Fall/Winter Course Descriptions 2025-2026

The Department offers 100-level, 200-level, 300-level, and 400-level Political Science (POL) courses.

PLEASE NOTE

• Course descriptions are not final and may be changed at or before the first class.
• For enrolment instructions, students should consult the Faculty of Arts & Science Fall 2024 Timetable.
• Prerequisites will be enforced rigorously. Students who do not have the relevant prerequisite(s) may be removed from the course after classes begin. Specific questions regarding prerequisites for a course can be answered by the course instructor. Where there are two instructors of a course, an asterisk (*) indicates the Course Coordinator.

**This page will be updated regularly. Please check here for curriculum changes.

Course Nomenclature

• Y1-Y is a full course, both terms.
• Y1-F is a full course, first term (fall session)
• Y1-S is a full course, second term (winter session)
• H1-F is a half course, first term (fall session)
• H1-S is a half course, second term (winter session)

• PT (Political Theory)
• CG (Canadian Government)
• DS (Development Studies)
• CP (Comparative Politics)
• MET (Methods)
• IR (International Relations)
• PP (Public Policy)
• D&I (Diversity & Identity)

100-Level Courses

POL101H1F L0101: The Real World of Politics: An Introduction 

This course introduces students to key concepts and debates in political science by exploring contemporary issues such as the politics of climate change, Indigenous rights, elections and electoral systems, social movements, and war and peace.

200-Level Courses

POL200Y1Y L0101 Political Theory: Visions of the Just/Good Society

A selective presentation of critical encounters between philosophy and politics, dedicated to the quest for the articulation and founding of the just/good society. Among the theorists examined are Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes and Locke.

Texts: In addition to those authors mentioned above, the course will include readings from the Anishinaabe, Buddhist and Islamic traditions.
Format and Requirements:Two essays, final exam.
Exclusions: POL200Y5/ POLC70H3/ POLC71H3
Area: PT

POL200Y1Y L5101 Political Theory: Visions of the Just/Good Society

What is the essence of political life, and what is its proper purpose? This course explores how key figures in political thought in the ancient and early modern era (before ca. 1700) answered these questions. Central concepts include virtue, justice, order, authority, rights, and the common good. Authors include Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke

POL201H1F L0101: Politics of Development

This course seeks to introduce students to the politics of development of the Global South from WWII to the present. It attempts to provide a balanced mix of current issues and structural problems of developing countries and theoretical and practical approaches to development that have shaped development strategies and outcomes. As part of that, it will examine specific issues such as the role of foreign aid and neo-liberal reforms as well as structural challenges including the politics of regime change, democratization, civil/ethnonational conflicts, environmental sustainability, and globalization.

JPI201H1S L0101: Indigenous Politics in Canada

This course focuses on the legal and political relationship between Canada’s Indigenous peoples and the Canadian state. The course provides a detailed genealogy of the relevant legal and political touchstones of the relationship from the Hawthorn Report in 1966 to the present-day Unist’ot’en roadblocks on Wet’suwet’en territory in British Columbia. Students will gain a sense of the historical and ongoing pendulum-like legal and political relationship between the Canadian state and Indigenous communities. Students will become familiar with a shortlist of relevant legal and political concepts: Aboriginal rights, treaty relationship, nation-to-nation, reconciliation, resurgence, honour of the Crown, duty to consult, and Indigenous spirituality.

POL205H1H L0101: International Relations in the Anthropocene

Not Offered in 2025-2026

Humans have altered the planet so dramatically that some geologists have coined a new epoch: the Anthropocene. Is our study of global politics up to the challenge of
human-driven environmental change? In this course, we consider multiple perspectives on IR to make sense of geopolitics on a changing planet.

POL208H1F L0101: Introduction to International Relations

This course examines fundamental themes and issues in international politics, including interstate war, international institutions, nationalism, international norms and morality, nuclear weapons, and the international order.

POL208H1S: Introduction to International Relations

This course examines fundamental themes and issues in international politics, including interstate war, international institutions, nationalism, international norms and morality, nuclear weapons, and the international order.

POL212H1S L0101: Understanding War

General introduction to the study of war, covering basic concepts and theories and surveying a selection of key topics and debates, including: what is war; why countries fight wars; who starts wars, and against whom; how to prevent war; how wars are fought; how wars end; and what is the future of war. Sessions will revolve around a few essential readings, which must be completed before class and will serve as a basis for various in-class and in-tutorial activities including presentations, case studies, simulations, and games.

POL214H1F L5101: Canadian Government

This course will introduce students to core concepts in the study of Canadian politics, including Canada’s historical foundations, its current institutional context, and key political actors. The first half of the course will focus on Canada’s governing institutions and significant political actors including the courts, Parliament, the electoral system, political parties, voters, and social movements. In the second half of the course, we will explore the social and political forces that shape politics in Canada including regionalism, federalism, colonialism, and multiculturalism. Students will consider the complex relationships between social forces and Canada’s political institutions.

POL214H1S L0101: Canadian Government

This course will introduce students to core concepts in the study of Canadian politics, including Canada’s historical foundations, its current institutional context, and key political actors. The first half of the course will focus on Canada’s governing institutions and significant political actors including the courts, Parliament, the electoral system, political parties, voters, and social movements. In the second half of the course, we will explore the social and political forces that shape politics in Canada including regionalism, federalism, colonialism, and multiculturalism. Students will consider the complex relationships between social forces and Canada’s political institutions.

POL218H1F L0101: State, Society and Power in Comparative Perspective

This course is designed to introduce students to major issues and challenges that shape states, determine how they are governed, and how they change. The course helps to explain major events such as state transformation, democratization, authoritarian rule, civil conflict and social mobilization.

POL219H1S L0101: Unpacking Political Systems: Institutions and Behaviour in Comparative Perspective

The discipline of Political Science, since its establishment in the late nineteenth century, has concerned itself with the study of institutions. This course will explore the effect of institutions on power, coups and attempted coups, segregation and racial discrimination, women’s rights, LBGTQ+ rights, economic reform and inequality, immigration and immigration policy, and the segregation and sterilization of people with mental disabilities, among other topics. Institutions examined will include classic formal institutions (electoral systems, constitutions, courts, executives, legislatures, party systems), intermediate institutions (trade unions and interest groups), and sub rosa institutions (homes for the feebleminded and residential schools).

Prerequisites: 4.0 credits, or 1.0 credit in POL/ JPA/ JPF/ JPI/ JPR/ JPS/ JRA courses
Area: CP/D&I

POL220H1 F: Immigration, Multiculturalism, and Citizenship in Canada

This course deals with three inter-related themes – immigration, multiculturalism, and citizenship – by focusing on a single unifying question: What does it mean to “belong” to the Canadian political community? Who belongs, on what terms, and to what ends? A range of materials – normative, empirical, historical, and contemporary – will be used.

Prerequisites: 4.0 credits, or 1.0 credit in POL/ JPA/ JPF/ JPI/ JPR/ JPS/ JRA courses
Recommended Preparation: POl214H1/POL224H1
Area: CG/D&I

POL222H1F L0101: Introduction to Quantitative Reasoning I

Introduces the foundations of quantitative empirical research methods - increasingly popular and important part of political science research and public policy debates - to enable you to interpret and evaluate the results of the studies that employ these methods. Topics include quantitative study of politics, causal theory, and quantitative empirical research designs.

POL222H1F L0201: Introduction to Quantitative Reasoning I

Introduces the foundations of quantitative empirical research methods - increasingly popular and important part of political science research and public policy debates - to enable you to interpret and evaluate the results of the studies that employ these methods. Topics include quantitative study of politics, causal theory, and quantitative empirical research designs.

POL222H1F L5101: Introduction to Quantitative Reasoning I

Introduces the foundations of quantitative empirical research methods - increasingly popular and important part of political science research and public policy debates - to enable you to interpret and evaluate the results of the studies that employ these methods. Topics include quantitative study of politics, causal theory, and quantitative empirical research designs.

POL223H1S L0101: Globalization and Development: Issues and Challenges

Since the era of European colonialism and the onset of industrial capitalism, the world has seen the expansion and deepening of social, cultural, political, and economic relations across time and space. Today, this process of globalization has increased in speed and reach, such that, our daily activities are affected significantly by practices and decisions made in distant places. The impacts of the accelerated mobility of people, commodities, information, and ideas on socio-economic development are unevenly distributed geographically, privileging and depriving some at the same time. This course examines globalization’s contradictory effects, especially as they are lived and felt by people in the Global South. We will focus our attention on some of the following issues: new gendered and racialized patterns of labor, inequality among nations, climate change and ecological sustainability, criminal violence, international migration, and social movement responses to globalization from above.

Texts: Library course readings accessed through Quercus
Format and Requirements: test, research essay, final exam and tutorial participation
Prerequisites: 4.0 credits, or 1.0 credit in POL/ JPA/ JPF/ JPI/ JPR/ JPS/ JRA courses
Area: DS/D&I

POL224H1S L5101: Canada in Comparative Perspective

This course introduces students to Canadian politics using a comparative approach. It provides essential knowledge about the variety of political regimes around the world, with concrete examples emphasizing the comparison of Canada with other countries. Topics covered include the evolution of democracies, political institutions, electoral systems, ideology, the role of the state in the economy, as well as contemporary issues such as cultural diversity, representation and inequalities.

POL232H1S L0101: Introduction to Quantitative Reasoning II

Building up on POL222H1, this course examines the theoretical foundations of quantitative empirical research, such as probability theory, statistical inference, and linear regression analysis, and introduces students to data analysis using a statistical software package. Students will gain hands-on experience with the analysis of empirical data, which should prove useful not only during the rest of their academic curriculum, but also throughout their career. By the end of the semester, students will be able to conduct basic data analysis independently

POL232H1S L0201: Introduction to Quantitative Reasoning II

Building up on POL222H1, this course examines the theoretical foundations of quantitative empirical research, such as probability theory, statistical inference, and linear regression analysis, and introduces students to data analysis using a statistical software package. Students will gain hands-on experience with the analysis of empirical data, which should prove useful not only during the rest of their academic curriculum, but also throughout their career. By the end of the semester, students will be able to conduct basic data analysis independently

POL232H1S L5101: Introduction to Quantitative Reasoning II

Building up on POL222H1, this course examines the theoretical foundations of quantitative empirical research, such as probability theory, statistical inference, and linear regression analysis, and introduces students to data analysis using a statistical software package. Students will gain hands-on experience with the analysis of empirical data, which should prove useful not only during the rest of their academic curriculum, but also throughout their career. By the end of the semester, students will be able to conduct basic data analysis independently

300-Level Courses

POL301H1F L0101: Colonial Legacies and Post-Independence African Politics

This course highlights the critical roles of pre-colonial and colonial histories in shaping contemporary political and economic developments in Africa. It covers the emergence of colonial states, the central legacies of colonial rule, and the impact of colonialism in shaping processes of state and nation building from independence to the present.

POL302H1F: Politics and Society in 20th Century China

This course will explore China's efforts to construct a modern and effective political order in the face of powerful demographic and revolutionary challenges. The first half of the course will trace China's political evolution from the end of the last dynasty through the end of the Mao era. The second half will be organized thematically to focus on the clash between competing ideologies, political and social movements and institutional alternativies in the context of rapid social and economic change will be analyzed. 

Format and Requirements: One essay, participation, and two term tests
Exclusion: POL302Y1/POLC16H3
Prerequisites: EAS105H1/HIS280Y1/POL215Y1
Area: CP/DS

POL304H1S L0101: Topics in Methods:
Not offered in 2025-2026

Various topics are taken up each year, the content of which depends on the instructor.

Prerequisite: POL232H1 or equivalent
Area: MET

POL305H1F L0101: Introduction to Latin American Politics and Societies

This course offers students a critical introduction to the cultures and politics of Latin America. Our approach will be multi-disciplinary and will consider – among other themes and inquiries – the region's colonial legacy, 19th century caudillismo and republicanism, 20th century developmentalism, and the environmental, social, and economic challenges of the present. Students will also be introduced to a range of issues and debates from Latin American and North Atlantic social science, activist, and critical theory circles on the changing face of state sovereignty and regional integration, indigenous movements, populism, revolution, human rights and civil society, the legacies of (neo)colonialism, neoliberalism, and ‘21st century socialism.’

POL307H1S L0101: Japanese Politics

This course introduces students to the politics, political economy, and international relations of Japan. We will cover the role of political parties, the bureaucracy, and private actors; economic development and stagnation; relations with the United States and regional neighbors. The course places a particular emphasis on contemporary challenges facing Japan, including energy policy and climate change, demographic decline, Japan’s contributions to the liberal international order, and Japan’s response to geopolitical challenges, such as North Korea and the rise of China.

POL309H1S: Contemporary African Poltiics: Dynamics and Challenges

This course explores the main drivers of political organization and change in contemporary Africa, focusing on how national, regional, and international factors shape institutions, patterns of participation and political change. It considers major scholarly debates in the study of African politics and political economy and develops analytical skills for the comparative study of this diverse continent.

Format and Requirements: This is a lecture with a significant discussion segment.
Prerequisites: 1.0 credit in POL/ JPA/ JPF/ JPI/ JPR/ JPS/ JRA courses
Exclusion: POL301Y1Y
Area: CP/DS/D&I

POL310H1S L0101: Nationality Building in Central Europe
Not Offered in 2025-2026

This course is a case study of nationalism based on the experience of a stateless people in Europe called Carpatho-Rusyns. Emphasis is on how factors such as historical ideology, language, education, religion, and politics are used by the intelligentsia to create a national consciousness among the inhabitants.

POL311H1F: Law and Political Development

This course illuminates how political authority is constructed and contested, alongside the role that law and legal actors play in this process. Focusing on the historical development of territorial states, but also considering empires and international organizations, we will debate how these polities emerge, how they project their power and legitimate their authority, how people challenge and resist their rule, and how laws, lawyers, and judges impact these processes of political development. Throughout we will animate our discussions with an array of comparative examples – such as the medieval origins of the rule of law in Europe, the territorial expansion of the US federal state, and the political role that courts play in democratic and authoritarian states today.

Prerequisites: 1.0 credit in POL/ JPA/ JPF/ JPI/ JPR/ JPS/ JRA courses
Exclusions: POL 378H1 (Topic: Law and Political Development), LEC0101, offered in Fall 2023 and LEC0201, offered in Fall 2024
Area: CP

POL312H1F: Canadian Foreign Policy

This course will examine the key actors and institutions involved in foreign policymaking in Canada, in both historical and contemporary contexts, and will introduce students to the basics of foreign policy analysis. We will discuss how Canada’s foreign policy shapes and is shaped by the world through the lenses of trade, security, and development, as well as Canada’s involvement in regional and multilateral institutions. Specific sessions will be devoted to Canada’s relations with three key actors: China, the European Union, and the United States.

Prerequisites: POL208H1/POL208Y1/POL209H5/POLB80H3
Exclusion: POL312Y1
Area: CG/IR

POL314H1F: Public Opinion and Voting

This course introduces students to the attitudes and behaviours of the mass public in Canada and other Western democracies. Themes include political participation, the mass media, and the nature of social, psychological, and economic, and elite-driven forces on public opinion and voting. It will also highlight the role of campaigns, issues, and leaders in elections. Over the course of the term students will engage in a number of important debates in the area of public opinion and voting, such as the on the relative importance of values and partisanship in shaping political behaviour, the nature of social cleavages in public opinion, the capacity of citizens to understand and participate in politics, the effects of the media and political campaigns on public opinion and voting, and the importance of public opinion in policy making. Students will also be given a brief introduction to public opinion polling and survey research methodology.

Texts: Clawson, R. A., & Oxley, Z. M. (2020). Public Opinion : Democratic Ideals, Democratic Practice (4th ed.). Sage/CQ Press.
Format and Requirements: One two-hour lecture per week. Course requirements TBA
Prerequisites: POL222H1
Recommeded Preparation: POL232H1/POL214H1
Area: CG/CP/MET

JPS315H1S L0101: LGBTQ Politics
Not offered in 2025-2026

This is an interdisciplinary course examining the development of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) movement and its interaction with the
state in the US and Canada.

(Given by the Department of Political Science and the Sexual Diversity Studies Program)

POL315H1F: American Civil Liberties

This course offers a survey of American constitutional law in the area of civil liberties. Specific topics to be addressed include fundamental rights; freedoms of speech, press, and assembly; freedom of (and freedom from) religion; rights to privacy and autonomy, and due process and equal protection of the laws; sexual and familial rights.

Prerequisite: 1.0 Credit in POL/JPA/JPF/JPI/JPR/JPS/JRA courses
Exclusion: POL379H1 (Topic: Civil Liberties in the United States), LEC0201, offered in Fall 2022; LEC0101 offered in Fall 2023 and Fall 2024
Area: CP

POL316H1F L0101: Contemporary Canadian Federalism

Is Canadian federalism working? This course explores how the rules and norms of Canadian federalism play out in practice. In the first part of the course, we examine theoretical underpinnings in the study of federalism in Canada and globally, such as classical federalism, co-operative federalism, and open federalism. Then, we will survey intergovernmental policy processes and ask whether federalism is working for people in Canada, including marginalized groups. Topics include the distribution of power, constitutionalism, judicial review and the notwithstanding clause, fiscal federalism, the social union, Indigenous governance, treaty federalism, and separatism in Quebec and the West.

POL319H1F: Elections and Voting

This course aims to introduce students to the essential elements for understanding the electoral process. The course will first present an introduction to the origin and objectives of elections. It will then address electoral procedures and their impact on electoral participation, party systems and the determinants of vote choice.

Prerequisite: POL214H1/POL214Y1/POL214Y5/POL215H5/POL216H5/POL224H1/POL224Y1/POLB50Y3
Exclusion: POL382H1 (Topic: Elections), LEC0101, offered in Fall 2023; POL382H1 (Topic: Elections and Voting), LEC5101, offered in Winter 2025
Area: CP/CG

POL320H1F L5101: Modern Political Thought: Freedom and Equality

An exploration of ideas of freedom in the rise of the modern age from the 18th and 19th centuries, from the Age of Enlightenment to the Age of Democratic Revolutions. Thinkers studied include Rousseau, Burke, and Wollstonecraft

POL321H1S L5101: Modern Political Thought: Progress Through History

An exploration of modern political thought from the 19th to the beginning of the 20th centuries. Themes include the idea of progress through history and its implications for politics, as explored by thinkers such as J.S. Mill, Marx, Hegel, and Nietzsche.

POL324H1S L5101: European Union: Politics, Institutions and Society

This course provides an in-depth understanding of the history, institutions, laws, and policies of the European Union (EU). We will debate alternative explanations for the political development of the EU, unearth the events and actors that have shaped European integration, and place the EU in a broader comparative perspective. We will also grapple with key social and political debates facing the EU today, such as debates concerning the democratic legitimacy of the EU, immigration and the EU’s handling of the refugee crisis, the rise of Euroskepticism and Brexit, the rule of law crisis and autocratization of some EU member states, and how the war in Ukraine has impacted the trajectory of European integration.

POL325H1S L0101: Contemporary Latin American Politics

This course studies left of centre regional hegemony at the turn of the twenty first century and the subsequent reaction. Key questions addressed include: globalization and neoliberal structural adjustment; resource extraction and sustainable development; regional integration; social movements, with particular emphasis on women’s, indigenous, and environmental movements; and the role of China in the new Latin America.

POL326H1F L5101: The Politicsof U.S. Foreign Policy

This course aims to provide students with a comprehensive understadning of the history, institutions and controversies surrounding the making and implementation of U.S. Foreign Policy. It beigns with the examination of the historical development of the institutions involved in the shaping of U.S. Foreign Policy. The second half of the course explore policy through a series of regional and thematic case studies.

Texts: textbook: TBA and course reader
Prerequisites: POL208H1/ POL208Y1/ POL209H5/ POLB80H3
Exclusions:  POL326Y1/ POL327Y5
Area: IR

POL327H1F L5101: U.S. Foreign Policy in a Complex World

This course explores the foreign policy of the U.S. through a series of regional and thematic case studies. It begins with a historical review of U.S. foreign policy in the evolution of the U.S. as a major global power, prior to WWII. Among the case studies of U.S. foreign policy included are international organization and law, terrorism, environment (climate), Latin America, Europe, Middle East, China/East Asia, Africa and Russia.

POL328H1S L0101: Politics and Government in South Asia

This course introduces students to politics in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka in the period after independence from colonial rule. The themes discussed during the course will be those that are important both to South Asia as well as to a general study of politics in developing countries. Topics include colonial legacies, nation and state building, democracy and authoritarianism, state institutions, political parties, and ethnic and identity politics.

POL329H1S L0101: Experiences of Conflict

The course reviews selected novels that deal with personal and collective experiences of conflict. It focuses on representations of how conflict is experienced. It gives students a practical understanding of the human dimension of selected major conflicts and explores possibilities for personal and social resistance to injustice and violence. Special attention is paid to questions of identity formation and moral choice in contexts of war and nationalism.

JPA331H1S L0101: Rise of China as a Global Power

This course will take students through important domestic institutions and events in China that shape its current political landscape. Students will be prompted to think about the implications of domestic political factors for China’s rise as a global power. The course examines major China’s adventurism abroad, such as the Belt-and-Road Initiative, and what increasing footprints of Chinese state and private firms overseas mean for international politics.

(Given by the Department of Political Science and the Contemporary Asian Studies Program)

POL332H1F: Using Data to Understand Politics and Society

Students will learn the research tools and methods for causal inference with political and social data, including panel and temporal design, difference-in-difference, linear regression, regression discontinuity design, as well as text and network analysis, spacial statistics, and time-series analysis. This course draws from topics in the study of international relations, economics, political behavior, and statistics.

Format and Requirements: 2 short assignments (20% each), final research paper (40%), participation (10%), labs (10%)
Prerequisites: POL222H1
Exclusion: POL304H1 (Topic: Using Data to Understand Politics and Society), LEC5101, offered in Winter 2021, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Winter 2024
Recommended Preparation: POL232H1
Area: MET

POL337H1S L0101: The Canadian Constitution

This course introduces students to the major concepts and debates that underline the Canadian Constitution. It analyzes the moral foundations, historical events, political forces and legal ideas that have shaped the Canadian constitution; the roots, legacies, and judicial interpretation of the Constitution Act 1867, the Constitution Act 1982, and in particular the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; the constitutional framework of federalism; the politics of constitutional change; ‘rights talk’ and the judicialization of politics. The course is divided into two parts. The first part focuses on the constitutional history of Canada, the constitutional foundation of government institutions, the process of constitutional patriation, federalism, and Indigenous rights. The second part is dedicated to the Charter, its operational framework, main provisions, and its impact on Canadian law and politics over the last forty years.

POL338H1F L0101: Queer International Relations

Are States straight? How does racialized homophobia shape the international order? This course tackles these and other questions at the intersection of sexuality and IR. We examine concepts like sovereignty through a queer lens and explore issues like transphobia in right-wing populism and the institutionalization of SOGI terminology at the UN

Prerequisites:  1.0 credit in POL/ JPA/ JPF/ JPI/ JPR/ JPS/ JRA courses
Exclusion:  POL381H1 (Topics in Political Theory: Global Politics and Global Political Thought) taken in Winter 2020 (LEC0101), Winter 2021 (LEC0101), Winter 2022 (LEC0101), Winter 2023 (LEC0201)
Area: IR/D&I

POL340H1F L5101: International Law: Foundations

This course will introduce students to the primary sources of international law (treaties and customary international law) and the legal attributes of the core actors in the international system, including states, international organizations and individuals. Related topics will include governance of territory and the seas.

POL341H1S L5101: International Law: Operation of the International Legal Order

This course will expose students to the operation of international legal order with respect to the use of armed force, the law of armed conflict, and the protection of human rights. Students will also be introduced to how dispute settlement works between states.

POL342H1F: Topics in Methods I: Quantitative Study of War

This course focuses on scientific explanations for militarized conflict and war. This means that rather than treating every war as a unique event, we investigate what characteristics make war more likely and which promote peace. In addition to learning theoretical explanations for why wars occur, students will evaluate these theories using common conflict datasets. They will also engage with how these datasets are created and the relationship between theory, measurement, data collection, and empirical testing.

POL342H1S: Topics in Methods I: Political Psychology

This course will allow students to understand and apply psychological theories to the study of politics, public opinion, and political behaviour in Canada and cross-nationally. It will introduce students to prominent models of information acquisition, like dual processing and motivated reasoning, and to the psychological foundations of public opinion, such as socialization, group identities and conflict, personality, values, and emotions. Students will also gain familiarity with current debates on topics like polarization and extremism, prejudice, misinformation and conspiracy theories, and authoritarianism. As a methods class, students will also gain knowledge of the fundamentals of experimental design.

Format and Requirements: One two-hour lecture per week. Course requirements TBA
Prerequisites: POL222
Recommended Preparation: POL232H1
Area: CG/CP/MET

POL347H1F L0101: U.S. Government and Politics: Constitutional Structure and Development
Not Offered in 2025-2026

This course examines the constitutional foundations of American politics—the separation of powers, federalism, and rights. Major themes include the historical origins of the American constitution, the transformation of American constitutionalism from the Civil War to the New Deal, and the struggle over the meaning of American
constitutionalism in the 21st century.

POL348H1F: Privilege and Race in Global Perspective

This course considers how notions of race and privilege “travel” and how they have developed and functioned in contexts outside of a North American White/non-White categorization, where they interact with other axes of identity, including Indigeneity, ethnicity and caste.

POL350H1S L0101: Politics of East Central Europe

This course examines political change in East Central Europe—with limited discussion of Western Europe and Russia for comparison—from the Middle Ages to the present day. How are democracies created and why do they collapse? What is the relationship between democracy and capitalism? Why did early modern states take on such diverse forms, and what was the impact of these variations on subsequent trajectories of democratization and economic development? Did Eastern and Western Europe diverge politically and economically centuries ago, or is the idea of a longstanding east-west divide merely an artifact of Cold War geopolitics? Although we will read the work of historians as well as that of political scientists, this course is not a general survey of East European history; we will concentrate on (classic and more recent) theories and interpretations of state formation, democratization, and long-run growth. Accordingly, some prior knowledge of the broad outlines of European and global history is recommended, though not mandated.

POL351H1S L0101: Gender, Politics, and Public Policy in Comparative Perspective

An introduction to gender, politics, and public policy that examines how political systems and public policies shape gender relations and gender-based inequalities. Cases to be drawn on include Canada in a global and comparative context. The course is structured as a policy solutions lab that critically examines the potential for public policies to enhance gender equality and by what means.

POL352H1F L0101: Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods

This course introduces students to qualitative research methods in political science. It examines what qualitative social science research entails and how and why qualitative research is conducted in political science. The course then examines the range of qualitative research methods used in political science (e.g. archival methods, political ethnography, interviews), and gives students some hands-on experience using qualitative research methods. The course prepares students to carry out future research projects using qualitative methods.

Note: POL352H1 cannot be used as a substitute for POL222H1 for POL major/specialist program, or POL232H1 for the POL specialist program.

Prerequisites:  1.0 credit in POL/ JPA/ JPF/ JPI/ JPR/ JPS/ JRA courses
Exclusions: ENV223H1, POL252H1, SOC204H1, GGR271H1
Recommended Preparation:  0.5 POL 200-level course
Area: MET

POL354H1F L0101: Politics and Society in Russia

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point, not only in the post-Cold War international order, but also in the development of the Russian polity and economy. How did we get here? Who is Vladimir Putin, how did he rise to power, and how has his regime changed over the past two decades? We will take a historical approach to these questions, examining the evolution of Russian politics and society since the collapse of the Soviet Union. After acquiring a basic knowledge of Russia’s political development since Gorbachev, students will explore a variety of themes in contemporary politics, including public opinion, the media, economic reform, civil society and interest groups, state building, federalism, regional diversity, and Russia’s behavior on the international stage. This last theme brings us full circle, back to Putin’s war in Ukraine and its near-future implications. Here, we will consider not only the prospects for Russia’s political future but also how the country might adapt to the other challenges it will face in coming decades—especially climate change.

POL356H1F L0101: Canadian Political Parties and Elections

Elections and political parties play a key role in Canadian politics. In this course, we will evaluate the purpose and goals of elections as it relates to democratic representation in Canada. We will also analyse the development of political parties in light of those goals. By the end of the course, students will develop a strong knowledge of federal and provincial elections and political parties, as well as their impacts on the lives of people in Canada. Topics include historical and theoretical perspectives, representation, ideology, leadership contests, financing, candidate selection, party discipline, and electoral reform.

POL358H1F L0101: Conflicts, Minority Rights and Para-States in Europe

This course examines a number of unresolved issues in Europe that are largely shaped by real and perceived shortcomings in minority rights. After a section on Roma
Rights in Central Europe, our focus turns to the origins and outcomes of largely separatist wars in Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine and the peace
agreements that followed.

POL359H1S L0101: Enlarging Europe: The European Union and Its Applicants

European integration is one of the most important and most successful political experiments in recent history. This course looks to the recent trends in this process, as well as its future prospects for states that are still outside the Union. It will examine the consequences of enlargement and deeper integration for the internal dynamics of the Union. However, the emphasis is on the impact that integration and the prospects of integration have on the potential member states and the countries bordering the Union. The course provides a brief overview twentieth century Europe and the salient issues in the past enlargement rounds, furnishing the context for the study of current and future integration efforts. Readings will cover the 2004 and 2007 enlargement rounds to Central and East European countries, continuing with efforts related to South-Eastern Europe (the Balkans), as well as Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey.

POL360H1S L0101: Topics in Latin American Politics: Political Ecology and Extractivism in the Americas 

This course offers an in-depth analysis of controversies in Latin American politics since the start of the twenty-first century. Emphasis will be given to the rise and fall of the so-called ‘Pink Tide’ of left of centre governments, but also on the social movements and political economic conditions that made them possible. In addition to country-specific case studies on, for example, Brazil, Bolivia, and Venezuela we will also study thematic and regional concerns, including structural adjustment and economic development policies, environmental challenges, crime and governability, and changes in the global economic system. A background in Latin American politics and history is strongly encouraged.

POL361H1 F L0101: Global Political Economy: History and Theory

Politics and economics are inextricably intertwined. This course will explore how contemporary global politics shapes and is shaped by economic exchange, and the relationship between political cooperation and discord and economic prosperity. We will discuss contemporary political and economic problems through a variety of theoretical and historical lenses, including issues of trade, finance, production, colonialism, gender, war, and technological advancement. In doing so, we will begin to understand the historical and contemporary roles of states, international organizations, and multinational corporations in shaping the global distribution of scarce resources.

JPR364H1F L0101: Religion and Politics in the Nation State

This course will engage with contemporary debates on religion and politics in the context of the nation-state in our post-9/11 world, and will do so comparatively across a wide range of contexts. The emphasis will be on understanding the evolving relationship between religion and politics in liberal democracies, and examining challenges facing democratic politics from the religious sphere, both in the West, where secular liberalism is the dominant framework for discussing these questions, and in Africa, India, and the Middle East, where such a framework is more likely to be contested. The themes explore will include secularization, religious pluralism and tolerance, human rights regimes, the idea of “civil religion,” the impact of religion on party politics, the formation of identity and political community, the legal regulation of sometimes-competing claims based on religious faith, gender, and sexuality, and the rise of extremist forms of religious politics, conspiracy thinking, new online communities that lead to dangerous political outcomes, such as ‘QAnon’ and ‘Plandemic’. Cases studies will include the USA, Canada, France, Turkey, Egypt, Nigeria.

(Given by the Departments of Political Science and Religion)

Prerequisite:  0.5 credit in POL/ JPI/ RLG courses at the 200+ level, or 1.0 credit in HIS/ PHL/ SOC courses at the 200-level
Exclusion: JPR364Y1Y
Area: CP/DS/PT/D&I

JPR365H1F L0101: Global Religion and Politics
Not Offered in 2025-2026

This course will engage with contemporary debates on religion and politics in the international context in our post- 9/11 world, and will do so comparatively across a wide range of contexts.

The emphasis will be on understanding the evolving role transnational religion has played in the past three decades, where new global networks have emerged as central global actors. We will focus empirically on the rise of radical reformist Islam and evangelical Christianity, the two most dramatically successful forms of religiosity around the world today. We will study the implications for the foreign policies of key nation-states, as well as the forces that have contributed to the prevalence of contestatory religious politics and networks as new and poorly understood global actors. International religious freedom, human rights, the role of media and mediation, the place of religious or theological doctrines or imaginaries in constructing and motivating a range of political goals, many involving the use of violence. We will focus as well on the global spread of extremist forms of religious politics, conspiracy thinking, new online communities that lead to dangerous political outcomes, such as ‘QAnon’ and ‘Plandemic’. Many of the cases will focus on the non-Western world, especially the Middle East and Africa.

(Given by the Departments of Political Science and Religion)

Prerequisites:  0.5 credit in POL/ JPI/ RLG courses at the 200+ level, or 1.0 credit in HIS/ PHL/ SOC courses at the 200-level
Exclusion: JPR364Y1Y
Area: CP/IR/PT/D&I

JPR374H1F L5101: Religion and Power in the Postcolony
Not Offered in 2025-2026

This course examines the role of a variety of religious forms and spiritual practices in the politics of postcolonial societies, tracing their genealogies from the colonial period to the present. Cases taken principally from Africa and Asia.

(Given by the Departments of Political Science and Religion)

POL377H1F L0101: Topics in Comparative Politics I: Development: History, Debates and Problem-Spaces

Development is one of the most controversial topics of our times. Its meaning is broad, and its trajectories are diverse. More than a qualification of certain geographies, however, development has a double meaning: the development of capitalism and the penetration of market logic on a global scale, and development as a set of interventions in third-world countries to pull these geographies into global circuits of extraction. The course introduces students to development in this double sense, the historical conditions of its emergence, including its relationship to colonialism, empire, and decolonization, and the measurements through which it circulates. Students will also explore the thriving poverty business the development project gives rise to and some of the main debates characterizing it.

POL377H1S L0101: Topics in Comparative Politics I: Israeli Politics and Society

This course examines core social and political dynamics in contemporary Israeli politics from social-scientific and historical perspectives. The objective of the course is to provide students with a historical background and analytical understanding of contemporary Israeli politics. Attention will be paid to political history, institutions, economic development, coalition formation, ethnic politics, and religious divisions in Israel, examined through the lens of comparative politics.

Prerequisite: 1.0 credit in POL/ JPA/ JPF/ JPI/ JPR/ JPS/JRA courses
Area: CP/IR/D&I

POL377H1S L0201: Topics in Comparative Politics I:Gender & the Politics of Development 

This course interrogates how gender is made an object of development. First, we look at gender as a category of analysis, the liberal underpinnings of thinking about female emancipation, and the ways in which ‘women empowerment’ has been translated into a set of interventions. Second, we look at some of these interventions, for example, financial inclusion, and political representation. We critically assess how the problem of empowerment is constructed and what is abstracted from it in order for the solutions to become portable and dissociated from their historical specificities. Finally, we will take a granular view of ways in which women rework the politics of citizenship, organize to demand better working and living conditions, and how they engage every day in alternative worldmaking.

POL378H1S L0101: Topics in Comparative Politics II: The Politics of Identity and Intergroup Relations in Israel

This course will examine the role of identity in shaping political, social, and economic dynamics in Israel. Students will learn about cutting-edge social scientific research that empirically examines questions relating to identity and intergroup relations in the Israeli context. Focusing on empirical studies in political science, economics, and social psychology, the course will familiarize students with various theoretical frameworks and data-driven studies that answer pressing questions regarding identity and intergroup relations in Israel from a comparative perspective.

JPS378H1S L0101: Sex and the State
Not Offered in 2025-2026

What role have sex and sexuality played in the formation of the modern nation State? How has the State regulated sex? This course explores these questions with a
theoretical focus on biopolitics. We will proceed in two parts. First, we engage Foucault’s History of Sexuality and its reception by postcolonial theorists, focusing on questions of state building. The second part of the course shifts examination from State formation to contemporary forms of sexual regulation by the State. This includes maintenance of the public/private divide, citizenship law and nationalism, administrative violence and the prison industrial complex, and neoliberalism and BDSM. By the end of the course, students are able to apply core theoretical concepts and identify forms of contemporary sexual regulation in a variety of Western and non-Western contexts.

(Given by the Department of Political Science and the Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies.)

POL379H1F L0101: Topics in Comparative Politics III: Epidemics and Phobia

This class will explore the relationship between epidemics and phobia with an emphasis on mapping and explaining the forms that phobia takes during public health crises. We will also examine the extent to which epidemics constitute defining moments that inflect longstanding social dynamics. The following are some questions that we will explore: What is the relationship between health-related xenophobia and other forms of xenophobia? Do epidemics always coincide with xenophobia? Why are some groups scapegoated while others are not? Which members of scapegoated groups are targeted during epidemics? How do epidemics play into intra-group interactions?

POL379H1S L5101: Topics in Comparative Politics III: Palestinian Politics

POL380H1F L0101: Topics in International Politics: Gender and Intersectionality in Global Politics

This course will consider issues of gender and politics from the standpoint of ‘intersections’ with race and class. Intersectional feminism has emerged as a highly influential approach in Political Science and other social science disciplines, and in policy formulation from the global to the local. Specific United Nations world conferences and declarations addressing human rights, gender, race and Indigeneity will be addressed, as well as examples from Canada, the US, the UK and the global south. The intersection of social movements with current issues in Political Science internationally will be a central theme of the course. Issues to be addressed include gender, race, class, Indigeneity, climate justice and highly contested elections.

POL380H1F L0201: Topics in International Politics: Indigenous Diplomacies and Global Governance

This course explores the role of Indigenous diplomacies in shaping global governance, with a focus on Indigenous engagement with international institutions such as the United Nations. Students will examine how Indigenous Peoples navigate and influence global political structures. Through case studies, theoretical frameworks from international relations, students will analyze the intersections of Indigenous rights, sovereignty, and global governance. Students will also engage in a UN simulation. . 

Format and Requirements: Lecture and in-class activities, simulation exercise
Prerequisites: POL208H1 or POL208Y1 or POL209H5 or POLB80H3
Area: CP/IR/D&I

POL380H1S L0101: Topics in International Politics: Global Nuclear Politics

The taming of the atom is one of the defining features of the modern era. The awesome creative and destructive potential of nuclear energy has had enormous impact on great power politics, the environment, economic development, and international institutions. Limiting the risk of nuclear Armageddon is one of the dominant challenges in US foreign policy and global governance alike. In this course, we will study 1) why and how countries pursue nuclear weapons and what happens when they acquire them; 2) the national policies and international regimes that have been devised to curb their spread and use, while allowing for the diffusion of energy technology, 3) the transnational civil society movements that have fought to roll back the nuclear age or limit its harmful effects, and 4) the role of private actors such as scientists and corporations.

POL380H1S L0201: Topics in International Politics: Terrorism and Insurgency

The course introduces students to the scientific explanations for the causes and consequences of various types of non-state political violence, such as terrorism, insurgencies, political protests, and civil war. More broadly, the course will help foster students' ability to apply the social scientific method to the study of political outcomes. As such, this is not a history class or a class on current events. Though current events and historical examples will be discussed, the course will primarily focus on understanding the underlying interests of important actors, the arenas in which those actors interact, and the rules which govern these interactions.

Format and Requirements: participation (20%), two in-class exams (40% each)
Prerequisites: POL208H1 or POL208Y1 or POL209H5 or POLB80H3
Area: IR

POL381H1F L0101: Topics in Political Theory: Contemporary Social and Political Thought

This course examines the evolution of political and social theory from the twentieth century to the present, with emphasis on power, epistemology, European capitalism, identity, and resistance. We engage canonical thinkers (e.g., Marx, Arendt) alongside historically marginalized voices (e.g., King) to interrogate questions of governance, race, gender, queerness, and political economy. The course also explores political theory as a subfield of political science—its relationship to the broader discipline and its role in evaluating ideals of justice, inequality, and human flourishing. Students will critically reflect on what constitutes political theory, whose ideas shape the canon, and why historical texts matter in contemporary debates.

Prerequisites:  POL200Y1/ POL200Y5/( POLC70H3,POLC71H3)
Area: PT/D&I

POL381H1F L5101: Topics in Political Theory: Elites, Parties and Democracy: Transnational Debates in Political and Social Theory

The course embraces a trans-Atlantic and trans-historical perspective to examine how representative democracy has transformed throughout the long 20th century – from the advent of mass politics and the rise of party machineries to the present – and how political and social theorists (historical and contemporary) have drawn on various intellectual traditions and conceptual repertoires to understand such transformations. By doing so, the course offers a succinct history of democratic theory (from the dawn of party democracy to its apogee and its current crisis) and unearths resources for studying the challenges to party democracy in our hyper-polarized present – specifically the ubiquitous personalization of politics, the proliferation of populist leaders, the convergence between populism and technocracy, the ambivalent relationship between elites and democracy, and the implications of all the above for the theory and practice of popular sovereignty.

Prerequisites: POL200Y1/ POL200Y5/( POLC70H3, POLC71H3)
Area: PT

POL381H1S L0101: Topics in Political Theory: Political Agency Under Modernity

In the modern world shaped by capitalism, state bureaucracies, and colonialism, what remains of the human possibilities for freedom through politics? What features of modernity render the morality of politics so uncertain? How central is violence to our understanding of politics in the modern age? This course will explore these themes through close reading of key figures in 20th century political thought.

POL381H1S L0201: Topics in Political Theory: Thucydides' War of the Athenians and the Peloponnesians

There is no greater work on the intersection of war and politics than Thucydides’ untitled account of the war between the Athenian and Peloponnesian confederacies that ravaged the Hellenic cities for an unprecedented  27 years. plunging them into strife both foreign and civil.

Texts: The Landmark Thucydides, ed. Robert Strasser.
Format and Requirements: We will meet for 3 hours each week in a lecture/discussion format. There will be a shorter and a longer term papers and a final exam during exam period
Prerequisites: POL200Y1 or POL200Y5 or (POLC70H3 and POLC71H3)
Area: PT

POL381H1S L0301: Topics in Political Theory:  The Conflictual Body Politic: Political Conflict in Historical and Contemporary Perspectives

Disagreement and conflict have perennially defined political life. Together, they also constitute one of the driving forces of democratic politics. When practiced productively, democratic conflict signals passionate commitment to a cause, the desire for political agency (individual and collective), and a high level of public spiritedness. It also provides a powerful antidote to political apathy and encapsulates a kind of adversarial ethics resting on the agreement on how to disagree, inside and outside representative institutions. However, conflict can also be toxic and profoundly disruptive when it reignites factional divisions, undermining the principle of legitimate opposition and rotation in office at the core of liberal democracy.

Focusing on domestic (rather than international) conflict, the course examines constitutive debates on the meaning, scope, and challenges of political conflict in the life of the body politic, past and present. Its goal is to alert students to the varieties of political conflict and to the ways in which democratic theory (historical and contemporary) has differentiated between rival forms of disagreement, in the transition from factions to parties and from consensus to compromise.

POL382H1S L0101: Topics in Canadian Politics: Political Representation

Who serves in Parliament and other legislatures? Do the backgrounds of politicians affect how policies are decided and which policies get adopted? This course explores the political representation of different groups in society, and the consequences of representation for policy outcomes. Topics include the representation of women, racial and ethnic minorities, class interests, youth, LGBTQ+, religious groups, and other social divisions.

Prerequisites: POL214H1/ POL214Y1/ POL214Y5/POL215H5/ POL216H5/ POL224H1/ POL224Y1/POLB50Y3
Area: CG/CP

POL382H1S L0201: Topics in Canadian Politics: Canadian Parliament's Rules and Operations

This course takes an in-depth look at Canada’s parliament, exploring the interplay between parliament’s rules and operations. In the course, we will consider the purpose of parliament, and investigate the formal and informal rules that have been established to support that purpose. We will also analyse the operations of parliament and ask whether it has been effective in fulfilling its purposes. Topics include the prime minister and executive dominance, the House of Commons and Senate, committees, political parties and party discipline, legislative amendment, and parliamentary reform.

POL384H1S L0101: Global Environmental Governance from the Ground Up

This course focuses on non-state actors in global environmental governance, considering the motivations, actions, and strategies of non-governmental organizations, grassroots communities, and corporations. The course uses analytic tools from international relations and comparative politics to understand patterns of environmental protest, resistance, and change over time.

POL385H1S L0101: Issues in Contemporary Greece

Strategically located at the crossroads of three continents (Europe, Asia, and Africa), Greece has often become the epicenter of various political and cultural developments with significant international implications. In 2021, Greece celebrates the anniversary of 200 years since the beginning of the 1821 revolution against the Ottoman Empire and the long war of independence which led to the establishment of the Modern Greek State, known today as the Hellenic Republic. This course follows the journey of the Greek people, their leaders, their triumphs, their challenges, and traumas over the course of the last two centuries. Personalities and events that shaped the nation’s trajectory will be studied and critically examined to offer a clear understanding of what Greece is today and the reasons behind the country’s main political and cultural characteristics. Through lectures, readings, films, documentaries, class discussions and guest speakers, students will explore the “National Greek Issues”, will discover “Great Greeks” and their roles in shaping and modernizing Greek society, and will learn about the “Greek Diaspora” and its role in strengthening and promoting Hellenism both domestically and internationally.

POL386H1S L0101: U.S. Government and Politics
Not Offered in 2025-2026

Who rules the United State of America? This course will investigate this question by examining how power is attained and how power is exercised in American elections, the legislative process, the bureaucracy, and the federal courts. Particular attention will be paid to the role of national interest groups, regional economic interests, and new modes of political mobilization.

POL387H1F L0101: Politics in Europe

This course applies the basic concepts in comparative politics to the political systems of Europe. We will cover theories of transitions to democracy, formation and development of the nation-state, political institutions and their effects, parties and party systems and elections and electoral behaviour. We will use these theories to gain a better understanding of politics in Europe. We will also address some of the major challenges that Europe and the EU have recently faced such as the eurozone crisis, Brexit, the rise of populism and extreme right parties and the challenges of immigration and incorporation of minorities. The goal is for students to become familiar with the politics and governments of contemporary Europe through the lens of current and classic themes in comparative politics.

POL388H1S L0101: Politics and Government of Southeast Asia

This course provides an overview of political regimes in Southeast Asia, as well as some of the main issues that shape its political life. It includes legacies of colonial rule, nationalist struggles, democratization, ethnic and secessionist conflict, as well as social movement.

400-Level Courses

POL405H1F L0101: The Military Instrument of Foreign Policy: Concepts and Approaches 
Not Offered in 2025-2026

Graduate Course Code: POL2217H1F L0101

In light of endemic international threats and conflicts, the seminar analyses the use of the military instrument of foreign policy. We meld theoretical and pragmatic approaches. Among the subjects covered are civil-military relations, the development of nuclear weapons, deterrence and nuclear deterrence, arms control and war termination strategies.

Prerequisites:  POL208H1/ POL208Y1/ POL209H5/POLB80H3
Exclusion: POL459Y1
Area: IR

POL410H1S L0101: Topics in Comparative Politics III: The Politics of Infrastructure
Graduate Course Code: POL2391H1S L0101

Infrastructure—its presence and absence—is at the centre of many contemporary struggles. This course examines the politics of infrastructure through a range of methodological approaches and empirical sites. It considers how infrastructure is produced and governed through power-laden processes, and how infrastructure shapes the material relations of ecology, citizenship, territory, authority, sovereignty, subjectivity, and collective action.

Prerequisites: 2.0 credits in POL/ JPA/ JPF/ JPI/ JPR/JPS/ JRA courses
Area: CP/DS/PT/D&I

POL410H1S L0201: Topics in Comparative Politics III: Indigenous Research Consortium

Graduate Course Code: POL2391H1S L0201

The theme of this year’s seminar is to explore what it means for us in the university to listen to Indigenous peoples “in and on their own terms.” We will explore four important Indigenous practices to help us better understand Indigenous perspectives in contemporary politics: Indigenous law, the treaty relationship, Métissage, and Indigenous spirituality. We will welcome several Indigenous visitors to class over the semester. Students will have the option to attend a three-day conference on the homelands of  Teme-Augama Anishinaabe on Lake Temagami, Ontario (September 25-28th, 2025).

Format and Requirements: Three short essays (15%); Semester-long Journal writing project (70%); Packback Participation (15%)
Prerequisite: 2.0 credits in POL/ JPA/ JPF/ JPI/ JPR/JPS/ JRA courses
Area: CP/CG/PT/D&I

POL412H1S L0101: Human Rights and International Relations

Human rights have become dominant in international politics since the end of World War II. The process of creating and implementing human rights is political. We explore historical, philosophical, and empirical explanations of the roots, effects, and implications of human rights today through a variety of topics.

Format and Requirements: Essays, in-class participation
Prerequisites: POL201H1 or POL201Y1 or POL208H1 or POL208Y1 or POL209H5 or POLB80H3 or POLB90H3 or POLB91H3 
Area: IR

POL417H1F L5101: Politics of North-South Relations

This course explores the complex relations between the developed world and Global South in historical and contemporary settings. It engages critical scholarship within International Politics and International Political Economy to examine continuity and change in North-South relations such as dependency and interdependence, trade, development aid, global governance architecture, and South-South cooperation broadly defined.

POL418H1S L5101: Human Security and Intra-state Conflicts in the Global South

What are the underlying causes of insecurity and instability, and what factors support or undermine attainment of durable peace after episodes of violent conflict in the Global South? This course explores these questions using comparative case studies and theoretical perspectives from political science and other disciplines on the challenges and opportunities of ending conflicts and achieving sustainable peace.

POL421H1F L0101: Maimonides and His Modern Interpreters
Not Offered in 2025-2026

The course offers an introduction to the seminal work of Jewish philosophy, 'The Guide of the Perplexed' by Moses Maimonides. We will delve into some of the basic themes of Jewish philosophical theology and religion as they are treated by Maimonides.

Prerequisite: POL200Y1/ POL200Y5/( POLC70H3, POLC71H3)
Exclusion: RLG433H1
Area: PT

POL422H1S L0101: Judicial Politics

This course provides an in-depth understanding of the social and political origins of judicial power and the growing role that courts play in democracies and autocracies. Adopting a comparative perspective, we will probe when and why citizens, social movements, and policymakers turn to the courts and support judicial power, what factors shape how judges make decisions, when judicial decisions beget compliance and defiance, and how courts shape regime politics like democratization, democratic backsliding, and autocratic consolidation. Throughout we will bring cutting-edge research to life with concrete examples: from domestic courts like the US Supreme Court to international courts like the European Court of Justice; from judicial politics in liberal democracies like Canada, to backsliding regimes like Hungary, to consolidated autocracies like Egypt.

Prerequisites: 2.0 credits in POL/ JPA/ JPF/ JPI/ JPR/ JPS/ JRA courses
Area: CP

POL425H1S L0101: State and Development in Historical Perspective

What is the state’s role in economic development? What caused the industrial revolution, and why was Britain at its forefront? These questions have preoccupied social scientists and political practitioners alike since the nineteenth century, and the recent profusion of economic history research suggests that consensus remains as elusive as ever. Much of this literature takes an institutional approach, attributing north-western Europe’s economic precocity to “good” political institutions such as secure property rights. This argument has a distinguished pedigree, but its assumptions are increasingly at odds with the findings of historical scholarship. We will work together to bridge this gap, contrasting the work of historians, political scientists, and economists on the causes of European economic growth, and devoting particular attention to the role of the state in each. Although we will concentrate on the institutional approach and its critics, we will also examine other (including some complementary) explanations for European economic development, including colonialism, class structure, demography, culture, and ideas.

POL426H1S L0101: Democracy and Dictatorship
Not Offered in 2025-2026
Graduate Course Code: POL2326H1S L0101

The course provides an in-depth introduction to theories of the origins of democracy and dictatorship. In the first part of the course, we examine and compare theories rooted in economic development, voluntarism, institutional design, and historical institutionalism. The latter half of the course applies these different approaches to debates over the origins of Nazi rule in Germany in the 1930s, military dictatorship in Chile in the 1970s, and non-democratic rule in contemporary Russia.

POL427H1S L0101: American Political Development

This course explores both the substance and the theory of APD, using the second as a lens through which the first can be analyzed and interpreted. We begin by examining the methodologies, mechanisms, and patterns of APD, before turning to synoptic accounts of political development and then working through broad eras of political development. Throughout we will focus on questions of race, democracy, and inclusion/exclusion that both animate the American past and structure its present.

Prerequisite: 2.0 credits in POL/JPA/JPF/JPI/JPR/JPS/JRA courses
Exclsuion: POL492H1 (Topic: American Political Development), LEC0101 offered in Winter 2022, Winter 2024 and Winter 2025; LEC0201, offered in Winter 2023
Area: CP

POL428H1F L0101: Federalism and Diversity in Canada (and Beyond)

This course places Canada as a key case in comparative federalism studies, with a particular focus on the management of diversity and conflict. Canada’s federal system often operates on unwritten rules, and through this course, we will examine whether and how the rules can be used to improve governance for a diverse society. Topics include intra-state federalism (in the national parliament and the courts), inter-state federalism (intergovernmental relations between provinces and the federal government), constitutionalism, fiscal federalism, the social union, Indigenous governance, treaty federalism, activism by marginalized groups, and separatism in Quebec and the West.

POL431H1S L0101: Dynamics of Political Change in Contemporary China

Selective examination of issues and themes in China's post-Mao reform effort with particular emphasis on the challenges faced by China’s leadership in managing an increasingly complex market authoritarian state and society. contemporary social, political and economic developments. Emphasis is on the period since Xi Jinping’s assumption of power in 2012

Format and Requirements: essay, critiques and class participation
Exclusion: POL431Y1Y
Area: CP/DS

POL433H1F L0101: Topics in United States Government and Politics: Presidential Politics in America
Not Offered in 2025-2026

The November 2024 presidential election will be a major event in shaping the future direction of American government and politics. In the first part of this course, we will examine the events leading up to the 2024 election, the unique characteristics of U.S. political institutions, and the issues and dynamics of the campaign. Following the election, we will analyze the outcome and consider its implications for the direction of U.S. public policy over the next four years and the longer term significance of political changes in the United States.

POL438H1F L0101: Topics in Comparative Politics I: Cities, Law and Politics

The 21st century has been hailed the “century of the city”. The figures behind this label are mind boggling, considering that the world’s urban population has increased nearly thirtyfold since the early 1900s. This shift marks an unprecedented transformation of the organization of society, both spatially and geopolitically. This seminar offers an opportunity for students to engage with recent legal and social science scholarship concerning this global trend. Among the issues covered are the city as a legal and a constitutional concept; the constitutional law and politics of city status in Canada and abroad; the “right to the city” and its interpretations; self-empowerment attempts by cities (e.g. human rights cities, sanctuary cities, urban citizenship, participatory democracy); city-networks and the transnational order; the law and politics of the urban-rural divide, cities and climate change, and the promises and pitfalls of “smart cities”. The seminar involves, among other things, discussions about legal materials and concepts; some background in and understanding of the Canadian Constitution, federalism, and of principles of public law more generally are recommended.

Format and Requirements: Seminar; requirements include attendance and participation, comment paper and in-class presentation, abstract & annotated bibliography, and a final research essay
Prerequisite: 2.0 credits in POL/ JPA/ JPF/ JPI/ JPR/JPS/ JRA courses
Area: CP

POL440H1F L0101: Topics in Methods II: Experimental Thinking: Foundation

Experiments are a central methodology in political science. Scholars from every subfield regularly turn to experiments. Practitioners rely on experimental evidence in evaluating social programs, policies, institutions, and information provision. The design, implementation, and analysis of experiments raise a variety of distinct epistemological and methodological challenges. This is particularly true in political science due to the breadth of the discipline, the varying contexts in which experiments are implemented (e.g., laboratory, survey, field), and the distinct methods employed (e.g., psychological or economic approaches to experimentation). This seminar will review the challenges to experimentation, discuss how to implement experiments, and survey prominent applications.

Prerequisites: POL232H1
Area: MET

POL443H1F L0101: Topics in Comparative Politics II: The Foundations of Political Economy: Theories of State and Market
Graduate Course Code: POL2322H1F L0101

This advanced seminar explores the core social science theories looking at the relationship among state, economy, and society. The course requires close reading of texts, spanning from the foundational works of political economy to paradigmatic contemporary works in Liberalism, Marxism, Mercantilism, Neo-Classical Economics, Socio-Political Thought, and Institutionalism. Thus, prior knowledge of political economy/economics theory is helpful. We will examine the fundamental assumptions on which our understanding of the social world and contemporary research in political economy are based, and their application to the most urgent questions of our time, such as inequality and the role of the state in industrial development. 

POL445H1F L0101: Politics of Growth in Developing Countries
Not Offered in 2025-2026

The course examines the politics of economic growth in developing countries. It focuses on political factors to analyze why some developing countries have done better in terms of growth than others. Conceptual frameworks of growth and related themes such as regime type, institutions, inequality and ethnicity will be addressed.

Prerequisite: POL201H1/ POL201Y1/ POLB90H3/POLB91H3
Area: CP/DS

POL447H1F L0101: Political Economy of Development

The course explores the rise, evolution, and performance of the dominant neoliberal approach to development and poverty reduction. It also assesses the feasibility and efficacy of alternative development strategies. Case studies are drawn from Latin America, Asia, and Africa.

JPA453H1F L0101: Authoritarianism in Comparative Perspective

This course examines the politics of authoritarianism in theory and practice. It covers major theories in authoritarian politics, ranging from selectorate theory, authoritarian institutions, impact of institutions on political outcome, ways of measuring authoritarian state power, democracy and development, to social movement and state repression in authoritarian regime, and political transitions. On empirical application, we will draw on cases from around the world, with some emphasis on Asian authoritarian states.

(Given by the Department of Political Science and the Contemporary Asian Studies Program)

Prerequisite: 2.0 credits in POL/ JPA/ JPF/ JPI/ JPR/JPS/ JRA/ CAS courses
Exclusion: POL453H1
Area: CP/DS/D&I

JPF455H1F L0101: Conceptualizing Cities in a Global Context
Graduate Course Code: JPF2430H1F L0101

With over half of the population on this planet being urban, the significance of improving our understanding of cities in a global context has never been greater. This course is designed to improve awareness of cities as approached by different disciplines and in different international contexts.

(Given by the Department of Political Science and the Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design)

JPF456H1S L0101: Global Cities — Core Issues and Challenges

The core issues confronting city leaders across the globe are examined in comparative perspective and in a context of shifting global agendas. The study of cities of Latin America, Asia and Africa, are brought together in comparative context with the study of cities of Europe and North America.

(Given by the Department of Political Science and the Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design)

JPR458H1S L5101: Postsecular Political Thought: Religion, Radicalism and the Limits of Liberalism
Not Offered in 2025-2026
Graduate Course Code: JPR2058H1S L5101

The course will examine debates on postsecularism and religion’s public, political role as articulated by political thinkers such as Jurgen Habermas, by focusing on politically radical or revolutionary challenges to liberalism in the 20th and 21st century, especially from the postcolonial world, whose theoretical arguments are grounded upon or draw their inspiration from religious traditions, doctrines and practices.

JPR459H1F L0101: Fanaticism: A Political History
Graduate Course Code: JPR2051H1F

This seminar in theory will explore the modern history of the concept of ‘fanaticism’ and its role in the development of political modernity. A focus on the concept of the “fanatic” (and its cognates) from the perspective  of its various uses in political and religious thought from the Early Modern period through the Enlightenment and up to the present day, provides a fascinating opportunity for a critical review of the secular, rationalist, and scientific assumptions underwriting modern political forms and concepts, especially those of liberal democracy. At the same time, the course will offer critical insight into the ways in which religious and political differences among colonial “others” were, and continue to be, central to the elaboration of Western theoretical discourse on fanaticism and extremism as forms of “political pathology”.

(Given by the Departments of Political Science and Religion)

Prerequisite:  2.0 credits in Political Theory and/or Philosophy including 1.0 credit at the 300-level) or (0.5 credit in Method and Theory in the Study of Religion and 1.0 credit at the 300-level in the Study of Religion
Area: PT/D&I

POL459H1F L0101: Military Instruments and Foreign Policy
Graduate Course Code: POL2216H1F

This course analyses the relationship of military force to politics: nuclear war and deterrence, conventional war, revolutionary war, terrorism and counter insurgency are examined from the perspectives of the US, Russia and other contemporary military powers.

Prerequisite: POL208H1/ POL208Y1/ POL209H5/POLB80H3
Exclusion: POL459Y1Y
Area: IR

POL466H1F L0101: Topics in International Politics III: Dealing with Dictators

For years, policymakers in states like the US and the UK have described a world divided between democracies and autocracies. These political discussions, however, are rarely accompanied by a rigorous understanding of regime type or capture the variegate history between democracies and autocracies. This course will focus on examining American, Canadian, and British foreign policy toward autocratic regimes (both friends and foes) since World War II. We will explore different conceptualizations of regime type(s), and investigate how institutional, ideological, and political dynamics within and between different regimes affect relations and policy. The seminar will be focused on security and defense, and course readings and assignments will emphasize how these dynamics operate in cases where policies ranged from foreign-imposed regime change, sanctions, and war to patronage and security cooperation.

POL466H1S L0101: Topics in International Politics III: Theories of International Organization

Since the end of World War II, there has been an explosion in the number, scope, and complexity of international organizations.  International organizations such as the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and World Bank now play critical roles across a wide range of policy issues.  Why have international organizations proliferated and expanded since the mid-20th century?  How do these organizations shape the international system?  Why do states sometimes conduct foreign policy through international organizations, while other times preferring traditional means?  Why do some international organizations evolve over time, while others resist change?  What are some of the pathologies and problems of contemporary international organizations?  We will examine these questions through reference to both theoretical work and by carefully examining the functions and operations of major international organizations.

Prerequisite: POL208H1/ POL208Y1/ POL209H5/POLB80H3
Area: IR

POL466H1S L0301: Topics in International Politics III: Ideas and Identity in U.S .Foreign Policy

What are the ideas thar animate U.S. Foreign Policy? How has American identity informed international security? In this course, we investigate these questions, looking at how U.S. security policy from the 19th century on the has been informed by particular conceptualizations of frameworks including liberalism, teleology, and racism. We will investigate how these frameworks have been mobilized in decisions regarding war and peace, and how they have been conditioned by, and condition U.S. relative power and particular geostrategic events.

POL466H1S L0201: Topics in International Politics III: Global Indigenous Politics
Graduate Course Code: POL2207H1S

This seminar centers on the crucial role of Indigenous Peoples as influential non-state actors in the international system. It explores global, regional, and domestic issues in the implementation of Indigenous human rights, with particular emphasis on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Students will analyze the challenges and opportunities faced by Indigenous Peoples across multiple levels of governance, within various legal and public policy frameworks, and in the enforcement of rights through international organizations. The seminar will examine intersections between law, politics, the environment, and health, while also considering Indigenous Peoples' roles in shaping non-governmental organizations and transnational movements.

Prerequisite: POL208Y1 or POL208Y5 or POLB80H3 or POLB81H3
Area: IR/D&I

POL469H1F L0101: Ethics and International Relations

The course aims to explore the requirements of justice and fairness in international affairs. It is common to theorize international relations in terms of interests and power. But even the most cursory look at what important actors actually do in their international interactions reveals that they use normative language all the time. This has not gone unnoticed, with investigations of ethics in the international arena multiplying in recent years. Drawing on readings from political philosophy, legal theory, and normative international relations theory, the course will take up practical ethical dilemmas encountered in world affairs. The main focus of the course will be on institutions. Examples will be drawn from the issue areas of trade, health, and the environment, among others.

Prerequisites: POL200Y1/ POL200Y5/ POL208H1/ POL208Y1/ POL209H5/ POLB80H3/( POLC70H3, POLC71H3)
Area: IR/PT/D&I

POL470H1S L0101: Media and Politics

News media have long played an enormous role in democratic politics by shaping the behaviour of citizens and political elites alike. Technological changes over the past several decades have radically transformed the way politics is reported by journalists and discussed by citizens. This course will introduce students to important debates at the intersection of media and politics in Canada and other Western democracies. Topics include the historical development of news media, framing and priming effects, agenda setting, the rise of social media and the changing media landscape, echo chambers and partisan media, media bias, and problems of misinformation.

Format and Requirements: One two-hour lecture per week. Course requirements TBA
Prerequisites: 2.0 credits in POL/ JPA/ JPF/ JPI/ JPR/JPS/ JRA courses, POL222H1/ POL242Y5/ POLC78H3
Exclusions:  POL410H1 (Topics in Comparative Politics III- Media and Politics) Taken in Fall 2021 (LEC0101), Fall 2022 (LEC0101), POL369Y5
Recommended Preparation: POL232H1
Area: CG/CP

POL474H1S L0101: Politics and Policy Analysis

This course will examine the field of policy analysis in modern liberal-democratic governments. We will examine different approaches, concepts, and theories of policy analysis to help us understand the core debates that have shaped its evolution and contemporary practice. We will examine recent developments such as the shift from ‘modern’ to ‘post-modern’ analytical techniques, and the ‘evidence-based’ policy movement. The various orientations and techniques surveyed will be further explored through discussion and debate centering on specific Canadian and international policy sectors and issues.

POL475H1F L0101: Postmodern and Contemporary Thought
Graduate Course Code: POL2075H1F

This course concerns the development of postmodern thought and its passage into the posthuman. The course begins with a brief discussion of a number of themes in Western philosophy that underlie postmodernism. Then to Jean Baudrillard's symbolic exchange, Paul Virilio's understanding of the effects of the technology of speed on the social. Next, we look at a discussion of capitalism and 'virtual' systems in the work of Deleuze and Guattari, racism in Fanon and Spivak, Derrida on the gift, Michel Foucault on art. The posthuman through Donna Haraway’s cyborgs.. The course will also examine an alternate view of science, myth and philosophy in the work of Michel Serres.

Format and Requirements:  One two-hour seminar per week.  Course requirements TBA.
Exclusion: POL475Y1
Recommended Preparation: : POL200Y1 and POL320Y1
Area:  PT

POL478H1S L0101: Topics in Methods: Experiments in Politics: Application
Graduate Course Code: POL2578H1S

This course is designed to provide the tools necessary to design and implement social science experiments along with the skills for analyzing and interpreting experimental results. We will discuss issues of causal inference, measurement, validity, and ethics in experimental design. Students will also learn about different experimental modes, how to program online experiments, and will work on analyzing experimental data. Much of the course will be structured like a lab-style seminar in which we collectively design, field, analyze, and write up an experimental study on political behavior. The ultimate goal is to publish a scholarly article in a peer-reviewed journal – an ambitious project that will require substantial commitment from every student.

POL479H1F L0101: Topics in Middle East Politics: Rethinking Middle East Politics

How should we understand political phenomena in the Middle East beyond notions of failure and reform, or better yet, failure to reform? How can we think of the region and the collective lifeworlds people have built, as well as the multiple forms of dispossessions that characterize their lives with terms beyond authoritarianism and Islamism? This seminar presents students with three themes that have come to define this region: development, state (failure), and peace. Bringing together readings from various disciplines such as history, sociology, urban studies, and political sciences, we will address these themes as they attach to particular geographies and rethink them to rethink Middle East Politics.

POL479H1S L0101: Topics in Middle East Politics: Comparative Urbanisms in the Middle East & North Africa
Graduate Course Code: POL2418H1S L0101

This seminar explores what it means to generate theory from place and conduct comparative urban research. Bringing together readings from geography, anthropology, sociology, and political science, which take the city as their object of analysis, we will discuss the role of planning, speculation, technology, and nostalgia in shaping cities to pluralize the terrains from which we think not of one urbanism or urbanization process, but of multiple urbanisms that characterize the Middle East and North Africa region.

POL480H1S L0101: Studies in Comparative Political Theory
Graduate Course Code: POL2038H1S

We will critically examine what “comparative political theory” is and what it would mean to genuinely “deparochialize” political theory, that is, to de-center Euro-American thought in the study of political ideas. The course neither presupposes background knowledge of any non-Western thought tradition, nor does it aspire to provide students with sufficient knowledge of particular traditions to ground serious scholarly contributions to this emerging field. To provide that background would require a series of specialized courses in, e.g., East Asian political thought, Indian political thought, Latin American political thought, Indigenous political thought, African political thought, and so on. Rather, the course aims at sharpening our understanding of (a) the purposes served by “deparochializing” political theory; and (b) the various methods by which we can seek to serve these purposes.

Prerequisite:  POL200Y1/ POL200Y5/( POLC70H3, POLC71H3)
Area: PT/D&I

POL483H1F L0101: Data Visualization for Political Science

This course provides the fundamental computational tools for managing, analyzing, and presenting political data in R.  The material will enable students to become proficient enough to actively implement the methods and tools in their own research and professional lives.

Prerequisite: POL232H1
Exclusion: POL478H1 (Topic: Data Management and Visualization for Political Scientists), LEC0110 offered in Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Winter 2025
Area:  MET

POL484H1F L0101: Topics in Political Thought I: Democratic Theory

This course will examine contemporary theoretical debates over the meaning of democracy. Approaches to democratic theory will include liberalism, neo-republicanism, deliberative democracy, and agonistic democracy. Themes will include “epistocracy,” elite democracy, representation, populism, transnational and cosmopolitan democracy, and comparative democratic theory.

POL484H1F L0201: Topics in Political Thought I: Institutions of Liberal Democracy

An exploration of some of the familiar institutions and practices of a well-functioning liberal democracy from the perspective of historical and contemporary political-theory debates regarding their foundations, their nature or essence (however understood), their normative point(s) or purpose(s), and proposals for improving them. Topics to include the rule of law, representative democracy, the administrative state. political parties, and public opinion.

POL485H1F L0201: Topics in Political Thought II: Democracy: Theory and Practice (from Pericles to Populism)

Democracy is conventionally taken today as a synonym for good government. Social scientists routinely turn to it for testing the progress of regimes that have not yet graduated to democratic life (“democratization”), for capturing the regression of liberal democracies into illiberal practices (“democratic backsliding”), and for describing regimes that have survived a close brush with authoritarianism (“democratic front-sliding”). However, throughout most of the history of Western political theory and practice, the term ‘democracy’ was a pejorative label for mob rule. Almost uninterruptedly until the 19th century, when representative government and modern constitutionalism crossed paths on both sides of the North Atlantic, it described a regime doomed by factions and anarchy and inevitably prone to demagoguery and tyranny.

Driving this course are two key sets of questions. First: how did the term ‘democracy’ change its meaning over time, from the ancient Greeks who coined it and the Romans who borrowed it to the early modern and modern thinkers who discussed it, up through our present? Second: how have these competing accounts of ‘democracy’ affected the practice of democracy and its relationship with constitutional government? How has the question of who counts as part of democracy’s demos been addressed? And what institutions and procedures have been championed across the centuries to organize political communities according to democratic principles? In tackling these questions, we will read and discuss the work of major representatives of historical and contemporary political thought who assessed democracy’s shortcomings and potential, examined the relationship between its theory and its practice, and offered enduring resources for thinking about democracy’s future in our present.  

Prerequisites: POL200Y1/ POL200Y5/( POLC70H3, POLC71H3)
Area: PT

POL485H1S L5101: Topics in Political Thought II: The Black Radical Tradition

This course introduces key figures and philosophical foundations of the Black Radical Tradition, emphasizing its global scope and diverse intellectual roots. Thinkers include Biko, Cabral, Césaire, Jones, Du Bois, Fanon, Gilmore, Wynter, and others. We examine how these theorists fracture Euro-modern hegemonies and craft radical epistemologies in pursuit of liberation. Students will interrogate the meaning of “radicalism,” explore its praxis, and trace the contours of a Black radical tradition across time and space. Central questions include: What is a radical? What do radicals seek to transform? And how might Black radicalism reimagine freedom, subjectivity, and political agency?

Prerequisites: POL200Y1/ POL200Y5/( POLC70H3, POLC71H3
Area: PT/D&I

POL485H1F L0101: Topics in Political Thought II: Rousseau's Social Contract
Graduate Course Code: POL2027H1S L0101

What is the single greatest work of modern political theory?  Actually, it’s no contest: Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s On the Social Contract.  Janus-like, it looks back on the social contract tradition of Hobbes, Locke, and others, which it perfects, and forward to the epoch of the philosophies of freedom of Kant, Hegel, and Marx, which it initiates.

POL486H1F L0101: Topics in International Politics I: Networks in International Politics

Students will learn how international political behavior is shaped by complex networks of relationships among states, organizations, and individuals. From alliances and trade ties to conflict patterns and transnational movements, networks structure the flow of power, resources, and influence in global affairs. Students will learn to analyze these relational patterns using core concepts and methods from network science. Topics include alliance formation, diffusion of norms and policies, international cooperation, and the spread of conflict. Emphasis is placed on how to represent political phenomena as networks and how to interpret network metrics and structures. The course equips students with both theoretical understanding and practical skills to apply network analysis to problems in international politics.

POL486H1F L0201: Topics in International Politics I: Women at the Helm - Gender, Leadership, and Global Politics

The growing number of women in executive office has raised questions about how our existing theories—theories often created by and to explain the experiences of men—can account for how women come to power and how they perform in office. This class surveys how gendered norms and political structures affect the election, behavior, and political fate of women heads of government. Students will engage with various approaches to the study of gender and leadership in International Relations and explore cases of stateswomen who led empires and states.

POL486H1S L0101: Topics in International Politics I: International Law

This course examines and compares several core domains of international law, including the use of force, international human rights law, international environmental law, international trade law, and international investment law. The course considers international law in a broad political and historical context and pays particular attention to the forces that create and shape international law. The course also examines current issues in international law, including the recent withdrawals from the International Criminal Court, the legal responsibility of transnational corporations, and the decline of US leadership in the international order.

Prerequisites: POL208H1 or POL208Y1 or POL209H5 or POLB80H3
Area: IR

POL487H1S L0101: Topics in International Politics II: Psychology of International Security
Graduate Course Code: POL2206H1S

This course provides an in-depth engagement with the political psychology of international security. We first take up fundamental political questions – like "what is power?" and "what is war?" – and engage the diverse answers that psychological international relations scholarship currently provides. Noting that war is the most destructive invention in human history, we then use these lenses to engage the value-add of psychological explanations for why states fight. The final third of the course uses all of this theoretical and empirical knowledge to examine security and war in our lifetime, beginning with the emergence of "terrorism" as a security issue in the post-Cold War era and looking forward to questions like China’s reemergence.

POL487H1F L0101: Topics in International Politics II: The Planet's Last Frontiers: Governance of Antarctica, Oceans and Outer Space

This course will examine the law, politics and environmental challenges surrounding three parts of the Earth that belong to no one (i.e. res nullius): Antarctica, the high seas (and a variety of associated environmental issues) and outer space. We ask several questions related to each of these areas:

1. What environmental threats do they face?
2. How have these threats been addressed – both through international environmental law, and other policy approaches?
3. Have these approaches been successful, and why or why not? We review the history and mechanics of international environmental law to understand the tools available to manage these areas, and then investigate each area in detail to understand current management practices and challenges. We will then turn to the legal and political responses.

Format and Requirements: Seminar
Prerequisite:  POL208H1/ POL208Y1/ POL209H5/POLB80H3
Area: IR

POL490H1S L0101: Topics in Canadian Politics I: Identity Politics in Canada

Canada is often described as a diverse country, and much of our political activity involves balancing group interests. In this course, we will examine the foundations of identity politics in Canada, including theoretical and historical perspectives. We will also explore contemporary issues and strategies of identity groups in Canada who are seeking to bolster or defend their interests. Topics include the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, colonialism, bilingualism, multicultural policies, federalism, separatist movements, and activist movements including women’s rights, 2SLGBTQI+ rights, Black Lives Matter, Idle No More, and Every Child Matters.

POL491H1F L0101: Topics in Canadian Politics II: Deliberative Democracy

In this course, students will learn about recent developments in the theory and practice of deliberative democracy. The first portion of the course will consist of an examination of the theoretical foundations and key debates in the field of deliberative democracy. Students will then examine the recent expansion of deliberative democratic innovations in established democracies and consider these developments in the context of polarization and democratic backsliding.

Prerequisite: POL214H1/ POL214Y1/ POL215H5/POL216H5/ POL224H1/ POL224Y1/ POLB50Y3; 1.0 other POL/ JPI credit in Canadian politics. See the Department's website http://politics.utoronto.ca/undergraduate/courses/fallwinter-timetable/ for POL courses by area group.
Area: CG

POL491H1S L0101: Topics in Canadian Politics II: Institutions and Behaviour in Canadian Parliament

In this course, we ask how institutions shape the behaviour of legislators in Canada’s parliament. We will explore key rules and norms of parliament and examine their foundations. In tandem, we will investigate the behaviour of prime ministers, cabinet members, backbench MPs, senators, and other political actors to gain a better understanding of what motivates parliamentary behaviour. Through the course, students will gain a deep understanding of why parliamentarians behave the way they do and how their behaviour affects governance and the lives of people in Canada. Topics include the Crown prerogative, responsible government, party discipline and caucusing, executive dominance, policymaking in parliamentary committees, and the Senate reforms.

POL492H1F L5101: Topics in Comparative Politics IV Rule of Law in Post-Conflict Governance

The course explores the challenges of governance and the rule of law in post-conflict societies. It aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of post-conflict governance, including the challenges and solutions that shape these complex environments. The course aims to cover various topics related to governance and the rule of law, including understanding the challenge of governance and the rule of law, creating a constitution, building state institutions, implementing legal and judicial reforms, protecting fundamental rights, ensuring accountability for war crimes, and combating corruption. The course will use a case study methodology with Afghanistan as the primary case but will also use examples from other countries like Iraq, Kosovo, East Timor, and some countries in Africa and Central America, among others. The class will critically analyze national and international strategies and methodologies and their strengths, shortcomings, and long-term consequences.

POL492H1S L0101: Topics in Comparative Politics IV: Identities

The broad goal of this seminar is to raise and explore important questions about identities including the following: How are identities formed? How do they evolve over time? What do identities do in political economic life? Why are some identities more salient than others? What are the epistemological and ethical consequences of various ways of conceptualizing identities? We will explore cases from around the world, even though dynamics in Africa will receive particular attention.

POL492H1S L5101: Topics in Comparative Politics IV: Comparative Constitutionalism in the Developing World

TBA

POL496H1F L0101: Independent Studies

Independent Study courses are arranged by senior undergraduate students who wish to pursue a detailed research project under individual supervision. Departmental registration is required.

Complete an Independent Studies application form, available from the Undergraduate Office or the Departmental website, and return it to Room 3027 SSH by the first day of class.

Only students who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply:

1. You must have completed introductory courses in the area in which you wish to conduct your research;
2. None of the current Departmental course offerings should cover the materials you wish to study;
3. There must be a Faculty member from the Department of Political Science who has expertise in the area and who is willing to supervise your course of study;
4. You must not have previously completed an Independent Studies course through this Department.

Students are not entitled to take more than 1.0 FCE Independent Studies course in Political Science.

POL496H1S L0101: Independent Studies

Independent Study courses are arranged by senior undergraduate students who wish to pursue a detailed research project under individual supervision. Departmental registration is required.

Complete an Independent Studies application form, available from the Undergraduate Office or the Departmental website, and return it to Room 3027 SSH by the first day of class.

Only students who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply:

1. You must have completed introductory courses in the area in which you wish to conduct your research;
2. None of the current Departmental course offerings should cover the materials you wish to study;
3. There must be a Faculty member from the Department of Political Science who has expertise in the area and who is willing to supervise your course of study;
4. You must not have previously completed an Independent Studies course through this Department.

Students are not entitled to take more than 1.0 FCE Independent Studies course in Political Science.

POL497H1F L0101: Independent Studies

Independent Study courses are arranged by senior undergraduate students who wish to pursue a detailed research project under individual supervision. Departmental registration is required.

Complete an Independent Studies application form, available from the Undergraduate Office or the Departmental website, and return it to Room 3027 SSH by the first day of class.

Only students who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply:

1. You must have completed introductory courses in the area in which you wish to conduct your research;
2. None of the current Departmental course offerings should cover the materials you wish to study;
3. There must be a Faculty member from the Department of Political Science who has expertise in the area and who is willing to supervise your course of study
4.  You must not have previously completed an Independent Studies course through this Department.

Students are not entitled to take more than 1.0 FCE Independent Studies course in Political Science.

POL497H1S L0101: Independent Studies

Independent Study courses are arranged by senior undergraduate students who wish to pursue a detailed research project under individual supervision. Departmental registration is required.

Complete an Independent Studies application form, available from the Undergraduate Office or the Departmental website, and return it to Room 3027 SSH by the first day of class.

Only students who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply:

1. You must have completed introductory courses in the area in which you wish to conduct your research;
2. None of the current Departmental course offerings should cover the materials you wish to study;
3. There must be a Faculty member from the Department of Political Science who has expertise in the area and who is willing to supervise your course of study;
4. You must not have previously completed an Independent Studies course through this Department.

Students are not entitled to take more than 1.0 FCE Independent Studies course in Political Science.

POL499Y1Y L0101: Senior Thesis and Thesis Seminar

A 40 to 60 page (15,000 to 20,000 word) research paper (75% of final mark) written under the supervision of one faculty member and a companion thesis seminar (25% of final mark). The seminar provides a forum for students to periodically present and discuss their ongoing research and to examine issues and approaches related to the structure, organization and presentation of the thesis.

Obtain application forms from the Undergraduate Office, SSH 3027 or download from the Department’s website.