POLS 151-02, United States Politics, Fall 2004

Abstract

This course serves as an introduction to our political system. We will explore several distinct yet interrelated domains of American political life, including the philosophic underpinnings of our political system, our primary political institutions, the ways in which citizens organize and communicate about political life, and a few salient topics in contemporary politics. While centering on these four areas, readings and lectures will often diverge in unpredictable ways, providing a variety of political and philosophic issues for us to address and discuss. This course has a broad scope, seeking to introduce you to a variety of problems and ways of thinking about politics rather than immersing you in a few areas only. Naturally, an introductory course must appeal both to those who are considering future politics classes as well as those who would sooner swim in the Mississippi. The reading load in this class will vary from light to heavy, depending on the week in question. However, even lighter selections should be read carefully and actively—you will gain little from a single reading of a particular article if you do not revisit it later or take some sort of notes. While such practices will undoubtedly help your course grade, they also aid in the more important goal of learning to think critically about the moral and political world around you.