POL203Y1Y L5101
U.S. Government and Politics
Themes
This course is an introduction to U.S. national government and politics. We will analyze the historical development of American political institutions in order to understand how they shape American political culture and American public policy. In the fall we will focus on the constitutional foundations of American government, and we will investigate the roles of Congress, the federal courts and the Presidency in national policy-making. In the spring, we will study public opinion, elections, the activities of interest groups, the role of political parties, and various issues related to domestic and foreign policy. We will pay particular attention to on the President’s ability to set an agenda and make policy initiatives, particularly in regards to contentious issues such as health care and environmental policy.
Texts
TBA
Format and Requirements
One two-hour lecture per week; tutorials roughly every other week. Course requirements include a research paper, end of term test, quizzes, and final exam.
Prerequisites
1.0 POL credit or 4.0 full course equivalents