PSC436 Healthcare in Europe: A Comparative Approach (Fall, Spring)

PSC436 Healthcare in Europe: A Comparative Approach (Fall, Spring)

A fierce academic, social, political, and economic debate is raging about how healthcare systems should be organized. Policy experts want to learn from international best practices and apply ideas at home that have worked effectively elsewhere. This course will give you a firsthand understanding of how healthcare systems function throughout the world. We will study systems in the European countries, and compare and contrast them with the US model, examining each from economic, financial, and national and local public policy perspectives.

We’ll link our findings with theories and empirical evidence to assess which of the healthcare systems are better from the point of view of efficiency and equity. Economic principles will be used to demonstrate why healthcare reforms may reach or fall short of the governments’ stated goals. We’ll analyze in depth the concept of universality, short- and long-term challenges, successful and unsuccessful health policies, and why many systems are unsustainable—and then develop possible solutions.

Meets with ECN 336.

Prereq: ECN 101 or ECN 203, or equivalent background in microeconomics

PSC380.28 Global Governance, Origins, Characteristics and Challenges

Taught in Spanish at Pontificia Universidad Católica and may not be offered every semester. Global governance is a key issue on the international agenda. It refers to efforts to respond collectively to problems that affect peace, security and development worldwide through the establishment of international institutions. This course aims to provide conceptual and analytical tools to understand the characteristics of multilateral institutions within the framework of which states and non-state actors negotiate global governance initiatives. The thematic axes throughout the course will be the conflict between North and South, the ability of international organizations to promote cooperation between states, the impact of non-state actors (companies, networks of experts, civil society) on global governance and the role of emerging powers (China, India and Brazil) in multilateral institutions. Against this background, we will seek to outline what the future of global governance is.

For matriculated Syracuse Political Science majors, this course counts toward the International Politics concentration.

For matriculated Syracuse International Relations majors, this course counts toward the International Law and Organizations topic concentration.

(PUC #ICP0344)

Course restriction: Syracuse students may not take both this course and PSC 353 (International Organization) on Main Campus for major credit.

PSC380.26 International Migrations in Latin America

Taught in Spanish at Pontificia Universidad Católica and may not be offered every semester. The course addresses contemporary migrations as inseparable but multidimensional processes of the political economy of globalization. We will discuss the most relevant theoretical paradigms on the subject, the impacts of these processes in the sending and receiving countries, as well as the theoretical approaches to the problem of the incorporation of migrants and their cultural implications.

This course will provide you with an understanding of the migration phenomenon from a multidimensional perspective and in close relation with the processes of accumulation and governance at a global level. Specifically, you will be able to:

  • Explain the main theoretical approaches that have contributed to the interpretations of the different dimensions of the contemporary migratory processes.
  • Evaluate the real and potential functionality of emigration in the integral development of the societies involved.
  • Analyze the effects of emigration on states and national policies in areas such as the emergence of transnational societies and regions, multiculturalism and the relativization of citizenship.
  • Evaluate the socio-economic, cultural and ethical implications of the growing role of Chile as a “receiving country” of immigration.

(PUC #ICP0337)

PSC180.2 Introduction to Comparative Politics

Taught in Spanish at Pontificia Universidad Católica and may not be offered every semester. In this course, you will analyze various theoretical approaches used in the comparative study of political systems and the main methodological problems that they encounter. You will be introduced to the theory of groups, the elite, class systems, structural functionalism, and political culture. We will discuss the nature and dynamics of change in contemporary political regimes in the contexts of modernization and development and examine political change in democratic, authoritarian, and totalitarian regimes.

Course restriction: Matriculated Syracuse students may not earn credit for both this course and PSC 123.

PSC380.27 Indigenous Politics in Latin America

Taught in Spanish at Pontificia Universidad Católica and may not be offered every semester. This course covers a wide range of topics related to ethnic politics in Latin America, focusing on the main theoretical and empirical debates on the political participation of Latin American indigenous peoples. Thus you will learn about topics that include political participation of indigenous peoples, domestic and international ethnic social mobilization, and the relationship between indigenous peoples and extractive industries.

After taking this course, students should be able to:

  • Analyze the most relevant theories and concepts in the study of ethnic diversity in Latin America.
  • Critically analyze the main theoretical and methodological trends in the politicization of identity in Latin America.
  • Express critical judgments based on the investigation of theories, empirical evidence, and methodology related to the emergence and politicization of indigenous identity in Latin America.

For matriculated Syracuse Political Science majors, students, this course may count toward the Race, Gender & Class or the Comparative Politics concentration.

(PUC #ICP0147)

PSC464 Borders in Flux: Identities and Conflict in Ireland (Spring)

In this field studies course, students will discover how Ireland’s past is inseparably entangled with its present and how old wounds fester in current politics.  Travel for two full weekends during the semester to Dublin, Belfast, and Derry to examine themes that include concepts of national identity (Irishness and Britishness); the religious conflict and peace-making attempts within Ireland; and considerations of new tensions wrought by international migration and regional politics. In each of the destinations of this intensive nine-day seminar, students will directly engage with aspects of Ireland’s past that impact its present, including reactions to Brexit, the eighth amendment referendum on abortion, and the economic crisis.

May also be registered as HST 464 or REL 328.

Not included in limited registration of PSC courses.

This course has an associated course fee. See the London Course Fees page for more information.

PSC354 Human Rights and Global Affairs (Fall, Spring) CANCELLED Fall 2026

Human rights are meant to ground justice, fairness, and equality, and all UN member states have pledged to uphold them. Yet abuses occur daily worldwide—from arbitrary arrests and torture to discrimination against marginalized groups such as racial minorities, LGBTI+ people, women, and Indigenous communities. Many violations are less visible, including systemic social and economic inequalities that especially harm people living in poverty. How governments, corporations, civil society, and individuals respond to these issues shapes the freedoms people experience.

Human Rights and Global Affairs examines both the misunderstanding and the uneven practice of human rights. The course asks whether we truly know what human rights are, why they matter, and how that knowledge protects freedom. Students study the evolution of the international human rights framework across ethics, politics, and law, and assess the responsibilities of state and non‑state actors. Through global case studies of both failure and progress, the course explores real-world challenges and the efforts of civil society and transnational networks to defend rights. By the end, students will be prepared to debate human rights confidently, understand the protections all people deserve, and better recognize struggles within their communities and across the global society.

Satisfies IDEA Course Requirement.

Most semesters, registration limited (including minors) to only one Political Science class (PSC prefix and courses cross-listed with PSC) except for Political Science majors. Check the current semester’s Schedule of Classes for more information.

PSC380.7 International Political Economy and Development (Tsinghua U)

Taught in English. This course will help students understand and analyze important events and phenomena of international political economy. Students are expected to obtain a general understanding of IPE as a research field. One course is too short for us to exhaust the interesting questions and debates in this field. This course is intended to provide the students with the necessary theories, tools, and knowledge in order to go further beyond this single course to the broader scope of IPE. This class is highly interactive and requires active participation.

Class taught by Tsinghua’s School of Economics & Management and may not be available every semester. Tsinghua’s exam schedule for this course may require students to stay beyond the regular SU Beijing program end-date.

(TU #80700122)

Course Restriction: SU students may not take both this course and PSC 355. Note: Counts as an A&S elective for SU School of Management majors.

PSC380.4 Human Rights and Armed Conflicts (at the U. of Florence) (Fall)

Open only to students accepted to the special program Florence Center & University of Florence (courses taught in English).

Taught in English by the University of Florence and open to Syracuse University students. Fundamental principles in the field of international and national protection of human rights. Main instruments of human rights protection at universal and regional level. In-depth analysis of the following selected areas of protection: right to life and death penalty, prohibition of torture. Introduction to international humanitarian law of the armed conflicts and to international criminal justice.

Syracuse University Students: you may not earn credit for both this course and PSC 354