American Government and Politics

Catalog description

This course introduces students to the structures and processes of American government and politics, to the exercise of power, and to value conflicts among key actors in the political process. The course also addresses some of the theoretical underpinnings of the study of American government such as democracy, pluralism and elitism. Finally, the course asks students to apply their learning to interpretations of current political events. Topics for study in the course include: political participation, interest groups, the Constitution, civil liberties, civil rights, the presidency, Congress, the federal court system, the media, political parties, and elections.