Political Science
Rosenkranz Hall, 203.432.5241
http://politicalscience.yale.edu
M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D.
Chair
Gregory Huber
Director of Graduate Studies
Hélène Landemore
Professors Bruce Ackerman, Akhil Amar (Law), Jennifer Gandhi, Bryan Garsten, Alan Gerber, Jacob Hacker, Gregory Huber, Hélène Landemore, Isabela Mares, Adam Meirowitz, Gerard Padró i Miquel, Kenneth Scheve, Jasjeet Sekhon, Ian Shapiro, Stephen Skowronek, Steven Smith, Milan Svolik, Peter Swenson, John Wargo (School of the Environment), Steven Wilkinson, Elisabeth Wood
Associate Professors P.M. Aronow, Katharine Baldwin, Ana De La O Torres, Alexandre Debs
Assistant Professors Alexander Coppock, Kevin DeLuca, Allison Harris, Melody Huang, Joshua Kalla, Sarah Khan, Christina Kinane, Shiro Kuriwaki, Egor Lazarev, Soyoung Lee, Charles McClean, Daniel Mattingly, Giulia Oskian, Didac Queralt, Noam Reich, Lucia Rubinelli, Emily Sellars, Ian Turner
Fields of Study
Fields include American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political economy, political theory, quantitative empirical methods, qualitative and archival methods, and formal theory.
Special Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree
Students are required to pass sixteen term courses by the end of their fourth term in the program, to receive a grade of Honors in at least two political science courses, and to maintain an overall High Pass or above average (for purposes of calculating this average, Honors=3, High Pass=2, Pass=1, and Fail=0). The High Pass average must also be met for graduate courses listed in the Political Science department. To remain in good standing throughout their time in the Ph.D. program, students are expected to actively participate in classes and workshops, produce high-quality written work, and demonstrate regular progress toward completion of the dissertation. The department regularly offers about sixty term courses for graduate students each year. Courses are conducted as seminars and typically have small enrollments. Four of the courses required for the degree may be in departments other than Political Science (two of these can be advanced language courses with the approval of the director of graduate studies [DGS]).
Each student must demonstrate elementary reading competence in one foreign language. Such competence is usually demonstrated by taking, or having completed, two years of undergraduate course work or by examination. Alternatively, the language requirement can be satisfied by successfully completing two terms of formal theory or two terms of statistical methods at the graduate level (beyond the introductory course in statistical methods offered in the department).
Courses are offered in five substantive fields—political theory, international relations, comparative politics, American politics, and political economy—and three methods fields: quantitative empirical methods, qualitative and archival methods, and formal theory. Courses taken must include one each in at least three of the department’s substantive fields. Courses cannot be counted in more than one field. Each student must demonstrate competence in three fields (two of which must be substantive fields) before the start of the fifth term. Competence can be demonstrated either by passing the comprehensive examination in the field or by course work, provided that each student takes at least two comprehensive exams. The fields of formal theory and quantitative empirical methods offer certification only through examination. For fields to be certified by course work, students are required to satisfactorily complete three courses in the field, where courses in the field are determined by the faculty and the DGS, including one in which a research paper is written and presented. The paper must be submitted to review by the instructor of the course for which the paper was written. The department offers exams twice a year, in late August and in early January. Students are expected to pass their comprehensive examinations by August of their second year. Each examination is based on a reading list compiled by the faculty within the field and updated each year. Each list offers an introduction and framework for study in the field and preparation for the examination. A committee of faculty within the field grades the exams as Distinguished, Satisfactory, or Unsatisfactory.
Students who successfully complete the Ph.D. in Political Science will often join the faculties of colleges and universities. For that reason, learning what is involved in teaching and gaining teaching experience are also essential components of graduate education. The department normally expects students to devote themselves exclusively to course work and comprehensive examinations in their first two years in the Ph.D. program. Students in Political Science typically teach in their third and fourth years.
During each year in residence, graduate students are expected to participate actively and regularly in one or more of the many research workshops run by the department. Students beyond their fourth term are required to enroll in at least one of the workshops for credit, and all workshops are graded on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. (At the discretion of the DGS, this requirement may be waived for a term for students whose situations make participation temporarily unfeasible.) All students are expected to present a research paper of their own at one of these workshops before the end of their fourth year. Workshop participation does not count toward the requirement of sixteen term courses.
Prior to Registration for the Second Year
- Students must have taken and passed at least seven courses, including the required Introduction to the Study of Politics (PLSC 510), and maintained an overall High Pass average. At least five of these courses must be graduate courses in Political Science. While only seven courses are required, students are normally expected to complete eight courses in the first year to be on track to complete sixteen courses by the end of the second year.
- Students are strongly encouraged to complete at least one field certification prior to the beginning of their second year.
- Students are strongly encouraged to attend one of the subfield weekly workshops. (Note that these workshops do not count toward the required number of completed courses.)
Prior to Registration for the Third Year
- Students must have taken at least sixteen term courses and have received a grade of at least Pass in each of them, including the two-term required Research and Writing course (PLSC 540, PLSC 541) for second-year students. Research and Writing is devoted to the preparation of a manuscript based on original research on a topic of the student’s choice and will count as two of the sixteen credits needed to advance to candidacy.
- Students must have received a grade of Honors in at least two Political Science courses and maintained an overall High Pass average.
- Students must have completed certification in three fields by the end of their second year. (For purposes of fulfilling this requirement, students registered for the August exams are assumed to have passed those exams when determining eligibility for enrollment in the third year.) At the discretion of the DGS, students who fail an exam may be granted a one-term extension (to January of the third year) for obtaining certification.
- Students are strongly encouraged to attend one of the required subfield weekly workshops. (Note that these workshops do not count toward the required number of completed courses.)
Admission to Candidacy Students must be admitted to candidacy prior to registration for the fourth year of study. Students are recommended to the graduate school for admission to candidacy by the Department of Political Science after having completed departmental requirements listed above and the graduate school’s prospectus requirement. As part of admission to candidacy, a student must have a prospectus approved by a dissertation director and two other members of the faculty. This must occur no later than May 1 of the student’s third year of study.
Submitting the Dissertation A student’s dissertation research is guided by a committee of no fewer than three faculty members, at least two of whom must be members of the Yale Department of Political Science. One of the committee members is designated as chair. When a dissertation is completed, the student will select two members to write written reports on the final dissertation, at least one of whom must be a member of the Yale Department of Political Science. The DGS will also appoint one additional member of the department to write an additional evaluation.
Combined Ph.D. Programs
Political Science and African American Studies
The graduate school offers a combined degree in Political Science and African American Studies. For details, see African American Studies in this bulletin.
Political Science and Statistics & Data Science
The Department of Political Science also offers, in conjunction with the Department of Statistics and Data Science, a combined Ph.D. degree in Political Science and Statistics and Data Science. The requirements are designed to emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of the combined-degree program. Unless otherwise noted, students are required to complete all program requirements in each department’s regular Ph.D. program.
Coursework Students must take at least sixteen graduate-level courses.
Students must complete at least eight courses in the Political Science department before the start of the seventh term, including PLSC 510 (taken in the first term) and three courses in quantitative methods: PLSC 500, PLSC 503, and PLSC 508 (or a suitable equivalent, as approved by the Political Science DGS). In addition to these four courses, students must also take at least two courses each in two other fields (American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory, and political economy). Two of these eight courses may be courses outside the department that appropriately build the student’s substantive interests. Students may optionally take the two-course Research and Writing sequence in year two or three, but this sequence does not count toward the eight-course requirement.
Students must also complete at least eight courses in the Statistics and Data Science department before the start of the seventh term, with the specific course schedule subject to approval by the Statistics and Data Science DGS. A typical course plan would likely include S&DS 541 (taken in the first term), S&DS 542 and S&DS 661 (taken in the second term), S&DS 612 and S&DS 625 (taken in the third term), S&DS 551 (taken in the fourth term), and S&DS 626 (taken in the fifth term).
In the event course requirements as written cannot be met due to restrictions on course offerings, etc., the DGSs of each program, in consultation with one another, may mutually agree on course substitutions consistent with the intellectual goals of this program.
Qualifying Examination There are separate comprehensive exam requirements in each department. In Political Science, students must certify in three fields, and one of these fields must be quantitative methods, which is certified by examination. The other two fields can be drawn from American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory, and political economy. For rules about certification in these fields, please see the Political Science department’s solo Ph.D. requirements. Students must complete all of these certifications prior to the start of the sixth term, and it is expected that students will complete their first two certifications the summer after their second term. Students satisfy the Political Science language requirement by certifying in quantitative methods.
In Statistics and Data Science, students will complete the Probability Theory Comprehensive Exam at the end of the first term, the Statistical Theory Comprehensive Exam at the end of the second term, and both the Practical Exam and the Oral Exam at the end of the fifth term. Please see the Statistics and Data Science department’s solo Ph.D. requirements (https://statistics.yale.edu/academics/graduate-programs/phd-program/qualifying-exams).
Teaching The teaching requirement of students admitted in the combined program will be split between the two departments (i.e., the student will be serving as a teaching fellow [TF] for an equal number of courses in both departments).
Prospectus and Dissertation Requirements For the dissertation, not later than the fifth term, a student shall select a primary adviser from one department, a co-adviser from the other department, and a third faculty member from either department who serves as a reader along with the advisers. The dissertation prospectus is due not later than the middle of the sixth term (mid-March for students whose sixth term is a spring term). Subsequently, and not later than the end of classes in the sixth term (usually the end of April for students whose sixth term is a spring term), there is to be an oral presentation of the prospectus by the prospective candidate, followed by a meeting of a faculty committee consisting of the advisers and at least one DGS for prospectus approval. Admission to candidacy for the combined Ph.D. requires DGS signature of prospectus approval from both departments following adviser approval in both departments. In Political Science, this requires all three committee members to attest that the prospectus is approved. (Certification for the third field in Political Science may take place after prospectus approval.) Combined dissertations will take a form suitable for both disciplines. We anticipate that many students will write dissertations composed of three papers.
Advising Beginning in the first term of the Ph.D. program, a student shall select an adviser from each department, with one adviser designated as the primary adviser. We strongly suggest the student meet jointly with both advisers to discuss navigating the combined Ph.D. program.
Transfer Admissions Process Students admitted to either Political Science or Statistics and Data Science may apply to transfer to the combined Ph.D. program with the approval of the DGS in both programs. Transfer applications are expected to take place no later than the third term in the Ph.D. program.
Exit from the Combined Program A student admitted into the combined program may elect to exit the combined program and instead pursue a regular Ph.D. in either of the two departments. This election must take place before the start of the sixth term.
Joint Degree
Students may also pursue a joint degree with Yale Law School.
Master’s Degrees
M.Phil. The academic requirements for the M.Phil. degree are the same as for the Ph.D. degree except for the completion of the prospectus and dissertation.
M.A. Students who withdraw from the Ph.D. program may be eligible to receive the M.A. degree if they have met the requirements and have not already received the M.Phil. degree. For the M.A., students must successfully complete a full year of course work in the program (at least eight term courses) with an average of High Pass. The courses must include at least six listed in the Political Science Department and one each in at least three of the department’s substantive fields. Language requirements are the same as for the Ph.D. degree.
Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program in political science may qualify for the M.A. in history, rather than an M.A. in political science, upon completion of a minimum of six graduate term courses in history at Yale, of which two must have earned Honors grades and the other four courses must average High Pass overall. A student must include in the six courses completed at least two research seminars in the History Department.
Candidates in combined programs will be awarded the M.A. only when the master’s degree requirements for both programs have been met.
Courses
PLSC 500a, Foundations of Statistical Inference Melody Huang
This course provides an intensive introduction to statistical theory for quantitative empirical inquiry in the social sciences. Topics include foundations of probability theory, statistical inference from random samples, estimation theory, linear regression, maximum likelihood estimation, and a brief introduction to identification.
MW 10:30am-11:20am
PLSC 505b / SOCY 508b, Qualitative Field Research Egor Lazarev
In this seminar we discuss and practice qualitative field research methods. The course covers the basic techniques for collecting, interpreting, and analyzing ethnographic data, with an emphasis on the core ethnographic techniques of participant observation and in-depth interviewing. All participants carry out a local research project. Open to undergraduates with permission of the instructor.
HTBA
PLSC 509a, Philosophy of Science for the Study of Politics Ian Shapiro
An examination of the philosophy of science from the perspective of the study of politics. Particular attention to the ways in which assumptions about science influence models of political behavior, the methods adopted to study that behavior, and the relations between science and democracy. Readings include works by both classic and contemporary authors.
W 1:30pm-3:20pm
PLSC 510a, Introduction to the Study of Politics Jennifer Gandhi
The course introduces students to some of the major controversies in political science. We focus on the five substantive themes that make up the Yale Initiative: Order, Conflict, and Violence; Representation and Popular Rule; Crafting and Operating Institutions; Identities, Affiliations, and Allegiances; and Distributive Politics. We divide our time between discussing readings on these subjects and conversations with different members of the faculty who specialize in them. There is also some attention to methodological controversies within the discipline. Requirements: an annotated bibliography of one of the substantive themes and a take-home final exam.
T 1:30pm-3:20pm
PLSC 512b, The Design and Analysis of Randomized Field Experiments in Political Science Alexander Coppock
Randomized field experiments are deployed across the social sciences to answer well-posed theoretical questions and to generate new information from which to build fresh theories of social interaction and behavior. Experiments are attractive because they enable the researcher to (mostly) ground statistical and causal inferences in features of the research design rather than assumptions about the world. This course covers the design and analysis of both introductory and advanced experimental designs, using the textbook by Gerber and Green (2012) as the main guide. Strong emphasis is placed on developing practical skills for real research scenarios. Given resources, how should subjects be assigned to conditions? How many treatment arms should be included? How do we plan to analyze the resulting data? The course has a relatively heavy workload: weekly problem sets in R that will prepare students for 95 percent of experimental research tasks they will encounter in the field. Prerequisite: any introductory statistics course that covers regression at any level of detail.
HTBA
PLSC 518a, Introduction to Game Theory Adam Meirowitz
This course offers a rigorous introduction to noncooperative game theory. The course covers normal and extensive form games of perfect information and normal and extensive form games of imperfect information. We end with a brief introduction to mechanism design. Through lectures and problem sets students gain familiarity with creating and analyzing models of political phenomena. Applications are drawn from a broad set of topics in political science and students are pushed to think about how game theoretic analysis connects with empirical work in political science. A capstone project pushes students to create and analyze a novel model of politics in their own research area. Students are assumed to have mathematical knowledge at the level of the Political Science Math Camp.
Th 9:25am-11:15am
PLSC 519b, Introduction to Formal Political Economy Ian Turner
This course surveys key applications of game theory and related methods to the study of politics and political economy. Topics include electoral competition, political accountability, special interest politics, delegation, political agency, legislative bargaining, collective action, and regime chance. Prerequisite: PLSC 518 or an equivalent course in game theory.
HTBA
PLSC 522a / SOCY 503a, Archival Methods and Historical Approaches in the Social Sciences Jonny Steinberg
The aim of the course is to equip students to navigate different sorts of archives, to interpret archival material, and to survey debates in the social sciences about using historical material and theory to build arguments.
F 9:25am-11:15am
PLSC 524a, YData: Data Science for Political Campaigns Joshua Kalla
Political campaigns have become increasingly data driven. Data science is used to inform where campaigns compete, which messages they use, how they deliver them, and among which voters. In this course, we explore how data science is being used to design winning campaigns. Students gain an understanding of what data is available to campaigns, how campaigns use this data to identify supporters, and the use of experiments in campaigns. The course provides students with an introduction to political campaigns, an introduction to data science tools necessary for studying politics, and opportunities to practice the data science skills presented in S&DS 523. Can be taken concurrently with, or after successful completion of, S&DS 523.
W 1:30pm-3:20pm
PLSC 530a or b / S&DS 530a or b, Data Exploration and Analysis Staff
Survey of statistical methods: plots, transformations, regression, analysis of variance, clustering, principal components, contingency tables, and time series analysis. The R computing language and web data sources are used.
HTBA
PLSC 533a, Formal Models of International Relations Alex Debs
This course offers a survey of game-theoretic models of international relations. Students learn how to evaluate and present existing models and how to develop their own research projects. Topics covered include nuclear deterrence theory, war duration, the democratic peace, militarization and war, mediation, and mutual optimism. Prerequisites: PLSC 518 and PLSC 519 or the equivalent.
M 1:30pm-3:20pm
PLSC 540a and PLSC 541b, Research and Writing Helene Landemore-Jelaca and Daniel Mattingly
This is a required course for all second-year students. It meets for the first six weeks of the fall term and the first six weeks of the spring term. The fall meetings are devoted to discussion of research design as well as individual student projects. The spring meetings are devoted to discussion of drafts of student papers. The work of the spring-term seminar includes criticism of the organization, arguments, data evaluation, and writing in each student’s paper by the instructors and the other students. Using this criticism, and under the supervision of the instructors, each student conducts additional research, if necessary, rewrites the paper as required, and prepares a final paper representing the best work of which the student is capable. Students must submit a one-page outline of the proposed project for the first fall-term meeting and a complete draft of the paper at the first meeting in the spring.
T 1:30pm-3:20pm
PLSC 546b, Prospectus Writing Workshop Alex Debs
A non-credit workshop for third-year Ph.D. students in the Political Science department, in which they develop, revise, and present their prospectus. 0 Course cr
HTBA
PLSC 629a / HIST 656a, Histories of Political Thought Isaac Nakhimovsky
The intersection between political theory and intellectual history, examined from a historiographical rather than an exclusively methodological perspective. The course aims to develop a comparative framework for discussing the kinds of preoccupations and commitments that have animated various important contributions to the history of political thought since the nineteenth century.
F 9:25am-11:15am
PLSC 667a, Domestic Politics in International Relations Soyoung Lee
This class explores the interplay between domestic politics and international relations. We examine questions such as how does domestic politics affect the foreign policy choices of leaders and states? Who are the key domestic actors and what do the actors want? How do domestic actors form their preferences? Do domestic political institutions matter, and if so, how? Topics include rallying and diversionary conflict, war and the fate of leaders, domestic interest groups and sectoral politics, elite messaging and propaganda, democratic peace, and the rise of populism and nationalism. Students also have a chance to develop their own research skills by writing and presenting a research paper outline. Assignments also include writing practice referee reports and response papers. This class is aimed at political science Ph.D. students interested in international relations.
T 9:25am-11:15am
PLSC 691b, Identity and Conflict Lab Nicholas Sambanis
The Identity and Conflict Lab (ICL), led by Professor Nicholas Sambanis, is launching a new graduate-level course focusing on the politics of intergroup conflict broadly conceived. The lab’s research is motivated by major problems of our time, such as civil war, ethnic violence, racial prejudice, and religious intolerance. The lab sponsors research on all these areas, with a particular focus on identity politics: how social identities shape individual behavior, how conflict affects identities, and what interventions are effective in reducing conflict. The ICL course reviews the state of the debate on key topics in which the ICL has active research and identifies new research questions that lab affiliates can address by collecting new data and applying cutting edge analysis in a collaborative setting. The lab involves affiliated faculty at Yale and other universities, post-doctoral fellows, and students. The lab promotes an interdisciplinary, multimethod approach to the study of conflict. Students affiliated with the lab must attend workshops and meetings biweekly and are expected to complete reading assignments, comment on lab affiliates’ work in progress, and present their own work to the lab on suitable topics decided in consultation with the lab director. Students taking this course have opportunities to join ongoing lab projects depending on their interests and skills. For more information, please send inquiries to nicholas.sambanis@yale.edu. Open to graduate students only. ½ Course cr
HTBA
PLSC 734a / SOCY 560a, Comparative Research Workshop Jonathan Wyrtzen
This weekly workshop is dedicated to group discussion of work-in-progress by visiting scholars, Yale graduate students, and in-house faculty from Sociology and affiliated disciplines. Papers are distributed a week ahead of time and also posted on the website of the Center for Comparative Research (http://ccr.yale.edu). Students who are enrolled for credit are expected to present a paper-in-progress.
HTBA
PLSC 756a, The European Union David Cameron
Origins and development of the European Community and Union over the past fifty years; ways in which the often-conflicting ambitions of its member states have shaped the EU; relations between member states and the EU's supranational institutions and politics; and economic, political, and geopolitical challenges.
Th 3:30pm-5:20pm
PLSC 777b, Comparative Politics I: Research Design Katharine Baldwin
This course is part of a two-term course series designed to introduce students to the study of comparative politics. This half of the sequence focuses on issues related to research design and methodology in comparative politics. Although there are a handful of weeks devoted entirely to methodological debates, most of our weekly discussions are focused around one book as an exemplar of a particularly interesting or important research design. The course is helpful for students who plan to take the comparative politics field exam.
HTBA
PLSC 778a, Comparative Politics II Charles McClean
This survey course provides a general introduction to the field of comparative politics, with an emphasis on the most important theories and research themes. Topics include the foundations of political regimes, state formation, identity and nationalism, party development, electoral reforms, programmatic and clientelistic linkages, and social policy development. At the same time, the course seeks to strengthen students’ analytical skills in evaluating comparative research and prepare students to take the examination in comparative politics.
T 3:30pm-5:20pm
PLSC 779a / ANTH 541a / ENV 836a / HIST 965a / SOCY 617a, Agrarian Societies: Culture, Society, History, and Development Jonathan Wyrtzen and Elisabeth Wood
An interdisciplinary examination of agrarian societies, contemporary and historical, Western and non-Western. Major analytical perspectives from anthropology, economics, history, political science, and environmental studies are used to develop a meaning-centered and historically grounded account of the transformations of rural society. Team-taught.
W 1:30pm-3:20pm
PLSC 800a, Introduction to American Politics Jacob Hacker
This course is an introduction to American politics for students pursuing graduate work in political science. It surveys current research in a range of areas, with a focus on theory and substance rather than method. Topics include the U.S. constitutional structure; American political development; interest groups and parties as political actors; race, ethnicity, gender, and politics; federalism and state and local politics; the welfare state and policy feedback; elections and citizen behavior; inequality and influence; and policymaking with a separation of powers system. The semester concludes with an examination of the contemporary American political economy. Students are expected to read and discuss each week’s assignment and, for each of five weeks, to write a three- to five-page analytic paper that deals with a subject addressed or suggested by the reading.
M 3:30pm-5:20pm
PLSC 810a, Political Preferences and American Political Behavior Joshua Kalla
Introduction to research methods and topics in American political behavior. Focus on decision-making from the perspective of ordinary citizens. Topics include utility theory, heuristics and biases, political participation, retrospective voting, the consequences of political ignorance, the effects of campaigns, and the ability of voters to hold politicians accountable for their actions.
W 3:30pm-5:20pm
PLSC 839a, Congress in the Light of History David Mayhew
A critical investigation of the United States Congress, the primary democratic institution in the American political system. Focus on individual members of Congress, institutional features, and the role of Congress within the larger separation-of-powers system.
W 1:30pm-3:20pm
PLSC 841a / EP&E 336a / PLSC 258a, Democracy and Bureaucracy Ian Turner
Exploration of what government agencies do and why; focus on issues of accountability and the role of bureaucracy in representative democracy. Understanding how bureaucracy works internally and how it is affected by interactions with other political actors and institutions.
T 1:30pm-3:20pm
PLSC 869b, Current Topics in American Politics Alan Gerber
This course covers recent exemplars, from working papers to classics, in American behavior and institutions. The first half of the course discusses a selection of important papers, and class sessions focus on the key decisions made by researchers and the research methods that they employed. The second half of the course includes discussion and analysis of papers that are identified by students as central to their own research, and class sessions focus on in-depth discussion of student research ideas and proposals.
HTBA
PLSC 930a and PLSC 931b, American Politics Workshop Jacob Hacker and Ian Turner
The course meets throughout the year in conjunction with the ISPS American Politics Workshop. It serves as a forum for graduate students in American politics to discuss current research in the field as presented by outside speakers and current graduate students. Open only to graduate students in the Political Science department. Can be taken as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.
W 12pm-1:15pm
PLSC 932a and PLSC 933b, Comparative Politics Workshop Daniel Mattingly and Charles McClean
A forum for the presentation of ongoing research by Yale graduate students, Yale faculty, and invited external speakers in a rigorous and critical environment. The workshop’s methodological and substantive range is broad, covering the entire range of comparative politics. There are no formal presentations. Papers are read in advance by participants; a graduate student critically discusses the week’s paper, the presenter responds, and discussion ensues. Detailed information can be found at https://campuspress.yale.edu/cpworkshop. Open only to graduate students in the Political Science department. Can be taken as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.
T 12pm-1:20pm
PLSC 934a and PLSC 935b, Political Theory Workshop Staff
An interdisciplinary forum that focuses on theoretical and philosophical approaches to the study of politics. The workshop seeks to engage with (and expose students to) a broad range of current scholarship in political theory and political philosophy, including work in the history of political thought; theoretical investigations of contemporary political phenomena; philosophical analyses of key political concepts; conceptual issues in ethics, law, and public policy; and contributions to normative political theory. The workshop features ongoing research by Yale faculty members, visiting scholars, invited guests, and advanced graduate students. Papers are distributed and read in advance, and discussions are opened by a graduate student commentator. Detailed information can be found at http://politicaltheory.yale.edu. Open only to graduate students in the Political Science department. Can be taken as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.
W 4:15pm-6pm
PLSC 938a and PLSC 939b, Leitner Political Economy Seminar Series Gerard Padro
This seminar series engages research on the interaction between economics and politics as well as research that employs the methods of political economists to study a wide range of social phenomena. The workshop serves as a forum for graduate students and faculty to present their own work and to discuss current research in the field as presented by outside speakers, faculty, and students. Detailed information can be found at http://leitner.yale.edu/seminars. Open only to graduate students in the Political Science department. Can be taken as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.
Th 12pm-1:20pm
PLSC 940a and PLSC 941b, International Relations Workshop Staff
This workshop engages work in the fields of international security, international political economy, and international institutions. The forum attracts outside speakers, Yale faculty, and graduate students. It provides a venue to develop ideas, polish work in progress, or showcase completed projects. Typically, the speaker would prepare a 35- to 40-minute presentation, followed by a question-and-answer session. More information can be found at http://irworkshop.yale.edu. Open only to graduate students in the Political Science department. Can be taken as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.
W 12pm-1:20pm
PLSC 942a and PLSC 943b, Political Violence and Its Legacies Workshop Elisabeth Wood
The MacMillan Political Violence and Its Legacies (PVL) workshop is an interdisciplinary forum for work in progress by Yale faculty and graduate students, as well as scholars from other universities. PVL is designed to foster a wide-ranging conversation at Yale and beyond about political violence and its effects that transcends narrow disciplinary and methodological divisions. The workshop’s interdisciplinary nature attracts faculty and graduate students from Anthropology, African American Studies, American Studies, History, Sociology, and Political Science, among others. There are no formal presentations. Papers are distributed one week prior to the workshop and are read in advance by attendees. A discussant introduces the manuscript and raises questions for the subsequent discussion period. To help facilitate a lively and productive discussion, we ban laptops and cellphones for the workshop’s duration. If you are affiliated with Yale University and would like to join the mailing list, please send an e-mail to julia.bleckner@yale.edu with “PVL Subscribe” in the subject line.
Th 12pm-1:20pm
PLSC 990a or b, Directed Reading Staff
By arrangement with individual faculty.
HTBA