This course is designed to study the archaeology of political systems. The goals are to discuss the major trends, concepts, and perspectives in researching event and process in the evolution of political organization and social integration. A corollary goal is to examine the empirical evidence for, and archaeological correlates of, political evolution. It is not intended as a comprehensive coverage of all theories about past political systems, or as a survey of the rise and development of political forms in complex societies around the world.