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Faculty
Regina M. Baker, assistant professor (political science). B.S., 1983, M.A., 1992, M.A., 1993, Ph.D., 2002, Michigan. (2004)
Deborah Baumgold, associate professor (history of political thought). B.A., 1971, Oberlin; M.A., 1975, Ph.D., 1980, Princeton. On leave 2007–8. (1987)
Gerald Berk, associate professor (American politics, political development, political economy). B.A., 1977, Clark; Ph.D., 1987, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (1994)
Jane K. Cramer, assistant professor (international relations). B.A., 1986, Oberlin; Ph.D., 2002, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (2000)
John E. Davidson, visiting instructor (public law). B.A., 1984, Wisconsin, Madison; J.D., 1992, Oregon. (2004)
Ken DeBevoise, visiting assistant professor (comparative politics, judicial politics, U.S. politics). B.A., 1964, Stanford; J.D., 1968, California, Hastings Law; Ph.D., 1986, Oregon. (1996)
Leonard C. Feldman, assistant professor (political theory). B.A., 1993, Yale; M.A., 1995, Ph.D., 2000, Washington (Seattle). (2002)
Dennis C. Galvan, associate professor (Africa, culturally sustainable rural development, comparative politics). See International Studies.
Anna Gruben, acting assistant professor (comparative politics of Latin America). B.A., 1997, California, Santa Cruz; M.A., 2000, Stanford. (2007)
Daniel HoSang, acting assistant professor (racial politics). B.A., 1993, Wesleyan. (2007)
Richard Kraus, professor (comparative politics, Chinese politics, politics of culture). B.A., 1966, Grinnell; certificate (East Asian Institute), 1969, M.A., 1969, Ph.D., 1974, Columbia. (1983)
Joseph E. Lowndes, assistant professor (U.S. politics). B.A., 1990, Antioch College; M.A., 1996, New School for Social Research; Ph.D., 2004, New School University. (2003)
Eric M. McGhee, assistant professor (U.S. politics). B.A., 1995, Stanford, M.A., 1998, Ph.D., 2003, California, Berkeley. (2004)
Ronald B. Mitchell, professor (environmental politics, international relations). B.A., 1981, Stanford; M.P.P., 1985, Ph.D., 1992, Harvard. (1993)
Mikhail Myagkov, associate professor (comparative politics, formal political theory). B.S., 1990, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology; M.S., 1994, Ph.D., 1996, California Institute of Technology. (1996)
Julie Novkov, associate professor (law and politics, political theory, U.S. politics). A.B., 1989, Harvard and Radcliffe; J.D., 1992, New York University School of Law; M.A., 1994, Ph.D., 1998, Michigan. On leave 2007–8. (1996)
Craig Parsons, associate professor (comparative politics). B.A., 1992, Stanford; C.E.P., 1993 Institut d’Etudes Politiques; M.A., 1994, Ph.D., 1999, California, Berkeley. (2004)
Lars Skalnes, associate professor (international political economy, international relations). Cand.mag., 1984, Bergen; M.A., 1989, Ph.D., 1993, California, Los Angeles. (1992)
Priscilla Southwell, professor (political behavior, U.S. and European politics). B.A., 1974, M.A., 1977, Colorado; Ph.D., 1983, North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (1981)
Tuong Vu, assistant professor (comparative politics of Southeast Asia). B.A., 1987, Vietnam National, Ho Chi Minh City; B.A., 1994, Minnesota, Twin Cities; M.P.A., 1997, Princeton; Ph.D., 2004, California, Berkeley. (2007)
Emeriti
William H. Baugh, associate professor emeritus. S.B., 1963, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; M.S., 1965, Rochester; M.A., 1971, Ph.D., 1973, Indiana. (1978)
James C. Davies, professor emeritus. A.B., 1939, Oberlin; Ph.D., 1952, California, Berkeley. (1963)
Daniel Goldrich, professor emeritus. B.A., 1955, Antioch; M.A., 1957, Ph.D., 1959, North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (1963)
Arthur M. Hanhardt Jr., professor emeritus . B.A., 1953, Rochester; M.A, 1958, Colgate; Ph.D, 1963, Northwestern. (1963)
James R. Klonoski, professor emeritus. B.S., 1947, M.A., 1948, Minnesota; Ph.D., 1958, Michigan. (1961)
Jerry F. Medler, associate professor emeritus. B.A., 1963, Northwestern; M.A., 1965, Ph.D., 1966, Oregon. (1968)
John M. Orbell, professor emeritus. B.A., 1957, M.A., 1960, New Zealand; Ph.D., 1965, North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (1967)
Richard P. Suttmeier, professor emeritus. A.B., 1963, Dartmouth; Ph.D., 1969, Indiana. (1990)
M. George Zaninovich, professor emeritus. B.A., 1953, M.A., 1959, Ph.D., 1964, Stanford. (1966)
Participating
Gordon Lafer, Labor Education and Research Center
The date in parentheses at the end of each entry is the first year on the University of Oregon faculty.
About the Department
The Department of Political Science offers courses on a variety of topics, including U.S. politics, international relations, comparative politics, political theory, and methods of social science research.
Careers. Political science majors follow different paths after earning their undergraduate degrees. Many apply for admission to law schools through-out the country. Others go on to graduate work in political science or public administration. With the bachelor’s degree, political science graduates may find jobs in federal, state, and local government agencies; nonprofit organizations; private industry; self-employment; and teaching. Recent surveys indicate that students who combine university studies with either work or internships in local governmental agencies are more likely than majors without such experience to obtain governmental employment after graduation.
 Undergraduate Studies [back to top]
The Department of Political Science offers a program leading to a bachelor of science (B.S.) or a bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree. This program is designed to (1) provide a systematic understanding of the political process; (2) provide a basic background for students preparing for careers in local, state, and national government as well as in law, journalism, and the teaching of social studies; (3) prepare students for graduate work leading to professional careers in political science.
Review of Courses Offered
Courses at the 100 and 200 levels are introductory, basic to building a major in political science. Courses at the 300 level introduce the chief areas and concerns of political science. Advanced and specialized courses are at the 400 level.
At the discretion of the instructor, certain 300- and 400-level courses may have prerequisites. Students should have at least 8 credits in political science before taking 400-level courses.
Bachelor Degree Requirements
Undergraduates must satisfy the university’s general-education requirements described under Bachelor’s Degree Requirements in the Registration and Academic Policies section of this catalog.
Major Requirements
1. A minimum of 48 credits in undergraduate political science courses; of these a minimum of 32 credits must be upper division
2. The 48 credits that satisfy major requirements must be taken for letter grades and passed with C- or better. Thesis (PS 403) and Honors Thesis Prospectus (PS 411), offered pass/no pass (P/N) only, may be applied to the 48 credits
3 No more than a total of 16 credits in Research (PS 401), Thesis (PS 403), Reading and Conference (PS 405), Field Studies (PS 406), Workshop (PS 408), and Honors Thesis Prospectus (PS 411) may be applied to the 48‑credit requirement. These courses do not fulfill a subfield requirement
4. No more than 10 credits of Field Studies (PS 406) may be applied toward the 48 credits. This work must be done under the direction of a faculty member who, prior to registration, must approve and set up academic criteria to evaluate the work. The student must be registered at the university to earn credit. Credits earned in Practicum (PS 409) may not be applied to the major
5. Work completed in Special Studies (PS 199 or 399), Seminars (PS 407), or Experimental Courses (PS 410) may be included in the 48‑credit requirement and counted toward a subfield requirement. A complete list of courses and their subfields is available on the political science website
6. Of the 48 credits, 8 must be taken in each of the three subfields listed below for a total of 24 credits. A course may only be used once to satisfy major requirements
a. Political theory
b. United States politics
c. World politics
A complete list of courses and their assigned subfield is available on the department’s website. Course subfields are also indicated by notes in the class schedule.
Freshmen and Transfer Students. There are no departmental requirements for entering freshmen. Students planning to transfer to the university from two-year colleges should take the basic introductory political science courses offered at those institutions. At least 20 credits in upper-division graded political science courses must be completed in residence at the University of Oregon to qualify for a B.A. or B.S. degree in political science. Transfer students must meet the subfield distribution requirement.
Second Bachelor’s Degree or Second Major. Students who want to earn a second bachelor’s degree or a second or double major in political science must complete 48 credits in political science, as outlined under Major Requirements.
Honors in Political Science
To graduate with honors in political science, a student must (1) have an overall grade point average for UO and transfer credits of at least 3.50 through the winter term prior to graduation, (2) take Honors Thesis Prospectus (PS 411) during fall term of the academic year in which the thesis is completed, and (3) register for a minimum of 4 credits in Thesis (PS 403). The thesis must be completed at least one term before the term of graduation. An honors committee reviews the student’s performance on the thesis and on courses taken during the senior year before making a final decision about granting the honors distinction. Obtain complete instructions and an honors thesis agreement form from the political science website.
Minor Requirements
The minor in political science requires 24 credits including 16 upper-division credits. These 24 credits must be taken for letter grades and passed with grades of C- or better. Only 6 of these credits may be in Research (PS 401), Thesis (PS 403), Reading and Conference (PS 405), and Workshop (PS 408). Field Studies (PS 406) and Practicum (PS 409) do not count toward the minor. Up to 8 credits may be transferred from another institution.
Kindergarten through Secondary Teaching Careers
Students who complete a degree with a major in political science are eligible to apply to the College of Education’s fifth-year licensure program in middle-secondary teaching or the fifth-year licensure program in elementary teaching. More information is available in the College of Education section of this catalog.
Graduate Studies [back to top]
The Department of Political Science offers a graduate program of studies leading to the master of arts (M.A.), master of science (M.S.), and doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees. The program is designed to prepare students for teaching, research, and governmental or other public service and to enable them to understand and participate in public affairs.
Regular members of the department and occasional visiting faculty members offer advanced courses and seminars in most fields of political science. Joint faculty-student studies, interdepartmental research projects, and individual research are being conducted in such diverse areas as environmental politics, international political economy, laboratory study of rational choice, north-north and north-south issues in economic and political development, political parties, political change in East Asia, and voting behavior.
Admission
Minimum admission requirements for the master’s and doctoral degree programs include the following:
1. Official transcripts showing a grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 or higher for all undergraduate and graduate academic work
2. Recommendations from at least three teachers from whom courses have been taken
3. Official scores on the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE): combined verbal and quantitative scores of 1100 are required. International students from non-English-speaking countries must also attain a score of at least 213 on the computer-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or 550 on the paper-based version
4. A statement of career plans prepared by the student
5. Other evidence that may be helpful in reaching a decision. Although an undergraduate major in political science is not a prerequisite for admission, the committee takes into consideration previous academic work in political science
Application forms, recommendation forms, and additional information about the graduate program and graduate teaching fellowships may be obtained by visiting the department’s website or sending an e-mail request. The deadline for fall-term admission and graduate teaching fellowship applications is February 15.
Master’s Degree Program
The master’s degree program prepares students for promotion to the doctoral program and professional careers in teaching and research. Two years is the typical period for completing the program.
The master’s degree program has the following requirements:
1. Completion of 55 credits of graduate course work
2. Completion of required courses as specified by the department
3. Demonstrated competence in social science methodology
4. Completion of a master’s degree thesis
See the Graduate School section of this catalog for the distinction between M.S. and M.A. degree requirements.
Doctoral Program
This program is designed to allow the well-prepared student to complete course requirements for the Ph.D. in two years of full-time study. Students take comprehensive examinations during their third year, followed by preparation of a dissertation. Requirements for the Ph.D. in political science include:
1. Completion of 100 credits (18 credits are for dissertation) beyond the bachelor’s degree. PS 601, 602, 605, 606, 608, 609, and 610 may be taken pass/no pass. All other course work must be taken for letter grades
2. Completion of State of the Discipline (PS 620), to be taken the first time it is offered
3. Completion of three seminars, selected from PS 621-627, in the three area fields in which the student takes the comprehensive examination. Students should take these seminars as early as possible
4. Demonstrated proficiency in quantitative and research methods
5. After completion of course work, passing a comprehensive examination with written and oral elements in one major field and two minor fields selected from the list below. Each field comprises several themes from which the student must choose a subset.
a. Political theory
b. Comparative politics
c. International relations
d. Formal theory and methodology
e. United States politics
f. Public policy
6. After passing the comprehensive examinations, completion of 18 credits in Dissertation (PS 603), to be taken while completing the Ph.D. dissertation
7. Defense of the written dissertation in an oral examination
A complete description of graduate requirements, including an explanation of themes and field requirements, is available on the department website.
Political Science Courses (PS) [back to top]
Every course listed here cannot be offered every year. Students should consult the most recent class schedule or inquire at the department office.
101 Modern World Governments (4) Introduction to the political systems, practices, and institutions of leading contemporary nations including Britain, France, Russia, China, and selected nations in Africa and Latin America.
104 Problems in United States Politics (4) Current policy issues in American politics (e.g., unemployment, education, crime).
199 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)
201 United States Politics (4) Theoretical introduction to American institutions, political doctrines, and ideology as these affect the course of politics and public policy in the United States. Berk, Southwell.
203 State and Local Government (4) Linkage between elites and masses with attention to values, beliefs, participation, and process. Topics include mass participation, state and community elites, violence, public policy.
204 Introduction to Comparative Politics (4) Major concepts and approaches in the study of comparative government and politics. Parsons.
205 Introduction to International Relations (4) Introduction to theoretical and methodological tools for the analysis of world politics. Cramer, Mitchell, Skalnes.
208 Introduction to the Tradition of Political Theory (4) Selected issues in political theory such as political obligation, rationality, diversity, and relativism. Covers contemporary and classical theories. Baumgold, Feldman.
225 Political Ideologies (4) Origins, functions, and political implications of several ideologies such as liberalism, fascism, communism, feminism, environmentalism, and nationalism. Feldman.
230 Introduction to Urban Politics (4) Conflict in cities; power structures; protest movements and political participation; urban political institutions; critiques of urban politics; black politics.
255 Mexican Politics (4) Introduction to contemporary Mexican politics: historical overview; government and politics; political economy, global economic integration, impacts; popular struggles, human rights politics, militarization, United States role; border politics.
275 Legal Process (4) Overview of the United States legal system. Covers a range of sociolegal writing and provides a context for the legal system under which the U.S. operates. Novkov.
297 Introduction to Environmental Politics (4) United States environmental policy and alternative environmental political futures.
301 Art and the State (4) Comparative analysis of issues raised by state intervention in production and distribution of art: censorship, artistic freedom, ideological domination, regulation of artistic marketplace, cultural imperialism.
308 United States Political Thought (4) Development of United States political thought from the Revolution through the 20th century. Includes writings of Jefferson, Paine, Madison, Tocqueville.
321 Introduction to Political Economy (4) Systematic comparison of markets and political processes and their outcomes. Southwell.
324 European Politics (4) Overview of the formation and current dynamics of national politics in Western Europe. Parsons.
326 United States Foreign Policy I (4) Basic concepts underlying the formulation and implementation of United States foreign policy; relationships between American society and foreign policy; the relationship of the U.S. to its international environment. Baugh, Kraus, Southwell.
337 The Politics of Development (4) Presents alternative perspectives on key north-south issues: trade, aid, foreign investment, debt, and the environment. Includes such institutions as the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization.
340 International Political Economy (4) Links between economics and politics in the international system. Basic concepts include power, dependence, inequality, imperialism, and development. EC 201, 202 recommended. Skalnes.
342 Politics of China I (4) Survey of the politics of the People’s Republic of China. Emphasis on political sociology and group conflict: elites, ideology, social change, and organization.
346 Terrorism and Weapons Proliferation (4) Examines causes and control of terrorism, especially preventing terrorist use of weapons of mass destruction; theories and policies of nonproliferation and arms control. Cramer.
347 Political Power, Influence, and Control (4) Survey of the use of the concept of power in the social sciences, stressing diverse theoretical perspectives and empirical studies of political institutions. Baumgold.
348 Women and Politics (4) Examines the treatment of women in the classic works of political philosophy. Links this body of thought to contemporary views on women. Novkov, Southwell.
349 Mass Media and American Politics (4) The role of the mass media in contemporary American politics; the effect of the media on such institutions as political parties, elections, and the presidency.
352 Political Parties and Interest Groups (4) Overview of current developments in political parties and interest groups in the United States. Southwell.
353 Campaigns and Elections (4) Strategic issues for politicians and others interested in winning votes. Theoretical materials from political science and related disciplines cast light on these practical questions.
355 Oregon Government and Politics (4) Current political issues in Oregon with particular attention to political races and ballot measures before the Oregon electorate as well as the state’s major political institutions.
386 United States Social Movements and Political Change (4) Causes and consequences of American social movements. Considers theoretical perspectives. Topics may include agrarian populism, labor movement, civil rights movement, the women’s movement, and identity politics. Berk, Novkov.
399 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)
401 Research: [Topic] (1–15R)
403 Thesis (1–12R)
405 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1–15R)
406 Field Studies: [Topic] (1–5R) R for maximum of 10 credits.
407/507 Seminar: [Topic] (1–4R) Offerings vary from year to year, depending on student needs and faculty interests.
408/508 Workshop: [Topic] (1–21R)
409 Practicum: [Topic] (1–3R)
410/510 Experimental Course: [Topic] (1–4R) Offerings vary from year to year, depending on student needs and faculty interests.
411 Honors Thesis Prospectus (1) Prepares students for writing the senior honors thesis in political science. Provides guidance in framing a suitable topic, conducting preliminary research, and writing a prospectus. Prereq: majors with honors standing.
420/520 International Organization (4) The organization of interaction among nations in institutional arrangements. Mitchell, Skalnes.
421/521 Science, Technology, and International Relations (4) Examines weapons development, economic competitiveness, and environmental issues to learn how advances in science and technology have influenced international relations. Suttmeier.
422/522 Human Rights—U.S. Foreign Policy (4) Evolution of human rights as a political issue; the role of nongovernmental organizations; political uses of human rights rhetoric and contradictions in implementing policy.
426/526 United States Foreign Policy II (4) Processes by which United States foreign policy is made and executed; problems leading to suboptimal results; predicting future policy problems and outcomes. Prereq: PS 326.
429/529 Public Opinion and Foreign Policy (4) Nature, determinants, impact, and interaction of elite and mass public opinion regarding foreign policy, particularly of the United States. Structure and measurement of belief systems. PS 326 or 426 recommended.
430/530 Political Theory: Ancient and Medieval (4) Greek, Roman, and medieval political thought covering Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Augustine, and Aquinas. Baumgold, Feldman.
431/531 Political Theory: Renaissance, Reformation, and Early Modern (4) Development of political theory. Primary figures are Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau. Baumgold, Feldman.
432/532 Political Theory: Modern and Contemporary (4) Political theory during the 19th and 20th centuries including utilitarianism and radical, revolutionary, and liberal democratic traditions. Baumgold, Feldman.
433/533 Marxism and Radical Thought (4) Surveys utopian socialist thought, anarchism, Marxism, and Leninism. Central themes include the nature of radical theory, the role of the state, human nature and the new society. Baumgold.
434/534 Feminism and Ecology (4) Ecofeminism as a mode of thought and social movement. Explores political and cross-cultural origins, conceptions of the social and natural, critiques of development, and approaches to population issues. One ENVS, INTL, or WGS course recommended.
440/540 Causes and Prevention of War (4) Surveys theories of causes of war; focuses on major theories of prevention; case studies from World War I, World War II, and other wars. Cramer.
445/545 Methods for Politics and Policy Analysis I (4) Introduction to quantitative analysis, concepts and methods of empirical research, applied statistical data analysis in political science. Methods include descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation, and regression techniques. Myagkov, Southwell.
446/546 Methods for Politics and Policy Analysis II (4) Survey of multivariate model building for political analysis. Multiple regression, discrete-variable techniques, recursive systems, and cross-level analysis. Application of these techniques to concrete political problems. Prereq: PS 445/545. Baker, Myagkov, Southwell.
448/548, 449/549 Racial Politics in the United States I,II (4,4) Considers how race has interacted with political development in the U.S. 448: colonial period through the New Deal. 449: New Deal to the present.
450/550 Ethics, Technology, and Gender (4) Ethical, political, and legal questions raised by technological innovation as it affects gender relations and ecological health. Particular attention paid to reproductive and biomedical technologies.
454/554 Japanese Politics (4) Analyzes issues surrounding Japanese democracy and political economy with reference to Japan’s modern history, political institutions, public policy, and foreign relations. Suttmeier.
455/555 Theories of International Politics (4) Competing theories of international relations and strategies for testing the theories. Skalnes.
459/559 United States–China Relations (4) Examines the sources and consequences of China’s foreign policies since 1949.
463 Government and Politics of Latin America I (4) Historical impact of international economic integration on democracy, equity, and sustainability; Cuban revolution; national security states; new social movements; case studies: Chile, Brazil, Mexico.
467/567 The United States Presidency (4) An ambivalent view of the presidency as the key institution in the United States political system: source of great good but also of great harm.
468/568 Congress (4) Study of Congress as an institution: congressional elections, the committee system, and the internal distribution of influence; relations with the President and the Supreme Court.
470/570 Constitutional Law (4) Surveys how the U.S. Constitution works as a structure for government. Addresses how the federal courts interact within the U.S. system of government. Prereq: PS 275. Novkov.
477/577 International Environmental Politics (4) How nations solve international environmental problems. Explores major problems, processes, and current debates. Evaluates existing treaties through case studies. Prereq: ENVS 201 or PS 205. Mitchell.
479/579 U.S. Interventions in Developing Nations (4) Examines theories of intervention: security, economic imperialism, humanitarian intervention, spreading democracy, domestic politics; over thirty-seven U.S. interventions since 1898 are surveyed. Cramer.
480/580 Introduction to Rational Choice I (4) Introduces the paradigm of rational choice and game theory that is of special significance to politics. Myagkov.
484/584 United States Supreme Court (4) The Supreme Court as a political body; the judicial role in the context of the economic, political, social, and psychological factors that influence the court’s decisions.
485/585 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (4) Overview of the role of rights in the United States legal system. Particular emphasis on the role of freedom and equality in a federal system. Prereq: PS 275 or 470/570. Novkov.
491/591 Politics of Everyday Life (4) Examines how we try to influence each other’s behaviors in the course of everyday life. Readings from several disciplines. Myagkov.
495/595 United States Political Economy (4) Examines United States political-economic institutions from a comparative and historical perspective. Topics include rise and fall of mass production, labor and the law, and regional development.
497/597 Environmental Politics (4) Global corporate-led international economic integration’s impact on world environment and equity (e.g., the United States and poor countries, U.S.–Mexico agricultural integration; transnational citizens’ organizing for alternatives).
503 Thesis (1–16R)
601 Research: [Topic] (1–16R)
602 Supervised College Teaching (1–5R)
603 Dissertation (1–16R)
605 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1–16R)
606 Field Studies: [Topic] (1–16R)
607 Seminar: [Topic] (1–5R)
608 Workshop: [Topic] (1–16R)
609 Practicum: [Topic] (1–4R)
610 Experimental Course: [Topic] (1–5R)
620 State of the Discipline (5) Introduction to trends in the political science profession and to the faculty at the University of Oregon.
621 United States Politics (5) Survey of major works in the field of American government.
622 Political Theory (5) Survey of major works in the field of classical and contemporary political theory.
623 Comparative Politics (5) Survey of major works in the field of comparative politics.
624 International Relations (5) Survey of major works in the field of international relations.
625 Public Policy (5) Survey of major works in the field of public policy.
627 Formal Theory and Methodology (5) Reviews basic formal theory as developed in political science since 1957.
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