories about the size, diversity, commercialism, and civic virtue of republics. We will also investigate how the American Founding thinkers synthesized Montesquieu’s theories to design a federal republic that could mitigate the dangers of class conflict. Next, we will use these theories of republicanism to evaluate competing interpretations of populism and elitism today. This includes Michael Lind’s thesis that technocratic elites are dangerously and incompetently ruling America because the working class—deprived of labor unions, religious organizations, and civic groups—no longer wields checking power. This also includes Steven Levitky’s and Daniel Ziblatt’s alternative thesis that populism is a threat to America because of extremism, the decline of mutual toleration among partisans, the abandonment of democratic norms, and the failure of the gatekeepers to prevent demagogues from achieving power. By the end of the semester, you will have a firm grasp of class politics, republicanism, populism, and elitism.