Extracurricular
Clubs & Organizations
Many Political Science majors belong to one or more clubs devoted to political interests and issues. The Department sponsors the Global Affairs Club and the Political Science Club, and most faculty advise one or more other clubs that are associated with their teaching areas or that simply reflect their personal interests. Among these are partisan (Democratic, Republican, Green) clubs and others that are defined by conservative, liberal, and libertarian ideologies. Some clubs are cultural such as Japan & Beyond and the Muslim Student Organization. Others, such as the International Student Club, seek to bring information and awareness of nations and cultures to the campus and to have fun while doing so.
Political Science Club
Global Affairs Club
Model United Nations
Political Science Club
The Political Science Club re-activated itself in 2012-2013 and is building a program of events centered around contemporary policy issues. Among these issues are “partisanship and gridlock” in Congress and gender visibility in politics and society.
Global Affairs Club
Although the Global Affairs Club’s signature activity is the Model United Nations (MUN), it sponsors other events throughout the year. These typically occur when a speaker whose expertise is in the area of international relations or intelligence studies is available to come to campus.
Model United Nations
Model United Nations are simulations of the international system and have a long history of training students in global decision-making roles. Over the years the CSUB Model United Nations teams have participated in conferences from New York to San Diego. Given current budget constraints, most MUN teams in recent years have focused on the Model United Nations of the Far West, often held in Santa Barbara or nearby. At these conferences teams receive awards for their achievement in valid portrayal of the countries or groups they represent. Even with some Instructional Support funds, the MUN students must obtain additional contributions and money to fund the activity. For many reasons, including early identification of a country or group they want to represent, MUN students must begin their team work in the Fall although the combined five units of coursework comes in the Winter and Spring quarters.
