POLS 151-03, United States Politics, Fall 2008

Abstract

This course is an introduction to the theories, institutions and processes that define the workings of the government of the United States. It is divided into three sections. In the first section we examine the roots of American government including the ideas and interests that framed debates over the Constitution, and the outcomes of those debates in key clauses and amendments to the Constitution. For the second section, we examine the processes and institutions that organize and link public interests to the formal institutions of government including political parties, elections, and interest groups. In the third section of the course, we review the three formal branches of government—the Congress, the Presidency, and the Supreme Court. Throughout the course we will use key concepts to analyze contemporary issues in American politics. As such, students should be prepared to keep up with current events.