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The Ohio State University

Department of Political Science

Department of Political Science

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Welcome to the Department of Political Science at The Ohio State University. Our department is home to more than 35 regular and seven active emeritus faculty members who represent a wide variety of theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of politics, while sharing a strong interest in explaining empirical regularities in contemporary political life. A global ranking of political science departments, based on publications, published in January 2004 by Simon Hix of the London School of Economics put the OSU political science department as 4th in the world. Also, US News and World Report's latest rankings for Graduate Programs in Political Science ranked OSU's Political Science Department 17th overall, with the American Politics Section 8th, International Politics 15th, and Political Methodology 11th. What is more, with nearly 100 graduate students and 1200 undergraduate majors and 200+ honors students, we are one of the largest, and fastest growing, departments at Ohio State. The department also offers extensive opportunities for training in research methods and statistics, one of the nation's leading programs in political psychology, a strong program in political economy, a developing presence in formal theory and political theory, and a new program in race, ethnicity, and gender. To learn more about us, please explore the links above.

Political Science Faculty Honors and Awards

Faculty In the News

 

Upcoming Events

 

Alexander Wendt, The Ohio State University
“Preface to a Quantum Social Science”
Friday November 20th at noon in the Spenser Room (Derby 2130)
(Download a copy of the paper here.)

As events are posted to the Political Science and the Mershon Center calendars they will be highlighted here. Please check frequently for upcoming presentations.


In the News
 

Ohio State political science professors recognized for scholarly excellence

Alexander Wendt Randall Schweller

The Institute for the Theory and Practice of International Relations survey of international relations faculty in 10 countries selected Alexander Wendt, professor of political science and the Ralph D. Mershon professor of international security as one of the top five scholars whose work has had the greatest influence on the field of international relations in the past 20 years. The survey also cited Wendt and Political Science Professor Randall Schweller as scholars who have produced the most interesting scholarship in the area of international relations in the past five years. Read more >

New Public Policy Minor Program

2009 Capstone Course Presentations

Winter 2010 Courses

Special Courses - Winter 2010

Political Science 211
Introduction to Political Theory: Approaches
MW      9:30-11:48         BE 0285
Dr. MacGilvray

 This course provides an introduction to some of the leading approaches to the normative (ethical or moral) study of politics. We will focus in particular on three kinds of authority that political thinkers have appealed to in defending their views:  the authority of nature, especially of human nature; the authority of contracts, or rational agreements between free agents; and the authority of history, understood as a process with a certain logic or structure. more...

Political Science 294.04
Human Rights
TR 1:30-3:18                   BE0318
Dr. Amadae

This course covers the topic of human rights.  After an introductory week, and a week looking at the history of human rights in the form of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights, we will discuss the concerns of cultural relativism and tolerance. Following this, we will discuss the practical need for coercive enforcement of human rights through the United Nations and through regional authorities.  Next we will address the domain areas of hunger, violence and persecution, economic rights, and challenges of globalization. more...

Political Science 527
The Canadian Political System
TR 2:30-4:18                  SO N0048
Dr. Ripley

 The purpose of the course is to analyze and understand the political system of Canada, often in comparison with the political system of the United States.  Political systems contain institutional, behavioral, socio-economic, cultural, and ideological components.  Students should have some knowledge of the political system of the United States. more...

Political Science 540.02
Special Topics in Latin American Politics
TR 9:30-11:18                    CL0171
Dr. Brooks

The course examines the social, economic and historical foundations of Brazilian politics. Brazil is the world’s eighth largest economy and seventh largest nation by population; and it is an economic and political leader among middle income countries that has achieved energy independence in recent years. more...

Political Science 543
The Politics of Immigration
MW 1:30-3:18                    ML 0115
Dr. Mughan

This course examines one of the most contentious political issues in the contemporary world, immigration.  Broadly speaking, it starts with an historical perspective on patterns of international migration, proceeds to the question of why people move to live in other countries and finishes with consideration of how they are received there by both governments and the native population. more...


 
 

Department of Political Science 2140 Derby Hall,154 N Oval Mall,Columbus, Ohio 43210-1373 
Phone: (614) 292-2880  FAX: (614) 292-1146
Copyright ©2008,    The Ohio State University     Department of Political Science