Political Science
PS 100X (3 Credits) Fall, Spring
Political Economy (3+0) s
(Cross-listed with ECON 100X)
Survey of the evolution and operation of the American domestic political economy with consideration of market failures and government responses. Review of major issues in political economy such as inflation, poverty and budget deficits. Exploration of linkages between American and global systems. Also available via Independent Learning.
PS 101 (3 Credits) Fall, Spring
Introduction to American Government and Politics (3+0) s
Principles, institutions, and practices of American national government; the Constitution, federalism, interest groups, parties, public opinion and elections. Also available via Independent Learning.
PS 201 (3 Credits) Fall
Comparative Politics (3+0) s
Introduction to the systematic study of government and politics in countries other than the United States. Through lecture and discussion, students will explore such questions as why some countries are democracies and other countries dictatorships; why some remain stable and peaceful, while others seem in constant turmoil. This is a prerequisite for other courses in comparative politics.
PS 202 (3 Credits) Spring
Cases in Comparative Politics (3+0) s
In-depth examination of various types of governments as they appear in different regions of the world. Particular countries will be chosen as subjects for lecture, group discussions, and individual research projects. Cases may be drawn from Western, Eastern or Central Europe, Latin America, Asia or Africa. Recommended as preparation for 300 and 400 level courses in comparative politics. (Prerequisite: PS 201 or permission of instructor.)
PS 212 (3 Credits) As Demand Warrants
Introduction to Public Administration (3+0) s
Theories and practice of public administration, especially as applied to federal agencies. Study of organization, planning, and decision making in implementing public policy.
PS 222 (3 Credits) Alternate Fall
Political Science Research Methods (3+0) s
Familiarizes students with the research methods that have been used to produce political knowledge about significant political phenomena. Includes both qualitative and quantitative research methods. (Prerequisite: PS 101; must be completed before a student advances to senior standing in the discipline. Next offered 2002-03.)
PS 263 (3 Credits) Fall, Spring
Alaska Native Politics (3+0) s
Political development, organization, interests and activities of Alaska Natives; treatment of ethnic leadership issues, history of federal Indian policy, evolution of Native leadership, village and regional government, land claims, and community politics from the Alaska Native brotherhood to ANCSA to the Alaska Native Coalition. Compares Alaska Native political developments to those of other circumpolar Northern Native communities.
PS 300X (3 Credits) Fall, Spring
Values and Choice (3+0) h
What is the right thing to do? A presentation of important theories of values, morality, and ethics to answer this question. Application of theories to dilemmas of choice in the public world -- such as euthanasia, abortion, animal rights, sexual morality, and environmental ethics. Also available via Independent Learning. (Prerequisites: Junior standing. Recommended but not required: Two courses in the Perspectives on the Human Condition.)
PS 301 (3 Credits) Alternate Fall
American Presidency (3+0) s
The institution of the presidency in the American political system. (Prerequisite: PS 101 or permission of instructor. Next offered: 2002-03.)
PS 302W,O (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
Congress and Public Policy (3+0) s
The American Congress in the political system. (Prerequisite: PS 101. Next offered: 2002-03.)
PS 303 (3 Credits) Fall
Politics and the Judicial Process (3+0)
The role of federal courts as political institutions. The politics of judicial selection, the nature of judicial decision-making and intracourt politics, litigations as a policy making device, changes in the nature and scope of judicial power, governmental attorneys, the legal bureaucracy, and judicial agenda setting. (Prerequisite: PS 101.)
PS 312W (3 Credits) Alternate Fall
East Asian Governments and Politics (3+0) s
Modern East Asia (including China, Taiwan, Japan, North and South Korea) politics and society, including governmental institutions, political processes and regional and global foreign relations. (Prerequisite: PS 201 or permission of instructor. Next offered: 2002-03.)
PS 314W (3 Credits) Alternate Fall
Political Ideologies (3+0) s
An examination of the purpose of ideology as an orienting set of political ideas with mass appeal. Analysis of twentieth century ideologies, including anarchism, communism, liberalism, socialism, environmentalism and feminism. (Prerequisite: PS 101 or permission of instructor. Next offered: 2002-03.)
PS 315 (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
American Political Thought (3+0) s
Political ideas in the United States from colonial times to the present: Puritanism, revolutionary ideas, Constitutionalism, nature of the Union, Progressive movement, pragmatism. (Prerequisite: PS 101 or permission of instructor. HIST 131 and 132 strongly recommended. Next offered: 2002-03.)
PS 321W (3 Credits) Fall
International Politics (3+0) s
Introduction to the problems, literature and terminology of international relations. Provides a basis for understanding current international affairs. Examines relations between nations, regions and groups, as well as ideas of conflict, security, trade, technology, negotiation, cooperation, revolution, modernization and community.
PS 322 (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
International Law and Organization (3+0) s
Case studies in international law (rights and duties of states, jurisdiction and sovereignty, treaties, use of force and adjudication processes); development of regional organizations and integration; the United Nations. (Prerequisite: PS 321 or permission of instructor. Next offered: 2002-03.)
PS 323 (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
Issues of International Political Economy (3+0) s
Exploration of the manner in which political and economic forces interact to affect international flows of goods, money, investments, and technology. International political economic relations are examined in several contexts. (Prerequisite: PS 100X. Next offered: 2003 - 04.)
PS 325 (3 Credits) Spring
Native Self-Government (3+0) s
(Cross-listed with ANS 325)
Indigenous political systems, customary law and justice in Alaska emphasizing the organization of Native governance, federal Indian Law and Alaska state chartered local government. Comparisons between Alaska Native political development and those of tribes in the contiguous 48 states and northern hemisphere tribal people. (Prerequisites: HIST 100, PS 263.)
PS 330O (3 Credits) Spring
Law, Justice and Society (3+0) s
Examines legal reasoning and major legal theories through lecture, debate and discussion. Recommended as preparation for PS 435 and 436 (Constitutional Law I and II) and for pre-law students. (Prerequisites: PS 101.)
PS 340 (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
Women and Politics (3+0) s
(Cross-listed with WMS 340)
In-depth examination of the relevance of gender in political thought and action. Topics will vary and may include: an historical perspective of political ideas on the nature and status of women; women's involvement in national and/or international political movements and organizations; feminist approaches to the social sciences; feminism as a political ideology. (Prerequisite: One political science course or permission of instructor; HIST 101, HIST 103, WMS 201 recommended.)
PS 401W (3 Credits) As Demand Warrants
Political Behavior (3+0) s
Attitudes, opinions, beliefs of the American electorate and the impact of these factors on political behavior; role of political organizations (parties and interest groups) in modern American politics.
PS 403W (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
Public Policy (3+0) s
Discussion of how policy process works and how policy analysis is conducted. Examples of policy issues from recent cases, especially in Alaska. (Prerequisites: PS 101 or permission of instructor. Next offered: 2003 - 04.)
PS 404 (3 Credits) Spring
Introduction to Legal Research and Writing (3+0)
(Cross-listed with JUST 404)
Methods of legal research and preparation of legal materials. Introduction to the resources of law libraries and the techniques of presenting issues in legal form. (Prerequisites: PS 101 or JUST 110.)
PS 411W,O (3 Credits) Alternate Fall
Classical Political Theory (3+0) h
(Cross-listed with PHIL 411W,O)
Political ideas from ancient Greece, Rome, and the Judaeo-Christian tradition. Theories of Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Augustine, and Aquinas. (Prerequisites: PS 101, PHIL 102 or permission of instructor. Next offered: 2003-04.)
PS 412W,O (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
Modern Political Theory (3+0) s
(Cross-listed with PHIL 412W,O)
Political ideas from the Renaissance to the modern world. Theories of Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Burke, Marx, and Lenin. (Prerequisites: PS 101, PHIL 102 or permission of instructor. Next offered: 2003 - 04.)
PS 415 (3 Credits) As Demand Warrants
Contemporary Political Theory (3+0) s
An examination of contemporary theories about "What is democracy?" including theoretical investigation of the nature of existing "democracies." Theory is used to provide an account of the process of determination of policy in democratic capitalist systems. Evaluation of existing "democratic" systems by comparing their nature with the realizable democratic ideals. (Prerequisite: PS 101 or permission of instructor.)
PS 425 (3 Credits) Fall
Federal Indian Law and Alaska Natives (3+0) s
(Cross-listed with ANS 425)
The "special relationship" between the federal government and Native Americans based on land transactions and recognition of tribal sovereignty. Federal Indian law and policy evolving from this relationship. Legal rights and status of Alaska Natives. (Prerequisites: PS 101 and HIST 100; or permission of instructor; PS 263 is recommended.)
PS 435W (3 Credits) Alternate Fall
Constitutional Law I: Institutions and Governmental Powers (3+0)s
Constitutional doctrines and historical evolution of federalism and the separation of powers in the United States. Emphasis on the court's role in arbitering intergovernmental and interbranch disputes, the constitutional status of the administrative bureaucracy, and the control of the war power and foreign policy. (Prerequisite: PS 101 or permission of instructor. Next offered: 2003-04.)
PS 436W (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
Constitutional Law II: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (3+0) s
Origin and development of civil rights and civil liberties in the United States. Emphasis on the social, political and philosophical justifications of rights as expressed in judicial decision and constitutional doctrine. (Prerequisite: PS 101 or permission of instructor. Recommended: PS 303. Next offered: 2003 - 04.)
PS 437 (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
American Foreign Policy (3+0) s
U.S. foreign policy in the postwar and post cold war period , including development of policy (domestic and foreign influences), administration of political, economic and military policies, and evaluation of policy effectiveness. Analyzes the historical background of the U.S. role in the world today and leading personalities and events that are a part of it. (Prerequisites: PS 321, 322 or permission of instructor. Next offered: 2003 - 04.)
PS 438O (3 Credits) Alternate Fall
Peace and National Security (3+0) s
Analysis of requirements for the reduction of global tensions in relation to national security needs, with a focus on the politics of war and conflict, ideas of peace and order, obstacles to national protection, new strategic beliefs, and methods of assessing national security policies. (Prerequisite: PS 321, 322 or permission of instructor. Next offered: 2002-03.)
PS 447 (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
U.S. Environmental Politics (3+0)
(Stacked with NORS 647)
Examination of U.S. political institutions as they relate to making policies for protecting the quality the natural environment. Issues include the politics of nuclear waste, endangered species, air and water pollution, and wilderness preservation. Includes analysis of the National Environmental Policy Act, sustainable development, the limits to growth, and other topics. (Prerequisites: Upper division standing. Recommended: PS 101. Next offered: 2002-03.)
PS 448 (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
Environmental Politics of the Circumpolar North (3+0)
(Stacked with NORS 648)
Overview of how environmental politics and policy as a field of study relates to the Arctic region. Analysis of various threats to the northern environment, focusing on the policy making institutions of selected Arctic rim nations, as well as strategies to deal with environmental problems in an international context.
PS 450 (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
Comparative Aboriginal Rights and Policies (3+0) s
(Cross-listed with ANS 450)
A case-study approach in assessing Aboriginal Rights and Policies in different Nation-State Systems. Seven Aboriginal situations examined for factors promoting or limiting self-determination. (Prerequisites: Upper division standing or permission of instructor. Next offered: 2003 - 04.)
PS 451 (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
Law, Justice and Society in the Circumpolar North (3+0)
(Stacked with NORS 651)
This course analyzes the legal systems and constitutional frameworks of circumpolar countries, with special attention to the status of Native peoples. Questions of individual and collective rights, as well as cultural, environmental, and resource conflicts, will be considered in the context of institutions, policy making, and legal theory.
PS 452 (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
International Relations of the North (3+0)
(Stacked with NORS 652)
Examination of the international strategies of circumpolar states. Consideration of theoretical and practical elements of strategy formation in major issue areas such as national security, the political economy, human rights, and scientific exchange. (Next offered 2002 - 03.)
PS 454 (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
International Law and the Environment (3+0) s
(Stacked with NORS 654)
International environmental law. International case law regulating the sea, airspace, outer space, and the polar regions. Includes comprehensive international regulatory legal instruments to protect the environment (e.g. the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), and the doctrines, principles, and rules of international law that are basic to an understanding of international legal regimes and the environment. (Prerequisite: Upper-division standing and permission of instructor. Recommended: Undergraduate course in international law, organization or politics. Next offered: 2002-03.)
PS 455 (3 Credits) Fall
Political Economy of the Global Environment (3+0) s
(Stacked with NORS 655)
Exploration of the interactions between basic aspects of the global economy (international trade, investment and development) and the natural environment. Topics include the economic impact of global environmental agreements and the environmental impact of global markets, transnational corporations, and development assistance by organizations such as the World Bank. (Prerequisite: Upper division standing.)
PS 456 (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
Science, Technology and Politics (3+0) s
(Stacked with NORS 656)
Relationship of science, technology and politics: connections among scientific knowledge, technology, technological innovations, politics and power. Includes historical and comparative aspects. (Prerequisite: Senior standing. Recommended: PS 101. Next offered: 2003-04.)
PS 458 (3 Credits) Alternate Fall
Comparative Environmental Politics (3+0) s
(Stacked with NORS 658)
Seminar with emphasis on enduring issues of the field of comparative politics and their relation to global environmental problems such as biodiversity, transboundary pollution, and climate warming. Explores how state-society relations, political institutions, national political capacity, political processes and organizations, and international commitments potentially shape the nature and dynamics of global environmental politics and vise versa. (Prerequisite: Upper division standing. Recommended: PS 201 or equivalent comparative politics course. Next offered: 2003-04.)
PS 460W (3 Credits) Alternate Fall
Government and Politics of Canada (3+0) s
(Stacked with NORS 660)
A detailed examination of the Canadian political system, covering the Canadian constitution, the federal structure, parliamentary government and public policy, as well as contemporary issues concerning Native rights and the Canadian North. Students will complete a major research paper on specific policy areas (language, education, health care, environment, natural resources, foreign relations). (Prerequisite: PS 201 or permission of instructor. Next offered: 2003-04.)
PS 462 (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
Alaska Government and Politics (3+0) s
(Stacked with NORS 662)
A comprehensive introduction to Alaska's government and politics, in the context of American state and local government and politics and governments of circumpolar northern nations. Topics include political history, constitution, political parties, interest groups, elections, public opinion, governor, legislature, judiciary, administration and local governments. Compares Alaska to the contiguous 48 states and subnational governments of the circumpolar North; examines how government institutions and processes respond to social, environmental, and political changes of Northern communities. (Prerequisite: junior standing. Next offered: 2002 - 03.)
PS 467W (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
Political Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (3+0) s
(Cross-listed with HIST 467W)
Exploration of major issues and concepts in the development and governances of modern Latin America and the Caribbean region, including the legacies of colonialism, revolution, military rule, economic challenges and the quest for democratic stability. Includes an historical overview of the region and cases drawn from the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America. (Prerequisite: PS 201 or HIST 102 or permission of instructor. Next offered: 2002 - 03.)
PS 468W (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
Government and Politics of Russia (3+0) s
(Stacked with NORS 668)
An examination of current developments in Russia from a number of perspectives: the effect of history and geography on political change; the nature of Russian government and society; the legacies of Lenin, Stalin, Gorbachev, and the ideological nature of regimes and leadership; economic forces and the political struggle in governance; revolution, democracy and reform; and the international role of Russia, particularly in relation to the former Soviet republics, Eastern Europe and other border areas. (Prerequisites: PS 201 or permission of instructor. Next offered: 2003 - 04.)
PS 472 (3 Credits) Alternate Spring
International Ethics (3+0) h
(Cross-listed with PHIL 472)
Examination of the questions including: What is in the interest of the nation-state according to the logic of statecraft? How does the national interest relate to the broader human interest? How does morality relate to the international legal order? Examination is through theory and case studies. (Prerequisite: PHIL 322X or equivalent; or PHIL 436; or PS 321; or permission of instructor.)
PS 475 (3 Credits) Fall, Spring
Internship in Public Affairs (3+0)
Individual study of public agencies or organizations through actual experience. (Admission by permission of instructor.)
PS 492 (3 Credits) Spring
Senior Seminar in Political Science (3+0) s
Provides scope and depth to the study of political science. Exploration of new literature in the field and interdisciplinary perspectives. Requirements include a major research paper. (Prerequisite: Junior standing.)