POL101      Introduction to Political Science (3 credits)

This course is a general survey in the field of political science.  Students are not required to have any background in the discipline. The course is designed to introduce some basic concepts and approaches in political science.  It provides the foundation for future studies in the field.

POL201      Government and Politics of Contemporary China (3 credits)

This course focuses on the study of China¡¦s center-provincial relations, rural reform, urban reform, environmental problems, dissent and the rule of law, ethnic politics in Tibet and Xinjiang, ¡¡±One Country-Two Systems,¡ÆØ and the Taiwan question.

POL202      Asia Pacific Today (3 credits)

This course focuses on the study of the Asia-Pacific region, principally Northeast and Southeast Asian countries, paying particular attention to the development of their political systems, strategies of economic growth, the impact of changes in the role of population structure, women, ethnicity and education on these societies, and their ability to deal with issues of foreign powers, regional cooperation, and crises.

POL203      International Politics (3 credits)

This course focuses on the study of the themes and theories of international relations; inter-state relations in the Cold War and post-Cold War periods; issues of war and peace; terrorism and weapons of mass destruction; the United Nations and international organisations; the relationship between sovereignty, human rights, and international law; globalisation; third world development and the north-south gap; and the environment.

POL204      International Law (3 credits)

The course examines some of the fundamental concepts of international law in the context of the social science programme. Specialist legal knowledge is not a prerequisite for this course.

POL205      International Organisations and Regimes (in 2006-07 or before)/

                    Global Governance (from 2007-08) (3 credits)

This course explores the growing importance of international organisations. With the rise of transnational issues, the world community has seen seeking greater global cooperation through international regimes. This course studies how international organisations tackle issues such as terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, human rights violation, genocide, poverty, fair trade, and environment protection.

POL208      Public Policy: Values and Processes (3 credits)

This course is a basic introductory course on the public policy-making process and the values underpinning it. It will first touch on the reasons of market failures and the use of public policy. Then, the following topics on the policy-making will be covered: stages of public policy-making and policy network, the politics of policy-making and budgeting, and bureaucratic neutrality and political accountability.

POL210      Comparative Politics (3 credits)

(Prerequisite(s): (a) POL101 Introduction to Political Sciences or (b) CUS213 Culture, Power and Government)

The course covers three main themes in the field: political development, political economy, and culture and identity politics. Specific topics include democratisation, constitutional choices for new democracies, varieties of capitalism, strategies for economic reforms, challenges of sustainable development, causes of clash of civilisations, ethnic conflicts and others.

POL213      Political Psychology and Behaviour (3 credits)

Political psychology is, at the most general level, an application of what is known about human psychology to the study of politics. Research on political psychology has mainly been a two-way traffic: it draws on a diverse set of psychological theories such as personality, developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, and intergroup interaction; and it addresses political phenomena such as leadership, mass political behaviour, civic education, and international conflict. This course draws on the above research to understand political processes and behaviour.

POL214      Government and Politics of Hong Kong (3 credits)

This course is an introductory course on the basic political institutions and the evolving political system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The fundamentals of the Basic Law and its impacts on the political life of the HKSAR will also be examined. This course will also explore the behavioural and cultural aspects of Hong Kong politics, such as the changing political culture and pattern of political participation, and the problems that the HKSAR government encounters.

POL215      Taiwan: Society and Politics (3 credits)

The course acquaints students with the social and political development of Taiwan since 1949. The history of Japanese colonial legacy is introduced. It then goes on to analyse the ideology and party structure of the Kuomintang. The dynamics of economic development, societal development and political change are also examined. Finally the problem of cross-straits relationships will be explored.

POL216      American Foreign Policy (3 credits)

This course is designed to acquaint students with the constitutional, institutional, and political frameworks within which contemporary foreign policies of the United States are formulated and executed. The course will endeavour to understand the American foreign policy process by studying the U.S. role in several international issue areas. The course will familiarise students with the role that global issues play in contemporary American foreign policy, in so doing illustrating the complexities and difficulties faced by U.S. decision makers as they formulate and implement foreign policy, and helping students understand why the United States behaves the way it does, for good and sometimes for ill, in world affairs.

POL 217      Modern Political Ideologies (3 credits)

(Restriction: Students are not allowed to take both POL217 and POL211 Political Thought)

The course intends to give students a general introduction of the most important currents of political ideas in the contemporary world. Selected themes in each current of thought will be briefly discussed.

POL301      Policy-making, Collective Action and Public Choice (3 credits)

(Prerequisite(s): POL101 Introduction to Political Science)

This course is a theoretical course on the public choice theory of policy-making and its limitations. It examines the logic and foundation of actions of those individuals and groups involved in the policy-making process: voting and party competition, interest groups and collective action, bureaucracy and policy-making, coalition and government formation.

POL303      Global Environmental Politics (3 credits)

This course introduces students to profound changes in both world politics and ecology, requiring sometimes-drastic rethinking about life on Earth and existing governance systems. The environment, in addition to being a source of vital yet dwindling natural resources, has increasingly become a depository for massive amounts of human waste and pollution. This poses a threat to human well-being and perhaps even long-term survival, not to mention affecting the vitality of biospheres and other species. Environmental problems like stratospheric ozone-layer depletion, global warming, water scarcity and over-fishing are even becoming threats to national security. This course examines the response of the international community to these and related challenges.

POL304      Chinese Politics in the Reform Era (3 credits)

With several courses in the BSocSc programme studying the economic reform in China, this course focuses on the political aspect of the reform and puts special emphasis on the effect of the reform measures and open-door policies initiated by Deng Xiaoping. Changes in both the state and society in the last two decades will be studied.  Reform measures taken by the state and reactions from the society are the two major lines of investigation.

Students are expected to have a foundation in Chinese politics before taking this course, e.g., taken SSC202 Politics and Economics of Contemporary China, POL201 Government and Politics of Contemporary China or other similar courses.  Otherwise, extra efforts should be taken to do preliminary readings (e.g., read the textbook of James Wang).

POL305      China in World Politics (3 credits)

This is a course on the study of China¡¦s foreign policy. The turn of this century has witnessed China¡¦s rising international status in the global arena. Determined to be an important player in a post-Cold War world, China has been carrying out a pragmatic foreign policy to ensure a favourable environment for its economic growth. Chinese foreign policy has never been as active and confident as in the first years of the 21^st century. Despite some ups and downs, China¡¦s relations with all the major powers as well as its neighboring countries are at its least troubled since the establishment of the People's Republic more than half a century ago.

POL307      APEC and Regional Co-operation (3 credits)

This course examines the Asian Pacific region¡¦s efforts to promote regional cooperation and integration, primarily through the medium of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

POL308      Selected Issues in the Asian Pacific Region (in 2006-07 or before)/

                    Selected Issues in Asian Pacific Governance (from 2007-08) (3 credits)

This course examines one selected issue (or two related issues) salient to the Asian Pacific region as a whole. A single issue is chosen for a comparative and comprehensive study so as to allow students to undertake more focused and advanced scrutiny of the issue, which may have social, political, economic and strategic importance for the whole region. Students are expected to be broadly familiar with the major political and economic characteristics of the Asian Pacific region in order to appreciate this course.  Description will be issued before each term by the subject teacher.

POL309      Selected Issues in International Political and Legal Affairs (3 credits)

(Prerequisite(s): POL203 International Politics)

This course introduces students to current issues on the interface of international politics and law. One focus is the study of state crimes and human rights. Students examine the proliferation of legal instruments since 1945 that have sought to entrench human rights in the global order; explore debates regarding the universality or relativity of rights; and investigate case studies of rights violations and war crimes. Other topics include the effectiveness of truth and reconciliation commissions, and the judgements of international criminal courts seeking to bring perpetrators to justice.  Description will be issued each term by the subject teacher.

POL317      One Country, Two Systems: Central-Hong Kong SAR Relationships    (3 credits)

The course intends to equip students with a broader and deeper understanding on the increasingly intimate and complicated relationships between Chinese mainland in general, and the Central government in Beijing in particular, and Hong Kong. The course will be divided into two parts: the first part deals with theories that look at the central-local relationships in general and the second part addresses the concrete issues that emerge in the post-handover political scene in Hong Kong in the context of the PRC Central government and Hong Kong SAR relationships.

POL318      Selected Issues in Environmental Studies (3 credits)

This course provides an opportunity for students to study and discuss selected issues in environmental studies. Description will be issued before each term by the subject teacher.

POL319      International Politics of Northeast Asia (3 credits)

(Restriction: Students are not allowed to take both POL319 and POL306 Foreign Policies of the Major Powers)

This course focuses on the study of Northeast Asia as a region, discusses the political uses and effects of history, and examines the rise of China, Japan-US security cooperation, regional hotspots such as Taiwan and South Korea, diversity of cooperative security and economic institutions involving Northeast Asian states, political development and regional interaction, and the implications of China in the world economy.

POL320      International Politics of Southeast Asia (3 credits)

(Restriction: Student are not allowed to take both POL320 and SOC315 Origins and Development of ASEAN)

This course focuses on relations among the states of post-World War II Southeast Asia, and between Southeast Asia and the United States, India, Russia, Europe, Australia, Japan and China; traditional and non-traditional security issues on post-Cold war Southeast Asia; Southeast Asian regionalism and economic cooperation; and the impact of the events of September 11, 2001 on the region.