POSC 100
3 credits
Introduction to Politics
Prerequisite(s): None.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Introduces key areas of the study of politics with a focus on political order, political action, and ideas. Discusses contemporary political issues in Canada and around the world.
POSC 110
3 credits
Introduction to Canadian Politics
Prerequisite(s): None
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
This course will examine the constitutional foundations of Canadian politics, the key institutions in the Canadian political system, the role of citizens in Canadian politics including Aboriginal peoples, and the challenges of political reform.
POSC 120
3 credits
Ideology and Politics
Prerequisite(s): None
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
The study of major ideologies and their philosophical underpinnings sheds light on historical and current events. With a view to understanding Canadian and world politics, this course introduces and surveys a wide range of thinkers and ideas that have shaped our world. Through the study of the ideological visions of liberalism, conservatism, Marxism, socialism, feminism, anti-colonialism, anarchism, and environmentalism, we will explore theories of power, government, freedom, and liberation.
POSC 230
3 credits
Democracies and Authoritarian Regimes
Prerequisite(s): None.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Compares political systems in different countries to better understand diverse political experiences. Analyzes how governments function, and explores how political scientists understand concepts, such as sovereignty, the state, the rule of law, and regime types.
POSC 260
3 credits
International Relations and Global Politics
Prerequisite(s): None
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
This course will introduce students to the study of global politics and international relations. The course will examine international relations theory, the sources of power in world politics, international security and war, the formulation of foreign policy, international political economy, international law, human rights, and globalization.
Note: Students with credit for POSC 190 cannot take this course for further credit.
POSC 297
3 credits
Introduction to Public Policy
Prerequisite(s): None.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Introduces learners to the foundational concepts in the study of public policy. Will include discussion on initiating, formulating, enacting, implementing, and evaluating policy.
POSC 300
3 credits
Research Design and Methods
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits including three credits of POSC.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Provides a foundation to evaluate and to conduct research about political issues. Covers research design and methods for the study of politics, including quantitative and qualitative empirical, normative, interpretive, and Indigenous research methods.
POSC 301
3 credits
The Canadian State and Indigenous Governance
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
This course will provide an introduction to the political theories and practices of colonial and Indigenous governance. We will explore the historical and evolving political relationships between Indigenous nations in Canada and the Canadian state and society. Topics for examination may include colonialism, identity, Indigenous traditions of governance, urban Indigenous governance, political culture, treaties, Indigenous rights and title, gendering Indigenous governance, and the political economy of Indigenous life in a settler state.
POSC 305
3 credits
Government and Politics in British Columbia
Prerequisite(s): POSC 110
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
This course will examine the government of British Columbia and the enduring political themes in the province, such as populism, the ideological polarization between right and left, and the urban-rural cleavage. The course will also consider the ways in which politics might be changing in BC through globalization, immigration, and the attempt to forge a new relationship with Aboriginal peoples in the province.
POSC 307
3 credits
Government and Business
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Explores the relationship between government and business in public policy. Analyzes the types of influence that business has on the public policy process. Introduces students to various theories and approaches to political economics and the study of interest groups and applies these perspectives to contemporary political issues like the environment, the media, and economic justice.
POSC 309
3 credits
Canadian Constitutional Politics
Prerequisite(s): POSC 110
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
This course will examine the development of the Canadian constitution, the events leading to its patriation in 1982, and the legacies of patriation: the impact of the new constitution on Quebec and national unity, the effect of the Charter of Rights and freedoms on Canadian politics and society, and the implications of recognizing and affirming Aboriginal Rights.
POSC 310
3 credits
Canadian Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations
Prerequisite(s): POSC 110
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
This course will examine the origin and development of federalism in Canada from 1867 to the present. It will focus on the difficulties of creating and managing a social welfare state in a federal political system. Particular attention will be paid to the challenge of dividing and sharing fiscal resources. Special attention will be paid to how the governments of Canada jointly manage social programs and tackle problems that cross jurisdictional boundaries, such as the environment and health care.
POSC 311
3 credits
Justice and the Good Life: Early Western Political Thought
Prerequisite(s): One of PHIL 110, PHIL 210, POSC 120, or 45 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Examines the history of Western political thought from Classical Greece through the seventeenth century, covering some of the most influential texts in the history of political philosophy, such as Plato, Aristotle, Christine de Pizan, Niccol Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke.
POSC 312
3 credits
Freedom and Equality: Modern Political Thought
Prerequisite(s): One of PHIL 110, PHIL 210, POSC 120, POSC 311, or 45 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Explores the history of modern political thought from the 18th century through the early 20th century, including the writings of some of the most influential political theorists of the modern period such as Rousseau, Wollstonecraft, Kant, JS Mill, Marx, Nietzsche, and Fanon.
POSC 313
3 credits
Truth and Power: Contemporary Political Thought
Prerequisite(s): One of POSC 120, POSC 311, POSC 312, or 45 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Explores contemporary political theory from the beginning of the 20th century to the current moment. Includes diverse perspectives on democracy, truth, freedom, justice, coloniality, representation, ideology, governmentality, and power.
POSC 315
3 credits
Canadian Public Policy
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Introduces learners to the study of public policy in a Canadian context. Public policy in Canada looks at issues like natural resource policy and its relation to Indigenous rights, or how governments decide which issues to prioritize and which to ignore.
POSC 320
3 credits
Canadian Political Thought
Prerequisite(s): One of the following: POSC 100, POSC 110, POSC 120, or 45 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None
Pre- or corequisite(s): None
This course will examine the core ideas and the major theorists that have shaped the political landscape of Canada. The course will connect these ideas to the major developments in Canadian politics and their impact on contemporary political debates.
POSC 321
3 credits
Global Issues in Indigenous Politics
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Examines the global Indigenous rights movement and Indigenous politics by engaging with Indigenous scholars on a variety of topics.
POSC 322
3 credits
American Government and Politics
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Analyzes the development of American political institutions, democratization, and the role of the United States as a world power. Explores partisan politics, social mobilization, public policy, and current issues in U.S. politics today.
POSC 324
3 credits
Nationalism and Ethnic Politics
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Examines how nationalism and ethnic divisions become salient politically. Introduces the major theoretical approaches in political science to the study of nationalism, ethnic identification and politics, and populism.
POSC 325
3 credits
Social Movements and Advocacy Groups
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Examines how social movements and advocacy groups contribute to the development of public policy, both in Canada and abroad.
POSC 330
3 credits
Politics of Human Rights
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Explores how human rights are implemented and enforced by governments and international organizations and how they are interpreted by international tribunals including the international criminal courts.
POSC 331
3 credits
Western Peace Traditions
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
War and peace seem to be a perennial aspect of the human condition. This course will examine how peace has been understood, at the level of theory and practice, within the Western Tradition. The course will cover Classical Greek, Roman, and Jewish perspectives, the complex Classical Christian synthesis, the 16th century Magisterial and Anabaptist notions of war and peace, and peace activists on the stage of world politics today. The major peace themes such as pacifism, various forms of just war theory, and peace through strength will be examined. The course will conclude with a discussion of the Canadian Peace Tradition.
POSC 332
3 credits
Politics of Multiculturalism
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Assesses the ways in which scholars and politicians conceptualize multiculturalism. Analyzes the origins and impact of multicultural policies in different political contexts worldwide.
POSC 335
3 credits
Courts and Politics
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Explores judicial behaviour, rights, constitutionalism, and legal implementation, through the comparative study of the Canadian judiciary and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
POSC 336
4 credits
History of Indigenous Leadership
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits including 6 credits of IPK or FNST, or instructor's permission.
Corequisite(s): None
Pre- or corequisite(s): None
An exploration of colonial and pre-colonial styles of Indigenous Leadership, with a focus on the Stó:lō Sí:yá:m system. This course focuses on the ways in which Indigenous leaders have shaped, and continue to shape, the cultural, political, and economic fabric of modern Canada and First Nations in Canada.
Note: This course is offered as IPK 331 and POSC 336. Students make take only one of these for credit.
Note: Students with credit for IPK 131 cannot take this course for further credit.
POSC 350
3 credits
Oppression, Inequality, and Emancipation
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Explores historical and contemporary debates in emancipatory political theory. Confronting questions of race, ethnicity, gender, coloniality and class, this course considers how to combat oppression and inequality from diverse theoretical perspectives.
POSC 357
3 credits
Guns and Politics
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Explores the politics of gun control from both a Canadian and global perspective.
POSC 360
3 credits
The United Nations and International Organizations
Prerequisite(s): POSC 260 (formerly POSC 190) or 45 university-level credits
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
This course will examine the history and roles of international organizations in global politics. Special attention will be paid to the United Nations, but organizations such as the European Union, NATO, and Amnesty International may also be examined.
Note: Students with credit for POSC 195 or POSC 290 cannot take this course for further credit.
POSC 365
3 credits
War, Terrorism, and Global Security
Prerequisite(s): POSC 260 (formerly POSC 190) or 45 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
The course will explore traditional warfare between states as well as new security threats such as international terrorism and military extremism, cyberterrorism, child soldiers, human and drug trafficking, and environmental threats.
POSC 368
3 credits
Global Issues and Canadian Foreign Policy
Prerequisite(s): POSC 260 (formerly POSC 190) or 45 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
This course will explore Canada’s response to major global issues, such as humanitarian intervention in foreign conflicts, peacekeeping, international trade, assistance to developing countries, climate change, and Canada’s role in international organizations.
POSC 399
3 credits
Special Topics in Political Science
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Topics will vary depending on the instructor but will be limited to those which lie outside the subject areas currently offered.
Note: This course will be offered under different letter designations (e.g. C-Z) representing different topics. This course may be repeated for credit provided the letter of designation differs.
POSC 410
3 credits
Seminar in Canadian Politics
Prerequisite(s): POSC 110 and 6 credits of 300-level POSC
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
In this reading-intensive seminar course, students will examine the history and development of Canadian politics as a field of study in political science. Students will explore the enduring issues in Canadian politics and survey the different approaches employed in the discipline. In the process, students will be introduced to the key thinkers and major texts in the field, as well as contemporary debates and critical approaches to the subject.
POSC 420
3 credits
Seminar in Political Theory
Prerequisite(s): POSC 100 or POSC 120, and six credits of 300-level POSC
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
In this reading-intensive seminar course, students will examine some important modes and substantive domains of inquiry that distinguish the practice of political theory. Students will explore: the disputed identity of political theory as a field of inquiry and its location with Political Science; debates about political theory methodologies, drawing on major historical and contemporary thinkers and texts as case studies; and constitutive concept(s) in political theory, such as power, democracy, difference, and citizenship. Together, these overlapping domains of inquiry will illuminate the historical, normative, empirical, analytical, and critical value of political theory.
POSC 430
3 credits
Seminar in Comparative Politics
Prerequisite(s): POSC 230 and six credits of 300-level POSC
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
In this reading intensive seminar course, students will examine the history and development of comparative politics as a field of study in political science. Students will explore the enduring issues in comparative politics and survey the different approaches employed in the discipline. In the process, students will be introduced to the key thinkers and major texts in the field, as well as contemporary debates and critical approaches to the subject.
POSC 460
3 credits
Seminar in International Relations
Prerequisite(s): POSC 260 and 6 credits of 300-level POSC
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
This reading intensive seminar course will examine the history and development of international relations as a field of study in political science. The course will explore traditional theories, concepts, and critical approaches to the field. As well, the course will explore the enduring issues and contemporary debates that have animated the field. In the process, students would be introduced to key thinkers, and the subfields of the discipline including security and multilateral governance, foreign policy, gender, and political economy.
POSC 498
3 credits
Directed Reading in Political Science
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits including 3 credits of POSC, and department head’s permission.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Designed for students who wish to examine a particular political problem or issue through the examination of scholarly sources. Offered either as an individual reading course or as small seminars, depending upon student and faculty interest.
Note: This course may be repeated once for further credit.
POSC 499
3 credits
Directed Research in Political Science
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits including POSC 300, and department head’s permission.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Develop and complete an independent research project about a politically-relevant topic in consultation with a supervising faculty member.
Note: Students may take this course for credit more than once for different research projects or different parts of the same large project.
