African Politics (PS 146A)
This course introduces students to the study of contemporary African politics. It is intended to provide a survey of questions that are of general theoretical interest to social scientists. Why have some countries become democratic, while others have remained authoritarian? Why have some countries erupted in violence, while others remain peaceful? Why did so many countries stagnate economically? The course helps students to address these questions by exploring the varied performance of African countries since independence. In assessing competing explanations, students will be guided in evaluating theories advanced in the scholarly literature on African politics and in examining the empirical evidence used to test these theories. 


Comparative Electoral Violence (PS 191-6)
Multiparty elections have become common around the world, but many of those elections are affected by violent conflict between the parties competing for power. This Junior Seminar is concerned with three main issues related to electoral violence. First, the seminar explores the political, economic, and sociological factors associated with the outbreak of electoral violence. Second, it examines why political parties and their candidates choose violence as a strategy for winning office. Third, it studies the consequences of electoral violence in countries where the future of democracy remains in doubt. The Junior Seminar will guide students in exploring electoral violence through the use of social science theories and country case studies. The seminar is intended to help students gain insights into the evolving nature of political competition in democratizing countries. The objective is to understand why and how electoral competition remains violent in some countries but not in others. Additionally, students will learn how to derive testable hypotheses, evaluate competing theoretical explanations with evidence presented in case studies, and to develop their own arguments. The objective is to hone the analytical skills required in the research associated with pursuing advanced coursework, writing a senior thesis, or undertaking political analysis. 


African Elections (PS 191-7)
Elections have been held regularly across Sub-Saharan Africa since most countries legalized multiparty competition in the early 1990s. However, African countries have exhibited wide variation in patterns of institutional innovation, inter-ethnic accommodation, and political violence. Repeated elections have been associated with the consolidation of democracy in countries like Ghana, but electoral competition has been far more problematic in countries like Côte d’Ivoire and Kenya. The exact causes for these divergent patterns of democratic development remain unclear to scholars and policymakers alike. This seminar guides students in exploring African elections through the use of social science theories and country case studies. Students will gain insights into the evolving nature of political competition in African countries. The objective is to understand the variation across these countries; to use elections as sources of information that enable us to comprehend how political power is being differently structured across the region. Additionally, students will learn how to evaluate competing theoretical explanations through the empirical evidence found in case studies. The objective here is to hone the analytical skills required in the research associated with pursuing advanced coursework, writing a senior thesis, or undertaking political analysis. 


Political Violence (PS 207)
This graduate seminar is designed to introduce students to the comparative study of political violence. The course examines two broad themes through a variety of theoretical and empirical approaches. The first theme focuses on why individuals choose to rebel: When does violence become a strategy for resolving conflict? Why do individuals participate in violence? How is violence organized? The second theme focuses on how states choose to repress citizens: When are human rights violations committed? When does a state use violence over other strategies? What are the effects of state violence? The course aims to provide students with the background necessary for undertaking original research on political violence. It should enable them to critically engage recent scholarship, understanding which theories have yet to be adequately tested and which theoretically interesting questions have yet to be asked. Students should ultimately be able to produce a research paper that serves as the basis for a prospectus, dissertation chapter, or publishable article.


Contemporary African Politics and Society (PS 210)
This course provides a framework for the advanced study of politics in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Drawing on readings from across the social sciences and humanities, the course is designed to assess competing explanations for the varied performance of African countries in the areas democratization, institution building, identity politics, and violent conflict. The course is intended to provide graduate students in political science and related fields with the substantive background and analytical skills needed to become producers of new research in the study of African politics. The course aims to provide students with the background necessary for undertaking original research. It should enable them to critically engage recent scholarship, understanding which theories have yet to be adequately tested and which theoretically interesting questions have yet to be asked. Students should ultimately be able to produce a research paper that serves as the basis for a prospectus, dissertation chapter, or publishable article. 


Ethnic Politics (PS 249A)
This graduate seminar is designed to introduce students to the comparative study of ethnic politics. It provides an overview of theoretical questions and methodological innovations across four topics: the sources of ethnic mobilization and cleavage choice; the consequences of ethnic mobilization for democratization and democracy; the impact of ethnicity on redistributive politics; and the relationship between ethnicity and patterns of political violence. Readings for each topic are drawn from various political science subfields as well as from other disciplines. They also reflect a range of regional contexts, including Eastern Europe, Latin America, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. The purpose of the course is to provide graduate students with the background necessary for undertaking original research on questions relating to ethnic politics. It should enable them to critically engage recent scholarship, understanding which theories have yet to be adequately tested and which theoretically interesting questions have yet to be asked. Students should ultimately be able to produce a research paper that serves as the basis for a prospectus, dissertation chapter, or publishable article.