Politics 2026 Summer Courses
Need to fill a major requirement? Looking to learn something interesting this summer? Registration for summer session is now open!
First Session (May 18 – June 12)
PLAP 3160 The Politics of Food
Paul Freedman
(This course meets June 1-13 as part of the Summer in Morven program.)
This course looks at the production and consumption of food in a political context. We will explore legislation, regulation, and other policies that affect the food system and examine their implications for the environment, public health and democratic politics. We will look closely at controversies over agricultural subsidies, labeling requirements, farming practices, food safety, advertising and education.
PLAP 4140 Gender & American Political Behavior
Nicholas Winter
(This course meets the Politics major 4000-level requirement)
Gender is an important component of people’s identities and their perceptions of others. At the same time, gender is central to a set of social, cultural, and political systems that define categories of people, proscribe appropriate traits and behavior for those categories, and regulate power between and among gendered individuals groups. We will explore gender’s role in modern American politics, from the so-called "gender gap" in voting to the complex nature of gender stereotypes, to the ways that gender shapes ideas about American citizenship and public policy.
Second Session (June 15 – July 10)
PLCP 2500 The Hidden Work of Democracy
Dyuti Saunik
This course sheds light on the often unseen work that sustains democracies. Students explore how elected representatives, bureaucrats, and citizens navigate institutions, deliver services, and resolve everyday problems. Using comparative case studies and interactive exercises, the class reveals how informal practices, community networks, and street-level decisions shape representation, accountability, and democratic resilience from the ground up.
PLCP 3130 Political Economy of Development
Ghita Chraibi
(online course)
Examines the political prerequisites (and impediments) to economic development, focusing on agricultural exporters in the 19th century and manufactured goods exporters in the 20th century. Draws on empirical material from North and South American, Europe, Asia and Africa.
PLIR 2050 Introduction to Political Economy
Yunsoo Lee
(online course)
Introduces core concepts in political economy, including the institutional bases for states and markets, and the way these interact through the exercise of exit, voice, and collective action. Empirical material drawn from the last five centuries.
Third Session (July 13 – August 6)
PLCP 2600 Rise & Fall of the Soviet Union
Yuri Urbanovich
This course is about Russia and the Soviet Union. It is designed to explore some of this country's major political themes of the twentieth century through an understanding of Russia's history, culture and politics.
PLPT 3500 Building a Just World
Diego Tapia Riquelme
This course aims to understand three of the most important topics in international political theory: global justice, migration, and climate change. We will deal with questions such as: What (if any) are our obligations to the world's poor? What should a fair migration policy look like? Do states have the right to control migration? And who should bear the burdens of responding to climate change?
PLAP 1010 Introduction to American Politics
Haley Stiles
(online course)
Surveys the fundamentals of American government and politics, systematically covering the major institutions of our system (the presidency, the Congress, the courts) as well as the system's essential processes.
PLAP 2500 Making Elections Better
Carah Ong
Choosing an electoral system is among the most consequential design decisions for a democracy. Voting rules create incentives that shape who is on a ballot, how candidates & parties behave, how much say voters have in outcomes & even who wins, with major implications for fairness, representation & accountability. Students apply research & experiential activities to create a final project on voting & system reforms to improve our political system.
For more information on summer at UVA, see the Summer Session website.