Graduate Course Descriptions

Political Science (PSC)

PSC 5310 The American Political System 3 (3-0)

This course serves as an introduction to the structure of government in the United States. The constitution and the various institutions of American government will be studied from a historical and a political perspective. Other crucial components of the American system such as political parties, federalism, interest groups, voting, social divisions and the economic systems will also be discussed and analyzed in light of the historical processes of change and structural evolution to cope with altered circumstances.

This is a Foundation Course in the MAISD

PSC 5370 Politics in North Africa 3 (3-0)

This course examines the politics and international relations of the states of the central Maghreb: Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. It will cover such issues as the impact of the colonial period on political developments, postindependence state building, the role of political parties and social movements, the political role of the military, and progress towards economic and political liberalization. It will also look at regional relations and conflicts and the Maghreb’s relations with the wider world.

This is a Concentration Course in North African & Middle Eastern Studies for the MAISD

PSC 5372 Comparative European Politics 3 (3-0)

This course offers a comparative study of party systems, institutions, and policy processes in Europe. The course focuses on specific patterns of political development in Europe, the elements of a common political culture, and common policy responses to key aspects of the European political agenda. The course also covers the policy processes of European integration such as the linkages between the national and European Union tiers of government and the implications for Liberal Democracy of the growth of multi-tiered governance.

This is a Concentration Course in European Studies for the MAISD

PSC 5374 Economic and Environmental Regulation in the United States 3 (3-0)

This course examines the development of the regulatory state in the United States. The origins of economic regulation are studied from their beginning with the Sherman and Clayton Anti-Trust acts to the dissolution of the Interstate Trade Commission and Clinton-era regulations. Cycles of de- and re-regulation are also examined from a political and economic perspective. The origins, functions and role of the EPA are also discussed, examined and explained. The role of environmental NGOs in the government’s environmental regulatory process is also addressed. Using a guided- discussion format, this course will encourage students to study publicly available US government documents and regulations directly.

This is a Concentration Course in American Studies for the MAISD

PSC 5376 Canadian Government and Society 3 (3-0)

This course examines the relationship between government, society and the economy in Canada. The course will be centered around three units dealing with core Canadian issues. In the first unit, students will learn about the structure and legal framework of the Canadian state. In the second unit, students will analyze Canada’s foreign policy and its relations with Europe, the Commonwealth, APEC and the NAFTA states. In the third unit, students will explore topics like bilingualism, the rights of First Nations and immigration.

This is a Concentration Course in American Studies for the MAISD

PSC 5361 Islam and Democracy: 3(3-0)

The purpose of this course is to explore the relationships between the different forms of Islam -Sunni and Shi'i- and democracy, with a special emphasis in North Africa. As it examines the concepts of state and of democratic” institutions within Islam -such as shura-, it analyzes the reform movements of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries looking at jihadist movements in Tunisia, Egypt, and the Ottoman Tanzimat movement. The rise of fundamentalist organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood and their response to modernist, western inspired political change is also debated. The post World War II era is studied in light of the growing conflict between secular-oriented state ideologies and Islamists. The recent political experiences of North African states in dealing with what is called political Islam and the different dilemmas it entails -about women, social justice and secularism for instance- are also examined.

PSC 5370 North African Government and Politics: 3(3-0)