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Graduate Studies Calendar 2020-2021 Courses of Instruction Course Descriptions P Political Science POLI
Political Science POLI

For more information, see the Department of Political Science: poli.ucalgary.ca.

Graduate Courses

Courses numbered 600-799 are offered either as special reading courses or as seminars, as required. Students should consult the Department regarding enrolment in these courses.

Political Science 605       Advanced Introduction to Sexual Ethics
An advanced introduction to theorizing human sexuality using works of historical and contemporary political philosophy. Topics may include: the nature of love and friendship, the good of marriage, limits of sexuality, and the place of justice, equality, and shame.

Course Hours:
3 units; (3S-0)
Antirequisite(s):
Credit for Political Science 605 and 505 will not be allowed.    
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Political Science 606       Social and Global Justice
An examination of contemporary theories and debates in social and global justice. Topics may include: the redistribution-recognition dilemma, multiculturalism, intersectionality, identity/post-identity politics, globalization, transnationalization, and post-Westphalian approaches to governance and democracy.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
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Political Science 615       Advanced History of Political Thought
An intensive study of selected major political thinkers within the history of political thought.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3S-0)
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Political Science 617       Advanced Political Theory
Discussion of contemporary topics in political thought. Emphasis on analysis of problems rather than history of ideas.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
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Political Science 619       War and Interpretation
An examination of the philosophical justifications offered to defend the use of military force, based particularly on the analysis of texts in the history of Western political philosophy.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
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Political Science 621       Canadian Political Institutions
Examination of the structure and operation of the central institutions of the Canadian state, including the constitution, federalism, parliamentary government, and political parties.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
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Political Science 623       Canadian Political Process
Examination of Canadian political behaviour within its institutional context, including political parties, interest groups, voting and socialization.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
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Political Science 624       Advanced Seminar on Indigenous-State Relations in Canada
Structure and operation of colonialism and settler-colonialism in Canada, and Indigenous resistance to those structures of oppression. Attention will be paid to the reconciliation debates, Indigenous gender oppression, and the politics of decolonization in Canada.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3S-0)
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Political Science 631       Parties, Elections and Representation
An examination of political parties and elections in both established and emerging democracies as a means of understanding the nature of political representation in modern representative democracies.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
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Political Science 633       U.S. Security Policy
An examination of U.S. security policy, with an emphasis both on how U.S. security policy is made and on the main contemporary security issues the U.S. faces today.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3S-0)
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Political Science 641       Selected Topics in Public Law
Examination of the political, philosophical, and institutional dimensions of selected public law issues, with particular reference to judicial and quasi-judicial tribunals as policy-making institutions. Consult the Department for information on choice of topics.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
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Political Science 643       Law and Armed Conflict
An examination of key texts and topics concerning the evolution, conceptualization, codification, and practical application of the laws of armed conflict. Topics may include the historical and philosophical development of the customary and codified laws of armed conflict, military law and military training and education, and the use of law to punish and deter war crimes.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
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Political Science 651       Politics and Public Policy
An examination of the main theories and approaches to the study of public policy.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
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Political Science 653       Gender and Public Policy
Explores the gendered impact of a range of public policies and also explores the influence of gender norms and ideas on the formulation of public policy. Topics covered include gender-based policy analysis, gender and the welfare state, family and child-care policies, policies to address gender inequalities in the labour market and workplace, and reproductive rights policies.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
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Political Science 665       Advanced Seminar on Indigenous Politics in the Global South
Advanced examination of the competing theoretical explanations for the sudden and unexpected rise of Indigenous peoples as key political actors in countries of the Global South. In-depth case studies may include Indigenous rights struggles in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3S-0)
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Political Science 671       Comparative Politics of Development in the Global South
An examination of the major issues, theories, and debates about development and politics in the Global South.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
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Political Science 673       Comparative Politics: Theories and Methods
An examination of the main theories, methods, and debates in the field of Comparative Politics.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
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Political Science 675       Selected Topics in Advanced Comparative Politics
Selected regions and topics in Comparative Politics.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
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Political Science 681       Advanced Analysis of International Relations
An examination of the main theories, issues, and approaches in the study of International Relations.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
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Political Science 683       Advanced Studies in Foreign Policy
Selected themes in the formation and implementation of foreign policies.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
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Political Science 684       Human Rights and Humanitarianism
An advanced introduction to the principal contemporary debates in the field of human rights and humanitarian politics.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
Antirequisite(s):
Credit for Political Science 684 and 571 will not be allowed.    
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Political Science 685       Strategic Studies
Advanced seminar in major topics in strategic studies, such as arms control, deterrence, and other military doctrines.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
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Political Science 686       Advanced Seminar in Global Political Economy
Covering in-depth major debates in global political economy, provides an advanced exploration of the causes and effects of globalization, including the determinants of foreign economic policymaking (such as trade, money, migration, global production, finance, and foreign aid) as well as the subsequent impact of these policies.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3S-0)
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Political Science 687       Advanced Studies in Canadian Arctic Security  
The Canadian Arctic is an emerging area of concern due to changes scarcely imaginable even a few years ago. Examines the nature of some of these changes—e.g., climate change and the northern seas’ dramatically changing ice conditions, growing recognition of the regions’ resource wealth, and evolving international relations in the circumpolar region—and what they mean for Canadian Arctic security.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3S-0)
Antirequisite(s):
Credit for Political Science 687 and 523 will not be allowed.    
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Political Science 689       Unconventional Warfare
Analysis of warfare conducted by, or against, sub-state groups. This may include in-depth studies of guerrilla warfare, asymmetric conflict, or terrorism.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
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Political Science 691       Quantitative Analysis in Political Science
Examination of empirical research methods and techniques of quantitative analysis in the study of political phenomena. Computer use is required.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-1)
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Political Science 693       Advanced Quantitative Analysis in Political Science
Examination of advanced empirical research methods and techniques of multivariate quantitative analysis in the study of political phenomena.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Political Science 691.
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Political Science 697       Major Research Paper
Preparation of a major research paper under the supervision of a faculty member who will assign the grade.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
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Political Science 699       Qualitative Analysis in Political Science
An introduction to qualitative research methods in Political Science. Topics may include qualitative methodology, elite interviewing, focus groups, content analysis, case studies and qualitative data analysis.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Political Science 691.
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Political Science 715       Special Topics in Political Theory

Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
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Political Science 721       Special Topics in Canadian Politics

Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
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Political Science 723       Special Topics in Political Science

Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
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Political Science 725       Special Topics in Public Administration

Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
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Political Science 741       Special Topics in Public Law

Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
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Political Science 755       Special Topics in Public Policy

Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
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Political Science 781       Special Topics in International Relations

Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
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Political Science 791       Scope and Methods in Political Science
Advanced seminar covering various approaches, topics, methods and theories employed in the discipline of political science.
Course Hours:
3 units; (3-0)
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
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