Political Institutions

This field studies the formal and informal rules, practices, and regularities at both the domestic and international level that guide and constrain political choices and activities. It is concerned with the emergence, dynamics, and consequences of institutions in both authoritarian and non-authoritarian regimes. This focus includes constitutional design and how the organization of legislatures, parties, judiciaries, markets and other social structures shape relationships between individuals and states, and in turn, the factors shaping the emergence and evolution of those institutions.

First Field

Coursework
  • POLSCI 715 Core in Political Institutions
  • 3 additional courses from the Political Institutions course listing
Qualifying Procedure

You will take a written examination at the end of your second year. This examination will assess whether or not you have attained a firm command of the literature in the field. The qualifying procedure will not normally include an oral element, but the examination committee may, at its discretion, administer an oral examination to a student whose written examination the committee deems is in need of an oral defense.

Preliminary Examination

Each student who passes the qualifying procedure in Political Institutions is required to submit and present for defense before a committee of faculty in that field an original, plausibly publishable research paper on a relevant topic. This must be submitted no later than the end of the first semester of the third year of graduate study. The committee administering the preliminary examination may pass you with distinction on the basis of both your performance in the qualifying procedure and in your paper presentation and defense.

Second Field

Coursework
  • POLSCI 715 Core in Political Institutions
  • 3 additional courses from the Political Institutions course listing
Year of Study Typical Student Activities
Year 1

Summer, pre-matriculation

Fall

  • MATH 790-92 Calculus and other mathematical foundations
  • POLSCI 630 Probability and Basic Regression
  • POLSCI 633S Positive Political Theory
  • POLSCI 715 Core in Political Institutions
  • POLSCI 748 Introduction to Causal Inference
  • Elective selected from Political Institutions course listing
  • Expected attendance at Political Institutions Workshops
     

Spring

  • POLSCI 631L Introduction to Deductive & Analytical Approaches to Political Phenomena
  • Advanced methods course (recommended)
  • Elective selected from Political Institutions course listing
  • Expected attendance at Political Institutions Workshops

  
Summer

  • STA 230 Probability OR a higher level statistics course
  • Lab work/research with faculty
  • Begin preparing for qualifying exam
Year 2

Fall and Spring

  • POLSCI 732 Research Design & Qualitative Methods
  • POLSCI 749S Advanced Game Theory
  • Elective selected from Political Institutions course listing
  • STA 611 Introduction to Mathematical Statistics
  • POLSCI 632S Computational Political Economy
  • STA 601 Bayesian and Modern Statistical Data Analysis
  • Present argument/design for prelim paper to lab
  • Expected attendance at Political Institutions Workshops
  • Take qualifying exam at end of Spring semester
     

Summer

  • Finish prelim paper
  • Begin dissertation prospectus
Year 3

Fall

  • ECON 705 Econometrics Analysis I or COMPSCI 590 Advanced Topics in Computer Science, if it has a computational social focus
  • Defend prelim paper
  • Expected attendance at Political Institutions Workshops
     

Spring

  • Submit prelim paper for publication
  • Defend prospectus
  • Expected attendance at Political Institutions Workshops
Year 4
  • Dissertation work
  • Present new paper (2 or 3)/chapter at the end of year conference in late spring
  • Expected attendance at Political Institutions Workshops
Year 5
  • Dissertation work
  • Present new paper (3 or 4)/chapter at the end of the year conference in late spring
  • Expected attendance at Political Institutions Workshops

 

Number Title Codes
POLSCI 105S The Documentary Experience: A Video Approach ALP, R, SS
POLSCI 108 Introduction to African Studies (DS3 or DS4) ALP, CCI, CZ
POLSCI 110 Comparative Approaches to Global Issues CCI, CZ, SS, W
POLSCI 114 From Voting to Protests: Introduction to Political Attitudes, Groups and Behaviors CCI, SS
POLSCI 115 Rules of Power: How Institutions Shape What Politics Deliver SS
POLSCI 116D The American Political System SS
POLSCI 125D Introduction to Global Development: Politics, Policy and Practice CCI, SS
POLSCI 150FS Citizenship, Patriotism, & Identity CZ, EI, SS
POLSCI 159 Israel/Palestine: Comparative Perspectives CCI, EI, SS
POLSCI 171FS Political Polarization in the US: Causes and Consequences SS
POLSCI 187FS American Democracy: Two Centuries of Creating Institutions to Achieve its Principles CZ, SS
POLSCI 189FS Introduction to Machine Learning and Legislative Behavior R, SS
POLSCI 205 Introduction to Racial and Ethnic Minorities in American Politics CCI, SS
POLSCI 206 American Values, Institutions, and Culture CCI, SS
POLSCI 212 The American Presidency EI, SS
POLSCI 213S Introduction to Engaged Citizenship and Social Change (Gateway Course) CCI, EI, SS
POLSCI 213SA Women and Gender in the Middle East CCI, CZ, EI
POLSCI 214SA Media and Power in Washington SS
POLSCI 217 Discovering Game Theory: Social Complexity and Strategic Interdependence QS, SS
POLSCI 219 Comparative Government and Politics: Selected Countries CCI, SS
POLSCI 221 South Africa: Past and Future CCI, CZ, EI, SS
POLSCI 222 The Arab Youths Revolution CCI, EI, SS
POLSCI 224 Inequality and Politics SS
POLSCI 227 Ethnic Conflict CCI, R, SS
POLSCI 228 Politics of Authoritarian Regimes CCI, R, SS
POLSCI 229 Institutions and Self Governance CCI, CZ, SS
POLSCI 231D Introduction to Tools of Political Risk Analysis SS
POLSCI 235S Comparative Urban Politics and Policymaking CCI, EI, SS
POLSCI 236S Advanced Research Seminar in Urban Politics and Policymaking CCI, R, SS, W
POLSCI 237 Religion and Foreign Policy CCI, CZ, EI, SS
POLSCI 240SA Theory and Practice: People, Places and Policy Cases SS
POLSCI 241SA Whose Democracy? Participation and Public Policy in the United States SS
POLSCI 242 Campaigns and Elections SS
POLSCI 244S Activism & Christianity in Modern America CCI, CZ, EI, W
POLSCI 245 American Constitutional Development and Interpretation I: The Constitutional Structure EI, SS
POLSCI 246 American Constitutional Development and Interpretation II: Individual Rights EI, SS
POLSCI 258D From Machine Learning to Ethnography: Puzzles and Approaches to International Development CCI, SS
POLSCI 262 The Holocaust CCI, CZ, EI, STS
POLSCI 263 The Political History of Modern Architecture: From Revolution through Neoliberalism ALP, CCI, CZ
POLSCI 273 The Middle East Through Film ALP, CCI, CZ, EI
POLSCI 276 Contemporary Documentary Film: Filmmakers and the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival ALP, CCI, STS
POLSCI 280A Duke Summer Program: London CCI, SS
POLSCI 291-2 Sophomore/Junior Independent Study Political Institutions
POLSCI 293A Research Independent Study on Contemporary China R
POLSCI 295A Environmental Policy in Europe: Duke in Berlin CCI, SS
POLSCI 296A Germany Today: A European Superpower? Duke-in-Berlin CCI, FL, SS
POLSCI 298A Themes in Chinese Culture and History CCI, CZ, SS
POLSCI 305S Black Politics SS
POLSCI 308 Islam and the State: Political Economy of Governance in the Middle East CCI, CZ, R, SS
POLSCI 310 Political Analysis for Public Policy-Making SS, W
POLSCI 311 Political Polarization in America: Causes and Consequences SS
POLSCI 316 American Political Parties SS
POLSCI 317 Global Corruption CCI, SS
POLSCI 318 Congress and the President SS, W
POLSCI 319S US Comparative State Politics CCI, SS
POLSCI 321 International Law and International Institutions CCI, R, SS, W
POLSCI 322 Introduction to Middle East Politics CCI, CZ, EI, SS
POLSCI 324S Chinese Politics CCI, SS
POLSCI 327S The Economic and Political Performance of Civilizations CCI, CZ, R, SS
POLSCI 331 Prisoner's Dilemma and Distributive Justice EI, SS
POLSCI 333S Democracy and Social Choice CCI, QS, SS
POLSCI 335S Economic, Political, and Social Institutions CCI, SS
POLSCI 336S Racial Justice in the 20th Century US and South Africa CCI, CZ, R, SS, W
POLSCI 337S Apartheid South Africa and the Struggles for Democracy CCI, CZ, EI, R, SS
POLSCI 338 Political Economy of South East Asia CCI, EI, SS
POLSCI 340D The Modern Regulatory State CZ, EI, R, SS
POLSCI 341S Business and Human Rights Advocacy Lab EI, R, W
POLSCI 342 Strategy and Politics QS, SS
POLSCI 343S The US Border and its Borderlands CCI, CZ, EI, SS, W
POLSCI 346 Business, Politics, and Economic Growth CCI, SS
POLSCI 347 Globalization and Domestic Politics CCI, EI, R, SS
POLSCI 349 Political Economy of Latin America CCI, SS
POLSCI 351 Economic History and Modernization of the Islamic Middle East CCI, CZ, SS, W
POLSCI 352S U.S. Policy in the Middle East CCI, EI, SS
POLSCI 353 Globalization of Democracy CCI, SS
POLSCI 354 Politics in the Developing World CCI, R, SS
POLSCI 355 Comparative Health Care Systems CCI, EI, SS
POLSCI 357S Refugee Policy and Practice (DukeImmerse) CCI, EI, QS, SS
POLSCI 358 Globalization and Public Policy R, SS
POLSCI 359S Social Engineering and Social Movements in Eastern Europe and Asia CCI, CZ, EI, SS
POLSCI 366 International Politics of East Asia CCI, SS
POLSCI 373 Law and Politics SS
POLSCI 374S Watchdog Reporting in Politics EI, W
POLSCI 381 Greek and Roman Law CCI, CZ
POLSCI 388 Information, Technology, Ethics and Policy EI, SS, STS
POLSCI 390-2 Special Topics in Political Institutions
POLSCI 390S-2 Special Topics in Political Institutions
POLSCI 391-2 Senior Independent Study in Political Institutions
POLSCI 393-2 Sophomore/Junior Research Independent Study Political Institutions R
POLSCI 406S South African Life Histories CCI, CZ, R, W
POLSCI 415 U.S-Russia Relations: 1991-2016 CCI, SS
POLSCI 428S International Conflict Resolution SS, W
POLSCI 435S Chinese Media and Popular Culture: Politics, Ideology, and Social Change CCI, SS
POLSCI 445S Capstone Seminar: Russia-USSR-Russia: History of Communism CCI, CZ, EI, R, SS
POLSCI 449 Politics, Philosophy, and Economics Capstone R, SS
POLSCI 456S Chinese Culture and Ideology in the 20th Century and Now ALP, CCI, SS
POLSCI 468S Wealth and Poverty of Nations: Prosperity and Distribution in the Long Run SS
POLSCI 493-2 Senior Research Independent Study Political Institutions R
POLSCI 497S Capstone Seminar: Latin American Left Turns: A New Politics for the 21st Century? CCI, CZ, R, SS, W
POLSCI 501S Politics and Media in the United States R, SS, STS, W
POLSCI 502S Understanding Ethical Crisis in Organizations EI, R, SS
POLSCI 503S Crisis, Choice, and Change in Advanced Democratic States CCI, SS
POLSCI 504S Comparative Ethnic Politics CCI, CZ, SS
POLSCI 515S Post War Europe, 1945-1968: Politics, Society, and Culture CCI, CZ, EI, SS, STS
POLSCI 516S Rule of Law EI, SS
POLSCI 517S Democratic Institutions CCI, R, SS
POLSCI 518 The Politics of Health Care EI, SS
POLSCI 519 The American Party System SS
POLSCI 520S Congressional Policy-Making SS
POLSCI 522S Comparative Party Politics CCI, R, SS
POLSCI 526S Markets and Democracy in Latin America CCI, R, SS
POLSCI 527S Global Africa CCI, EI, SS
POLSCI 544 9/11: Causes, Response & Strategy EI, SS, W
POLSCI 545S International Environmental Regimes EI, SS, STS
POLSCI 546S Assisting Development R, SS, W
POLSCI 547 Politics of United States Foreign Policy EI, R, SS
POLSCI 549S Collective Action, Property Rights, and the Environment CCI, EI, SS
POLSCI 550S Predicting Politics: Counter Insurgency, Elections, and Stability QS, R, SS
POLSCI 551S Voting Behavior QS, R, SS
POLSCI 575S Ancient Political Philosophy CCI, EI, SS
POLSCI 585S Adversarial Ethics EI, SS
POLSCI 586S Political Thought in the United States EI, SS
POLSCI 590-2 Intermediate Topics in Political Institutions
POLSCI 590S-2 Intermediate Topics in Political Institutions
POLSCI 616S Persistence and Change in Political Institutions CCI, R, SS
POLSCI 617S The Regulatory Process R, SS, STS
POLSCI 618S Politics of Institutional Change R, SS
POLSCI 619 Media and Social Change CCI, R, SS, STS
POLSCI 642S Global Inequality Research Seminar ALP, CCI, R, SS
POLSCI 646S The Politics of European Integration CCI, R, SS
POLSCI 647S International Democratization EI, R, SS
POLSCI 661S Courts, Wars, Legacies of Wars R, SS
POLSCI 664S Leaders, Nations, and War CCI, R, SS, W
POLSCI 667S American Civil-Military Relations R, SS
POLSCI 676S Hegel's Political Philosophy EI, R, SS
POLSCI 679S The Past and Future of Capitalist Democracy I EI, R, SS
POLSCI 680S The Past and Future of Capitalist Democracy II EI, R, SS
POLSCI 681S Law and Philosophy CZ, EI, SS
POLSCI 682S Legal Analysis for Development Governance CCI, EI, SS
POLSCI 690-2 Advanced Topics in Political Institutions
POLSCI 690S-2 Advanced Topics in Political Institutions
POLSCI 707A Marine Policy (A)
POLSCI 708 Democracy and the Rule of Law
POLSCI 709S Research Seminar on the Politics of Behavior, Identities, and Institutions
POLSCI 710 Civic Engagement in a Changing Media Environment
POLSCI 713 Workshop in Political Behavior and Identities
POLSCI 715 Core in Political Institutions
POLSCI 716 The New Institutionalism in Political Science (C-E)
POLSCI 717S Seminar in Political Institutions
POLSCI 718 Core Course in American Politics (BI, PI)
POLSCI 719S Comparative Constitutional Design
POLSCI 720S Capitalism
POLSCI 721 Authoritarian Institutions
POLSCI 722 Election Law
POLSCI 725S Research on Chinese Politics: Forefront and Foundations
POLSCI 726S Informal Institutions
POLSCI 728 Workshop in Political Institutions I
POLSCI 729 Workshop in Political Institutions II
POLSCI 750S Political Economy of Development
POLSCI 751S Empirical Investigation of Governance
POLSCI 761 Islam and the State: Political Economy of Governance in the Middle East
POLSCI 762 The Political Economy of Institutions
POLSCI 764S Political Economy of Corruption and Good Governance
POLSCI 890-2 Political Institutions