Graduate Courses

Instructor: Rikhil Bhavnani

Mondays, 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM

422 North Hall

Description

Describes and evaluates major approaches used in political science. Explores issues related to professional development and political science careers.

Requisites

• Graduate/professional standing
• Declared in Political Science graduate program

Details

• Credits: 1 credit
• Last taught: Fall 2021
• Course options: 50% Graduate Coursework Requirement

Instructor: Rikhil Bhavnani

M 1:20 PM – 3:15 PM

422 North Hall

Description

Intended for PhD students in political science to develop a seminar or conference paper into a publishable journal article. Emphasis on editing, revising, and peer feedback.

Requisites

• Declared in Political Science doctoral program

Details

• Credits: 3 credits
• Last taught: Fall 2021
• Course options: 50% Graduate Coursework Requirement; Repeatable for Credit

Requisites

• Graduate/professional standing

Details

Description

Introduction to the issues of statistical computing in political science using statistical packages such as STATA and R with emphasis on developing sound practices for organizing data, protocols, and results in empirical research.

Requisites

• Graduate/professional standing

Details

Instructor: Adeline Lo

Lecture

MW 8:00 AM – 9:15 AM

B115 Van Vleck Hall

Discussion section

W 4:35 PM – 5:25 PM

223 Ingraham Hall

Description

Introductory statistics course for Ph.D. students. Emphasis on probability theory, inference, and the foundations of multivariate least squares and maximum likelihood.

Instructor: Alex Tahk

R 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM

422 North Hall

Description

Develops the theory of maximum likelihood estimation and applies it to models for discrete and limited dependent variables common to political and social science data.

Requisites

• POLI SCI 812 and 813

Details

Description

This course examines the role of communication in American politics. Topics covered include the communication of politics (e.g., communication by politics elites, effects of mass media and interpersonal communication on political attitudes) as well as the politics of communications (regulation of political communication, policy issues, etc.).

Requisites

• Graduate/professional standing

Details

Instructor: Alex Tahk

T 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM

422 North Hall

Description

Provides an overview of formal, i.e., game-theoretic, models of domestic politics. This course builds directly upon the material presented in Political Science 835.

Requisites

• Graduate/professional standing

Details

Instructor: Steven Brooke

R 3:30 PM – 5:25 PM

422 North Hall

Description

Examines the meanings of, and interactions between, religion and politics in comparative politics, international relations, and American politics. Explores the impact religion has on wide range of politically relevant outcomes and the mechanisms through which religion shapes those outcomes. Provides an overview of the main theoretical, conceptual, and empirical studies of religion and politics.

Requisites

• Graduate/professional standing

Details

Instructor: Yoshiko Herrera

T 1:20 PM – 3:15 PM

422 North Hall

Description

Introduction to leading concepts and theories in the field of comparative politics, including those relating to states, nations, regimes and development. Includes work on many different regions and countries employing a range of research strategies and methodologies.

Requisites

• Graduate/professional standing
• Declared in Political Science graduate program

Details

Description

Analysis of the major theories on the functioning of the international political system and the behavior of nations within it. Enroll Info: None

Requisites

• Graduate/professional standing
• Declared in Political Science graduate program

Details

Instructor: Lauren Schmitz

T 3:30 PM – 5:25 PM

395 Van Hise Hall

Description

Compares the conceptual, statistical, and ethical issues of experimental, quasi-experimental and non-experimental designs for program evaluation. Definitions of outcomes, sample size issues, statistical biases in measuring causal effects of programs, and the reliability of findings will be emphasized using case studies selected from current public programs.

Requisites

• PUB AFFR 818
• Must be a La Follette Student and have taken Public Affairs 818 or equivalent. Or instructor consent.

Details

Instructor: Manny Teodoro

Lecture

R 3:30 PM – 5:25 PM

1295 Grainger Hall

Discussion Sections

DIS 301

T 1:20 PM – 2:10 PM

1335 Sterling Hall

DIS 302

T 2:25 PM – 3:15 PM

1335 Sterling Hall

Description

Examines the political, social, and economic contexts that shape and are shaped by policy making processes. Though the focus is on the US, international comparisons will be made, and students are encouraged to think about the American context through comparative and international perspectives. Familiarizes students with dominant theories and models of policymaking process and policy change, starting with the model of the policy cycle. Focuses in on key topics and issues in policy making, specifically, agenda setting, implementation, and the relationships between policymaking and democracy. Reflects on contemporary and emerging issues and dilemmas of the politics of policy making.

Requisites

• Graduate/professional standing

Details

Instructor: Jonathan Renshon

T 3:30 PM – 5:25 PM

422 North Hall

Requisites

• Graduate/professional standing

Details

Instructor: Adeline Lo

F 1:30 PM – 2:45 PM

422 North Hall

Description

MEAD invites outside speakers, faculty members, and graduate students to present their work and receive feedback.

Requisites

• Graduate/professional standing

Details

Instructor: Eleanor Powell

W 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM

422 North Hall

Description:

The focus of this course is on cutting-edge research in American Politics that explores new questions, with new evidence, new methods, and/or using new research designs. The purpose of pursuing a Ph.D. in political science is to contribute to our scientific knowledge of political science. In this class, we’re going to talk about concrete ways to do this in political science generally, and American Politics in particular. The goal of the course is that through dialog with this new work we can have constructive conversations about how to push our scientific knowledge further.

Requisites

• Graduate/professional standing

Details

Instructor: Ryan Owens

W 1:20 PM – 3:15 PM

422 North Hall

Description

The purpose of this course is to introduce graduate students to the study of American political institutions. We will cover such topics as the dynamics of congressional voting behavior, the nature of bureaucratic politics, the determinants of Supreme Court decision making, the role and influence of political parties, and the reasons organized interests form and attempt to influence policy outcomes. This course is designed as a survey of the literature and is not meant to deal with all possible topics in American politics. It also does not exhaust the possible set of publications on any given topic.  Upon completion of the course, students will have a broad familiarity with the theories, approaches, and questions that animate this field.

Requisites

• Graduate/professional standing

Details

Instructor: Adeline Lo

F 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM

224 Ingraham Hall

Instructor: Howard Schweber

F 3:30 PM – 5:25 PM

422 North Hall

Description

Analysis of and research on problems of theorizing in and about political life.

Requisites

• Graduate/professional standing

Details

Instructor: Dan Kapust

R 1:20 PM – 3:15 PM

1335 Sterling Hall

This seminar focuses on the relationship between imperialism and republicanism in 17^th century Britain. Through a study of works (prose and poetry) by 16^th and 17^th century writers such as Edmund Spenser, John Milton, Marchamont Nedham, Andrew Marvell, Algernon Sidney, and James Harrington, along with a range of scholarship on imperialism and republicanism, participants will explore the fraught relationship between republics (that is, political systems predicated upon the provision of liberty as non-domination) and empires (political systems featuring a hierarchy of domination over diverse peoples and territories). This relationship has important implications for the study of early modern Europe and 18^th and 19^th century America, along with key themes in contemporary political theory and philosophy.

Requisites

• Graduate/professional standing

Details

Instructor: Erica Simmons

R 1:20 PM – 3:15 PM

422 North Hall

Description

Why do people mobilize outside of routine political channels or institutions to pursue political change? How do we explain moments when people take to the streets or take up arms to accomplish their political goals?  At the heart of these questions is one that has long formed a core of social science inquiry: how do we explain collective action, particularly in the face of often serious risks. This course will examine these questions through exploring leading theoretical themes in the study of social movements, revolutions, and riots.  The course will focus on questions concerning the emergence and growth of contentious political movements, but it will also touch on internal movement dynamics and decline.  We will think about how a variety of factors affect the where’s, why’s and how’s of movement dynamics, including structure, contingency, emotions, and culture.  We will also pay close attention to methodology, asking which kinds of methods are best suited for which questions where contentious politics is concerned.

Requisites

• Graduate/professional standing

Details

Seminar 002: “Challenges with Science & Technology in the Developing World”

Instructor: Gay Seidman

M 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

206 Ingraham Hall

Seminar 003: “Imagining the Amazon in Literature and Film”

Instructor: Kathryn Sanchez

W 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM

575 Van Hise Hall

Requisites

• Graduate/professional standing

Details

1 credit.

Instructor: Dan Kapust

F 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM

422 North Hall

The Political Theory Workshop brings together graduate students and faculty with an interest in the history of social and political thought, normative social and political theory, and the normative and theoretical dimensions of public policy and public law. Our meetings center around the discussion of work in progress by UW graduate students and faculty, as well as by invited guests from around the country. They include a brief presentation by the author and a prepared response by an advanced graduate student, followed by a general discussion. In most cases papers are distributed in advance of the meetings. We welcome participants from a broad range of disciplinary and methodological approaches.

1 credit.

Instructor: Erica Simmons

R 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM

422 North Hall

The Comparative Politics Colloquium is the intellectual forum for comparativists of all areas and methods to meet and discuss current work. In addition to featuring faculty papers and occasional outside speakers, the CPC is an integral part of graduate training in the department of political science, serving as a place for students to present papers as well as dissertation prospectuses, grant proposals, dissertation chapters and practice job talks.

1 credit.

Instructor: Jonathan Renshon

T 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM

422 North Hall

The International Relations Colloquium brings students and faculty together to discuss international security, foreign policy, international organizations, and international political economy. Visiting scholars as well as faculty and graduate students from UW present their ongoing research, followed by questions and open discussion among the participants. For updated information about meetings, discussion papers etc.

1 credit.

Instructor: Barry Burden

M 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM

422 North Hall

The UW-Madison American Politics Workshop is a multidisciplinary group of faculty and graduate students that meets most Mondays at noon to discuss new and ongoing research projects in American Politics. A typical workshop meeting will open with 10-15 minutes of comments by the paper author followed by an hour of discussion. Papers are posted online for reading prior to the meeting.

3 credits.

Under the direction of faculty.

1-3 credits.

Under the direction of faculty.

Instructor: Venkat Mani

Instructor: Dave Weimer

Extensive treatment of multiple regression and its variants.

Instructor: Eleanor Powell

Acquaints students with a wide variety of research methods used to analyze political phenomena, emphasizing both quantitative and qualitative approaches.

Instructor: Alexander Tahk

Develops the theory of maximum likelihood estimation and applies it to models for discrete and limited dependent variables common to political and social science data.

Instructor: Ken Mayer

Current topics of research interest on the American presidency. Alternative approaches and methods for the study of the presidency.

Instructor: Nadav Shelef

Comparative analysis of nationalism, national identity, and ethnicity and their impact on domestic and international conflict. Examines relationship between nationality, citizenship, and minority rights; territoriality and identity, contemporary religious nationalism; relationship between globalization and nationalism.

Instructor: Mark Copelovitch

Analysis of key classical and contemporary theories in international political economy.

Instructor: Tana Johnson

Role of administration in American government; problems of organization, bureaucracy and control; public policy as the output of the administrative process

1 credit.

Instructor: Reed Lei

MEAD invites outside speakers, faculty members, and graduate students to present their work and receive feedback.

Instructor: Ryan Owens

Instructor: David Canon

Professor Nora Webb Williams, nww3@illinois.edu

Spring ’22’s PoliSci U course, online. Wednesdays, 1-3pm CST from January 18-March 11.

This course provides a broad introduction to the principles and tools of large-scale text and image analysis from a political science perspective. No prior experience with text or image data is required, though experience with R is assumed. The course will offer students the opportunity to work with Python. Topics include maintaining a qualitative sensibility when approaching “big” data, web scraping, supervised and unsupervised learning, sentiment analysis, word embeddings, automatic translation, dependency parsing, event detection, object and facial detection/recognition, color analysis, cloud
computing, AI ethics, and more.

Instructor: Jonathan Renshon

Design of research and adaptation of advanced methods to solve particular methodological problems in original analyses of political data.

Instructor: Michelle Schwarze

Instructor: Rick Avramenko

Instructor: Rikhil Bhavnani

1 credit.

Instructor: Howard Schweber

The Political Theory Workshop brings together graduate students and faculty with an interest in the history of social and political thought, normative social and political theory, and the normative and theoretical dimensions of public policy and public law. Our meetings center around the discussion of work in progress by UW graduate students and faculty, as well as by invited guests from around the country. They include a brief presentation by the author and a prepared response by an advanced graduate student, followed by a general discussion. In most cases papers are distributed in advance of the meetings. We welcome participants from a broad range of disciplinary and methodological approaches.

1 credit.

Instructor: Steven Brooke

The Comparative Politics Colloquium is the intellectual forum for comparativists of all areas and methods to meet and discuss current work. In addition to featuring faculty papers and occasional outside speakers, the CPC is an integral part of graduate training in the department of political science, serving as a place for students to present papers as well as dissertation prospectuses, grant proposals, dissertation chapters and practice job talks.

1 credit.

Instructor: Tana Johnson

The International Relations Colloquium brings students and faculty together to discuss international security, foreign policy, international organizations, and international political economy. Visiting scholars as well as faculty and graduate students from UW present their ongoing research, followed by questions and open discussion among the participants. For updated information about meetings, discussion papers etc.

1 credit.

Instructor: Eleanor Powell

The UW-Madison American Politics Workshop is a multidisciplinary group of faculty and graduate students that meets most Mondays at noon to discuss new and ongoing research projects in American Politics. A typical workshop meeting will open with 10-15 minutes of comments by the paper author followed by an hour of discussion. Papers are posted online for reading prior to the meeting.

3 credits.

Under the direction of faculty.

1-3 credits.

Under the direction of faculty.

Instructor: Nadav Shelef

Describes and evaluates major approaches used in political science. Explores issues related to professional development and political science careers.

Instructor: Nadav Shelef

Intended for PhD students in political science to develop a seminar or conference paper into a publishable journal article. Emphasis on editing, revising, and peer feedback.

Instructor: Sunny Yudkoff

What is an archive? What does it mean to “do” archival research? This interdisciplinary seminar approaches these questions by examining the archive both as a site of scholarly practice and as a theoretical mode of collecting, classifying, and disseminating information. We will consider a wide range of archival sites (museums, personal libraries, state institutions, etc.), investigating how these spaces produce knowledge, curate memories, elicit affective responses, and establish national narratives. We will also examine questions of visibility, accessibility, and digitization, and think about how different voices are marginalized or excluded from the archive. Students will pursue final papers using archival sources germane to their subjects. Readings may include work by Carolyn Steedman, Michel Foucault, Saidiya Hartman, Joan Scott, S.D. Goitein, Jacque Derrida, and S.Y. Agnon.

Instructor: Dillon Laaker

Introduction to the issues of statistical computing in political science using statistical packages such as STATA and R with emphasis on developing sound practices for organizing data, protocols, and results in empirical research.

Instructor: David Weimer

Introductory statistics course for Ph.D. students. Emphasis on probability theory, inference, and the foundations of multivariate least squares and maximum likelihood.

Instructor: Barry Burden

An empirical analysis of the role of mass publics in political life and the factors which determine the formation and expression of political beliefs and attitudes.

Instructor: Eleanor Powell

Analysis of legislative process and the role of the legislature in the political system, emphasizing current research.

Instructor: Andrew Kydd

An introduction to the tools of game theoretic analysis, with reference to the use of game theory in political science. Intended for those desiring a basic familiarity with the theory, and for those planning further work in formal modeling.

Instructor: Richard Avramenko

An overview of the central disciplinary approaches to interpreting, teaching, and writing about philosophical texts.

Intructor: Reed Lei

The course surveys the field of comparative political economy with an emphasis on (1) the relationship between the state and the market and (2) the political logic behind economic policies and outcomes under different political systems. Typical topics of the course include state capacity, reform, the rule of law, the state-business relationship, economic crisis, inequality, public investment, propaganda, environmental protection, and others.

Instructor: Rikhil Bhavnani

A broad introduction to the field of comparative politics. It combines a theory-driven approach with a problem-driven approach to analyze key themes in comparative politics. Four paradigms in comparative politics–structural, cultural, rational-choice and institutional–will be reviewed.

Instructor: Jessica Weeks

Analysis of the major theories on the functioning of the international political system and the behavior of nations within it.

Instructor: Yang Wang

Compares the conceptual, statistical, and ethical issues of experimental, quasi-experimental and non-experimental designs for program evaluation. Definitions of outcomes, sample size issues, statistical biases in measuring causal effects of programs, and the reliability of findings will be emphasized using case studies selected from current public programs.

Instructor: Manuel Teodoro

Examines the political, social, and economic contexts that shape and are shaped by policy making processes. Though the focus is on the US, international comparisons will be made, and students are encouraged to think about the American context through comparative and international perspectives. Familiarizes students with dominant theories and models of policymaking process and policy change, starting with the model of the policy cycle. Focuses in on key topics and issues in policy making, specifically, agenda setting, implementation, and the relationships between policymaking and democracy. Reflects on contemporary and emerging issues and dilemmas of the politics of policy making.

Instructor: Katherine Cramer

Topic: ‘Political Behavior and Economic Inequality’

PoliSci U Course (ITV course)

Instructor: Lauren M. MacLean, macleanl@indiana.edu

Wednesdays, 12:00pm-2:00pm CST (1:00pm-3:00pm EST).

This course is an introduction to the principles and practices of qualitative research design, data collection, and data analysis. The seminar exposes students to a variety of qualitative research methods from a range of epistemological perspectives. The readings include general treatments of qualitative methodology as well as pieces of research that illustrate the use of these methods. In addition to the reading, students will practice these methodological techniques (e.g., conducting interviews) during class in small groups and outside of class as the basis for three short papers.

The course begins with discussion of the philosophical underpinnings of qualitative research, scrutinizing the ontological and epistemological assumptions underlying scientific inquiry and methodological choice. We will then examine the logic of research design, the nature of causal explanation, and the challenges of conceptualization. The course will focus on the following qualitative methods in detail: comparative historical analysis, qualitative interviewing, focus groups, ethnography and participant observation, and discourse/content analysis. We will discuss the similarities and differences between interpretivist and positivist qualitative approaches throughout the course. Special attention will be dedicated to the ethics of qualitative research and the design and implementation of field research.

This course will be valuable for graduate students in political science, public policy, and other social sciences who are considering using qualitative methods in their research. The course also welcomes graduate students who are seeking an introduction to qualitative methods in order to be able to read, digest, and evaluate scholarship using them.

Instructor: Erica Simmons

Topic: ‘Qualitative Methods’

Instructor: Michelle Schwarze

Topic: ‘Postwar Liberalism’

Instructor: Keisha Lindsay

Focuses on how specific schools of feminist thought redefine the political, spanning historical and contemporary feminist political theory.

Instructor: Aili Tripp

Topic: ‘Gender & Politics in a Global Context’

Instructor: Jonathan Renshon

Topic: Psychological Approach To IR

Instructor: Katarzyna Beilin

Interdisciplinary inquiry in Latin American society and culture.

Instructor: Howard Schweber

The Political Theory Workshop brings together graduate students and faculty with an interest in the history of social and political thought, normative social and political theory, and the normative and theoretical dimensions of public policy and public law. Our meetings center around the discussion of work in progress by UW graduate students and faculty, as well as by invited guests from around the country. They include a brief presentation by the author and a prepared response by an advanced graduate student, followed by a general discussion. In most cases papers are distributed in advance of the meetings. We welcome participants from a broad range of disciplinary and methodological approaches.

Instructor: Steven Brooke

The Comparative Politics Colloquium is the intellectual forum for comparativists of all areas and methods to meet and discuss current work. In addition to featuring faculty papers and occasional outside speakers, the CPC is an integral part of graduate training in the department of political science, serving as a place for students to present papers as well as dissertation prospectuses, grant proposals, dissertation chapters and practice job talks.

Instructor: Tana Johnson

The International Relations Colloquium brings students and faculty together to discuss international security, foreign policy, international organizations, and international political economy. Visiting scholars as well as faculty and graduate students from UW present their ongoing research, followed by questions and open discussion among the participants. For updated information about meetings, discussion papers etc.

Instructor: Eleanor Powell

The UW-Madison American Politics Workshop is a multidisciplinary group of faculty and graduate students that meets most Mondays at noon to discuss new and ongoing research projects in American Politics. A typical workshop meeting will open with 10-15 minutes of comments by the paper author followed by an hour of discussion. Papers are posted online for reading prior to the meeting.

1-3 Credits.

Under the direction of faculty.

Under the direction of faculty.