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Course Catalog 2021-2022 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Course Search
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This is a comprehensive listing of all active, credit-bearing courses offered by Oberlin College and Conservatory since Fall 2016. Courses listed this online catalog may not be offered every semester; for up to date information on which courses are offered in a given semester, please see PRESTO.
For the most part, courses offered by departments are offered within the principal division of the department. Many interdisciplinary departments and programs also offer courses within more than one division.
Individual courses may be counted simultaneously toward more than one General Course Requirement providing they carry the appropriate divisional attributes and/or designations.
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Philosophy |
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PHIL 235 - Biomedical Ethics FC ARHU WADV
4 credits
This course will examine ethical problems arising in the practice of medicine and biomedical research. Topics will include death and dying, medical paternalism, physician assisted suicide, eugenics, cloning, research ethics, and more. Our readings will be drawn primarily from contemporary philosophers. (V)
Prerequisites & Notes: Three hours in philosophy
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PHIL 238 - Ethics and Technology FC ARHU
4 credits
In this course, we will discuss the moral questions at play in individuals’, governments’, and corporations’ use of current and future technology. Topics to be considered may include, but are not limited to, the ethics of data privacy, algorithmic decision-making, artificial intelligence, social media, hacking and computer crime, intellectual property, biotechnology, environmental technology, autonomous and semi-autonomous machines, and the intersection of these topics with race, gender, and disability.
Prerequisites & Notes: One full course in Philosophy or consent of the instructor
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PHIL 239 - Philosophy of the Digital Arts FC ARHU
4 credits
The development of new technologies for the digital, computer-based composition, display and reproduction of images and sounds has fundamentally changed many kinds of art practice. In this course we will examine how the digital revolution in the arts affects our understanding of what counts as art, why art matters and how art engages us.
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PHIL 245 - Freedom, Self-Consciousness, and Alienation: Philosophy in the Nineteenth Century FC ARHU
4 credits
In the nineteenth century, philosophers began to think about the sociality of reason, that is, about how philosophy itself is conditioned by the social, cultural, and historical contexts in which philosophical thinking is carried out. Their turn towards social reflection had ramifications for the way that thinkers such as Hegel, Marx, Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche understood what it is to be truly free, what it means to know ourselves to be so, and what happens when we are estranged from ourselves and from our surroundings. We will study the works of these and several other authors to better grasp the status of our own self-conscious freedom (or lack thereof).
Prerequisites & Notes: One previous Philosophy course or consent of the instructor
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PHIL 358 - Seminar: Philosophy of Perception FC ARHU WADV
4 credits
An examination of central philosophical problems concerning our cognition of the world by way of the senses. Topics include: the distinction between appearance and reality, knowledge of the external world and of one’s own body, the nature and existence of secondary qualities such as colors and flavors, and the distinction between sensation and perception. The focus will be on recent literature, though some historical readings will be included.
Prerequisites & Notes: Two Full Courses in Philosophy
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PHIL 370 - Seminar: Happiness, Death, and the Meaning of Life FC ARHU WADV
4 credits
An exploration of three topics and the connections between them. What is happiness? Should we aim at it? Is death in itself a bad thing, and if so, why? Would immortality be a good thing? What would it be for life to have a meaning? Does meaning require mortality? How are happiness and meaning related, if at all? And how should recent work in psychology on happiness and meaning inform our philosophical thought about these questions?
Prerequisites & Notes: Two courses in Philosophy
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PHIL 375 - Realism and Representation in Art FC ARHU WADV
4 credits
In this course, we will examine competing philosophical accounts of pictorial representation and the nature of realism in the visual arts and cinema. With reference to specific works, including many from the AMAM collection, we will consider whether pictorial representation depends on resemblance, whether recorded images are inherently more realistic than hand-made images, and whether realistic art has distinctive aesthetic, moral, and cognitive significance.
Prerequisites & Notes: Two previous courses in Philosophy
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PHIL 390 - Seminar: People and Selves FC ARHU WADV
4 credits
Is there such a thing as the self? If so, what is it? We will explore these and related questions, including questions about the nature of people and their existence over time. We will approach these questions through the lens of analytic philosophy, but there will be a special emphasis on engaging with Buddhist ideas about the nature and existence of the self, and our exploration will also be informed by neuroscience and contemporary empirical psychology.
Prerequisites & Notes: Two full courses in Philosophy
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PHIL 401F - Honors - Full FC ARHU
4 credits
Honors - Full
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PHIL 401H - Honors - Half HC ARHU
2 credits
Honors - Half
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PHIL 995F - Private Reading - Full FC ARHU
4 credits
Private readings are offered as either a half or full academic course and require the faculty member’s approval. Students who wish to pursue a topic not covered in the regular curriculum may register for a private reading. This one-to-one tutorial is normally at the advanced level in a specific field and is arranged with a member of the faculty who has agreed to supervise the student. Unlike other courses, a student cannot register for a private reading via PRESTO. To register for a private reading, obtain a card from the Registrar’s Office, complete the required information, obtain the faculty member’s approval for the reading, and return the card to the Registrar’s Office.
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PHIL 995H - Private Reading - Half HC ARHU
2 credits
Private readings are offered as either a half or full academic course and require the faculty member’s approval. Students who wish to pursue a topic not covered in the regular curriculum may register for a private reading. This one-to-one tutorial is normally at the advanced level in a specific field and is arranged with a member of the faculty who has agreed to supervise the student. Unlike other courses, a student cannot register for a private reading via PRESTO. To register for a private reading, obtain a card from the Registrar’s Office, complete the required information, obtain the faculty member’s approval for the reading, and return the card to the Registrar’s Office.
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Physics |
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PHYS 051 - Einstein and Relativity HC NSMA QFR
2 credits
An examination of the special and general theories of relativity and how these theories have changed our conception of space and time.
Prerequisites & Notes: P/NP grading
This course is appropriate for new students.
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PHYS 052 - The Strange World of Quantum Mechanics HC NSMA
2 credits
The behavior of atoms and electrons is governed by rules that seem bizarre to our eyes because our opinion of what is usual and what is strange is based on only macroscopic experience. This course investigates these strange conceptual underpinnings of quantum mechanics.
Prerequisites & Notes: P/NP grading
This course is appropriate for new students.
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PHYS 054 - Musical Acoustics FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
The basic principles of physics (mechanics, wave motion, and sound) that influence the design and performance characteristics of musical instruments will be studied. The major groups of modern orchestral and keyboard instruments will be discussed, and the physics of hearing, singing, harmony, tuning temperaments, and room acoustics will be included. Group projects will be required.
Prerequisites & Notes: Only elementary mathematics is used; review and assistance will be given to those who need it.
This course is appropriate for new students.
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PHYS 068 - Energy Science and Technology FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
This course is designed to introduce students to a variety of issues associated with the generation and consumption of energy in modern society. Topics to be covered include the sun’s energy, electric energy production, distribution, and storage, the hydrogen economy, and energy use in transportation, buildings and industry. Technologies discussed include photovoltaic and wind energy, nuclear power, heat pumps, fuel cells, and hybrid cars.
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PHYS 103 - Elementary Physics I FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
An introduction to classical mechanics, fluids, waves, and optics, intended primarily for students majoring in the life or earth sciences, but also accessible to non-science majors having good high-school mathematics preparation; those planning to major in physics should take PHYS 110 instead. Algebra and trigonometry are used extensively.
Prerequisites & Notes: The laboratory is an integral part of this course and may not be taken alone. Notes: Students must register for both the lecture and one laboratory section.
This course is appropriate for new students.
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PHYS 104 - Elementary Physics II FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
An introduction to electricity and magnetism and modern physics, including applications to geology, biology, and medicine. Intended primarily for students in the life and earth sciences; those planning to major in physics should take PHYS 111 instead. The laboratory is an integral part of this course and may not be taken alone.
Prerequisites & Notes: PHYS 103 or consent of instructor. Notes: Students must register for both the lecture and one laboratory section.
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PHYS 110 - Mechanics and Relativity FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
A study of Newtonian mechanics and special relativity, focusing on conceptual understanding, problem solving and laboratory work. Topics include point-particle dynamics, conservation principles, oscillation, systems of particles, rotation; time dilation, length contraction, and the relativity of simultaneity. This is the first course in a three-semester calculus-based introductory sequence.
Prerequisites & Notes: MATH 133. Notes: Concurrent or prior enrollment in MATH 134 is highly recommended as it is a prerequisite for PHYS 111. Students must register for both the lecture and one workshop section.
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PHYS 111 - Electricity, Magnetism and Thermodynamics FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
This is the second course in the three-semester calculus-based introductory sequence. Topics include electric and magnetic fields, electric and magnetic properties of matter, direct and alternating current circuits, electromagnetic phenomena, thermodynamics and kinetic theory.
Prerequisites & Notes: PHYS 110 (or PHYS 910LE) and MATH 134. Notes: Concurrent or prior enrollment in MATH 231 is highly recommended as it is a prerequisite for PHYS 212. Students must register for both the lecture and one laboratory section.
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PHYS 212 - Modern Physics FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
This is the last course in the three-semester calculus-based introductory physics sequence. The course covers waves and topics in modern (20th century) physics. Topics include relativistic dynamics, quantum properties of light, wave properties of matter, elementary wave mechanics, nuclear and particle physics, and statistical physics.
Prerequisites & Notes: PHYS 111 and MATH 231. Notes: Concurrent or prior enrollment in MATH 234 is highly recommended for students intending to major in physics. Students must register for both the lecture and one laboratory section.
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PHYS 242 - Electronics FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
This course provides a basic introduction to analog and digital electronic circuits. Students will be asked to design, construct, and analyze electric circuits both using computer simulation software and with actual circuit components. Students will be required to attend three-hour afternoon lab periods, twice weekly.
Prerequisites & Notes: PHYS 104 and PHYS 111, or consent of instructor.
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PHYS 290 - Computational Modeling FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
There are many problems in the natural sciences that cannot be solved using pen and paper. This course will introduce the methods that a computational scientist uses to understand the world around us. Topics may include various techniques, e.g. solving ODEs, Monte Carlo simulations, and genetic algorithms, as well as applications, e.g. orbital dynamics, chemical kinetics, molecular dynamics, chaos and other examples from the natural sciences.
Prerequisites & Notes: PHYS 111 or instructor consent
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PHYS 310 - Classical Mechanics FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
A more in-depth study of Newtonian mechanics of particles and systems. Topics include Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations, oscillator systems, central force motion, rigid body motion, and noninertial reference frames. We will also make use of computational methods to solve for equations of motion.
Prerequisites & Notes: PHYS 212 and MATH 234
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PHYS 311 - Electricity and Magnetism FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
An in-depth study of electric and magnetic fields and their effects on matter. Vector calculus will be used extensively after briefly reviewing it. We will learn to solve a variety of boundary value problems using techniques useful in many areas of physics. We will explore Maxwell’s equations in detail, culminating in an introduction to electromagnetic radiation. Practical topics will be interspersed throughout the course.
Prerequisites & Notes: PHYS 310 and MATH 234
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PHYS 312 - Quantum Mechanics FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
A rigorous study of the foundations of quantum mechanics, with applications to one-dimensional systems, angular momentum, and the hydrogen atom. Stationary-state perturbation theory. Mathematical solutions to the Schrodinger equation will be developed.
Prerequisites & Notes: PHYS 212 and PHYS 310 and MATH 234
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PHYS 314 - Intermediate Laboratory FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
Introduction to physics laboratory techniques, such as the use of vacuum systems, optical devices, lock-in amplifiers, cryostats, and nuclear instrumentation. Each student attends two laboratory sessions per week and turns in short reports for each experiment with two longer ones at the middle and end of the semester.
Prerequisites & Notes: PHYS 212
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PHYS 316 - Waves and Optics FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
A study of optical radiation. Course will cover geometrical, wave, and nonlinear optics. Topics include physical optics, the wave equation, interference effects, pulse propagation, lasers, and selected topics from modern optics.
Prerequisites & Notes: PHYS 310 and MATH 234
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PHYS 321 - Introduction to General Relativity FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
Einstein’s theory of gravitation, general relativity, lies increasingly at the forefront of modern theoretical and observational physics. This course will serve as an introduction to the physics of curved spacetime, with topics including black holes, gravitational waves, and the large-scale structure of the universe. We will also introduce and apply the mathematical tools of differential geometry, which constitute the language of general relativity and much of modern theoretical physics.
Prerequisites & Notes: Physics 310 or permission of the instructor.
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PHYS 340 - Physics of Materials FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
This course will explore the physical properties of several classes of materials including metals, semiconductors, ceramics, polymers, and composites. The properties will be discussed in relationship to theories of atomic, electronic, and/or band structure. Emphasis is placed on those features (optical, magnetic, electrical, and mechanical) important for technological applications.
Prerequisites & Notes: PHYS 212
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PHYS 410 - Statistical Mechanics FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
Thermodynamics, classical and quantal statistical mechanics, entropy, temperature, chemical potential, ensembles. Applications include magnetism, phase transitions, heat capacities of gases and solids, thermal radiation, ideal fermion and boson gases.
Prerequisites & Notes: PHYS 312 or CHEM 339 and MATH 231
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PHYS 411 - Electrodynamics HC NSMA QFR
2 credits
Maxwell’s equations. Electromagnetic energy and momentum. Waves and radiation. Relativistic electrodynamics.
Prerequisites & Notes: PHYS 311
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PHYS 412 - Applied Quantum Mechanics HC NSMA QFR
2 credits
Quantum mechanics applied to atoms and molecules, including time-dependent perturbation theory and the quasiclassical (WKB) approximation.
Prerequisites & Notes: PHYS 312
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PHYS 414 - Advanced Laboratory FC NSMA QFR WADV
4 credits
Each student attends two laboratory sessions per week and performs, semi-independently, five to six experiments chosen from the fields of atomic, nuclear, and elementary particle physics, condensed matter physics, and optics. Students must keep an organized laboratory notebook, turn in short reports describing the key results of each experiment, and write a longer paper describing one experiment in the form of a research publication.
Prerequisites & Notes: PHYS 314
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PHYS 451 - Special Problems in Physics and Astronomy HC NSMA
2 credits
Special coursework or research projects for students at all levels who are prepared to work independently.
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PHYS 555 - Research FC NSMA
4 credits
Projects for individual investigation. Consent of instructor required.
Prerequisites & Notes: Interested students are encouraged to speak with faculty members about possible projects. Students in the Physics Honors program are required to enroll.
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PHYS 903LA - Elementary Physics I (Lab) HC NSMA
2 credits
This course can only be taken by students who have completed PHYS 903LE. It consists of the laboratory part of PHYS 103: an introduction to classical mechanics, fluids, waves, and optics, intended primarily for students majoring in the life or earth sciences, but also accessible to non-science majors having good high-school mathematics preparation; algebra and trigonometry are used extensively.
Prerequisites & Notes: This is a stand alone Lab class that can only be taken after completing PHYS 903LE.
Students must complete PHYS 903LA to receive a final grade for PHYS 903LE. The transcript grade for PHYS 903LE will appear as an asterisk until completion of PHYS 903LA. Grades for lecture and lab will be combined for a final grade.
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PHYS 903LE - Elementary Physics I (Lecture) FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
This course consists of the lecture part of PHYS 103: an introduction to classical mechanics, fluids, waves, and optics, intended primarily for students majoring in the life or earth sciences, but also accessible to non-science majors having good high-school mathematics preparation. Algebra and trigonometry are used extensively. Students taking this course are expected to take the Lab part through PHYS 903LA in a subsequent semester.
Prerequisites & Notes: The laboratory component is an integral part of learning process and must be taken in a subsequent semester through PHYS 903LA.
Students must complete PHYS 903LA to receive a final grade for PHYS 903LE. The transcript grade for PHYS 903LE will appear as an asterisk until completion of PHYS 903LA. Grades for lecture and lab will be combined for a final grade.
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PHYS 910LA - Mechanics and Relativity (Lab) HC NSMA
2 credits
This course can only be taken by students who have completed PHYS 910LE. It consists of the laboratory part of PHYS 110: a study of Newtonian mechanics and special relativity, focusing on conceptual understanding, problem solving and laboratory work. Topics include point-particle dynamics, conservation principles, oscillation, systems of particles, rotation; time dilation, length contraction, and the relativity of simultaneity. This is the first course in a three-semester calculus-based introductory sequence.
Prerequisites & Notes: This is a stand alone Lab course that can only be taken by students who have completed PHYS910LE.
Students must complete PHYS 910LA to receive a final grade for PHYS 910LE. The transcript grade for PHYS 910LE will appear as an asterisk until completion of PHYS 910LA. Grades for lecture and lab will be combined for a final grade.
Prerequisite: MATH 133.
Concurrent or prior enrollment in MATH 134 is highly recommended as it is a prerequisite for PHYS 111.
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PHYS 910LE - Mechanics and Relativity (Lecture/Workshop) FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
This course consists of the lecture and workshop part of PHYS 110. A study of Newtonian mechanics and special relativity, focusing on conceptual understanding, problem solving and laboratory work. Topics include point-particle dynamics, conservation principles, oscillation, systems of particles, rotation; time dilation, length contraction, and the relativity of simultaneity. This is the first course in a three-semester calculus-based introductory sequence. It is expected that all students taking this course will complete the laboratory part though PHYS 910LA in a subsequent semester.
Prerequisites & Notes: MATH 133.
Notes: Concurrent or prior enrollment in MATH 134 is highly recommended as it is a prerequisite for PHYS 111.
The laboratory component is an integral part of learning process and must be taken in a subsequent semester through PHYS 910LA.
Students must complete PHYS 910LA to receive a final grade for PHYS 910LE. The transcript grade for PHYS 910LE will appear as an asterisk until completion of PHYS 910LA. Grades for lecture and lab will be combined for a final grade.
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PHYS 911LA - Electricity and Magnetism (Lab) HC NSMA
2 credits
This course can only be taken by students who have completed PHYS 911LE. It consists of the laboratory part of PHYS 111. This is the second course in the three-semester calculus-based introductory sequence. Topics include electric and magnetic fields, electric and magnetic properties of matter, direct and alternating current circuits, electromagnetic phenomena, thermodynamics and kinetic theory.
Prerequisites & Notes: PHYS 110 (or PHYS 910LE) and MATH 134. Notes: Concurrent or prior enrollment in MATH 231 is highly recommended as it is a prerequisite for PHYS 212.
This is a stand alone Lab class that can only be taken after completing PHYS 911LE.
Students must complete PHYS 911LA to receive a final grade for PHYS 911LE. The transcript grade for PHYS 911LE will appear as an asterisk until completion of PHYS 911LA. Grades for lecture and lab will be combined for a final grade.
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PHYS 911LE - Electricity and Magnetism (Lecture) FC NSMA QFR
4 credits
This course consists of the lecture part of PHYS 111. This is the second course in the three-semester calculus-based introductory sequence. Topics include electric and magnetic fields, electric and magnetic properties of matter, direct and alternating current circuits, electromagnetic phenomena, thermodynamics and kinetic theory.
Prerequisites & Notes: PHYS 110 (or PHYS 910LE) and MATH 134. Notes: Concurrent or prior enrollment in MATH 231 is highly recommended as it is a prerequisite for PHYS 212.
The laboratory component is an integral part of learning process and must be taken in a subsequent semester through PHYS 911LA.
Students must complete PHYS 911LA to receive a final grade for PHYS 911LE. The transcript grade for PHYS 911LE will appear as an asterisk until completion of PHYS 911LA. Grades for lecture and lab will be combined for a final grade.
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PHYS 995F - Private Reading - Full FC NSMA
4 credits
Private readings are offered as either a half or full academic course and require the faculty member’s approval. Students who wish to pursue a topic not covered in the regular curriculum may register for a private reading. This one-to-one tutorial is normally at the advanced level in a specific field and is arranged with a member of the faculty who has agreed to supervise the student. Unlike other courses, a student cannot register for a private reading via PRESTO. To register for a private reading, obtain a card from the Registrar’s Office, complete the required information, obtain the faculty member’s approval for the reading, and return the card to the Registrar’s Office.
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PHYS 995H - Private Reading - Half HC NSMA
2 credits
Private readings are offered as either a half or full academic course and require the faculty member’s approval. Students who wish to pursue a topic not covered in the regular curriculum may register for a private reading. This one-to-one tutorial is normally at the advanced level in a specific field and is arranged with a member of the faculty who has agreed to supervise the student. Unlike other courses, a student cannot register for a private reading via PRESTO. To register for a private reading, obtain a card from the Registrar’s Office, complete the required information, obtain the faculty member’s approval for the reading, and return the card to the Registrar’s Office.
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Politics |
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POLT 100 - Introduction to American Politics FC SSCI
4 credits
This course provides a broad introduction to American politics with an emphasis on historical and contemporary issues and debates. We will consider a range of questions dealing with various aspects of American political institutions, elite and mass political behavior and public policy.
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POLT 102 - Introduction to Public Policy Analysis FC SSCI
4 credits
This course explores the principles of policymaking, with concrete applications. It opens by examining theoretical rationales for policy, including those premised on ideology or market failure. It proceeds to investigate institutional context and processes relevant to policymaking, using case studies. With this foundation, the course explores specific policy problems and solutions related to important problem areas including health care, education, civil rights, and the environment. Students will be encouraged to investigate policy areas of interest for case studies and papers.
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POLT 107 - Intro to US Politics FC SSCI
4 credits
This course is a broad introduction to US politics and political institutions. We cover fundamental political questions in the US, analyzing how they have shaped our governmental institutions over time. We begin with the founding, and move through subsequent important political and institutional shifts, with a focus on inclusion/exclusion and the uses and distribution of power. We will use this perspective to contextualize our analysis of how these debates manifest themselves in contemporary US politics.
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POLT 110 - Revolution, Socialism and Reform in China FC SSCI CD
4 credits
We begin with a chronological overview, from ancient times to the present. Then we proceed topically, focusing on: politics and the state; political economy (industry and agriculture); gender; population; environment; and cultural politics. Written work consists of two take-home, open-book essays, and weekly blogs.
This course is appropriate for new students.
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POLT 111 - Theater and Politics FC SSCI
4 credits
From ancient Greek tyrants to contemporary direct action protests, theater has appeared as both a vehicle and a metaphor for expressing our collective life. This course will explore connections between theatrical depictions of politics, or politics on stage, and the performative nature of politics, or politics as stage. What roles must individuals adopt in daily life in order to have their voices heard? What does trhe language of “performance” contribute to our understanding of politics?
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POLT 116 - The Theory and Practice of Contemporary Left Politics FC SSCI
4 credits
This course examines the nature, causes and consequences of the transformation of Left politics in capitalist democracies over the last half-century. The course begins with the experience of postwar social democracy and eurocommunism in order to understand their achievements and limitations. It then analyzes the rise of more recent forms of Left politics including new social movements (such as environmental and peace movements), the Third Way, contemporary anarchism (including Occupy and Antifa), radical anticapitalist parties (such as Syriza and Podemos), and identity politics.
This course is appropriate for new students.
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POLT 119 - Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies FC SSCI
4 credits
This course will introduce students to the field of Peace and Conflict Studies, an inter-disciplinary field that examines the causes of human aggression and conflict, with such conflict ranging in scale from the interpersonal to the international. We will survey the approaches of various disciplines to understanding violent conflict, explore potential links between violence and such factors as perceptions of injustice, and critically evaluate nonviolent means for resolving conflict.
This course is cross-listed with PSYC 118
This course is appropriate for new students.
Community Based Learning
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POLT 120 - Introduction to International Politics FC SSCI WINT
4 credits
This course surveys the major theories and concepts of international politics, and applies them to the discipline’s enduring questions. Topics include: the evolution of state sovereignty; causes of war and peace; inequality and the politics of the global economy; the construction of the post-WWII International Order and its challenges; and the emergence of non-state actors.
This course is appropriate for new students.
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POLT 121 - Current Challenges to World Order HC SSCI
2 credits
Students in this course will join the second half of POLT 120 Introduction to International Politics, as we take up a series of current issues that are major challenges to the international state system: pandemics, climate disruption, complex terrorism, economic inequality and poverty, and human rights justice. Students will have weekly online lectures, engage through online postings and videoconferenced group discussions, and will write a final paper on a contemporary global issue.
Prerequisites & Notes: Students currently in POLT 120 should not register for this course.
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POLT 130 - Being Political: Political Theory and Political Action FC SSCI
4 credits
What is politics? What does it mean to “be political”? When and where does politics occur, and what does it look like? We will critically investigate concepts of political action and the sties of politics from ancient Greece to the present. Authors will include: Plato, Locke, Machiavelli, Marx, William Connolly and Iris Young.
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POLT 134 - Political Theory Live: Thinking in Practice FC SSCI
4 credits
Political reflection doesn’t start in books. It starts in the world-on the street, among friends, on talk shows and in newspapers, and in legislatures among other places. In this course we will take theory live. We will find it in the world and reflect upon it, using particular texts as touchstones to think about such themes as virtue, power, justice and freedom. Our aim is to establish the relevance of political thinking not just as an academic pursuit, but as an everyday activity. Likely texts include Plato’s Republic, Hobbes’ Leviathan, Arendt’s The Human Condition, and Foucault’s Discipline and Punish.
This course is appropriate for new students.
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POLT 138 - Political Concepts FC SSCI
4 credits
We often use terms such as power, the state, citizenship, responsibility, empire, justice, freedom, and rights, but we seldom reflect on them deeply. Yet each of those terms has been hotly contested. This course will draw on political theory and contemporary politics with the goal of helping you solidify your political vocabulary in order to engage successfully in other classes, and understand, discuss, and participate in contemporary politics.
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POLT 200 - Mass Politics in a Media Age FC SSCI
4 credits
American politics has fundamentally changed over the past quarter century. Sound bites are shorter, cynicism is higher, hard news is giving way to soft news, and new media have made political information ubiquitous. In this media-driven world, do we fulfill our obligation to be `good citizens?? Do we make rational voting decisions? Are we politically engaged? In a related vein, do politicians, the media, and our political institutions promote or obstruct our efforts to be good citizens? In this course, we develop an understanding of the relationship between citizens, the media, and politicians in a rapidly changing media age.
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POLT 201 - Constitutional Interpretation FC SSCI
4 credits
An introduction to the study of the Supreme Court and the Constitution. Topics include the nature of judicial power and judicial review, constitutional change over time, and the relationship between politics and law. Substantive attention to case material, including topics such as the Civil War, presidential power, and the nature of fundamental rights.
Prerequisites & Notes: Students may not take both this course and POLT 202 for credit.
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POLT 202 - American Constitutional Law FC SSCI CD WINT
4 credits
The case method is used to analyze the principles of the American Constitution and Supreme Court decision-making. Topics include: presidential, congressional, and Supreme Court power; state versus national control of social policy and commerce (Obamacare); equal protection of the law and race, gender, sexual orientation; implied fundamental rights to abortion choice, education, marriage and sexual intimacy; First Amendment rights of free speech and religion, and modern constitutional theories.
Prerequisites & Notes: One course in politics or consent of instructor. This is a Core Intermediate Course in the Law and Society major.
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POLT 203 - The First Amendment FC SSCI WINT
4 credits
This course will consider some of the historical, theoretical, and doctrinal issues surrounding the First Amendment to the American Constitution (freedom of expression and freedom of, and from, religion). Topics include obscenity and sexual speech, libel, hate speech, school prayer, and other forms of religious expression. A previous course in constitutional law is helpful but is not required. Class participation is essential and is a component of each student’s grade.
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POLT 205 - Political Research and Analysis FC SSCI QFR
4 credits
This course focuses on the quantitative approach to studying political phenomena. Students will learn how to design an empirical study, test theoretical predictions, and statistically analyze complex political questions using the computer program R. Students will have the opportunity to conduct an empirical research project on a question of their choosing. This course provides students with methodological skills that will be useful in both academic and professional settings. No prior background in math or statistics is necessary. Note: Not open to students who have taken Politics 204.
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POLT 207 - Social Movements and the Policy Process FC SSCI
4 credits
Group-based political action, in many ways, drives the making of policy in a democratic society. This course connects the activities of contemporary social movements in the United States to policy in a variety of domains, including gun policy, women?s rights, and criminal justice reform, as well as an ostensibly nonpolitical domain: college athletics. Topics will include how movements form and persist, the strategies they use to influence policy, and whether they are successful and why.
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POLT 208 - Environmental Policy FC SSCI
4 credits
This course introduces students to the foundations, evolution, actors, content, goals and future of environmental policies in the U.S. We will contrast federal policies with initiatives in local communities, at the State level, in other countries, and at the international level. By navigating through various levels of governance, this course builds a typology of environmental policies highlighting distinct assumptions, interests, approaches and agendas of key players in the development and implementation of policy.
Prerequisites & Notes: ENVS 101. Note: Restricted to ENVS and POLT majors.
This course is cross-listed with ENVS 208
Sustainability
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POLT 210 - Latin American Politics FC SSCI CD WINT
4 credits
An introduction to Latin American political development since early 20th century. Uses comparative analysis to examine the region’s major political models and their protagonists. Focus on the role of the state; major theories and policies of economic development; the regimes and practices of authoritarianism, populism and democracy; the military; contemporary challenges to democracy.
This course is cross-listed with ARTS 342 and HISP 342
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POLT 211 - Revolutions FC SSCI
4 credits
Revolutions
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POLT 212 - Political Economy of Development in Asia FC SSCI CD
4 credits
A survey of relationship of politics and economy in India, China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, including: legacies of historical structures; effects of imperialism; state formation; rural development; industrial development; finance; international economic relationships. Key issues include: capitalism vs. state socialism; export-led industrialization vs. import substitution; the position and role of labor. Written work consists of two take-home, open-book essays, and weekly blogs.
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POLT 213 - The Politics of Oil FC SSCI
4 credits
Extractive industries-especially the oil industry-play an outsized role in domestic and international politics.This course focuses primarily on the colonial and neocolonial politics of oil: oil wars, the resource curse, and the power of transnational corporations. It then exploresthe links between (literal) resource extraction and the (figurative) extraction of value from the economy through practices like futures trading, data mining, and the patenting of genomes and indigenous knowledges.
This course is appropriate for new students.
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POLT 214 - Social and Political Change in Eastern Europe FC SSCI CD
4 credits
This course focuses on Eastern Europe as the first relatively backward region in the world capitalist system. We will begin with some major theories of social change and a historical introduction to the region. Next, we will turn to communist revolutions, Stalinism, reform communism, the rise of dissent and the revolutions of 1989. Much of the course will be devoted to the post-communist era, attempts to build democracy and capitalism, and the rise of nationalism.
This course is cross-listed with SOCI 230
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POLT 216 - The Political Economy of Advanced Capitalism FC SSCI
4 credits
This course is an introduction to comparative political economy, broadly defined as the mutual interaction between democratic states and capitalist markets. It examines how the triangular relationship between the state, labor and business differs from one advanced capitalist country to another. The course will examine the political economies of Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, the United States and Japan. It will pay particular attention to globalization; deindustrialization; the political economy of race, gender and class; challenges to the welfare state and trade unions; neoliberalism; financialization; and the Great Recession and its aftermath.
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POLT 217 - Queer Comparative Politics FC SSCI CD
4 credits
This course surveys contemporary LGBTQIA+ experience in different countries using the tools of comparative politics. How are gender and sexuality defined differently in different contexts? How are they (de)politicized? How do queer politics interact with national politics? Is there such a thing as a global queer community? Along the way, we will consider how it is possible to decolonize both knowledge about queer experience and comparative methods.
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POLT 219 - Work, Workers and Trade Unions in Advanced Capitalist Societies FC SSCI
4 credits
This course examines the nature and organization of work in capitalist societies, and the forms of labor organization created by workers. It is a comparative course, looking at Western Europe, Japan, Australia and the United States. Among the topics covered are: conflict and cooperation in the workplace, the intersection of race, class and gender at work, types of trade unionism, the labor process, new union strategies and the role of the state and employers in the regulation of class relations.
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POLT 220 - International Security FC SSCI
4 credits
In its Latin origins, security connoted safety and ?freedom from care.? Yet today, the study of international security has become conflated with the study of war and militarism. How did we arrive here? Has the pursuit of security made the world more or less safe? Security for whom, and in whose name? This course examines the multiple meanings of security and challenges to its attainment: e.g. nuclear war; climate change; terrorism; land dispossession; global poverty.
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POLT 224 - The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict FC SSCI
4 credits
This course aims to familiarize students with the conclusions of current scholarly research on 1) the principal actors and watershed events in the history of the Israel/Palestine conflict, and 2) the internal conflicts and external relationships affecting Israeli and Palestinian societies that shape and constrain possibilities for a durable peace. Particular stress will be placed on understanding how wars affect states and political organizations and how the ideological and structural features of states and organizations complicate or enable the search for peace. Key features of the conflict will be interpreted as both a clash between competing political projects and a reflection of global political power struggles. Attention will be given toward the end of the course to the clash of contemporary social movements aimed at influencing U.S. policy towards Israel, and to alternative paradigms for a possible resolution to the conflict.
This course is cross-listed with JWST 224
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POLT 225 - U.S. Foreign Policy and the Anti-Apartheid Movement FC SSCI CD
4 credits
This course considers theories and practices of: African apartheids, collaboration across countries by anti-apartheid activists; NATO’s role protecting white African regimes (Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Rhodesia and South Africa); the roles of Cuba, China, and the USSR regarding apartheid; the US Congress and Presidents JFK to GHW Bush and Africa; the “front-line states” and the UN; two Oberlin College anti-apartheid African leaders - John Dube and Eduardo Mondlane.
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POLT 228 - US Foreign Policy FC SSCI WINT
4 credits
Students will analyze foreign policy theories concerning the President, Congress, the bureaucracy, and those hoping to influence the policy making process. Students will study pivotal moments in U.S. foreign policy: such as Washington’s farewell, Monroe Doctrine, Truman’s 1947 speech, Kennan’s ‘Containment’ writings, and some recent Presidential foreign policy doctrines. We will analyze some current ‘hot spots’ confronting the United States in 2019.
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POLT 229 - Politics & Power of International Law” FC SSCI
4 credits
What role does international law play in the conduct of global politics? The last century has seen states embrace legalization in a bid to find legal solutions for global problems. At the same time, international law has never developed?and likely never will develop?the kind of enforcement mechanism that anchors domestic legal regimes. This course explores this paradox while working to bridge an understanding between what international law is, as a body of highly technical rules that aim to govern the globe, and the impact that this comparatively recent embrace of international law has had on global politics.
Prerequisites & Notes: POLT 120
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POLT 230 - Feminist Theory FC SSCI
4 credits
This course proposes a survey of feminist theory through the lens of emotions. Because emotions are a key site to understand how political power operates, we will engage in a genealogy of feminist rhetoric and activism. The first section of the course is an introduction to contemporary feminist and queer theory. The second section surveys authors such as Wollstonecraft, Mill, Engels, and the Milan Bookstore Collective. We will ask how these historical figures and groups are relevant to us.
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POLT 231 - Justice, Virtue, and the Good Life FC SSCI
4 credits
What does it mean to live a good life? How do different understandings of justice and injustice, virtue and vice, help us to answer that question? How do they draw boundaries between those who get to enjoy a good life and those who do not? We will explore these questions in conversation with ancient, medieval, modern and contemporary thinkers. Authors include Plato, St. Augustine, Locke, Weber and Lorde.
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POLT 232 - European Political Theory: Rousseau & After FC SSCI
4 credits
How did political thought develop from the 18th to the mid-20th century? Does it still matter today? We will pay particular attention to critiques of Enlightenment that emerge in this period; to questions about the meaning of politics and its relationship to history; and to questions of freedom, political economy, bureaucracy and totalitarianism, among others. Authors may include: Rousseau, Burke, J. S. Mill, Marx, Nietzsche, Weber, and Arendt.
Prerequisites & Notes: POLT 231 recommended but not required
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POLT 234 - Critical Theory and Its Legacies FC SSCI
4 credits
This course explores the origins and trajectories of critical social theory: a form of social-scientific inquiry that, following Marx, seeks to be simultaneously descriptive and normative, understanding the world in which we live in order to change it. Beginning with Marx and the theorists of the Frankfurt School, the course tracks the various iterations and permutations of critical theory down to the present day.
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POLT 236 - Rebellion and Revolution HC SSCI
2 credits
On January 6, 2021, the US Capitol was breached for the first time since the War of 1812, when it was burned by the British in retaliation for an attack on the Canadian capital of York (now Toronto) by American troops. January 6 was different in a crucial way: The Capitol was ransacked not by foreign troops but by American citizens. Whether we call it an attempted coup, a thwarted rebellion or-as the article of indictment against President Trump called it, an “insurrection”-it was an attack on the constitutionally legitimate government to be led by President Biden.
What are the natures, causes and purposes of rebellion and revolution? In this short course we will explore that question by reading closely the work of John Locke, Karl Marx, Hannah Arendt, Frantz Fanon and Albert Camus. We will also examine several declarations of rebellion/revolution in light of what we learn from those authors.
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POLT 238 - Modern American Political Thought FC SSCI
4 credits
A survey of major themes and issues in American political thought between 1960 and the present. Topics include the New Left, the counterculture, modern feminism, Black Power, environmentalism, neoconservatism, LGBTQ liberation, and America’s place in the world. Politics 233 and/or working knowledge of American history during the period is helpful but not required. Class participation is expected and constitutes a portion of each student’s grade.
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POLT 239 - Marxian Theory FC SSCI
4 credits
A survey of Marxian theory from Marx and Engels to the present. Following in-depth study of Marx and Engels, we proceed to leading Marxist thinkers and political activists of the early 20th century: Bernstein, Luxemburg, Kautsky, Lenin and Gramsci. Finally we take up critical theory, Marxian feminism, Marxian environmentalism, crisis, and the future. The course includes Monday and Wednesday lectures and discussion groups on Tuesday (tba). Written work; two take-home, open-book essays, and weekly blogs.
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POLT 240 - Militarization of Global Politics, Economy & Society HC SSCI CD
2 credits
Organized by the International Studies Program, this interdisciplinary, mini-course will invite a large number of expert speakers to cover pressing issues of the militarization of global politics, economy, and society in recent history and current international affairs. Course sessions will take the form of lectures or panels with external speakers coming from various disciplines and areas of expertise. Topics covered will include; militarization of U.S. politics, economy & society; constitutional & international legal dimensions global militarism; arms trade and the U.S. Middle East/South Asia; armed conflicts in East Asia; military institutions and the state in Latin America.
This course is cross-listed with HIST 240
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POLT 241 - Antisemitism & White Supremacy FC SSCI CD
4 credits
From ?White Lives Matter? to ?Jews will not replace us,? America has recently witnessed a resurgence of white supremacist and antisemitic political activity under the rubric of ?white nationalism.? This course offers a U.S.-focused, comparative exploration of anti-Jewish and white supremacist ideology and politics. It examines their shared roots in European Christian societies; the different ways they were transposed to North America through conquest, colonization, and slavery; and their subsequent evolutions, intersections, and organized manifestations.
This course is cross-listed with JWST 241
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POLT 244 - Politics of Transitional Justice FC SSCI CD
4 credits
How do states and societies deal with the legacies of large-scale human rights violations? Transitional justice refers to the judicial and non-judicial measures used to redress these violations, including international criminal tribunals, truth commissions, reparations, and the construction of collective memory. Through cases drawn primarily from Latin America, we explore the theoretical and practical dilemmas transitional justice presents for societies; we also explore how international norms and domestic practices have interacted to shape contemporary debates over principles such as universal jurisdiction and the responsibility to protect.
Prerequisite: One course in Politics (highly recommended: POLT 120)
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POLT 245 - Human Security HC SSCI CD
2 credits
How does the international political system affect human well-being? Can institutions and norms of human rights, international justice, and conflict prevention protect people from the effects of economic inequity, environmental degradation, and war? The course addresses these questions, and examines whether the concept of human security offers a viable alternative to national security.
This course is cross-listed with HIST 245
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POLT 246 - International Law and Organizations FC SSCI
4 credits
How do international law and organizations affect international peace and security? We will examine relevant theories, and evaluate them based on current events such as the Financial Crisis and the unfolding European Union crisis. You will become familiar with the sources of international law, its subjects and competences, and learn how international law affects organizations, states, and individuals.
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POLT 250 - Neoliberalism: Origins, Problems, Possibilities FC SSCI
4 credits
Neoliberalism is frequently invoked in contemporary political discourse, but what exactly is it and what can or should be done about it? This course aims to answer these questions by interrogating historical and contemporary writings on the topic of neoliberalism. The first half of the course surveys the writings of thinkers associated with the Mont Pelerin Society (e.g. Hayek, Röpke, Friedman, Popper, Polanyi) and the second half brings these writings into conversation with diverse contemporary perspectives on neoliberalism as a political project.
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POLT 251 - Political Responsibility FC SSCI
4 credits
Actions always have consequences. In politics, who is responsible for those consequences, to whom, and why? How can we hold others responsible and assume our own responsibility? We will examine moral and legal responsibility, the responsibility of political leaders, social responsibility, and existential responsibility in political theory, philosophy, and literature. Authors will include Aristotle, Weber, Arendt, and Sartre.
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POLT 252 - Capitalism, Socialism, Anarchism: Perspectives on States, Markets, and Justice FC SSCI
4 credits
Is the state or the market the greater threat to individual and communal freedom? Can we live without either (or both)? Is capitalism identical with the market and trade or is it better understood as state-licensed exploitation? Does the state make us free from the ravages of market discipline or do voluntary exchange and cooperation liberate us from the despotism of state violence? Can libertarians be socialists? Are anarchists leftist radicals or arch-conservatives?
This course undertakes a broad survey of historical and contemporary debates over such questions, exploring rival conceptions of states, markets, property, and justice.
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POLT 254 - American Political Theory from the Foundings to the Progressive Era FC SSCI
4 credits
American political thought often starts with America’s two foundings ”Puritan and Federalist ’ and proceeds to think about American politics from the perspective of (former) Europeans. We will follow this line of thinking from the foundings to the Progressive Era. However, we will also disrupt this official narrative by turning to Indigenous peoples? contributions, provocations, and struggles. In doing so, we?ll ask, echoing Aziz Rana?s book, whether there are ‘two faces of American freedom.’
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POLT 255 - Democratic Theory, Citizenship, and Race FC SSCI
4 credits
This course explores the histories, promises, and pitfalls of democracy and citizenship: two ideals that are central to contemporary political life yet remain, at best, unfinished projects. Throughout, we look closely at tensions in the practice of democracy and citizenship, asking whether full citizenship for some requires less-than-full citizenship for others across racial lines, whether full inclusion is possible and/or sufficient, and how democratic theory and practice might or might not help confront racial inequality.
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POLT 256 - Environmental Political Theory FC SSCI
4 credits
What do political theorists have to say about the `natural’ world and how helpful are they given our need to confront environmental concerns? How do more recent developments in social thought go beyond canonical insights? In this course we will pursue answers to these and other questions by reading key canonical authors, their critics, and more recent attempts to grapple with ideas like citizenship, agency, justice, and democracy in light of increased environmental awareness.
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POLT 258 - The Social Contract & Its Critics FC SSCI
4 credits
This course explores an important tradition of thought about the origins, purposes, structures and institutions of political life: The Social Contract tradition. Originating the 17th century, thinkers in this tradition viewed society as a contract to which human beings consented in order to secure their life, liberty, and property, and to enjoy the benefits of each. We will read Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau as key representatives of this tradition. We will then turn to its historical and contemporary critics, such as Edmund Burke, Karl Marx, Charles Mills, and Carole Pateman.
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POLT 259 - Political Theories of Obedience and Disobedience FC SSCI
4 credits
The themes of obedience and disobedience are woven into the history of political theory, and remain pressing contemporary concerns. This class starts with the long history of debates over dis/obedience. We then ask how 20th century political theorists engaged those debates to justify social movements and everyday forms of resistance alike. Finally, we end with a turn to the present, asking whether and how past treatments of dis/obedience can shine light on contemporary concerns.
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POLT 260 - Post Soviet Politics FC SSCI CD
4 credits
This courses explores some of the major political themes of the last one hundred years - the Russian revolution, Stalinism, the nature of the Soviet political system, Gorbachev’s perestroika, the Soviet collapse, and Russia’s struggle with capitalism and democracy. Much of the course will be devoted to the dramatic events of the postcommunist era, and the politics in Putin’s Russia and in the other post-Soviet states.
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POLT 263 - Comparative Political Economy in the Middle East FC SSCI CD
4 credits
This course examines the relationship between political and economic actors, institutions and practices in the Middle East and North Africa. Through comparative analysis the course explores themes including state-business relations; developmental initiatives and trajectories; natural resource wealth with a focus on oil politics; labor organization; property rights regimes; the politicization of fiscal and monetary policy; and neo-liberalism as manifest in the contemporary Middle East.
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POLT 264 - Urban Politics in Developing Cities FC SSCI CD
4 credits
This course examines the politics of planning, governance and resistance in developing cities. Studying cities as diverse as Sao Paulo, Algiers, Mumbai, Istanbul and Cape Town, the course examines the histories of planned and unplanned urbanization and the impact of globalization on city governance. It explores how political practices such as democracy, redistribution, nationalism, legal enforcement and religious activism transform in the particular setting and spatial configuration of the city.
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