American Politics

Description

The Biden presidency concludes amidst international turmoil, the fallout from a global pandemic, and increasing economic dissatisfaction among Americans. American institutions are being tested by a polarized political environment, regular mass protests, and are still adjusting from the former and possibly next president, who challenged many political norms. We will explore how we got here and consider the future of American politics.

The first part of the class deals with the institutional building blocks of the American political system. After we discuss the principles of political science, we’ll discuss the operation and evolution of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. In the second part of the class, we’ll consider the things that happen just outside the purview of the U.S. Constitution, like public opinion, the media, elections, political parties, and interest groups. Finally, we’ll go back to the beginning and discuss the founding and the core principles of civil rights, civil liberties, and federalism.

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Syllabus

You can view the the syllabus from Fall 2024.