BSc Political Science with Minor in Economics

Microeconomics is the study of people in the “ordinary business of life”. As economic welfare depends upon the choices of people regarding the allocation and use of resources, it is necessary that ordinary members of the community and specialists in government and business, understand the account of these choices that are provided by microeconomic theory and are able to develop critiques of that theory. It is also necessary that they are able to appreciate, and undertake, microeconomic analysis of contemporary problems and policies. This course therefore explores the theory of economic choice and its application to a range of resource-use questions. Specifically, it focuses upon a range of microeconomic principles, their use in economic analysis, and their relevance in the global information economy. While drawing on the history of economic thought, it emphasizes contemporary resource-use issues and the development of the skills of economic specialists and non-specialists.

This is an introductory study of the field of macroeconomics. It will introduce students to the content, methods and techniques of macroeconomics; acquaint them with the distinctive features of a small open economy and expose them to contemporary issues in macroeconomic analysis and policy.

This Course is designed to build on students’ understanding of elementary mathematics and to expose them to some of the mathematical concepts that will be used in the study of various models in economics and management sciences. It begins with the topic of functions and moves seamlessly into equations and inequalities. These draw on the student’s prior experience in areas of algebra and coordinate geometry. It then moves the equally interesting area of sequences. This is followed by some matrix algebra then into the topic of limits and continuity, it ends with differentiation with some applications to the social sciences. Emphasis will be placed on the understanding and application of mathematical concepts rather than on computational skills, the use of algorithms and the manipulation of a formula.

This is a cross-disciplinary course. It is designed to provide a firm base for Communication courses and for courses in English for Special Purposes linked with specific disciplines. It helps students to achieve the level of competence in written language that is required of the university student in undergraduate programmes. Course content includes Language in the Caribbean, Summarizing, the Formal Essay and Methods of Organising Information.

This course is designed to develop an awareness of the main process of cultural development in Caribbean societies, highlighting the factors, the problematic and the creative output that have fed the emergence of Caribbean identities. It also develops a perception of the Caribbean as wider than island nations or linguistic blocs and stimulates students’ interest in, and commitment to Caribbean civilization and to further their self-determination.

Assessment:

Coursework - 25%

Final Exam -75% (face-to-face)

This course will introduce students to classical social theory through an understanding of the work of writers such as Auguste Comte, Max Weber, Karl Marx and George H. Mead. The main focus of this studying is to understand the central ideas of these writers and to reflect on the usefulness of their theory in contemporary Caribbean societies. This reflection will support students’ further investigations of the explanations given for issues on the front line of Caribbean societies’ development agendas. At the same time, students will learn about the central ideas and perspectives of writers such as Edward Kamau Brathwaite, M.G. Smith and George Beckford. The combination of classical and Caribbean schools of social inquiry will set the tone for a synthesizing of perspectives on race, class, gender, ethnicity and the family in society. This process will assist students with developing their theoretical base in social theory, as well as independent thought on happenings in Caribbean society.

This course addresses those general philosophical questions which form a necessary grounding to the understanding of these techniques and procedures which follow. It will not be dealing with those methodological issues featured in faculty introductory courses. Some of the topics include: epistemological issues and theories of knowledge, Weberian and other perspectives, causality and association, social sciences as a science, induction and deduction, the distinction between a social problem and what is socially problematic.

This course will introduce learners to the basic components of political science and analysis. Topics will include historically based issues such as conceptions of the state, an examination of democracy and its applications in the Caribbean, the machinery of government, potential influences on political systems and more recent concepts such as globalisation. Throughout the course, emphasis will be placed on establishing links between theories, concepts and real world scenarios in the Caribbean and beyond. On completing the course, it is expected that students will understand and appreciate the political process and its ultimate effect on the wider society.

This course introduces students to basic perspectives, principles, procedures and concepts of research methods. It aims to expose students to knowledge of the main components of a research framework i.e., problem definition, research design, data collection & analysis, ethical issues in research, report writing, and presentation.

Against the constantly changing background of economic and geopolitical international developments which impact the vulnerable economies of the Caribbean, new styles of management and professionalism are necessary in order to develop policy and practice that are truly informed. To help face these challenges, there is a clear and urgent need for citizens of the Caribbean to be grounded in the fundamentals of microeconomic theory.

This course examines the economic aspects of international relations. Special consideration is given to the position of developing countries within the international economic system.

This course is designed to trace the development of European political thought from the ancient Greek philosophical schools to the origins of modern political thought in the 19th century. Issues concerning the origins of political thought will be investigated with particular emphasis on the contribution of Ancient Egypt to Greek philosophy. The precursors to modern political thought and the evolution of political values and ideologies will be identified. Theories of the state and their socio historical milieu will be examined and the contribution of political philosophy to the development of political institutions will be addressed. The historical sources of contemporary civil arrangements and their philosophical assumptions will be reviewed and assessed. Emphasis and focus on particular philosophers and thinkers will vary from time to time. It is a course designed to provide tools of philosophical analysis for the political scientist.

What is theory? Why is it useful? What are the obstacles to developing theories of international relations? Why do states act the way they do? How do we identify change in the international system and how do we explain and account for these changes? Theory is an essential element to the discipline of international relations. It provides different lenses to and assess world events and phenomenon. The course is designed to introduce students to the prevailing theories of international relations and how they are used and misused in the analysis of contemporary policy issues. This class will cover the major theories of international relations. We will examine a variety of theoretical approaches that offer diverse perspectives on the major questions of international relations.

This course explores the distinct foundations upon which modern Caribbean politics rests. It attempts to identify the unique characteristics and experiences of Caribbean states to enrich the field of comparisons with other political systems. The special characteristics of small states, the varied impact of colonialism in the region, the nature of the political culture, along with class and ethnic influences, the founding roles of Caribbean leaders, the main state formations that have emerged, as well as the emergence of civil societies in the Caribbean are the main areas covered. The main purpose is to be able to understand the nature of contemporary Caribbean politics from the continuing impact of these foundations.

This course will therefore be devoted to provoking critical thinking about the political, economic and social challenges and opportunities in the implementation of ICTs for e-Government and in the wider context of e-Governance. It will introduce the student to a variety of theoretical ways of thinking about technology within the broader framework of political science. This is important because convergence of ICTs is reshaping traditional methods of social discourse and the way we interact; exacerbating traditional methods of how knowledge and information are created, managed and utilized as a competitive asset for development; redefining core concepts in contemporary political life such as power, sovereignty, privacy, security, representation, accountability, transparency, individual rights, liberty, democracy, moral agency and ethics. Moreover, the assertion those developing countries will be able to leapfrog traditional technologies and engage newer ones to realise their development goals, have also not been realised. By studying e-governance, students will not only be investigating technical issues, but also the less overt political machinations that go into how these technologies are being used in making decisions about how to engineer information infrastructure for political agendas and the significant implications for political life.

The course is intended to be a general introduction to the discipline of comparative politics and government. It will clarify and synthesise some of the major theoretical directions found in the literature. The emphasis will be on the examination and assessment of the major theoretical trends, as well as themes in approaches to and concepts in the study of comparative politics.

This course is a sub-field of Political Science. It focuses on the relationship between politics and economics. More specifically, it is the interaction of the market and powerful state and non-state actors. The course seeks to address two overarching questions: Why is there a need to study international economic issues from a political perspective? What is the relationship between the political and economic order? The course is divided into three parts. Part I discusses the nature of and contending approaches to IPE. Part II examines global governance, global finance, regionalism and international trade. The final part of the course focuses on the case of China in the global political economy.

Professional Development Courses in Political Science are generally geared towards Faculty, established political science practitioners and post-graduate students. This course breaks through those barriers by aligning to the programme’s rationale to give learners a rounded education that will allow them to acquire the skills needed for entry into an exciting career and the certification and skills needed for professional advancement in the context of public, private or not-for-profit organisations. The American Political Science Association, Department of Educational, Professional, and Diversity Programmes have in recent times taken several initiatives to promote undergraduate professional development. In April 2013 for instance, they hosted an Undergraduate Research Week . Within the same context, this course helps to position the Political Science student to take on career building strategies like writing for public audiences or conferencing undergraduate projects and research papers, seeking membership in global political science networks, and seeking mentorship from established scholars and practitioners in the field. Because Political Science is an interdisciplinary area, and undergraduates pursue a diverse set of interests in their post-University life, learners must show that they can adapt when they move forward to graduate school or enter a new profession. This course is therefore included to help prepare the undergraduate for internship, networking and the post-UWI experience.

This course is an exploration of political leadership and political outcomes and shows the interconnectedness between the two. It considers classical as well as contemporary theories of leadership. Through this course, the learner will recognise these significantly fundamental questions: Is there a leadership vacuum and how, in the global political community that remains to be created, can we foresee and foster the advent to power of leaders who will dedicate themselves to goals that include the building of a universal community that will safeguard the interests of all mankind? How, if such leaders appear, can they gain the requisite popular support for sustained endeavours directed to these goals?

The inclusion of this course is premised on the recognition that professional management is applicable at all levels of politics. The proper coordination, planning, organisation, direction, control of activities and negotiation of positions, have an immediate effect on the types of outcomes one seeks. It is essential for political science majors to know how people manage political activities, navigate the world of politics and achieve desired outcomes. Knowledge and “know-how” about these key abilities gives the graduate an advantage in a highly competitive field. Cultivating the attributes that are useful for political management makes the graduate equipped to work with political parties, governmental and non-governmental organisations and the media. Additionally, involvement in applied politics offers the political science major an opportunity to help talented individuals become effective public leaders. The curriculum covers the field of applied politics and encompasses consulting, campaigns, electioneering, lobbying, advocacy and negotiation, fundraising, political communication, political leadership and the attendant ethical dimensions. Political management like other types of management activities is goal oriented.

This course seeks to introduce students to some of the more topical issues in economic development in the contemporary period. It examines the meaning of development and the major concerns of development economists over time. On completing this course students will be able to evaluate different interpretations of economic development.

Assessment: 100% Continuous Assessment.

The course takes a critical and holistic approach to global environmental politics and is designed to show how the instrumental and the intrinsic value of the environment are politicised. It examines the relationship between global political forces and environmental change and provides a comprehensive view of the roles and interests of governments and independent agencies. Considering that non-interference is the basic principle governing international politics today, the contents of this course will provide the basis on which the learner can examine fundamental questions like whether or not environmental protection provides a legitimate reason to interfere in the affairs of another state. The course takes a critical approach to politics of the environment. Learners who intend to become participants, decision-makers, advocators and planners in logistics, public management or international policy will benefit from this interface.

This course examines: the role of government in the economy especially in developing countries and the Caribbean; taxation (both direct and indirect) and its impact on the economy; the theory of public sector pricing and production; the design of public policy and the scope and limitations of public economic policy.

This course emphasizes the markets in which goods and services are traded and the implications, from a welfare perspective, of the various types of market structures. The models examined include perfect competition with an emphasis on General Equilibrium analysis and welfare maxima, market failures such as public goods and externalities, the welfare losses of tariffs, dead weight losses of monopoly, price discrimination and multiplant monopolies. The course is organized according to the following areas: Theory of the Firm, Theory of Perfect Competition, General Equilibrium and Market Failure, Theory of Monopoly and Monopolistic Competition, Theory of Oligopoly, Price Leadership and Limit Pricing and Theoretical Welfare Economics.

This course covers the concepts, principles, objectives and practical applications of sustainability and sustainable development from an environmental, social, economic, corporate and political perspective.  It seeks throughout to identify and analyse relationships between environmental sustainability and socio-economic factors, most centrally, the relationship between resource consumption (individual and collective) and sustainable livelihoods.

This course is premised on the rationale that ethics can be learned. Ethical literacy is a critical priority in a world where some of the greatest challenges graduates will face will not be matters of fact but rather matters of value and judgement. Knowledge of the ethical rules associated with the Behavioural Sciences will equip students with the necessary tools to engage the moral self with professional rules of ethics. Included in the concept of a psychologically literate citizen, for instance, is an expectation that undergraduates will learn to behave ethically and humanely at work and in other everyday contexts. The same holds true for other Behavioural Science areas. Learners will therefore be given the opportunity to relate practical solutions to ethical dilemmas. Students will be able to distinguish ethics from ethical literacy, apply ethical skills to current situations and issues, Use ethical actions to resolve conflict.

This course is geared towards introducing students to contemporary Latin American Government and Politics. It will also give students an understanding of the main social, political and economic features present in contemporary Latin America. They will explore also the competing theories that have been used to explain development and underdevelopment in the region as well as other salient Latin American issues and identify changing political and economic trends in the region.

The course addresses the fundamental principles undergirding the theoretical and empirical foundations of macroeconomics at the intermediate level. In this regard, it uses a combination of mathematical and intuitive analysis to provide some understanding of the subject area. The application of analysis that comes mainly from studies of the more developed economies, offers lessons that are valuable for all countries including the Caribbean.

This course is directed towards learners in their final year of study. It covers current debates in global justice that address both theoretical and applied issues. All global society traditions of ethical analysis therefore have relevance here. The course examines global poverty, development, environmental and economic crises, refugee and humanitarian disasters, and the role of governmental organisations, non-governmental organisations and private international corporations. In particular, the course addresses whether wealthy nations have an obligation to assist poorer nations. The course is especially relevant for learners who desire careers in international development, humanitarian aid, international consulting or volunteerism.

This course examines the basic workings of the financial system and the main issues in monetary policy, primarily in developing countries. Emphasis will be on understanding the issues relating to interest rates, the tools of monetary policy, and the role of the Central Bank, in the conduct of monetary policy. The general economics and the structure of the financial system are also highlighted. Furthermore, the main monetary and financial issues confronting the CARICOM region as a whole are examined. For example, possible monetary union, intra-Caribbean investment and exchange rate systems are discussed.