Political Science
Are you interested in politics?
Want to know how different states and countries run their elections? How candidates run their campaigns, and what strategies do they use? How government institutions work? Would you like to know how political leaders make critical decisions and address some of the most pressing challenges in domestic and international politics? Political Science is a major that may be for you! This session introduces students to the field of political science, which seeks to scientifically study the most significant questions and challenges in political theory, American politics, comparative politics, and international relations. Our graduates end up in various fields, from law, journalism, data analysis (including for sports teams!), and working in politics themselves. Students will learn about the discipline and attend two lectures in Political Science: one focusing on American politics and another on international relations. Students will then take what they have learned and participate in two simulations to demonstrate the value of the research and its applicability to critical situations. Students will also tour campus, discuss the value of a Political Science degree post-graduation, and learn more about the department at UNC.
Instructor: Navin Bapat
Navin Bapat is a Professor and the Chair of the Department of Political Science and the at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. He received a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Michigan in 1998 and pursued graduate studies at Rice University, where he received an M.A. (2000) and a PhD (2004) in political science. Professor Bapat research interests include examining conflicts involving violent non-state actors, such as insurgencies, terrorists, and criminal cartels using formal and empirical methods. Professor Bapat also is involved an ongoing project examining the use and the effectiveness of economic sanctions. His published work has appeared in the American Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Politics, International Organization, International Studies Quarterly, the British Journal of Political Science, Public Choice, and Conflict Management and Peace Science. Professor Bapat also published a book, Monsters to Destroy: Understanding the War on Terror with Oxford University Press in 2019 and is currently working on projects related to terrorism in Africa, energy security, and the enforcement of economic sanctions.