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Overview of Courses Taught
Course Descriptions
Public Opinion and Voting Behavior:
The formation of political opinions and attitudes, political participation, and voting behavior of the general public, and their influences on American politics; polling as a means of assessing public opinions and behaviors.
Campaigns and Elections:
This course looks at
American campaigns and elections focusing on the reality candidates face when deciding to run for office, the rules that govern the electoral process, the different types of strategies used by all the important campaign actors, including candidates, parties, interest groups, consultants, and the media; and finally the choices that are made by voters made under the constraints of the rules, reality, and strategies used.
State and Local Politics:
Role of state and local governments in the American federal system. Structures of participation: political parties, elections, interest groups. Major governmental institutions: legislative, executive, and judicial. Structure and functions of local governments.
Graduate Proseminar in American Politics:
Major theories and research on American government and politics. The
main focus of this course will cover both institutions & behavior and the debates that are central to their research. The course touches upon foundational topics such as Congress, the Bureaucracy, Presidency, and Courts. It also covers more behavioral / psychological types of literature with in the subfields of Public Opinion, Elections, Political Parties, the Bureaucracy, Race, and Gender.
American Institutions: Congress:
Theory and practice of representation and deliberation in the legislative branch of the republic; operations of Congress in terms of its committees, leadership, legislative and oversight processes, partisan politics, electoral campaigns, service to local and special electoral campaigns, service to local and special interests, and interactions with the President.
American Institutions: The Presidency:
Creation and historical development of the office of chief executive; character and behavior of past chief executives; selection and control; powers, roles, functions; executive staff; relations with Congress, press, public opinion.
Intro to American Government & Politics:
Fundamentals of American democracy; constitutionalism; federalism; rights and duties of citizens; executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government; elections, public opinion, interest groups, and political parties.
Introduction to Comparative Politics:
Interactions between governments and citizens in countries outside the US. Causes of democracy, dictatorship, and economic and social development. Theoretical approaches to the comparative study of national political systems.
Pre-Law Seminar:
Preparation for law school and careers in law. Introduction to the culture of law school, law school application process and admission criteria, strategies for Law School Admissions Test preparation, and how to finance a legal education.
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