MONMOUTH COLLEGE ACADEMIC CATALOG 2012–2013
Political Science 143
government on the national, state, and local level. Also focuses on current and perennial issues in domestic and foreign policy.
POLS 120. Film and Politics 1 course credit Film and visual images can help us understand contemporary politics. The film industry is often influenced by larger political forces and it has been used by governments to propagate particular ideologies. Films, documentaries and television programs often shape the public’s perception of politics. The course will examine both the politics of movie making and politics in the movies. Each time the course is taught it will focus on themes such as the American presidency, elections and campaigns, law and order, war and terrorism, race, class and gender, civil rights and social justice. POLS 200. Introduction to Comparative Politics 1 course credit Examines diverse forms of national politics, including industrialized democracies, communist regimes, and developing nations. Also examines the basic conceptual and methodological tools of comparative political inquiry. POLS 202. Modern Japan 1 course credit A study of the social, economic, and political development of modern Japan, emphasizing Japanese responses to problems posed by contacts with the West. Pols 227. Political Geography This course provides an introduction to the idea that there is a definite geographical perspective which should be accounted for within the study of political behavior. Political Geography may be broadly defined as the study of spatial organization and of the variation within political phenomena (institutions, processes and behaviors) which is spatially dependent. We will focus upon diverse questions such as the impact of territory and natural resources on the conduct of International Relations (Geopolitics); the institutions and processes available to accommodate intra-national regional diversity (federalism, etc.); the political representation of territory via electoral systems and the redistricting process; and the impact of residential segregation processes on the structuring of voting choices, to give but a few examples. POLS 244. Religion and Politics 1 course credit (Cross-listed as RELG 244) The “secularization” thesis prevailed among the social scientists during the 1950s and 1960s. This thesis assumed that under the influence of industrialization, urbanization, and modernization, religion will become less important in the public and the private spheres. The emergence of highly politicized religious movements have posed a severe challenge to the secularization thesis. In this course, we will explore the relationship between religion and politics by examining contemporary movements such as the Christian Right in the U.S. Hindu fundamentalism in India and political Islam in the Middle East and South Asia. POLS 245. The Politics of Developing Nations 1 course credit A study of selected developing nations and the problems posed by rapid political and economic development. Topics include: leadership strategies, the impact of modernization on traditional cultures, and the role of political ideology. POLS 250. Special Topics
.5 – 1 course credit
POLS 270G. Introduction to International Relations 1 course credit A study of global and regional relationships, including state and non-state actors. Explores the influence of nationalism, economic rivalry, power politics, and international organizations on global behavior. Also explores the nature and causes of war. POLS 295. The Politics of Criminal Justice 1 course credit This course explores the central concepts, institutions, policies, and controversies of criminal justice in the United States. Included are components on police work, courts, corrections,