A recurring question for this course will be just how democratic America is or should be. Because there is no definitive answer, each student should be thinking about this during the semester. I will be bringing these events into the course as they are relevant to the topics we discuss. This course is a basic introduction to American government and politics. Our focus will be the institutions and policy-making procedures of the American government, as well as the problems and tensions that exist within the American political system.
Many issues remain contentious and the United States continues to grow more complex as a society.
While the Constitution remains a strong anchor, the American political system is far from stagnant. Dr. Richard Funk Comparative Politics approaches its subject matter using a structure function approach. General concepts are studied and then applied to the political systems of Great Britain, France, Russia, Germany, Mexico, and Nigeria. This course offers an introductory survey of contemporary international politics. Among the topics we'll address are power, foreign policy, conflict and war, international law, global trade and finance, environmental politics, and the relationships between rich and poor countries.