Course Descriptions
POLI 3206 Constitutional Law and Politics in Canada
CREDIT HOURS: 3
These are political issues that possess an important constitutional dimension. They include judicial review and the role of the Supreme Court of Canada, constitutional amendment, the representation formula, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, language rights and the Crown.
FORMAT: Seminar
PREREQUISITES:
POLI 2210.03 or 2220.03 recommended
POLI 3207 Charter Politics
CREDIT HOURS: 3
In 1982, Canada successfully patriated its constitution, transferring constitutional power from the British Parliament to Canada’s federal and provincial legislatures. The Constitution was also amended to include both guidelines outlining the procedures under which future amendments to the Act could occur and a Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Charter entrenched individual and some groups rights and forever changed the terrain of rights in Canada.
This course considers the development, enactment, and reception of the Charter, questioning how it has influenced both law and politics in Canada in the years since its enactment. It focuses on the key issues and debates that have animated supporters and critics since its inception, including concerns about judicial activism, dialogue between the Court and the legislature, and the recognition of positive rights. It also looks to landmark cases to illuminate different sections of the Charter, their interpretation by the Court and government, and their implications for politics, public policy, and rights-claiming today.
FORMAT: Seminar
PREREQUISITES: 54 credit hours
POLI 3208 Canadian Provincial Politics
CREDIT HOURS: 3
An analysis of the dynamics and structures of provincial governments. Topics may include: Political parties, voting behaviour, legislatures, electoral systems, bureaucracies and the formulation of economic, energy, environmental, and other policies. Attention is also paid to interprovincial and intergovernmental relations.
FORMAT: Seminar
PREREQUISITES:
POLI 2210.03 or
POLI 2220.03 recommended
POLI 3220 Intergovernmental Relations
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course will examine the territorial division of political and administrative power and the nature of relations between governments which result from such a division of power, including federal-provincial-municipal or “tri-level” relations. Specific topics will include the role of the courts in constitutional interpretations, the instruments of “fiscal federalism” (including equalization payments, conditional grants, tax sharing arrangements and shared cost programs), administrative relationships and the concept of “executive federalism”. These themes will be pursued further by each student through the preparation of a research paper. This paper will deal with a policy area selected by the student (transportation, education, health, etc.) and will provide an opportunity for a more intensive examination of the impact of intergovernmental relations, on public policy and vice versa. For additional information about course requirements, please consult the instructor.
FORMAT:
PREREQUISITES:
POLI 2210.03 or
POLI 2220.03 recommended
POLI 3224 Canadian Political Parties
CREDIT HOURS: 3
The Canadian party system, viewed as an integral part of the entire political system, presents a number of interesting questions for exploration, such as lower voter turnout, electoral reform, the role of party leaders, and the manner in which parties contribute to Canadian democracy. The particular themes emphasized will vary from year to year. Approved with Canadian Studies.
FORMAT:
PREREQUISITES:
POLI 2210.03 and
POLI 2220.03 recommended
POLI 3228 Pressure Politics in Canada
CREDIT HOURS: 3
The goal of this seminar is to explore the opportunities for and obstacles to advocacy politics in Canada. We analyze the strategies that pressure groups use to engage the most important loci of power in the Canadian political system; parliament, the public service and the courts.
FORMAT:
PREREQUISITES: 1000 level course in Political Science or Kings FYP recommended.
EXCLUSIONS:
POLI 4228.03, POLI 5228.03
POLI 3232 Municipal Law, Urban Governance and Public Policy in Canada
CREDIT HOURS: 3
Most Canadians live in cities, yet local government is the weakest unit in our federal system. What accounts for this? After all, local government has often been described as the foundation of democracy. In Canada, local governments have many unique characteristics, from their constitutional status to the council system and a tradition of non-partisan government. We will explore the character of local government and the issues related to local governance, including regional and metropolitan restructuring and citizen participation, municipal finance, provincial-local relations, and the role of the federal government.
FORMAT:
PREREQUISITES: 1000-level course in Political Science or Kings FYP recommended
EXCLUSIONS:
POLI 2230 and POLI 3231
POLI 3233 Canada in the Global Economy
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This seminar course, for senior undergraduates, will explore the relationship between politics and economic life in Canada. The course addresses the placement of Canada in continental and global economies at a time of profound transnational integration and accelerated technological change. It surveys major themes and perspectives in the Canadian political economy tradition and evaluates past and current practices in Canada’s economic governance. It will introduce students to staples, liberal and neo-classical, socialist, and feminist analyses of the nature of Canada's economic development, and the role of the state in economic life. The importance of commercial, industrial and resource sectors will be examined. The transition to the service sector and information economy will be addressed. The impact of Canada's imperial, global and continental relationships will also be considered, including the negotiation and impact of economic and trade agreements. Other themes include the role of women, industrial relations and trade unions, first nations and immigrant communities, and the future evolution of the political economy and economic policy. Students will debate controversial themes on each topic. Student essays will explore a range of contemporary issues including debt, federal-provincial fiscal relations, the economic consequences of Quebec separation, women in the economy, development prospects for First Nations, regional inequality and development programs, immigrants and economic revival, and policies on trade, industrial development, investment, intellectual property, human resources, technological change, poverty and inequality, and the impact of economic forces on national unity.
FORMAT: Seminar
PREREQUISITES: Open to undergraduates who have completed courses in Canadian politics or economic history, or by permission of the instructor.
POLI 3234 Political Psychology
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course explores research that utilizes psychological theories and methods to help us better understand the political world in which we live: exploring how individuals think, feel, and behave in relation to politics. As a sub-discipline that bridges psychology and political science, political psychology is a vast and ever-expanding field of study. As such, the course cannot explore the field in its entirety, but instead will focus on some of the discipline’s most enduring questions (emotions, identities, etc.) as well as contemporary questions of interest (fake news, conspiracy theories, etc.). Topics to be covered include the origins of political ideology, processes of radicalization, causes of intergroup conflict and prejudice, and the role of genes and personality in political behaviour.
FORMAT: Lecture
LECTURE HOURS PER WEEK: 3
LAB HOURS PER WEEK: 0
TUTORIAL HOURS PER WEEK: 0
COREQUISITES: None
PREREQUISITES: None
CROSS-LISTING: No
RESTRICTIONS: None
EXCLUSIONS: None
POLI 3235 The Politics of Regionalism
CREDIT HOURS: 3
The course surveys the interaction between politics and economics in Canada with emphasis on the question of regional development. It will canvass competing explanations for differences in economic development among Canada's regions with special emphasis on Maritime economic problems, highlighting both the political sources of regional disparities and continuing efforts to rectify them. Distinctive Western, Quebec and Ontario concerns will also be covered. Seminars for senior undergraduates will feature student presentations and research projects. Approved with Canadian Studies.
FORMAT: Seminar
PREREQUISITES:
POLI 2210.03 or
POLI 2220.03 recommended
POLI 3236 Political Representation in Canada
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course explores questions of political representation in contemporary Canadian politics. While the overwhelming focus will be on the Canadian case, the course often draws upon examples and readings from other countries/institutional contexts to highlight important differences and similarities. The course considers where political representatives come from, how representative our legislatures are, and what representatives do. Weekly topics include political ambition, recruitment, electoral systems and quotas, and substantive representation.
FORMAT: Lecture
LECTURE HOURS PER WEEK: 3
LAB HOURS PER WEEK: 0
TUTORIAL HOURS PER WEEK: 0
COREQUISITES: None
PREREQUISITES: None
CROSS-LISTING: No
RESTRICTIONS: None
EXCLUSIONS: None
POLI 3250 Canadian Public Administration
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course examines the organization and management of the executive-bureaucratic structures of government for the formation and management of public policy and public services. It considers the design and operation of the cabinet system and ministerial portfolios; relations between ministers and the career public service, policy and budgetary processes; and the structural designs of departments, agencies, crown corporations and regulatory commissions. A major focus will be the effects of the new public management on public administration, as governments in Canada, as elsewhere, seek to cope with budgetary restraints, increased demands for quality services and public participation, and greater effectiveness in securing results.
FORMAT: Seminar
POLI 3260 The Politics of Health Care
CREDIT HOURS: 3
Because of its nature as both a public institution and a political icon, the Canadian health care system is an inherently political institution which
cannot be understood without a clear comprehension of both its composition and its relationship to the broader political landscape in
Canada. This class will provide a survey of the political and theoretical debates within the area of health care in Canada, including investigations of federalism, funding, and governance.
FORMAT: Seminar
PREREQUISITES: Introductory Political Science class recommended
EXCLUSIONS: POLI 4620,
POLI 5260
POLI 3304 Comparative Federalism
CREDIT HOURS: 3
A seminar course which examines the theory and practice of federalism within a comparative framework. The actual federations discussed depend in part on student interest but usually include both established federal nations and those moving in that direction.
FORMAT: Seminar
PREREQUISITES:
POLI 2210.03 or
POLI 2220.03 recommended
CROSS-LISTING: PUAD 6755.03
POLI 3311 Sport and Politics
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course examines the role of sport in domestic, transnational and international politics. It addresses the gap in much of mainstream political science concerning the pervasive influence of popular cultural trends and practices on political life. Some topics include: the role of sport in political socialization and the creation of national identity; the politics of the Olympic Games; sport and globalization; and sport and the politics of gender and wealth accumulation.
FORMAT: Seminar
PREREQUISITES:
POLI 2300.06 or
POLI 2301.03 or
POLI 2302.03 or
POLI 2520.03 or
POLI 2530.03 recommended
POLI 3315 African Politics
CREDIT HOURS: 3
The diversity of states, politics, economy and society in post-colonial sub-Saharan Africa is examined in this seminar. Topics include theoretical approaches, economic frameworks, governmental regimes, structural adjustments, civil society, intra-regional political economies, and selected aspects of policy such as economic reform, political liberalization, women and development, drought and ecology, AIDS and health.
FORMAT: Seminar
PREREQUISITES: Previous coursework at the 2000-level, in Political Science or other Arts and Sciences courses, is recommended.
POLI 3320 European Politics
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course looks at the political systems of selected countries in Europe, including Germany, Britain, Spain, Ireland and Switzerland. Topics include political parties and elections, federalism, ethnicity and regional nationalisms, immigration politics, and changing state-economy relations.
FORMAT: Seminar
PREREQUISITES:
POLI 2300XY or
POLI 2301.03 or
POLI 2302.03 or
POLI 2520.03 or
POLI 2530.03 recommended
EXCLUSIONS: POLI 3325X/Y.06
POLI 3321 Politics of the European Union
CREDIT HOURS: 3
Europe is a complex polity. Almost all countries are members of the European Union (EU), which has common government institutions and policy-making processes. The course examines these important developments in the context of theories of integration. Among topics discussed are the common currency, agricultural politics, the common foreign and security policy, social policy issues, and the significance of institutions such as the European Parliament. The role of the EU in the global economy, and expansion into central and Eastern Europe, are also discussed.
FORMAT: Seminar
PREREQUISITES:
POLI 2300XY or
POLI 2301.03 or
POLI 2302.03 or
POLI 2520.03 or
POLI 2530.03 recommended
EXCLUSIONS: POLI 3325X/Y.06
POLI 3360 Politics in Latin America
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This seminar for advanced undergraduates examines one of the world’s most dynamic, diverse and rapidly changing regions. It surveys Latin America’s search for democracy from colonial to contemporary times. Students examine differing perspectives on the nature of democracy and explore Latin American political history and development, including the indigenous foundations, the colonial impositions, and more recent foreign intervention. The course examines political structures and values, the authoritarian presidency, military politicization, party competition and electoral politics. The course also examines state-society relations, the immense inequality, the changing role of women, the remobilization of indigenous peoples, the impact of liberalization, and reactions to liberalization from civil society. The course concludes by examining prospects for consolidation of democracy and liberalization in the contemporary era of globalization, the significance of the revitalization of the political left, and the implications for scholarly interpretations.
FORMAT: Seminar
PREREQUISITES:
POLI 2300.03 or
POLI 2350.03 or
POLI 2520.03 or
INTD 2001.03 or
INTD 2002.03 or
SPAN 2109.03 or
SPAN 2110.03 or
POLI 2301.03 or
POLI 2302.03 or
SOSA 3168.03 or
HIST 2384.03 or
HIST 2385.03 or
HIST 2386.03 or HIST 2387.03 or HIST 3390.03 recommended
POLI 3365 Politics of the Middle East
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course offers an advanced introduction to the politics of the Middle East. Issues covered include state structures, the legacy of colonialism, political economy, religion, society and social movements, human rights, and terrorism. These issues will be explored thematically and through several country case studies.
FORMAT: