Formal non-party organizations as well as political and social movements are considered. An examination of a range of problems in the study of the organization, operation, and politics of American legislatures- especially the U.S. Congress. Political and institutional aspects of state government. This seminar provides an intensive survey of scholarly analysis of the presidency and the interaction of the president with other branches of the national government. An examination of a range of problems and issues in the study of American political parties and political activists.
Special attention is given to party reform.
Examines the role of the courts in American politics, including an overview and selected case studies. Issues to be discussed include judicial selection and processes, judicial behavior, constitutional and public law, and judicial review. This seminar explores recent research and methodological debates in the new field of American political development. The course is both comparative and historical in approach, and examines such topics as state building, the emergence of democracy, and class formation in America. A survey of contemporary governance problems.