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Course Listing for POLITICAL SCIENCE - Spring 2027 (ALL: 01/25/2027 - 05/14/2027)
Class
No.
Course ID Title Credits Type Instructor(s) Days:Times Location Permission
Required
Dist Qtr
2857 POLS-102-01 American Natl Govt 1.00 LEC Sklaroff, Miranda MWF: 9:00AM-9:50AM TBA SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 25 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  This course is not open to seniors.
  NOTE: 13 seats reserved for First Year students, 9 seats for sophomores, and 3 seats for Juniors who have declared a POLS Major. No Seniors unless by Permission of Instructor.
  How do the institutions of American national government shape our politics and policies? This introductory course examines the nation’s founding documents (including the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Federalist Papers), the goals they sought to achieve, and the institutional framework they established (including Congress, the Presidency, and the courts). It then evaluates the extent to which these institutions achieve their intended aims of representing interests and producing public goods, taking into account the role of parties, interests groups, and the media. Throughout the course, we will attend to the relevance of race, class, religion, and gender.
2914 POLS-102-02 American Natl Govt 1.00 LEC Gawehns, Florian MW: 8:30AM-9:45AM TBA SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 25 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  This course is not open to seniors.
  NOTE: 13 seats reserved for First Year students, 9 seats for sophomores, and 3 seats for Juniors who have declared a POLS Major. No Seniors unless by Permission of Instructor.
  How do the institutions of American national government shape our politics and policies? This introductory course examines the nation’s founding documents (including the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Federalist Papers), the goals they sought to achieve, and the institutional framework they established (including Congress, the Presidency, and the courts). It then evaluates the extent to which these institutions achieve their intended aims of representing interests and producing public goods, taking into account the role of parties, interests groups, and the media. Throughout the course, we will attend to the relevance of race, class, religion, and gender.
2858 POLS-103-01 Intro Compar Politics 1.00 LEC Flom, Hernan TR: 10:50AM-12:05PM TBA GLB5  
  Enrollment limited to 25 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  This course is not open to seniors.
  NOTE: 13 seats reserved for First Year students, 9 seats for sophomores, and 3 seats for Juniors who have declared a POLS Major. No Seniors unless by Permission of Instructor.
  This course introduces the study of comparative politics which is a subfield of political science. More specifically, it introduces many of the key concepts and theoretical approaches that have been adopted in comparative politics and surveys the political institutions and politics of select foreign countries. Students of comparative politics primarily focus on the political processes and institutions within countries (whereas students of international relations primarily, but not exclusively, study interactions among countries). Inspired by current world events and puzzles, comparativists investigate such major questions as: Why are some countries or regions more democratic than others? How do different countries organize their politics, i.e., how and why do their political party systems, electoral rules, governmental institutions, etc. differ?
1982 POLS-104-01 Intro Intl Relations 1.00 LEC Hamidi, Sidra MW: 1:30PM-2:45PM TBA GLB5  
  Enrollment limited to 25 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  This course is not open to seniors.
  NOTE: 13 seats reserved for first year students, 9 seats for sophomores, and 3 seats for juniors who have declared a POLS major. No seniors unless by Instructor Permission.
  This course offers an introduction to international relations (IR), addressing fundamental questions in the fields of international security, international political economy, and international law & organization. We learn about the leading theoretical perspectives in political science-Realism, Liberalism, and Constructivism-as well as a range of alternatives rooted in domestic politics, political psychology, postmodernism, Marxism, and feminism. The course serves as a foundational introduction to the IR subfield, with equal emphasis on substantive issues and theoretical concerns.
2859 POLS-105-01 Intro Pol Philosophy 1.00 LEC Sklaroff, Miranda MWF: 11:00AM-11:50AM TBA SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 25 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  Also cross-referenced with PHIL
  This course is not open to seniors.
  NOTE: 13 seats reserved for First Year students, 9 seats for sophomores, and 3 seats for Juniors who have declared a POLS Major. No Seniors unless by Permission of Instructor.
  An introduction to the philosophical study of political and moral life through a consideration of various topics of both current and historical interest. Topics include environmentalism, ancients and moderns, male and female, nature and nurture, race and ethnicity, reason and history, and reason and revelation.
2376 POLS-220-01 Histry of Pol Thought II 1.00 LEC Smith, Gregory TR: 10:50AM-12:05PM TBA SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 25 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  NOTE: No Seniors Unless by Instructor Permission.
  This course focuses on the development of modern political philosophy. All readings will be from primary sources that include, among others, Machiavelli, Descartes, Bacon, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche, and Marcuse. Enrollment limited.
2860 POLS-235-01 Colonization and the Canon 1.00 LEC Salgado, Gabriel WF: 1:30PM-2:45PM TBA SOIP  
  Enrollment limited to 25 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  This course is not open to seniors.
  What impact have conquest and colonization had on modern political thought? How did European thinkers describe Indigenous peoples, and how did they deploy the figure of "the native" in their works? In this course, we will take a critical approach to canonical thinkers such Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau by focusing on how they approached issues of colonialism and Indigeneity. Drawing on contemporary scholarship, we will explore how prominent issues in modern political thought (including theories of freedom, the social contract, natural law, progress, and individual rights) look different from vantage points outside of Europe.
2861 POLS-238-01 Prisons and Justice in America 1.00 LEC Terwiel, Anna MW: 1:30PM-2:45PM TBA SOIP  
  Enrollment limited to 25 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  This political theory course examines prisons and justice in the US. We will pursue two large questions: How did the prison come to exemplify criminal justice? And how does mass incarceration affect our understanding of the US as a liberal democracy? We will examine the theoretical underpinnings of the prison in rights discourse; the prison’s productive role in shaping conceptions of freedom and citizenship; and its relation to racism, biopower, and neoliberalism. We will also consider alternative visions of criminal justice: abolition democracy and restorative and transformative justice. Readings will include work by John Locke, Alexis de Tocqueville, Michel Foucault, Angela Davis, Michelle Alexander, Philip Pettit, and Andrew Dilts.
2862 POLS-238-02 Prisons and Justice in America 1.00 LEC Terwiel, Anna MW: 2:55PM-4:10PM TBA SOIP  
  Enrollment limited to 25 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  This political theory course examines prisons and justice in the US. We will pursue two large questions: How did the prison come to exemplify criminal justice? And how does mass incarceration affect our understanding of the US as a liberal democracy? We will examine the theoretical underpinnings of the prison in rights discourse; the prison’s productive role in shaping conceptions of freedom and citizenship; and its relation to racism, biopower, and neoliberalism. We will also consider alternative visions of criminal justice: abolition democracy and restorative and transformative justice. Readings will include work by John Locke, Alexis de Tocqueville, Michel Foucault, Angela Davis, Michelle Alexander, Philip Pettit, and Andrew Dilts.
2246 POLS-242-01 Pol Sci Research Methods 1.00 LEC Hamidi, Sidra MW: 10:00AM-11:15AM TBA NUM  
  Enrollment limited to 19 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  Why do people participate in politics? Which government policies best serve the public good? What prevents wars between nations? Political scientists employ a toolbox of research methods to investigate these and other fundamental questions. By learning the strengths and weaknesses of various qualitative and quantitative methods, students in this course will identify how best to answer the political questions about which they feel most passionate. They will apply these practical skills in assignments that ask them observe, analyze, and report on political phenomena. Research skills will include field observation, interviewing, comparative case studies, and data analysis using statistical software. No previous statistical or programming experience is necessary. NOTE: Students may not earn credit for PBPL 220 and POLS 242.
2863 POLS-242-02 Pol Sci Research Methods 1.00 LEC Williamson, Abigail TR: 9:25AM-10:40AM TBA NUM  
  Enrollment limited to 19 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  Why do people participate in politics? Which government policies best serve the public good? What prevents wars between nations? Political scientists employ a toolbox of research methods to investigate these and other fundamental questions. By learning the strengths and weaknesses of various qualitative and quantitative methods, students in this course will identify how best to answer the political questions about which they feel most passionate. They will apply these practical skills in assignments that ask them observe, analyze, and report on political phenomena. Research skills will include field observation, interviewing, comparative case studies, and data analysis using statistical software. No previous statistical or programming experience is necessary. NOTE: Students may not earn credit for PBPL 220 and POLS 242.
2864 POLS-242-03 Pol Sci Research Methods 1.00 LEC Flom, Hernan TR: 9:25AM-10:40AM TBA NUM  
  Enrollment limited to 19 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  Why do people participate in politics? Which government policies best serve the public good? What prevents wars between nations? Political scientists employ a toolbox of research methods to investigate these and other fundamental questions. By learning the strengths and weaknesses of various qualitative and quantitative methods, students in this course will identify how best to answer the political questions about which they feel most passionate. They will apply these practical skills in assignments that ask them observe, analyze, and report on political phenomena. Research skills will include field observation, interviewing, comparative case studies, and data analysis using statistical software. No previous statistical or programming experience is necessary. NOTE: Students may not earn credit for PBPL 220 and POLS 242.
2378 POLS-258-01 How Democracy Works 1.00 LEC Matsuzaki, Reo TR: 10:50AM-12:05PM TBA GLB5  
  Enrollment limited to 25 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  NOTE: No Seniors Unless by Instructor Permission.
  How do democratic countries function across the globe and how does the United States compare to its peers? What are the causes and consequences of these differences and what does the future of democracy hold? This course will examine these and other questions on the state of democracy in the world by examining the social and institutional foundations of democratic regimes; legacies of colonialism; ethnic politics and conflict; political contestation and violence; and the causes of democratic deconsolidation and collapse. This course is part of the two-course foundational sequence in comparative politics (POLS 257 and POLS 258). Students may choose to take one or both courses in the sequence and in whichever order. Note: Students who have taken POLS 256 or POLS 320 may not enroll in this course.
2865 POLS-273-01 Law, Politics and Society 1.00 LEC McMahon, Kevin TR: 9:25AM-10:40AM TBA SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 25 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  NOTE: No Seniors Unless by Instructor Permission. 10 seats reserved for first-year students."
  This course examines the role of law in American society and politics. We will approach law as a living museum displaying the central values, choices, purposes, goals, and ideals of our society. Topics covered include: the nature of law; the structure of American law; the legal profession, juries, and morality; crime and punishment; courts, civil action, and social change; and justice and democracy. Throughout, we will be concerned with law and its relation to cultural change and political conflict.
2866 POLS-273-02 Law, Politics and Society 1.00 LEC McMahon, Kevin TR: 10:50AM-12:05PM TBA SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 25 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  NOTE: No Seniors Unless by Instructor Permission. 10 seats reserved for first-year students.
  This course examines the role of law in American society and politics. We will approach law as a living museum displaying the central values, choices, purposes, goals, and ideals of our society. Topics covered include: the nature of law; the structure of American law; the legal profession, juries, and morality; crime and punishment; courts, civil action, and social change; and justice and democracy. Throughout, we will be concerned with law and its relation to cultural change and political conflict.
2922 POLS-301-01 Amer Political Parties & Elec 1.00 LEC Gawehns, Florian MW: 11:30AM-12:45PM TBA SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 19 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
    Cross-listing: PBPL-301-01
  An analysis of American political parties, including a study of voting behavior, party organization and leadership, and recent and proposed reforms and proposals for reorganization of existing party structures.
2867 POLS-311-01 Polarization and Policy-Making 1.00 SEM Dudas, Mary MW: 10:00AM-11:15AM TBA SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 19 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  This course will examine the consequences of partisan sorting and polarization on American democracy. We will first define polarization by considering competing definitions. We will then consider whether polarization is an elite phenomenon or a mass phenomenon. Throughout we will be attentive to the asymmetry of the two main parties. The Republican Party is a vehicle for a well financed extended party network on the right while the Democratic Party is a policy-making party that needs a wider base of support. Finally, we will examine how elite polarization has contributed to democratic backsliding the US.
2868 POLS-312-01 Politics: Mid East & N. Africa 1.00 LEC Flibbert, Andrew TR: 1:30PM-2:45PM TBA GLB5  
  Enrollment limited to 19 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  This course offers an introduction to the comparative analysis of politics in the Middle East and North Africa. Organized thematically and conceptually, we examine topics ranging from state formation, nationalism, and civil-military relations, to oil and economic development, democratization efforts, political Islam, and regional concerns.
2869 POLS-315-01 Interest Grp Lobbying Amer Pol 1.00 SEM Do, Dang TR: 1:30PM-2:45PM TBA SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 19 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  American politics at all levels and branches of government are full of competing interests based on business, religion, class, gender, race, sexuality, etc., vying to shape policies. Several political science theories exist on how these interests are represented in the American political system. Some argue that competing interests create a plural society where no one group can dominate our politics. Others say that certain groups hold more significant sway in our politics. Recognizing the importance of interest groups in government, this course will examine who interest groups are, where they fit in our politics, how they are organized, and what influence they have on policymaking. This course will focus on how weak, marginalized interests without substantial money or power compete against powerful groups like major corporations and elite interests. Students who receive credit for POLS 215 may not earn credit for POLS 315.
2998 POLS-321-01 Social Movements and Law 1.00 SEM Dudas, Mary MW: 11:30AM-12:45PM TBA SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 19 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  This course is about the interaction between law and politics. Specifically we will consider: How have social movements used law, courts, and rights claiming to accomplish their political goals? How have courts and law changed in response to the demands of social movements? What are the political consequences of organized litigation campaigns? First, we will consider the broad debates around the power of courts, litigation, and rights claiming. Second, we will turn to a series of case studies to examine the efficacy of legal mobilization in particular instances. Case studies include: the labor movement, the NAACP's legal campaign, and the conservative legal movement.
2871 POLS-329-01 The Politics of China 1.00 SEM Thompson-Brusstar, Michael MW: 2:55PM-4:10PM TBA SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 19 Waitlist available: N Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  Chinese politics shapes the world within --and outside-- its borders. This course will provide an overview of politics in the People's Republic since its founding in 1949, with a special focus on the developments since Mao Zedong's death in 1978 and the policy challenges that confront China's current administration. Key topics will include: how the Chinese bureaucracy works; China's economic growth; the role of political elites; the making of Chinese foreign policy; legal reforms; the role of civil society organizations; and the politics of human rights. By reading original documents, consulting translated memoirs, and through in-class simulations, students will develop a hands-on understanding of power, politics, and development in the People's Republic.
2872 POLS-330-01 US-China Relations 1.00 SEM Thompson-Brusstar, Michael MW: 11:30AM-12:45PM TBA SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 19 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  China's rise to global power status makes the relationship between the U.S. and China one of the most vital and complex bilateral relationships in the world. China may pose significant challenges to American power and interests, but many global challenges require US-China cooperation. This course will use both a historical and a contemporary perspective to see why this is the case and to examine how the relationship may be managed going forward. Key topics will include: US-China economic relations; people-to-people relations; the Taiwan question; regional security; climate change; the Belt and Road Initiative; and what China's rise means for global human rights. The course invites students to think about US-China relations from multiple perspectives and to form educated views of this critical international relationship.
2873 POLS-339-01 Contemp&Postmod Thought 1.00 LEC Smith, Gregory TR: 1:30PM-2:45PM TBA SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 25 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  Also cross-referenced with PHIL
  Prerequisite: C- or better in Political Science 105, 219 or 220.
  This course will deal with philosophical developments of moral and political significance in the 20th century. Using the writings of selected authors, such as Heidegger, Sartre, Gadamer, Marcuse, Strauss, Foucault, and Habermas, it will focus on various modern movements of thought: existentialism, critical theory, neo-Marxism, hermeneutics, feminism, deconstructionism, and postmodernism. Readings will be from primary sources.
2497 POLS-341-01 Policing and Human Rights 1.00 SEM Flom, Hernan TR: 2:55PM-4:10PM TBA SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 19 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  Policing and human rights are deeply intertwined. On the one hand, policing necessary involves limitations on fundamental individual rights. On the other hand, policing can also preserve rights such as life, liberty and property. This tension is evident not just in authoritarian regimes, but also in modern democracies, where police frequently commit human rights abuses such as torture, intimidation, and summary executions. Ultimately, the form policing takes, and its implications for human rights, are political decisions. This course adopts a comparative perspective to explain what police do, how they do it and why. We will discuss police organization and culture, linkages between police, politicians, and organized crime, and the movement to reform, defund or abolish the police.
2874 POLS-349-01 Black & Indigenous Pol Thought 1.00 SEM Salgado, Gabriel M: 1:30PM-4:10PM TBA SOIP  
  Enrollment limited to 19 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  How have various traditions of Black and Indigenous Political Thought theorized race and its effects on the world? How can centering Blackness push us to rethink how colonization operates, and how can centering Indigeneity do the same for thinking about slavery? In this course, we will explore both Black and Indigenous Political Thought. We will particularly focus on areas in which they converge, as well as where they stand in productive tension with each other. Readings will include works by Patrick Wolfe, Tiffany Lethabo King, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, and Denise Ferreira da Silva.
2380 POLS-353-01 Authoritarianism 1.00 SEM Matsuzaki, Reo T: 1:30PM-4:10PM TBA GLB5  
  Enrollment limited to 19 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  Also cross-referenced with HRST
  NOTE: 7 seats reserved for juniors, 7 seats for sophomores.
  This course explores the institutional foundations of authoritarian regimes, the strategies they employ to dominate society, and the dynamics of resistance against authoritarianism with a focus on Eurasia, broadly defined. To this end, the course will examine historic cases of powerful and all-encompassing authoritarian regimes in Germany and Russia, as well as recent manifestations of authoritarianism in the Middle East, Russia, and China. Readings will draw from an array of academic disciplines, including political science, history, philosophy, and sociology.
2381 POLS-357-01 Hannah Arendt 1.00 SEM Litvin, Boris TR: 9:25AM-10:40AM TBA SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 19 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  This course investigates one of the twentieth century's most influential thinkers: Hannah Arendt. Her reflections on statelessness, totalitarianism, propaganda, revolution, cultural production, technology, and responsibility bear witness to critical upheavals that continue to haunt current-day politics. This course interrogates these topics through a detailed exploration of Arendt's central works, focusing on The Origins of Totalitarianism, The Human Condition, and Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil alongside Arendt's key influences and shorter commentaries. We will also consider how Arendt has been taken up by contemporary scholars especially in light of the recent rise of "post-truth" politics.
2875 POLS-379-01 American Foreign Policy 1.00 LEC Flibbert, Andrew TR: 2:55PM-4:10PM TBA GLB5  
  Enrollment limited to 19 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  This course offers an examination of postwar American foreign policy. After reviewing the major theoretical and interpretive perspectives, we examine the policymaking process, focused on the main actors in the executive and legislative branches, as well as interest groups, public opinion, and the media. We then turn to contemporary issues: 9/11 and the “war on terror,” Iraq and Afghanistan, nuclear proliferation, U.S. relations with Russia, China, and Europe, and the future American role in the world.
2876 POLS-384-01 Democracy on Stage 1.00 SEM Litvin, Boris TR: 10:50AM-12:05PM TBA SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 19 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
    Cross-listing: CLCV-384-01
  This course investigates the relationship between stagecraft, representation, and collective agency in democratic life. Insofar as democracy aspires to maintain vibrant public conversations, this course considers how citizens are shaped by communal performances of myths, stories, and other manifestations of theater. How does theater cultivate democratic practices-and how might it perpetuate marginalization? Is there something theatrical at the core of democratic belonging? Investigating these questions, we turn to ancient Greek dramas, then place them into conversation with modern political theoretic debates about art and politics, and then consider recent transformations in stagecraft, focusing especially on social media and populism.
2877 POLS-390-01 Theor Internat Political Econ 1.00 SEM Kamola, Isaac MW: 11:30AM-12:45PM TBA GLB5  
  Enrollment limited to 18 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  This course asks a number of core questions concerning international political economy: What explains inequality between nations? How do countries develop? What can states, international institutions, and other political actors do to advance economic prosperity? How one answers these questions, however, depends upon where one stands regarding various fundamental principles of political economy. We start the class with the work of Adam Smith and Karl Marx. We then examine how this debate plays out in the work of early twentieth century thinkers debating the cause of the Great Depression and the two world wars (including Polanyi, Schumpeter, Keynes, Hayek, and Friedman). We conclude by examining various contemporary economic issues.
2500 POLS-392-01 Legislative Internship 1.00 SEM Do, Dang T: 6:30PM-9:00PM TBA Y SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 15 Waitlist available: N Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  The Trinity College Legislative Internship is a special program designed for those students who want to observe politics and government firsthand. Student interns work full time for individual legislators and are eligible for up to four course credits, three for a letter grade and one pass/fail. One of the graded credits is a political science credit. In addition to working approximately 35 to 40 hours per week for a legislator, each intern participates in a seminar in which interns present papers and discuss issues related to the legislative process. Although there are no prerequisite courses for enrollment in this program, preference will be given to juniors and seniors. Students majoring in areas other than political science are encouraged to apply. Candidates for this program, which is limited to 14 students, should contact the Political Science Department in April or September. The program will accommodate some students who wish to work part time (20 hours per week) for two graded course credits.
2501 POLS-394-01 Legislative Internship 1.00 SEM Do, Dang T: 6:30PM-9:00PM TBA Y SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 15 Waitlist available: N Mode of Instruction: In Person  
2502 POLS-396-01 Legislative Internship 1.00 SEM Do, Dang T: 6:30PM-9:00PM TBA Y SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 15 Waitlist available: N Mode of Instruction: In Person  
2503 POLS-398-01 Legislative Internship 1.00 SEM Do, Dang T: 6:30PM-9:00PM TBA Y SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 15 Waitlist available: N Mode of Instruction: In Person  
1139 POLS-399-01 Independent Study 0.50 - 2.00 IND TBA TBA TBA Y SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 15 Waitlist available: N Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment.
2530 POLS-411-01 Sr Sem: Enviro Justice Policy 1.00 SEM Chambers, Stefanie W: 1:30PM-4:10PM TBA Y WEIP  
  Enrollment limited to 15 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  Also cross-referenced with CLIC
  This course is open only to senior Political Science majors.
  This senior seminar examines environmental justice movements in the United States, with particular attention to urban and rural communities. We analyze how Black, Indigenous, and other marginalized groups navigate political systems to address environmental inequities. Students will explore the socio-historical contexts that shape environmental burdens, studying both traditional political engagement and alternative strategies employed by communities. The course investigates political socialization, coalition-building, and conflict within environmental justice frameworks. Special emphasis is placed on Hartford through a community learning project, allowing students to engage with local environmental justice initiatives directly. We will critically examine the complex interactions between communities, government entities, and private sector interests in shaping environmental policy and outcomes.
1140 POLS-466-01 Teaching Assistant 0.50 - 1.00 IND TBA TBA TBA Y  
  Enrollment limited to 15 Waitlist available: N Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  Submission of the special registration form, available online, and the approval of the instructor are required for enrollment. Guidelines are available in the College Bulletin. (0.5 - 1 course credit)
1245 POLS-490-01 Research Assistant 0.25 - 1.00 IND TBA TBA TBA Y SOC  
  Enrollment limited to 15 Waitlist available: N Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  This course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to undertake substantial research work with a faculty member. Students need to complete a special registration form, available online, and have it signed by the supervising instructor.
2188 POLS-497-01 Senior Thesis 1.00 IND Staff, Trinity TBA TBA Y WEB  
  Enrollment limited to 15 Waitlist available: N Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  For honors candidates (see description of Honors in Political Science following the “Areas of Concentration” section). Submission of the special registration form, available online, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment in honors.
2233 PBPL-310-01 Tax Pol & Inequality in Htfd 1.00 SEM Laws, Serena W: 1:30PM-4:10PM TBA SOCW  
  Enrollment limited to 19 Waitlist available: Y Mode of Instruction: In Person  
  Also cross-referenced with CLIC, POLS, URST
  NOTE: 10 seats reserved for PBPL majors. Limit to 5 seniors.
  In this course students will learn about U.S. tax policy and apply their knowledge by preparing taxes for Hartford residents at Trinity's VITA Tax Clinic. Tax policy in the United States is a key site of government redistribution-a place where economic inequality can be mitigated or reinforced. This course explores central elements of tax policy with an emphasis on the politics and policies that led to the growth of social tax expenditures, including refundable tax credits. Students will receive training to become IRS certified tax preparers, and each student will prepare taxes for a regular shift at a VITA site near campus. An enhanced version of this class fulfills the PBPL Internship Requirement.