Politics
Overview
Politics involves the study of power, influence and ideas in public and private life, at the personal, local, state, national, and international levels. The mission of the Department of Politics is to provide our students with an understanding of politics, government, and public policy to prepare them to become well informed, curious, and engaged leaders in their communities, in their societies, and in our increasingly complex, interdependent, and pluralistic world. Graduates of the Politics Department have found this major provides an excellent basis for careers in politics, law, education, business, public service, international affairs, and media.
The Politics Department emphasizes a strong grounding in all sub-fields of political science (American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory and public law), as well as putting theory into practice (praxis). The department highly encourages each of its majors to engage in off-campus and experiential learning, community-based research, and internships. Politics majors regularly hold internships in government agencies, public interest organizations, media firms, businesses, and law offices across the country and abroad. The department has helped lead efforts at Occidental College, along with the Center for Community Based Learning and the Office of Community Engagement, to link the College’s academic program with community involvement, including expanding community internships and community-oriented research projects for students.
The Politics Department supports programs in Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C., and overseas, and offers its signature Campaign Semester program, in which students receive a full semester credit while working full-time on a political campaign. The department also offers students interested in law the opportunity to receive half semester credit while working as law clerks in legal offices across Los Angeles.
The Politics Department provides financial support for majors conducting research or holding internships during the academic year and over the summer. The Anderson, Reath, McKelvey and Caldwell Fellowships support majors working on a wide variety of projects in the United States and abroad. The department also encourages majors to pursue Undergraduate Research Fellowships for summer research in partnership with a faculty member and Research Abroad fellowships through the International Programs Office.
Major Requirements
In total, majors must complete at least 11 courses (44 units). ECON 101 is strongly recommended. No course will count toward the Politics major that the student takes CR/NC.
In addition to the Fundamental Courses listed below, a Politics major must take one course in each sub-field (American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Public Law); one Junior Writing Seminar which can "double-dip" with a sub-field requirement (Politics 272 or any 300-level Politics, approved DWA, or UEP course except Politics 300); and three elective courses from any sub-field. A maximum of three courses outside the Politics Department can count towards the major, including approved DWA, UEP, and Study Abroad courses. Finally, a Politics major will complete a Senior Comprehensive seminar in the spring of the senior year.
Fundamental Courses
Every Politics major must take these courses.
| POLS 101 | American Politics and Public Policy | 4 units |
| POLS 300 | Research Methods in Politics and Public Policy | 4 units |
| POLS 495 | Comprehensive Seminar | 4 units |
Subfields
Students must select one course in each of the following subfields: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Public Law.
For the subfield courses, DWA courses may count towards International Relations with department approval, and select UEP courses may count for American Politics with department approval, but Comparative Politics, Political Theory, and Public Law must be taken within the Politics Department.
International Relations
| POLS 130 | Introduction to International Relations | 4 units |
| POLS 218 | Russian Relations with the World | 4 units |
| POLS 232 | International Political Economy | 4 units |
| POLS 233/DWA 250 | International Security | 4 units |
| POLS 235 | United States Foreign Relations | 4 units |
| POLS 250 | American Intelligence and National Security | 4 units |
| POLS 286 | Seminar in Washington Politics: International and Foreign Policy Studies | 4 units |
| DWA 101 | International Relations: The Changing Rules of the Game | 4 units |
| DWA 102 | International Organizations | 4 units |
| DWA 103 | Introduction to Global Political Economy | 4 units |
| DWA 231 | Gender and International Relations | 4 units |
| DWA 241 | International Relations of the Middle East | 4 units |
| DWA 337 | Junior Seminar: International Relations Theory | 4 units |
| DWA 342 | Junior Seminar: Transnational Identity and International Relations | 4 units |
| DWA 343 | Junior Seminar: Transnationalism and Global Governance | 4 units |
Comparative Politics
| POLS 120 | Introduction to Comparative Politics | 4 units |
| POLS 218 | Russian Relations with the World | 4 units |
| POLS 221/DWA 224 | Latin American Politics | 4 units |
| POLS 223/DWA 226 | Dilemmas of Democracy | 4 units |
| POLS 226 | Contemporary Chinese Politics | 4 units |
| POLS 227 | East Asian Politics: China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan | 4 units |
| POLS 320 | Advanced Theories of Comparative Politics | 4 units |
| POLS 321 | Gender and Politics in the Global South | 4 units |
| POLS 325 | Politics and Security in New Europe | 4 units |
| POLS 283 | Seminar in Washington Politics: Global Public Health Policy | 4 units |
| POLS 284 | Seminar in Washington Politics: Global Women’s Leadership Development | 4 units |
American Politics
| POLS 200/AMST 200 | Democratic Socialism, American Style | 4 units |
| POLS 201 | Media and Politics | 4 units |
| POLS 202 | Leadership in the Public and Private Sphere | 4 units |
| POLS 204 | Campaigns and Elections | 4 units |
| POLS 205/LLAS 205 | Latino/a Politics | 4 units |
| POLS 206 | Race and American Politics | 4 units |
| POLS 207 | Los Angeles Politics | 4 units |
| POLS 208 | Movements for Social Justice | 4 units |
| POLS 209/UEP 209 | Health Policy | 4 units |
| POLS 250 | American Intelligence and National Security | 4 units |
| POLS 262 | California Politics | 4 units |
| POLS 264 | Disaster Politics: New Orleans in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina | 4 units |
| POLS 265/UEP 265 | Community Planning and Politics Practicum | 4 units |
| POLS 280 | Washington, D.C. Internship | 8 |
| POLS 281 | Seminar in Political Leadership | 4 units |
| POLS 282 | Seminar in Washington Politics: Environmental Law and Policy Studies | 4 units |
| POLS 285 | Seminar in Washington Politics: Inside Washington Politics and Policies | 4 units |
| POLS 301 | Urban Policy and Politics | 4 units |
| POLS 302 | The American Presidency | 4 units |
| POLS 303 | Gender and American Politics | 4 units |
| POLS 336 | National Security in Practice: How Washington Works | 4 units |
| UEP 204 | Environmentalism: Past, Present, and Future | 4 units |
| UEP 301/POLS 301 | Urban Policy and Politics | 4 units |
Political Theory
| POLS 150 | Introduction to Political Theory | 4 units |
| POLS 251 | European Political Thought: From Plato to Machiavelli | 4 units |
| POLS 253 | European Political Thought: From Nietzsche to the Present | 4 units |
| POLS 254 | American Political Thought | 4 units |
| POLS 256 | Ethics and Politics | 4 units |
| POLS 257 | Conservative and Libertarian Political Philosophy | 4 units |
| POLS 258/BLST 258 | Theoretical Accounts of Racism | 4 units |
| POLS 351 | Tocqueville, Marx, and Nietzsche | 4 units |
| POLS 352/BLST 352 | Black Political Thought | 4 units |
| POLS 355/BLST 355 | Critical Fanonism | 4 units |
Public Law
Additional Electives
Three required electives in any subfield must be taken within the Politics Department. Study Abroad courses may be accepted with departmental approval.
Second-Stage Writing Requirement
Passage of POLS 272 or any 300-level Politics, accepted DWA, or UEP course (except Politics 300) fulfills the Second-Stage Writing Requirement. If student does not pass one of these courses they must submit a writing portfolio to the department chair. This requirement must be completed by the end of the fall semester of the senior year.
Comprehensive Requirement
All politics majors must complete a Comprehensive Seminar in the spring of their senior year (preliminary preparation will occur in the fall semester of the senior year). In the seminar, students will read and discuss political science journal articles that raise interesting questions for the field, combine theory with empirical data, and serve as models for their own senior thesis. Each student will develop a senior thesis on a topic in one of the sub-fields of the major, demonstrating theoretical sophistication, an ability to find and evaluate sources of data, to develop and test hypotheses, and to argue a thesis. Each thesis is subjected to a rigorous drafting process that includes peer review and feedback from a faculty advisor. All seniors are required to submit a proposal for their thesis in the fall of their senior year. These proposals should state the research problem, demonstrate a significant command of the relevant bibliography, and include a tentative outline of major components in the study. Once the comprehensive project is submitted, the Politics faculty asses the papers, awarding them one of the following marks: Pass with Distinction (PD) is awarded to exceptionally sophisticated work that surpasses the departmental standards, Pass (P) is awarded to work that meets departmental standards, and Fail (F) for work that fails to satisfy departmental standards.
College Honors
We encourage highly motivated students to pursue Honors. They qualify for this program by achieving a 3.25 grade point average overall and a 3.5 grade point average in courses counting toward the Politics major. Only under extraordinary circumstances will the Politics faculty members approve a petition to have this 3.5 grade point average waived. Students interested in pursuing Honors should complete the courses required for the Politics major by the end of Fall Semester of the senior year. They will be required to meet all of the obligations of the Comprehensive Seminar in the spring semester and complete a major research paper that follows the above requirements, but is a project of greater depth that extends to 40-50 pages. Students wishing to be considered for Honors should contact the chair during the spring semester of their sophomore year for more detailed information
Minor Requirements
At least five courses (20 units) within the department or courses accepted by the department in lieu of its own. Of these five courses, three (12 units) must be advanced courses (200-level and higher) taken from different sub-fields within Politics (American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Public Law). At least three of the five courses must be courses or course equivalents offered in the Politics department.
Transfer Credit Policies
The Politics Department policy on transfer credit conforms to College policy. The department accepts at most three courses in transfer to count toward the major and at most two courses in transfer to count toward the minor. Students should reference the Transfer Credit section for more details.
Courses
All Politics Courses
Faculty
Regular Faculty
Thalia González, chair
Associate Professor
B.A., Arizona State University; J.D., Northwestern University
Tsung Chi
Professor
B.A., National Chengchi University; M.A., Ph.D., Michigan State University
Peter Dreier
E.P. Clapp Distinguished Professor of Politics,
Professor, Urban and Environmental Policy
B.A., Syracuse University; M.A., Ph.D., University of Chicago
Regina Freer
Professor
B.A., University of California, Berkeley; Ph.D., University of Michigan
Caroline Heldman
Professor
B.A., Washington State University; M.A., Ph.D., Rutgers University
Ainsley LeSure
Assistant Professor
B.A., Carleton College; M.A., Ph.D., University of Chicago
Jennifer Piscopo
Associate Professor
B.A., Wellesley; M.Phil., University of Cambridge; Ph.D., University of California, San Diego
On Special Appointment
Alec Arellano
Non-Tenure Track Instructor, Politics
B.A., Colorado College; M.A., University of Texas, Austin
Mariano Bertucci
Non-Tenure Track Assistant Professor, Diplomacy and World Affairs, Politics
B.A., Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires; M.A. University of Denver; Ph.D. University of Southern California