Civic Engagement and Political Behavior ((3 Units))

Catalog description

Individual participation in public life is a prerequisite for successful democracy. Yet arguments about the appropriate motivations for average people’s participation, as well as required types and levels of public participation, from volunteering to voting, have been present in America since the founding. This course examines whether and why average people participate in the political system, as well as how varying levels of social trust and trust in government affect the ability to sustain both civic voluntarism and a robust democracy. Particular attention will be paid to individual motivations for participation in a full array of civic and political activities.