POLS 108 § 02 Introduction to Positive Political Theory
A Social Science University Seminar
Syllabus

Does "the will of the people" or "the public interest" really exist? Is there a "fair" way to make political decisions? This course answers these questions and many others by introducing students to positive political theory, a rigorous set of tools that helps clarify key questions in political science. Through examples drawn from all aspects of the political process -- from elections to lawmaking -- we will study how the rules of the game affect the decisions politicians make as well as the policy outcomes we observe. Seminar meetings will include significant student participation and an occasional in-class experiment as we work through these puzzles together

POLS 518 Legislative Studies
Syllabus

This course explores at an advanced level the theoretical and empirical issues that arise in the study of legislatures. Students who complete this course should be able to answer any question about the U.S. Congress, or legislatures generally, that appears on a comprehensive exam. The course is also designed to generate research ideas for theses that contain a significant legislative component. Finally, the course is intended to be practical, so you will engage in many of the activities that faculty members engage in every day, including reviewing manuscripts “for publication,” preparing a conference proposal, presenting your work to an audience, and writing a research paper.