In a polarized era of American politics, it is critical to have a working knowledge of the American political process and the analytical skills with which tointerpret contemporary events. This course is designed to accomplish these dual objectives. In the first few weeks of the semester, we will explore boththe key principles of social scientific thinking and trace the evolution of the fundamental characteristics of American government. We will use thisfoundation throughout the remainder of the semester to assess the contemporary challenges to American institutions and the context in which they, andthe general public, make decisions. At the end of the semester, students should be able to understand and critically engage with information about American politics, as well as actively engage with the American political system (should they choose to do so).
Course Attributes: EN S; BU BA; AS SSC; FA SSC; AR SSC; UC PSA
