The digital environment is changing the face of political organization, both in domestic American electoral politics and in the methods used by transnational social movements to call attention to problems around the globe.  Howard Dean’s use of the Internet to fund his 2004 presidential campaign has made other candidates aware of the political power of the Web in fundraising and grass-roots orchestration of local (and “glocal”) events.   

This minor should be of interest to students majoring in International Relations, Political Science, or other programs who plan to use technology to affect contemporary national and international affairs.  As with all minors, students must choose four courses dedicated exclusively to this minor and four courses outside their major departments.  These may, but need not be, the same four courses.     

This minor is intended to help students engage in domestic and international political organizing by creating websites, using pod-casting and other new technologies.  It should help students secure internships and jobs with political and international organizations, and generally improve their abilities to change the world.      

This minor was created as a collaboration between the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and the Viterbi School of Engineering.  For advisement, contact Fanny Cisneros at 213.740.3445 or fcisnero@usc.edu.  You may also contact Paul Kovich at 213.740.2621 or kovich@usc.edu. 

Course Requirements
Choose one class from each of the following five lists. 

I.  Domestic Political Organizing (One course, 4 units)
POSC 315  Regulation of Elections and Political Finance
POSC 335 Political Parties, Campaigns, and Elections
POSC 422 Political Attitudes and Behavior
POSC 424m Political Participation and American Diversity
POSC 437 Mass Media and Politics 

II.  Transnational Social Movements (One course, 4 units)
IR 305  Managing New Global Challenges
IR 306  International Organizations
IR 324  Multinational Enterprises and World Politics
IR 371  Global Civil Society:  Non-Governmental Organizations in World Politics

III.  New Technologies in Organizing (One course, 3 units) 
ITP 304 Creating an On-line Campaign  

IV.  The Context of Political Organizing (One course, 4 units)
COMM 321 Communication in the Virtual Group 
COMM 489 Campaign Communication 
IR 308  Globalization:  Issues and Controversies 
IR 325  Rich and Poor States in the World Political Economy 
IR 330  Politics of the World Economy 
IR 444  Issues and Theories in Global Society 
POSC 345 International Law 
POSC 451 Politics of Resources and Development 
POSC 456 Women in International Development 
POSC 300 Principles, Institutions, and Great Issues of American Democracy 
POSC 427 Black Politics in the American Political System 
POSC 428 Latino Politics 
PPD 371 The Non-profit Sector and the Public Interest 
PPD 372m       Public Service in an Urban Setting 

V.  Capstone Class (One course, 4 units)
The capstone class allows students to engage more deeply in one of the contributing areas of study.
COMM 487 Communication and Global Organizations 
POSC 395 Directed Governmental and Political Leadership Internship (4 units) 
IR 405  International Negotiation 
ITP 413 Interactive Web Development 

TOTAL: Five courses, 19 units