In this course, students learn to conduct political analysis using methods common in the social sciences. This includes data such as surveys, international or social media datasets, and methods such as crosstabs and regression. Rather than stressing mathematical concepts, the emphasis of the course is on application, interpretation, and data visualization.

Topics will vary from term to term. Consult the UTM Timetable.

Content of course will vary from year to year. Consult the UTM Timetable.

Topics will vary from term to term. Consult the UTM Timetable.

The course examines the theory and practice of Islamic politics in the modern era. It also looks at Western foreign policy and Western cultural reactions to politics in the Muslim world. The aim is to acquaint students with the diversity within the Muslim world and help them better understand some of the most pressing political issues raised by contemporary Islam.

This course surveys systems of government and political processes across South Asia, with attention to state formation, nationalism, ethnicity, democracy vs. authoritarian forms of governance, social movements, political violence, insurgencies, political economy, corruption, and other important issues affection South Asian states currently. The focus will be mostly on India and Pakistan and possibly some of the other countries in South Asia.

Content of course will vary year to year. Consult with the UTM Timetable.

Topics will vary from term to term. Consult the UTM Timetable.

A comparative study of major development trajectories, including the rise of the West, East Asian economic miracles, communist planning, and the China model, with attention to the strengths and limits of different models of state–market relations.

A study of the structural and policy factors shaping development, including democracy, state capacity, inequality, industrial policy, trade, technology, and the environment, with emphasis on theoretical debates in political economy.

Analysis of different aspects of conflict management, including security regimes, U.N. peacekeeping, mediation, bilateral as well as multilateral techniques.

This course introduces students to the political foundations of democratic government and capitalism in Western Europe. The course covers the historical origins of the modern nation state in Europe and the region’s bumpy road to democracy and prosperity. It also focuses on key similarities and differences in the political institutions, political development, and economic and social models of major European countries.

This course explores the functions (and dysfunctions) of the European Union, a regional organization shaping the political life of its 27 European member states. The course also covers contemporary challenges to democracy and prosperity in Europe, such as populism, economic crises, Brexit, and geopolitical conflicts.

An introduction to China’s political economy since 1978, examining state–society and state–market relations, institutional foundations of governance, and the challenges and prospects of China’s integration into globalization.

Major theories and concepts in the fields of public administration and public policy, drawing on the experience of advanced industrialized nations.

This course looks at how Canadian federalism has evolved and adapted to policy-making challenges, including urbanization, regionalism, and demographic changes among the Canadian population. In additional to the Constitution and the role of federal and provincial governments, we also examine the involvement of municipalities, First nations, and non-governmental actors including private and third sector groups.

This course covers the history of political thought in the 18th and 19th centuries.

We sometimes make claims about “human rights,” but why? This course will cultivate an understanding of the origins and development of the human rights idea over time. Why do states engage in political violence, and how did the language of human rights emerge in response to that violence? Where did the concept of human rights originate, and how did it get written into law? Are human rights truly universal? After confronting these questions, the course will shift to theories of how the global human rights regime is meant to operate. For example, how might it work to shame, sanction, or used armed intervention to advance the cause of human rights?

This course operates like a human rights clinic, considering concrete examples of human rights in practice. Through case studies of countries like Guatemala, Libya, Bosnia, Uganda, and Indonesia, we will consider the following questions: What is the current state of the human rights movement today? What role does human rights law and social activism play in changing practices? And what are the most effective and ineffective human rights interventions? Students will analyze current trends, like the pursuit of criminal accountability for atrocity criminals, and they will propose how to prevent backlash against human rights defenders around the world.

Comparative study of the foreign policies of Russia/USSR, the United States, Great Britain, France and Germany.

International law as an instrument of conflict resolution. Recognition, sovereign immunity, subjects of international law, and jurisdiction are some of the subjects examined.

A practical introduction to visualizing and analyzing data about people, societies, and governments. Students will learn to interpret data to describe and explain the world.

This course focuses on the research process with attention to writing research proposals and qualitative research methods.

An introduction to the study of Global Governance. It presents Global Governance both as an area of study within International Relations theory, and as a set of norms and procedures that guide ongoing practices within international politics. The course will take students through the early development of the concept in the 1990s to present times. It will also cover key challenges to Global Governance.

This course builds on earlier conceptual discussions in POL344H5, to illustrate how Global Governance is practiced within specific empirical contexts. Students will take a deep dive into pressing examples of Global Governance practices and challenges (e.g., the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the global political economy).

This course examines urban politics and policy problems such as inequality, sustainability, immigration, and regionalism. Readings and other course content will focus on contemporary cases of urban policy challenges and conflict in cities and urban regions.