Attention will be given to articulating and evaluating theories, constructing research questions and programs, and comparing methodologies. This course explores the role of judges and courts, as normal parts of the policy process and considers the roles, options and constraints on judges and courts as they perform their duties. The course explores the implications for public policy of judicial involvements at various stages of the policy process and in different types of policy. A critical examination of the principal approaches to the study of comparative politics. Attention will be given to problems of explanation and concept formation in the comparative field, the formulation and testing of hypotheses, and the uses of aggregate and survey data in the conduct of crossnational research.
Emphasis is on deepening the understanding and ability to use advanced methods of analysis.
This seminar employs various theoretical and methodological perspectives to explore the burgeoning post-1960 literature on Congress. Traditional subjects such as committees, parties and elections are examined through applications of formal models, behavioral analyses, and participant observation. The University of Kansas Department of Political Science.