Political Economy courses
PECN 3010 Positive Political Economy
Positive Political Economy
This course is designed to provide students with an introduction to the field of positive political economy. Positive political economy seeks to understand and predict policy outcomes and political behavior. The course will take an interdisciplinary approach that uses tools and concepts from economics to study politics and political behavior. The course will presume that political actors are rational and goal oriented. Using this approach, the course will examine how institutional constraints in the political environment affect the choices of these actors and the resulting political outcomes.
credit hours: 3
Positive Political Economy
PECN 3020 Political Economy: An Historical Overview
Political Economy: An Historical Overview
This course introduces students to the question of how different modern Western societies and thinkers have defined the relationships between political and economic activities. Beginning with the experience of Europe in the 15th century, it examines what the unprecedented wealth of modern Western societies has meant for the understanding and practice of politics. It also explains what caused the economic abundance of Western nations to come into being in the first place, and how that abundance has been sustained over time.
credit hours: 3
Political Economy: An Historical Overview
PECN 3030 The Individual, Society, and State
The Individual, Society, and State
This course presents an integrated study of the main alternatives in political ideology (liberalism, socialism, fascism, Marxism) advocated in the modern world and the exemplifications of these ideologies in practice in the modern world (post-war West Germany, 20th-century Britain, Mussolini's Italy, the former Soviet Union).
credit hours: 3
The Individual, Society, and State
PECN 3040 Comparative and International Political Economy
Comparative and International Political Economy
Virtually all contemporary economies are characterized by extensive relations between the economic and political systems. Furthermore, these relations seem to involve often complex relations between the global, national, and sub-national political economies. This fact is currently referred to as globalization. However, it is clear that globalization, whatever it is, has different effect on national (and sub-national) political economies. In this course, we will: 1) attempt to develop an understanding of globalization; 2) develop a comparative analysis of the links between globalization and national outcomes; and 3) examine the international institutions that attempt to manage globalization. Because time is finite, and there are other courses, we will focus primarily on advanced democracies.
credit hours: 3
Comparative and International Political Economy
PECN 4010 Constitutionalism: Ancient Athens to Present
Constitutionalism: Ancient Athens to Present
This course discusses the historical development of constitutionalism, with a view to understanding what is common to the various forms of constitutional government which have appeared in different societies from classical Athens to modern America.
credit hours: 3
Constitutionalism: Ancient Athens to Present
PECN 4040 Democracy, Capitalism, and Free Speech
Democracy, Capitalism, and Free Speech
This course discusses freedom of expression in the context of advanced capitalist democracies such as the U.S. Topics include justifications for free speech, its proper scope, tensions between democratic self-government and capitalist mass media, and Supreme Court decisions relating to freedom of expression.
credit hours: 3
Democracy, Capitalism, and Free Speech
PECN 4140 Theories of Distributive Justice
Theories of Distributive Justice
This class introduces students to competing theories of social justice, with a particular focus on distributive justice. The course primarily focusses on three different theories proposed by, respectively, John Rawls, Amartya Sen, and John Stuart Mill.
credit hours: 3
Theories of Distributive Justice
PECN 4300 Behavioral Economics and Public Policy
Behavioral Economics and Public Policy
This course provides an overview of research in behavioral economics" which integrates insights from psychology into economic models of behavior. An important emphasis will be on how insights into behavioral economics can and should influence the design of public policy programs. "
Pre-requistites: Economics 3010.
credit hours: 3
Behavioral Economics and Public Policy
PECN 4400 Law and Economics of the Regulatory State
Law and Economics of the Regulatory State
This course is designed to introduce students to the law and economics of the regulatory state and the challenges to governance posed by the regulatory state. Students will be expected to develop an understanding of key legal principles as well as to apply economic analysis of legal rules. For each of the topics, a discussion of legal principles will be paired with the relevant economic analysis. Prerequisites: ECON 1010 and ECON 3010.
Pre-requistites: ECON 1010, 3010
credit hours: 3
Law and Economics of the Regulatory State
PECN 4560 Internship Studies
Internship Studies
An experiential learning process coupled with pertinent academic course work. Open only to juniors and seniors in good standing. Only one internship may be completed per semester. Certain internships may satisfy the public service graduation requirement with prior approval of the department and the Center for Public Service.
Notes: A maximum of six credits may be earned in one or two courses.
Pre-requistites: Approval of instructor and Program Director.
credit hours: 1-3
Internship Studies
PECN 4570 Internship Studies
Internship Studies
An experiential learning process coupled with pertinent academic course work. Open only to juniors and seniors in good standing. Only one internship may be completed per semester. Certain internships may satisfy the public service graduation requirement with prior approval of the department and the Center for Public Service.
Notes: A maximum of six credits may be earned in one or two courses.
Pre-requistites: Approval of instructor and Program Director.
credit hours: 1-3
Internship Studies
PECN 4970 Special Topics in Political Economy
Special Topics in Political Economy
credit hours: 3
Special Topics in Political Economy
PECN 4980 Special Topics in Political Economy
Special Topics in Political Economy
credit hours: 3
Special Topics in Political Economy
PECN 6000 Majors Seminar (Capstone)
Majors Seminar (Capstone)
The political economy majors' seminar focuses on a large theme or question that no single discipline in the program uniquely claims for its own and no one approach exhausts. Example of such issues: the rise of the nation state, capitalism and democracy, the foundations of economic behavior, the organization and meaning of work, and industrialization, economic growth, and social change. In designing a majors seminar, faculty define the issues that most engage them as teachers and scholars and that sustain a coherent cross-disciplinary course offering.
credit hours: 3
Majors Seminar (Capstone)
PECN 6750 Utilitarianism: From Bentham to Harsanyi
Utilitarianism: From Bentham to Harsanyi
This course introduces students to the utilitarian tradition and to the modern debate over whether some version of utilitarianism is likely to serve as the most adequate moral and political philosophy.
credit hours: 3
Utilitarianism: From Bentham to Harsanyi
PECN H4910 Independent Studies
Independent Studies
Qualified students are allowed to arrange for independent study with approval of instructor and their faculty adviser.
Pre-requistites: Departmental approval.
credit hours: 3
Independent Studies
PECN H4920 Independent Studies
Independent Studies
Qualified students are allowed to arrange for independent study with approval of instructor and their faculty adviser.
Pre-requistites: Departmental approval.
credit hours: 3
Independent Studies
PECN H4990 Honors Thesis
Honors Thesis
Intensive reading, research and writing in a selected field of political economy. Students should discuss their honors thesis with a prospective director during the second semester of their junior year.
Notes: For senior honors candidates.
credit hours: 3
Honors Thesis
PECN H5000 Honors Thesis
Honors Thesis
Intensive reading, research and writing in a selected field of political economy. Students should discuss their honors thesis with a prospective director during the second semester of their junior year.
Notes: For senior honors candidates.
credit hours: 3
Honors Thesis
PECN H6010 Honors Seminar
Honors Seminar
A seminar for junior and senior honors students in political economy. Specific themes will be announced each semester.
credit hours: 3
Honors Seminar
PECN 3010 Positive Political Economy
Positive Political Economy
This course is designed to provide students with an introduction to the field of positive political economy. Positive political economy seeks to understand and predict policy outcomes and political behavior. The course will take an interdisciplinary approach that uses tools and concepts from economics to study politics and political behavior. The course will presume that political actors are rational and goal oriented. Using this approach, the course will examine how institutional constraints in the political environment affect the choices of these actors and the resulting political outcomes.
credit hours: 3
Positive Political Economy
PECN 3020 Political Economy: An Historical Overview
Political Economy: An Historical Overview
This course introduces students to the question of how different modern Western societies and thinkers have defined the relationships between political and economic activities. Beginning with the experience of Europe in the 15th century, it examines what the unprecedented wealth of modern Western societies has meant for the understanding and practice of politics. It also explains what caused the economic abundance of Western nations to come into being in the first place, and how that abundance has been sustained over time.
credit hours: 3
Political Economy: An Historical Overview
PECN 3030 The Individual, Society, and State
The Individual, Society, and State
This course presents an integrated study of the main alternatives in political ideology (liberalism, socialism, fascism, Marxism) advocated in the modern world and the exemplifications of these ideologies in practice in the modern world (post-war West Germany, 20th-century Britain, Mussolini's Italy, the former Soviet Union).
credit hours: 3
The Individual, Society, and State
PECN 3040 Comparative and International Political Economy
Comparative and International Political Economy
Virtually all contemporary economies are characterized by extensive relations between the economic and political systems. Furthermore, these relations seem to involve often complex relations between the global, national, and sub-national political economies. This fact is currently referred to as globalization. However, it is clear that globalization, whatever it is, has different effect on national (and sub-national) political economies. In this course, we will: 1) attempt to develop an understanding of globalization; 2) develop a comparative analysis of the links between globalization and national outcomes; and 3) examine the international institutions that attempt to manage globalization. Because time is finite, and there are other courses, we will focus primarily on advanced democracies.
credit hours: 3
Comparative and International Political Economy
PECN 4010 Constitutionalism: Ancient Athens to Present
Constitutionalism: Ancient Athens to Present
This course discusses the historical development of constitutionalism, with a view to understanding what is common to the various forms of constitutional government which have appeared in different societies from classical Athens to modern America.
credit hours: 3
Constitutionalism: Ancient Athens to Present
PECN 4040 Democracy, Capitalism, and Free Speech
Democracy, Capitalism, and Free Speech
This course discusses freedom of expression in the context of advanced capitalist democracies such as the U.S. Topics include justifications for free speech, its proper scope, tensions between democratic self-government and capitalist mass media, and Supreme Court decisions relating to freedom of expression.
credit hours: 3
Democracy, Capitalism, and Free Speech
PECN 4140 Theories of Distributive Justice
Theories of Distributive Justice
This class introduces students to competing theories of social justice, with a particular focus on distributive justice. The course primarily focusses on three different theories proposed by, respectively, John Rawls, Amartya Sen, and John Stuart Mill.
credit hours: 3
Theories of Distributive Justice
PECN 4300 Behavioral Economics and Public Policy
Behavioral Economics and Public Policy
This course provides an overview of research in behavioral economics" which integrates insights from psychology into economic models of behavior. An important emphasis will be on how insights into behavioral economics can and should influence the design of public policy programs. "
Pre-requistites: Economics 3010.
credit hours: 3
Behavioral Economics and Public Policy
PECN 4400 Law and Economics of the Regulatory State
Law and Economics of the Regulatory State
This course is designed to introduce students to the law and economics of the regulatory state and the challenges to governance posed by the regulatory state. Students will be expected to develop an understanding of key legal principles as well as to apply economic analysis of legal rules. For each of the topics, a discussion of legal principles will be paired with the relevant economic analysis. Prerequisites: ECON 1010 and ECON 3010.
Pre-requistites: ECON 1010, 3010
credit hours: 3
Law and Economics of the Regulatory State
PECN 4560 Internship Studies
Internship Studies
An experiential learning process coupled with pertinent academic course work. Open only to juniors and seniors in good standing. Only one internship may be completed per semester. Certain internships may satisfy the public service graduation requirement with prior approval of the department and the Center for Public Service.
Notes: A maximum of six credits may be earned in one or two courses.
Pre-requistites: Approval of instructor and Program Director.
credit hours: 1-3
Internship Studies
PECN 4570 Internship Studies
Internship Studies
An experiential learning process coupled with pertinent academic course work. Open only to juniors and seniors in good standing. Only one internship may be completed per semester. Certain internships may satisfy the public service graduation requirement with prior approval of the department and the Center for Public Service.
Notes: A maximum of six credits may be earned in one or two courses.
Pre-requistites: Approval of instructor and Program Director.
credit hours: 1-3
Internship Studies
PECN 4970 Special Topics in Political Economy
Special Topics in Political Economy
credit hours: 3
Special Topics in Political Economy
PECN 4980 Special Topics in Political Economy
Special Topics in Political Economy
credit hours: 3
Special Topics in Political Economy
PECN 6000 Majors Seminar (Capstone)
Majors Seminar (Capstone)
The political economy majors' seminar focuses on a large theme or question that no single discipline in the program uniquely claims for its own and no one approach exhausts. Example of such issues: the rise of the nation state, capitalism and democracy, the foundations of economic behavior, the organization and meaning of work, and industrialization, economic growth, and social change. In designing a majors seminar, faculty define the issues that most engage them as teachers and scholars and that sustain a coherent cross-disciplinary course offering.
credit hours: 3
Majors Seminar (Capstone)
PECN 6750 Utilitarianism: From Bentham to Harsanyi
Utilitarianism: From Bentham to Harsanyi
This course introduces students to the utilitarian tradition and to the modern debate over whether some version of utilitarianism is likely to serve as the most adequate moral and political philosophy.
credit hours: 3
Utilitarianism: From Bentham to Harsanyi
PECN H4910 Independent Studies
Independent Studies
Qualified students are allowed to arrange for independent study with approval of instructor and their faculty adviser.
Pre-requistites: Departmental approval.
credit hours: 3
Independent Studies
PECN H4920 Independent Studies
Independent Studies
Qualified students are allowed to arrange for independent study with approval of instructor and their faculty adviser.
Pre-requistites: Departmental approval.
credit hours: 3
Independent Studies
PECN H4990 Honors Thesis
Honors Thesis
Intensive reading, research and writing in a selected field of political economy. Students should discuss their honors thesis with a prospective director during the second semester of their junior year.
Notes: For senior honors candidates.
credit hours: 3
Honors Thesis
PECN H5000 Honors Thesis
Honors Thesis
Intensive reading, research and writing in a selected field of political economy. Students should discuss their honors thesis with a prospective director during the second semester of their junior year.
Notes: For senior honors candidates.
credit hours: 3
Honors Thesis
PECN H6010 Honors Seminar
Honors Seminar
A seminar for junior and senior honors students in political economy. Specific themes will be announced each semester.
credit hours: 3
Honors Seminar