PSIA Courses
PSIA101 Introduction to Political Science (Credits:3)
This course provides students with an introduction to the approaches in the study of politics. The course explores major concepts prevalent in political science including power, democracy, political culture and constitutionalism. It identifies the major fields of study within the discipline and familiarizes students with the differences in approach that each follow from a comparative perspective. Students are expected to complete regular assignments in order to acquire knowledge and to practice skills discussed in class.
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PSIA102 Introduction to US Government (Credits:3)
This course introduces students to the structures and functions of American government and politics. Students study the major institutions, how political parties interact with government, how elections are conducted and how policies are made. This is done within an historical context. American Federalism and the changes in how government attends to problems both foreign and domestic are covered. Students are expected to complete regular assignments in order to acquire knowledge and to practice skills discussed in class.
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PSIA103 Introduction to Armenian Government (Credits:3)
This course is a general introduction to the structure and functions of Armenian Government and its institutions, from historical, legal and comparative perspectives. The role of each branch of the government, the scope of its authority, and checks and balances in the system, will be examined in light of constitutional design and ongoing political processes, along with the relationship between the national, regional and local levels of government. Specific issues will include the state tax and budgeting process, fiscal accountability, lawmaking and regulation making, civic participation in the process, and mechanisms for public oversight of government activities and protection of individual rights as well as the military, law enforcement, and security agency’s special responsibilities and authority. The course aims to help students understand the role of government in the 21st century and the rights and responsibilities of 21st citizen in public and governmental affairs, in light of international best practices and Armenia’s development. Three hours of instructor-led instruction per week.
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PSIA201 Political Philosophy (Credits:3)
This course examines some of the deepest questions about politics and society. Why should we have government and what would things be like without it? Is there a duty to obey government or are people sometimes justified in resisting it? What form should government take and in particular, is democracy the best form of government? How much freedom should people have and is society justified in restricting freedom? What form of property system should society have and should society try to redistribute income and wealth? We will also examine the contribution that feminism has made to social and political thought. The course is organized around five main topics: 1. State of Nature, 2. Political Obligation, 3. Forms of Government, 4. Freedom and Rights, 5. Property and Social Justice. Among the thinkers whose work will be covered are Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Mill. Course work will involve essays, research, presentations, and close reading of philosophic texts. Three hours of instructor-led discussion per week.
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Prerequisite: At least 30 credits completed
PSIA205 International Relations (Credits:3)
This course aims to introduce students to a wide-range of concepts, tools and cases in the study of contemporary international relations. The course includes an overview of the essential history of the global system and introduces the foundational theories and alternative theories upon which much of the analyses of world politics is based, including game theory. The course explores how the international system, international law and diplomacy function in theory and practice. Instructor-led class may include lectures, discussions, case studies, readings, group work. Assessment may include class participation, papers, essays, quizzes, exams, projects and presentations.
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Prerequisite: At least 30 credits completed
PSIA271 Religion & Politics (Credits:3)
What is the relationship between religion and politics? This course examines the meanings of and interactions between, religion and politics in comparative politics and international relations. Contrary to theories about toward secularization recent developments underscore the important role religion continues to play in world politics. In many countries religious beliefs, practices and institutions shape individual values, social organizations, state institutions and international. The course will examine trends and theories on the of religion in public life, in state and global politics, including separation of church and state (i.e., state secularism); nationalism and religion; war and peace; non-discrimination, and gender issues. Issues of religion, church and state in Armenia will also be discussed in the context of global developments. Assessment will include tests, essays, and presentations. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
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Prerequisite: At least 30 credits completed
PSIA272 Geopolitics of Asia (Credits:3)
The course serves as an introduction to the complex regional dynamics that make up the international relations of Asia, a region of growing political and economic importance. The course applies various analytical and theoretical approaches to understanding the complexities of the region, in its geographic, ethnic, religious and economic diversity. The course explores the role of great power hegemony and various regionalisms, and the role of Russia, China, India and the United States, and their interrelations and external relations with the region. Instructor-led class may include lectures, discussions, case studies, readings, group work. Assessment may include class participation, papers, essays, quizzes, exams, projects and presentations.
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Prerequisite: At least 30 credits completed
PSIA273 Geopolitics of Europe (Credits:3)
The course explores Europe: its contributions, its torments, its communities, its races and ethnicities, its laws, its theories, its geo-political importance to the world; investigating its many roles as colonizer, imperialist, arbiter of theology and reason, scientist, artist, musician, author, philosopher, warrior, technologist, diversifier of migration, politician, democrat, nationalist, populist, institutionalist, protectionist. The course addresses such topics as the renaissance and reformation, enlightenment and absolutism; turmoil, power, capital, revolution, collectivism vs. individualism, division and recovery, modernizer and post-modernizer, nation-state proponent, cosmopolitanism, communitarianism. Forty-five hours of instructor-led class tie.
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Prerequisite: At least 30 credits completed
PSIA281 Development Policy (Credits:3)
This course is a survey of the literature on key determinants of development “Development” at the statelevel and “development” at the project level. We begin by considering some of the factors that drive state development, including economic growth, poverty reduction, social inequality, etc. We study different development models most popular in different periods of time, and then move on to the analysis of state policies in health and education, population and migration, and the linkages between investments in human capital and economic growth. The course then moves on to other key topics in international development including accountability and good governance, conditionalities, monitoring and evaluation of results, etc. The course concludes with a discussion on the scope and limitations of foreign aid and the institutions that implement aid policies. Three hours of instructor-led class per week.
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Prerequisite: At least 30 credits completed
PSIA282 Survey of Regional Politics (Credits:3)
Survey of Regional Politics aims to provide insights into the existing and emerging dynamics of the Caucasian region. The course will identify and analyze features of political cultures, traditions of statehood and key domestic developments in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran, Georgia, as well as foreign policy priorities and interests of Russia, EU, USA. Special attention will be paid to Armenia’s relations with its neighbors and different geopolitical interests pursued by major global stakeholders. The course consists of lectures, discussions and student presentations. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
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Prerequisite: At least 30 credits completed
PSIA296 Special Topics in Social Sciences (Credits:3)
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Prerequisite: At least 30 credits completed
PSIA300 Western Political Thought (Credits:3)
This course is an introduction to Western Political Thought from a historical perspective. It covers all the essential ideas since early Greeks to the twentieth century that have shaped the political process and institutionalization of governance in Europe and the United States.
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PSIA302 Introduction to Research Methods (Credits:3)
This entry graduate-level course in research methods covers the overall logic of empirical research. It familiarizes students with the essential elements of the research process, such as defining and measuring concepts, describing variables, formulating hypotheses, choosing appropriate methods and interpreting the results. The course also introduces the students to the principles and good practice of ethics in social science research. Instructor-led class may include lectures, discussions, case studies, readings, group work. Assessment may include class participation, papers, essays, exams, projects and presentations.
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PSIA303 Research Methods in Political Science (Credits:3)
This course is a continuation of the entry graduate-level course PSIA 302 with the aim of deepening the comprehension of research in political science and strengthening data collection, analysis, and interpretation skills. The course focuses on major qualitative and quantitative research methods. The course requires students to design and carry out original research projects and produce research reports, thus exposing students to the full cycle of research practice. Instructor-led class may include lectures, discussions, case studies, readings, group work. Assessment may include class participation, papers, essays, exams, projects and presentations
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Prerequisite: PSIA302
PSIA310 Comparative Politics (Credits:3)
The course introduces key themes in comparative political systems as they impact governments and societies. It discusses both state and non-state actors, focusing on comparing political regimes, governance and its components, political processes and structures. The course discusses methodological frameworks of positivism and constructivism, rational choice, culture/history, institutionalism, historical analysis, and case studies.
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PSIA311 Caucasus Regional Politics (Credits:3)
The course gives an insight on the regional political developments. Features of political cultures, traditions of statehood and key domestic developments in Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan and Georgia will be addressed. The course also reflects upon Armenia’s relations with those countries. The course is composed of lectures, seminars, discussions and presentations.
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PSIA312 Trade Politics (Credits:3)
The course aims to identify key domestic, regional, and international actors in trade policy-making and assess how trade policy can influence the development of a country. Through assignments and discussions students will be able to analyse the scholarly literature linking trade policy with economic performance and critically evaluate a range of issue areas in trade policy through their functional and geographical manifestation. The course will also critically assess the future of the WTO and the multilateral trading system and their impact on shrinking policy space in terms of domestic regulations. The course will consist of instructor-led discussions.
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PSIA315 Foundations of Public Policy (Credits:3)
This course provides a foundation for the study of public policy. It will present basic analytical models for examining public policy and examine public policy problems, issues, stakeholders, options and tradeoffs in a variety of public sectors such as health, energy, transportation, minorities, education, justice, agriculture, pensions.
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PSIA320 International Relations (Credits:3)
This course aims at giving students an introductory level knowledge required to understand and analyze contemporary international politics. The course targets examining the theoretical and normative foundations of international relations, analyzing the mission, objectives and policies of international intergovernmental organisations, critically “reading” and understanding foreign policies of selected leading and small states alike, as well as touching upon the role that various non-state actors play in the world.
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PSIA323 International Organizations & Global Governance (Credits:3)
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PSIA324 Security Policy (Credits:3)
This course addresses a number of security policy related issues, including a) how national security decisions are made; b) strategic planning and implementation of security policies on the executive and legislative levels; c) implications of globalization and human rights on national security related issues; d) interdependence of foreign, defense, intelligence and security policies. The course will also reflect upon Armenia’s experience in national security policy planning and implementation. The course is composed of lectures, discussions and presentations. Reading materials will be in electronic versions.
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PSIA325 Conflicts and Geopolitics in the Caucasus (Credits:3)
This course gives a critical perspective to ethnic and geopolitical developments in the region and tries to position them along with major theories of ethnicity. The course provides theoretical background on the existing discourses of nationalism, ethnicity and geopolitics with an objective of seeking a deeper understanding of the origins and dynamics of ethnic conflicts. Study of protracted conflicts in Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Chechnya, and Dagestan constitutes the bases of the course, other latent conflicts are also considered.
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PSIA326 Theories of Globalization (Credits:3)
This course will explore globalization primarily from a theoretical view, though empirical applications will be included.While there will be substantive elements of knowledge, the primary emphasis will be in processing skills, i.e., in conceptualization, diagnosis, analysis and solution building. We are particularly interested in the scientific method, policy analysis and social science. It is the interaction of these three models that create the framework for the course. Attention will be given to the causes of globalization and the outcomes globally.
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PSIA327 EU/Global Politics (Credits:3)
The main objectives of the course are: to supply knowledge to the students on what the EU is, what it does and how can we evaluate it as an actor in world politics; to offer understanding about the EU external relations in different policy domains, and enrich their knowledge on all important regions on the globe and the EU’s relations with them.
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PSIA328 Caucasus in the Global Context (Credits:3)
This course studies the relationship between the Caucasus and other major actors in international politics. It focuses on the emerging role of the Caucasus in world politics, the foreign policies of other important actors that affect the Caucasus and important policy dimensions such as regionalism, security, conflict studies, and identify/legitimacy politics.
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PSIA335 International Conflicts in XXI Century (Credits:3)
This writing-intensive course covers various issues pertaining to conflicts of international character in XXI century and is aimed at improving the understanding of the universe of state actors, international organizations and their interests, the environment of modern conflicts and possibilities of conflict resolution in the frameworks of international organisations and through ad hoc ‘coalitions of the willing’. The issues of global governance will be explored to understand international mechanisms that are currently employed for conflict prevention and resolution, such as the role of humanitarian and human rights organizations and international tribunals, in parallel with more conventional means such as peacekeeping missions or third-party mediation. To that end, we will enter the corridors of the United Nations and regional organizations in order to see how they deal with those crises in places such as Libya, Mali, Syria, Ukraine, Nagorno Karabakh, DRC or Colombia, and why, inter alia, criminal prosecution of masterminds of atrocity crimes in one place is not necessarily the right path to pursue in another.
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PSIA336 Foreign Policy Analysis (Credits:3)
This graduate-level elective course will focus on how states, big and small, formulate and implement their foreign policies, both in theoretical and practical terms. We will explore the theoretical foundations of foreign policy-making in both legal and political domains, followed by process-oriented analysis of foreign policy decision-making in select countries and how that affects the conduct of diplomacy. To that end, various decision-making models (rational state actor, bureaucratic/organizational, institutional, societal etc) will be discussed and assessed from the perspective of modern challenges contemporary states are facing – especially in the context of growing mass participation in politics and acceleration of news cycles. Naturally, we shall venture to understand the role of key players (government agencies, political parties, leaders, etc) and secondary participants (NGOs, private interest groups, corporations, etc) in the making of foreign policy, as well as their interactions in-between. To the extent possible, this course will be based on domestic political, legal and institutional factors, leaving external triggers in the background, since those are well discussed in other courses too, in order to have a clear focus and learning objectives.BREAKOne of the core assumptions the course is built on is that the precise model of decision-making process at play significantly impacts the particular course of action eventually chosen. The environment of foreign policy-making process – predominantly focusing on domestic political developments (in democratic, authoritarian and hybrid regimes) – will be assessed case-by-case, as well as in comparative perspective, to give a big-picture understanding of complex challenges modern states are struggling with in foreign policy making process.
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PSIA340 Public Administration (Credits:3)
The course studies the role and scope of bureaucracy in the modern state; examination of issues in the formulation and implementation of public policy; planning, programming, and decision-making in the bureaucratic policy-making process.
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PSIA341 Organizational Behavior (Credits:3)
This course provides consideration of general theories and concepts of organization and bureaucratic behavior, strategies for control, stability, and change in modern state systems. This course is designed for graduate students with the expectation that they will expand their knowledge of those areas of organization life that deal with human relations and organizational psychology. The course will highlight how this knowledge will assist administrators in more effectively dealing with others in public and private organizations.
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PSIA343 Public Finance and Budgeting (Credits:3)
This course develops a general understanding of the policy of public budgeting and finance. It presents a general overview of Western public finance and budgeting systems with an emphasis on the processes of planning, programming, appropriation, taxation, spending and managing a budget deficit. The course covers both theoretical aspects of public finance and budgeting, as well as politics, processes and institutions in government budgeting. Students also learn the peculiarities of government budgeting in Armenia in comparison with the Western system.
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PSIA344 Public Policy Analysis (Credits:3)
The course consists of three parts. In the first part concepts and theories of public policy analysis are discussed. The general framework for policy analysis is presented. The second part of the course focuses on tools and methods of policy analysis, with a specific focus on one quantitative (regression analysis) and one qualitative (focus groups) method of obtaining and systematizing relevant data. The third part of the course applies theoretical and the methodological knowledge discussed in the previous two sections to the Armenian reality.
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PSIA345 Development Policy and Strategy (Credits:3)
This course starts by considering some of the factors that drive or hinder development, including economic growth, reduction of poverty and inequality, access to resources, education and health care, etc. Then, the course moves on to cover the basis of political decisions made by governments of developing countries across a range of themes. Here, the course explores competing approaches to the role of the state in development and also engages in debates on the characteristics essential for development, contrasting in particular institutional approaches and the good governance agenda. Finally, the course dedicates sessions to sector-level policies: agricultural, industrial, employment, and poverty reduction policies.
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PSIA347 Environmental Policy (Credits:3)
The aim of this course is to introduce the tools, approaches and institutions that govern political decision-making in the field of environmental conservation and natural resource management. The course starts with an overview of global environmental issues of concern to all humanity and their impact on people’s life. Students further explore the international and national policy frameworks that focus on environmental issues and zero in on their solutions. Students learn about history of environmental policy and politics in the US, Europe (and particularly EU) and former Soviet Union? emergence and evolution of green parties, social movements and groups. Armenia’s international obligations in environmental sector are presented to students.
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PSIA348 Policy and Program Evaluation (Credits:3)
Program Evaluation is the systematic use of empirical information to assess and improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of public or nonprofit programs and policy interventions. Evaluation is increasingly required by funders and policy makers concerned with accountability and efficient use of public or private resources. In addition, many governments and nongovernmental organizations have built the logic of evaluation into their work through performance management and monitoring systems. This course trains you in different types of program evaluation, including needs assessment, formative research, process evaluation, monitoring of outputs and outcomes, impact assessment, and cost analysis.
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PSIA350 Macroeconomics (Credits:3)
An intensive course in macroeconomic analysis that studies the performance of the national economy and the global economy.
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PSIA351 Microeconomics (Credits:3)
This course covers the essential microeconomic principles and applies them to public decisions. It covers the key principles of microeconomics, such as supply, demand, and market processes and provides extensive coverage of topics that concern public sector decisions.
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Prerequisite: PSIA350
PSIA352 Economics for Political Science (Credits:3)
This course covers concepts and principles in economics which are most relevant for political science and international affairs. Special focus will be placed on topics concerning the government’s role in the economy. Topics covered include production and consumption, supply and demand, the concept of utility, the public and private sector, welfare economics, market failures (monopoly, externalities, and public goods) and government control, game theory and applications, GDP and national income, growth (capital accumulation, institutions, and technological advances), money and inflation, international flow of goods and capital (migration, external trade, exchange rates, and foreign investment), and monetary and fiscal policy. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
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PSIA353 International Political Economy (Credits:3)
An overview of international political economy (IPE) from a theoretical and empirical perspective. Focuses on substantive elements and their mixture with process dynamics. Analytical models will include scientific method, policy and social science concepts and methods. Emphasizes macro and micro empirical findings. Reviews normative and empirical findings. Evaluates interaction of states and non-states. Analytic methods primarily qualitative with inclusion of empirical quantitative results.
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PSIA355 Moral and Social Issues in Policy-Making (Credits:3)
In this course we critically assess policy options in issues surrounding medicine and technology, such as abortion, euthanasia, animal experimentation, organ procurement and distribution, stem cells, cloning, genetic intervention, and healthcare provision. Should euthanasia be legal? If so, under what conditions? Should abortion be prohibited, available for any reason, or for only some reasons? Is using animals for medical experimentation justified? How should society address the scarcity of human organs for transplantation? Should people be allowed to buy and sell organs? If cloning of humans were possible would it be justified? What are stem cells and why are their uses controversial? Should genetic intervention by parents permitted? Is there or should there be a right to healthcare? How should society distribute scarce medical resources? The course emphasizes critical analysis of policy options on these issues and the development of students’ critical thinking and writing abilities. The course will consist of instructor-led discussions and analysis of readings. Course assessment consists of papers, participation, and a final exam.
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PSIA360 Armenian Politics (Credits:3)
This course provides an in-depth understanding of Armenian politics. It examines the major turning points of the country’s political transitions and examines questions related to the system of governance, democratic transition, institutional, political, economic, and social developments in the post-Soviet Armenia. Issues of the Soviet heritage as well as questions related to the impact of the Karabakh conflict on the domestic developments of Armenia will be considered too. The course will also discuss topics related to elections, political parties, power relations, problems of migration, democratic consolidation, and relations with the Armenian Diaspora. The course consists of lectures, discussions and student presentations. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
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PSIA361 Russian Politics (Credits:3)
The course will examine the leadership traits of Russia’s presidents, discuss their systems of government, the complex interplay between political elites and social forces, business and politics, center and periphery. The second part of the course will focus on foreign policy. It will examine various stakeholders and their impact on the formation and implementation of Russia’s foreign policy. Through lectures, individual and group assignments, students will be able to engage in critical reading of primary and secondary sources.
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PSIA363 The Politics of Self-Determination and Secession (Credits:3)
There are more than three dozen potential self-determination movements throughout the globe and yet international law remains elusive about their legitimacy and outcome. The course will explore the topic through the dual lenses: international law on self-determination and global politics, and assess whether these movements can rely on international law to support their independence claim — or it is all politics. The course will outline the body of international law on self-determination and navigate through its loopholes to demonstrate the legal arguments made on both sides of the divide. The course will be constructed around classical and recent self-determination movements with particular emphasis on the Nagorno-Karabakh case.
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Prerequisite: PSIA320 AND PSIA360
PSIA364 Middle East Politics (Credits:3)
The Middle East is widely associated with an area of conflicting global and regional interests. By learning about key questions and debates in the field of Middle East politics (Arab-Israeli conflict, Syrian civil war, Iraq-Iran conflict etc.), the course aims to give students a critical understanding of politics in the region. Topics may include “persistent authoritarianism” in the Middle East, political Islam, sectarian violence, economic development and underdevelopment, social mobilization and the foundations of the Arab Spring, and the challenges of Armenian communities living in the Middle East.
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Prerequisite: PSIA320 AND PSIA310
PSIA366 Government, Politics, and the Media (Credits:3)
This writing- and reading-intensive graduate course will cover various issues pertaining to the role of media in modern states, its influence upon politics and government decision-making, as well as its effects on agenda-setting and framing political narratives and public discourse. Built around interactive discussion sessions on the basis of assigned readings and independent research, we will discuss interactions between political institutions and the media, both in domestic politics and internationally. Some relevant issues pertaining to the role of media in functioning and fragile democracies, media and modern warfare, social networks and popular movements, elite media and political campaigning, “post-truth politics”, citizen journalism and other subjects will be deliberated with a view of helping students to understand how governments function in the age of media revolution. Certain notions, picked up from the case law of the European Court of Human rights (e.g. Perincek), the U.S. Supreme Court (Cohen v. California, Citizens United, etc) and ad hoc international tribunals (RTLM radio case, ICTR) will be reflected upon to improve student understanding of legal doctrine development and its effects on policies and politics. Instructor-led class may include lectures, discussions, case studies, readings, group work. Assessment may include class participation, papers, essays, exams, projects and presentations
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PSIA367 Topics in Political Science (Credits:3)
Course Description tailored to course content when offered.
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PSIA368 Topics in International Affairs (Credits:3)
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PSIA369 Graduate Seminar on Globalization Theories and Strategies (Credits:3)
This course is a seminar in international affairs designed for MA students in PSIA. The course will address certain globalization aspects such as ‘push and pull’ as well as pluses and minuses, affecting states and populations. It will particularly deal with structure and processes of current dynamics in international affairs such as financial inequality, migration, statism vs. liberal structures, and will explore the current provocations created by populism and millennial socialism. The course disciplines will include political economy and political science, exploring a number of international relations theories such as realism, liberalism, constructivism, structuralism and post-structuralism. Attention will be give to the special challenges of small states as they move forward with development strategies. The course will include governing in a volatile global economy, particularly one embedded in current shocks affecting income, labor markets, law and normative behavior, migration and interdependence of global interactions such as trade and performance of transnational institutions. The course will be conducted in a seminar format. This requires substantial discussion rather than lecture. Readings will prepare the participants for issues to be explored. The instructor will act as a discussion leader. The students will carry responsibility for proposing correlations and causations about which one can hypothesize. Students will report the significant ingredients of the readings and others will be prepared to react to issues presented and raise appropriate questions. One or two guest speakers will be invited to contribute to the seminar. Course evaluation will include short concept papers; continued oral presentations and contributions; final term paper ability to analyze and critique other student presentations.
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Prerequisite: PSIA320
PSIA370 European Integration (Credits:3)
The course will provide an understanding about the European Union (EU) as a unique `regional´ institution with the highest degree of delegation of competencies from the national to the supranational level. European integration is treated as a large case with its specific aspects (history, institutional interplay and policies) analyzed through the lenses of the EU-intrinsic mid-range theories and IR theories.
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PSIA371 Politics of the European Union (Credits:3)
The course aims to theorise and understand the key patterns of the EU’s political activity and its organizational engagement through analyzing key institutions and processes that enable the European Union to be an actor and to be active in a range of policy sectors. The course will also critically examine the strengths and weaknesses of substantive EU policies pursued in the internal and external arena which will help to reflect on strategic considerations and particular policy programmes of the European Union. Instructor-led discussion.
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PSIA372 European Neighborhood Policy (Credits:3)
The course focuses on the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP), encompassing also the Union for the Mediterranean and the Eastern Partnership, developed by the European Union (EU) towards its political periphery, namely, North Africa/Middle East, and the former Soviet Union. It additionally deals with the EU’s policy in different domains, i.e. trade, democracy, human rights, public administration, civil society, justice, migration, etc.
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PSIA373 Geopolitics of Asia (Credits:3)
The course serves as an introduction to the complex regional dynamics that make up the international relations of Asia, a region of growing political and economic importance. The course applies various analytical and theoretical approaches to understanding the complexities of the region, in its geographic, ethnic, religious and economic diversity. The course explores the role of great power hegemony and various regionalisms, and the role of Russia, China, India and the United States, and their interrelations and external relations with the region. Instructor-led class may include lectures, discussions, case studies, readings, group work. Assessment may include class participation, papers, essays, quizzes, exams, projects and presentations.
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PSIA374 Small States in Worlds Politics (Credits:3)
This course provides a general overview of the challenges and limitations of small states in world politics. To tackle these issues, the course will first try to define the concept of “small state” and its historical evolution, after which a detailed examination of the issues that small states face in contemporary world politics will be analyzed. Some of the areas to be examined include: foreign policy and diplomacy; economic constraints and advantages; development of domestic institutions; democracy and public opinion; and nationalism as a response to globalization.
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Prerequisite: PSIA320
PSIA383 Contemporary Political Philosophy (Credits:3)
This course examines contemporary theories in political philosophy. The theories to be examined are utilitarianism, liberal egalitarianism, capabilities approach, libertarianism, and communitarianism. In examining these theories, the course will cover topics such as justice in the distribution of income and wealth, equality, taxation and incentives, unconditional basic income, and the moral limits of the market. Thinkers include such authors as Rawls, Nozick, Dworkin, Cohen, Sen, Walzer, Sandel, and Marx. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
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Prerequisite: PSIA300
PSIA384 Civil Society and Social Capital (Credits:3)
This course analyses the concepts of civil society and social capital and explains their prominence in current social science. As a first building block, the course material includes relevant works of major social theorists, sociologists and political scientists. The course then makes a transition from theoretical concepts to empirical studies of civil society and social capital. The last part of the course is dedicated to applying the concepts and the approaches to the Armenian reality. The course is envisioned as a seminar with active student participation in class discussions.
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PSIA385 Global Justice (Credits:3)
This course examines whether ideals of justice should be applied across the world, by examining debates in global justice. Should principles of distributive justice be applied globally or are they only relevant to particular societies? Is global justice an unrealistic goal? Do people in wealthy nations have a duty to give to the starving overseas? Is poverty a human rights violation? Do we have obligations towards our co-nationals and if so, do these obligations defeat the claims of global justice? Would military intervention to achieve global justice be justified? Should there be open borders between nations? Should there be a world government? Do we have duties towards future generations? What are the implications of any such duties for climate change? These and other questions will be addressed in this course.
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PSIA390 Research Design (Credits:1)
This seminar is designed to assist students in preparing their research for their final, capstone experience in Political Science and International Relations. This includes Master’s Essays, Internship Reports and Policy Papers. Before one can embark on their final papers, students must plan and prepare for the activities and actions necessary to complete the final paper. This course is mandatory for ALL second year students.
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PSIA391 Policy Internship Project (Credits:3)
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Prerequisite: PSIA390
PSIA392 Master’s Essay (Credits:3)
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Prerequisite: PSIA390
PSIA393 Policy Paper (Credits:3)
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Prerequisite: PSIA390
PSIA395 Master’s Thesis (Credits:6)
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PSIA399 Independent Study (Credits:3)
This course is designed to permit students to design and complete a course of study under the supervision of an instructor for credit. Such courses typically address a special area of interest of the student and instructor outside the standard offerings of the program and have an interdisciplinary or research components. The course must include a co-designed syllabus and evidence of learning equivalent to a standard 3-credit course. Independent study courses are subject to the instructor’s approval and Program Chair’s consent.
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