Introduces students to the variety of ways that political phenomena can be studied systematically. A topic is selected as the focus of the course that is examined through the lens of the primary subfields: political theory, American politics, comparative politics, and international relations. Students gain an introduction to the process of social science research as they participate in a research project related to the topic of the course. Students receive early exposure to the full scope of the politics discipline as well as begin the process of preparing for research in politics. Specific content may vary by course section subtitles but all sections repeat core concepts. Only once section may be counted for course credit.

This course examines the methods by which political scientists attempt to better understand political phenomena, with a focus on quantitative methodologies.

This course introduces students to applied statistical methods for testing theories in political science. It focuses on using software such as SPSS for building and analyzing large datasets through multivariate statistical models. This course is appropriate for any upper-level student in the social sciences working on a seminar paper or senior thesis that utilizes a large number of observations. Prerequisites: MATH 215 and POLI 400 (or equivalent social science research methods course).

This senior year seminar course is centered on independent research projects in the discipline. Departmental faculty and other seniors give input and critiques as a student completes a significant piece of original research, with a view to formally presenting it at a research conference. Prerequisite: POLI 400.

A selective survey from ancient times to the 21st century of the political thought of seminal political thinkers in the Western tradition. Selected thinkers may include Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Rousseau, Locke, Mill, Marx, Arendt, Foucault, Nietzsche, Rawls, and Habermas.

An examination of a variety of works to learn how influential American thinkers have conceptualized political ideas and how their views on the proper organization of American society have changed over time. Particular attention is paid to the development of the concepts of democracy and equality and to political protest movements in the U.S.

This course explores new topics in political theory of interest to faculty and students. This course can be repeated for additional credits as long as the section topics are different. Recent section topics include Ethics in Foreign Policy, Contemporary Political Theory, and Leadership. Consult the online course schedule for information about the topics currently scheduled to be taught.

This course examines works of political thought that focus on the role of gender in the social and political arenas.

This seminar course explores in depth issues already treated in other political theory courses, or addresses new topics of interest to faculty and students.

A study of the political history and contemporary political characteristics of this distinctive region of the U. S. Topics include the demographic changes that have altered the region’s political culture, the persistent impact of race on the South’s politics, and the changing role of the region in national politics.

This course examines “durable shifts in governing authority,” examining the key moments in which political institutions are transformed and the enduring consequences of those changes.

An examination of the role and activities of voters, political parties, and the media on the electoral process in the United States.

This course examines some of the key issues confronted by a society that has become dependent upon bureaucracy to a substantial degree. As such, we examine personnel, organization, budgeting, leadership, and privatization.

An introduction to the process of formulating, implementing, and evaluating public policy in the United States with particular attention to policy devoted to education, health care, and environmental policies.

This course examines the formulation and execution of U.S. national behavior in world affairs from the country’s early days through the Global War on Terror, during periods of isolation, expansion, engagement, and leadership. Key themes — e.g., trade, human rights, multilateralism, and exceptionalism — are examined closely. The course covers the roles of the Executive, Congress, and other key actors, such as the media, in foreign policy.

This course explores in more depth issues already treated in other American Politics or public law courses, or addresses new topics of interest to faculty and students in those areas. This course can be repeated for additional credits as long as the section topics are different. Consult the online course schedule for information about the topics currently scheduled to be taught.

A seminar and practicum course focusing on political history, contemporary political patterns, governmental structures, and key public policy debates in the state of Arkansas. Actors in the state’s politics and government provide their perspective to the students both on these issues, during the intensity of a session of the Arkansas General Assembly, and on their vocational choices. Includes a required 100-hour practicum (Odyssey PL credit) within an Arkansas advocacy organization working on legislative issues.

An off-campus learning experience in which students have ongoing duties with an entity directly involved in the legislative process in Arkansas (an individual legislator, a political party caucus, an interest group, a media outlet, etc.) during a regular session of the Arkansas General Assembly. Co-requisite: Must be taken in conjunction with POLI 305 Arkansas Politics: Seminar

An upper level course examining the origins and development of the American presidency, as well as the challenges faced by more recent officeholders.

This course is a general study of criminal law and theory in the United States. Topics covered include the distinction between civil and criminal law, excuses, strict liability, attempts, and theory of punishment. Using a case approach, this course gives insights into classic and contemporary works with an emphasis on carefully working through the arguments presented in the readings.

This course considers the contemporary state of constitutional doctrine after 200 years of judicial decisions. Emphasis is placed on theories of constitutional interpretation and on the development of case law in the realms of federalism, the regulatory power of Congress, and the separation of powers among the three federal branches of government.

A continuation of POLI 321, with emphasis on those decisions concerned with the rights of individuals in such areas as speech, press, religion, privacy, and equal protection of the law. Prerequisites: None, but POLI 321 highly recommended.

An upper level course analyzing the Congress as an institution and its attempt to perform two fundamentally contradictory functions: legislating and representing.

This seminar course focuses on the impacts of gender and sexuality on politics in the American context. Another focus is the histories of the women’s rights and gay rights movements.

This seminar course focuses on the persistent, yet changing, impact of race on American politics since the Reconstruction era. The course focuses on the interaction between race and electoral politics and the contemporary role of race in shaping American public policy in a variety of realms.

This course explores in more depth issues already treated in other American politics or public law courses, or addresses new topics of interest to faculty and students in those areas. This course can be repeated for additional credits as long as the section topics are different. Recent section topics include First Ladies, Non-Profit Organizations. Consult the online course schedule for information about the topics currently scheduled to be taught.

This course explores topics in Comparative Politics and International Relations of interest to faculty and students. This course can be repeated for additional credits as long as the section topics are different. Recent section topics include European Union, the Arab World, Sovereignty, State and Civil Society, Technology and Politics, Conflict Resolution. Consult the online course schedule for information about the topics currently scheduled to be taught.

A survey of the emergence and development of international society from the mid-17th century to the present. The focus is on the development of the concepts and practices of sovereignty, customary international law, diplomacy, the Great Powers, and modern international institutions of the present day.

More than two decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Eastern Europe still displays a substantial variation in terms of how democratic its countries are. While some have joined the European Union and NATO, others have become increasingly authoritarian. Economically, Slovenia is more developed and stable than Portugal, while Belarus and the Ukraine are struggling. This class provides an overview of the causes and consequences of this variation. Topics include democratization and political participation, the economy, ethnic conflict and nationalism, and the institutional and political arrangements that underpin those developments.

This course covers important contemporary global political issues, such as democratization and dictatorship, accountability and representation, religion and politics, social policy, foreign aid and national security. In the process, it focuses on specific current events, such as the Arab Spring, the European financial crisis and the rise of China. It is designed for students with general interest in contemporary global politics, regardless of whether they intend to major in Politics or International Relations.

This course explores how processes of economic, political, and social development have been and are understood in ethical, political and policy terms. It looks at how development policy has changed since it first began to emerge in the aftermath of World War II, moving through a variety of different emphases: modernization; basic needs; neo-classical adjustment, sustainability, and, most recently, poverty alleviation. Throughout, the course examines several justice-centered approaches to development in detail.

A survey of methods of foreign policy analysis and their application to the foreign policy decision-making system, internal political constraints, and world system influences on a select number of nation-states representing the diversity extant in the contemporary world. Comparative analysis is used to understand, predict, and develop strategies to influence foreign policy decisions and actions.

This course prepares students to participate in a Model United Nations simulation toward the end of the semester in which it is offered. Students learn about the United Nations system, the politics of international diplomacy, rules of procedure, how to draft and revise resolutions, caucus, and research, prepare and present internal and public Position Papers. The course is required for students wishing to attend the Model UN simulation for Hendrix College.

Even in the absence of global government, there is governance. This course explores how nation-states interact within a system of law and institutions developed to promote cooperation, avoid armed conflict and regulate conflict. The course shows how the practices of national sovereignty and international cooperation mutually constitute one another. Through case studies, the course explores schools of thought in international law; the history of the development of international legal norms and institutions; customary vs. conventional law; the role of the United Nations, and institutional issue regimes. Prerequisite: any 200-level Politics course

This course looks at the development of the human rights idea in theory, history and practice. The course looks at competing theories of human rights, the development of international and regional human rights institutions especially in the 20th century, the influence of non-governmental organizations in the promotion and protection of human rights, the expansion of human rights protections to diverse populations, and emerging human rights approaches for solving pressing global problems. Prerequisite: POLI 250 or 251, or consent of instructor.

Elections are the basis for establishing a robust democratic regime. This course provides an overview of the different waves of democratization and the causes and consequences of free and fair polls. From a more empirical perspective, the course introduces the elements that make an election of acceptable quality and introduces students to the organizations that monitor and evaluate elections, as well as their impact across the world. As a final project students write an analytical paper on causes and/or consequences of election quality in a particular country or region. Math 215 or POLI 400 recommended.

This course focuses on the diverse theoretical approaches to the study of International Relations, beginning with a variety of epistemological, methodological, and ontological commitments found in the field. The course explores the most influential positivist, reflectivist, and post-positivist schools of thought: classical realism and neorealism; liberalism and neoliberalism; Marxism and critical theory; and constructivism and post-structuralism. Prerequisite: POLI 250 or consent of instructor.

This course introduces students to the foundational theories of comparative politics and the contending perspectives within the discipline. It focuses on the creation and breakdown of political order, the establishment of democracy and dictatorship, as well as the effect of political regimes and their institutions on economic growth, development, poverty, inequality, civil unrest and revolutions.

Building on the comparative politics and international relations sequences, this advanced course explores in more depth issues already treated in these courses, or addresses new ones that relate to them. This course can be repeated for additional credits as long as the section topics are different. Recent section topics include European Union; the Arab World; Sovereignty; State and Civil Society; Technology and Politics; Conflict Resolution. Consult the online course schedule for information about the topics currently scheduled to be taught. Prerequisite: Either POLI 250 or POLI 273 or consent of instructor