Department of Political Science
polisci@umn.edu
612-624-4144

Weekly Newsletter

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF

May 20, 2013

Dear Students,

Well, this is it--the end of another semester. I hope you all had a great semester and did extremely well in all of your classes. For those of you who will be graduating on Sunday, I wish you the very best in your future endeavors. Please don’t be a stranger. Send me a note once in a while and let me know what you are doing. I am always delighted to hear from our alumni. For those of you who are not graduating quite yet, I look forward to seeing you next fall. Have a long, fun, relaxing summer break.

Kind regards,

Rose Miskowiec
Undergraduate Advisor, Department of Political Science

Here are the announcements for the Week of May 20:

MAY TERM CLASS WITH OPEN SEATS!
Pol 3769 Public Opinion and Voting Behavior, 3 credit(s)
(meets Lib Ed req of Social Sciences)
Description: This course focuses on whether citizens and the broader public make sensible political decisions. We will assess whether ordinary citizens are capable of meeting their responsibilities as democratic citizens. The first part of the course focuses on what public opinion means, how it is measured, and how it changes over time. The second part of the course focuses on how voters decide which presidential candidate to vote for and whether to turn out on election day. Class time will feature lecturing, classroom discussion and debate, viewing political films/video, and evaluating the videos. Note finally that I will provide pdf copies of slides for each lecture a day or two before the materials are formally presented in class.

ADDITIONAL COURSE ADDED TO THE FALL SEMESTER CLASS SCHEDULE
Many of you have asked about courses that Prof. Sikkink may be teaching next year. She was initially scheduled to teach at Oxford University this past spring semester and next fall semester BUT she will be returning to the U of M Campus this fall. Here are the details about the course Prof. Sikkink will be offering this fall. The course is now on the schedule and open for enrollment.
POL 3873W Global Citizenship and International Ethics, 3 credits
(meets Lib Ed req of Civic Life and Ethics; meets Lib Ed req of Writing Intensive)
2:30 P.M. - 3:45 P.M., Monday & Wednesday, Prof. Kathryn Sikkink
Description: Should nations intervene in other countries to prevent famine or ensure human rights? Under what conditions is war justified? On what principles should immigration policies be based? Who should pay to avoid global environmental problems? Should wealthy states provide foreign aid or forgive the debts of poor countries? Is the possession of nuclear weapons morally and legally acceptable? What do we mean by global citizenship? How does an understanding of global citizenship influence how we answer ethical questions in international politics? Are activist groups in transnational civil society practicing global citizenship? In this course we will grapple with these and many other related questions. This course will introduce you to different traditions of moral, legal, and political thought to provide you with the tools to make reasoned judgments about difficult political problems in global politics. The course first presents and defines ethics and the role of ethics in public life. We will then explore the origins of different ethical traditions, and see how those traditions have been subjected to public debate and contestation. Next, we will apply different ethical traditions to concrete problems and instances in international politics. We will study a range of cases from different parts of the contemporary world, and compare similarities and differences in ethical and philosophical traditions and ideas about citizenship in different regions of the world. One goal of the course is to help you understand that there is no single correct ethical approach to a problem, but that different philosophical traditions may provide different ways of understanding both ethics and citizenship. Learning about these traditions can help you make more thoughtful and informed decisions about your own practices of as a national and international citizen. Ideas about global ethics and citizenship are dynamic and contested; they have changed over time, often in response to pressures from citizenship movements. Throughout the course, I will encourage you to develop, defend, or question your own values and beliefs in relation to the ethical traditions and political cases we are exploring. The final section of the course will be specifically focused on individual ethical dilemmas.

FREE Event for Political Science Majors
The Minnesota International Center is looking to drive up engagement with students and especially those in the PoliSci department. So, we would like to extend an offer of complimentary admission for any PoliSci student or alum to our May 21st event at Cowles Auditorium.
The event will be a presentation by Dr. Lloyd Axworthy on the topic of Humanitarian Intervention. Dr. Axworthy has over 20 years of experience in the Canadian Federal Parliament, four years as the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and was deeply involved in the creation of the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty as well as the International Criminal Court in 1998.
He's a world-class speaker we feel extremely lucky to have brought to Minneapolis. I think any PoliSci student would be given a real service by his presentation. Event details can be found here: http://micglobe.org/calendar/documents/HumanitarianInterventionWithNewSponsors.pdf Any student that would like free admission should register by emailing me directly at mic@umn.edu and leaving their name and any guest's name.
Best,
Sean Donovan
Great Decisions Program Coordinator

NEW INTERNSHIPS

Receive Credit for Your Political Science Internship Experience
Students who participate in internships over the summer or next fall semester may work with Prof. Paul Soper, Internship Director for the Department of Political Science, to receive academic credit. Prof. Soper will discuss your internship with you and assign some related reading and writing assignments that will complement your internship experience. Students may earn from 3 to 13 credits (depending upon the number of hours worked per week and the length of the internship). Up to 6 internship credits may apply to the political science major or 3 credits may apply to the political science minor. For more information, contact Prof. Soper at psoper@umn.edu, (612) 626-1002, or visit his office in 1480 Social Sciences.

CLA Internship Scholarships for Summer 2013
Are you doing an unpaid internship this summer? Apply for a $1,500 CLA Undergraduate Internship Scholarship. The application deadline is June 12th. See details and application instructions at www.clacareer.umn.edu/internships/scholarships.html.

Office of the Governor Mark Dayton Internship Program
The Office of Governor Mark Dayton Internship Program is a great opportunity for undergraduate students, graduate students, law school students and recent graduates interested in serving their state and working toward building a better Minnesota.
Internships are split into three trimesters, Fall (September through December), Spring/Legislative Session (January through May) and Summer (June through August). Minimum number of required hours per week varies by department, but is generally 15-20 hours in the Fall and Spring and 20 in Summer. Internships are unpaid but we work with professors and advisors to obtain college credit for interns.
The Governor's Office is now accepting applications for Fall internship positions. The deadline for applications is Monday, July 1, 2013 by 5:00p.m.
We offer internships in five areas:
1) Citizen Outreach/Constituent Services and Appointments
2) Communications
3) General Counsel's Office
4) Legislative and Cabinet Affairs
5) Office of the Lieutenant Governor
Note: You may apply in more than one department, ranking your preference of department with 1 being the most desirable.
Application Instructions
Complete application instructions can be found at http://mn.gov/governor/contact-us/internships/.
Kathryn Troyer
130 State Capitol
St. Paul, Minnesota 55115
Fax: (651) 797-1882

Diane Hofstede for City Council Campaign
Organization Overview
The Diane Hofstede for City Council Campaign is accepting resumes for internship opportunity within the Third Ward of Minneapolis. The Third Ward incorporates neighborhoods in Northeast, Southeast, North Loop, and Downtown Minneapolis. This is an exciting and competitive race and an opportunity to learn grassroots organizing at the most local level. All resumes and cover letters should be sent to michael.ohama@gmail.com.
Position Description
Organizing Interns report directly to the Campaign Manager. Organizing interns will be responsible for managing a network of volunteers to implement a field strategy that covers a diverse ward. This position requires 15-20 hours a week.
Duties and Responsibilities
Assisting in planning, coordinating, and implementing events related to the campaign. These events often take place outside regular working hours (e.g., evenings and weekends)
Creating and executing field plans
Direct voter contact and recruiting of volunteers
Manage a neighborhood organizing model for Northeast, Southeast, North Loop, and Downtown Minneapolis.
Create database reports as needed
Continually update and maintain database records
Other duties as assigned by the Campaign Manager
Qualifications
Previous campaign experience preferred, but not required
Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and database management experience
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Experience in a fast-paced campaign atmosphere
Excellent organizational and time management skills
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team environment
Diplomatic and professional approach to problem-solving
Ability to manage several tasks/projects concurrently and prioritize work effectively
Must be a self-starter

NEW JOBS

Summer Job Opportunities Making Social Change
We're looking for smart, hard-working students who are eager to make a difference this summer. The Fund for the Public Interest (aka "the Fund") works with some of the top progressive organizations in the country like Environment America, the Human Rights Campaign and U.S. PIRG. And we're hiring! In Minneapolis specifically, we're hiring summer campaign staff to work on campaigns to protect the Boundary Waters and to end subsidies to corporate farms.
We are looking for smart, motivated students who want to get their hands dirty and make a real impact on some of the most critical issues facing our society.
If you are interested in applying, visit our website at www.jobsthatmatter.org, or contact me directly - 612-331-8401.
Michelle Hesterberg
Fund for the Public Interest
Minneapolis Citizen Outreach Director
615 First Ave. NE, Suite 335
Minneapolis, MN 55413
612-331-8401
mhesterberg@fundstaff.org

Graduating This Month & Still Looking For Work???
Check out the job posting at:

City of Minneapolis (http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/)
City of St. Paul (http://www.ci.stpaul.mn.us/)
Hennepin County (http://www.co.hennepin.mn.us/)
Ramsey County (http://www.co.ramsey.mn.us/home/index.htm)
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (http://www.minnesotanonprofits.org/)
Minnesota State Legislature (http://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/jobs.aspx)
State of Minnesota (http://www.careers.state.mn.us/)
U.S. Government Jobs (https://www.usajobs.gov/)

And don’t forget about using the CLA Career Service’s GoldPASS (https://goldpass.umn.edu/).

The career counselors in the CLA Career Services Office are happy to work with spring grads to help them find employment after graduation. If you have not visited their office in the 4 years you’ve been going to school here, it’s not too late now to stop in and get some advice and help with your career planning. They are located in 411 Science Teaching Student Services (STSS Building) on the East Bank.