POLS-Y 661: American Politics

This course examines one of the institutions central to our government – the presidency. The objective of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the development of the institution of the U.S. presidency, its powers and limitations, and its role in American politics. The study of the presidency can be done through one of two ways.

First, one can study the institution of the presidency itself. This method will look at how the office of the presidency has grown, and how presidents interact with various actors in the political system, including the voter, Congress, the press, the bureaucracy, the courts, political parties, etc. This method ignores how individual presidents have helped to shape the office (for good or ill).

The second method of studying the presidency is historically. This method does look at individual presidents and how each one has helped to shape the office and his times. This method ignores the office of the presidency itself. It fails to recognize that the office of the presidency is something bigger than any one particular person. What we will seek to do this semester is to forge a path that links these two methods. We will spend a lot of time looking at the institution itself, but we will also study how individual presidents have been important in how the office looks and functions today.

Please review the syllabus for full course information.

This is a Full Semester course. Participants may register for one Full Semester course OR one course each in Fall I and Fall II.

Related Courses by Institution (by semester)
POLS-Y 661 American Political Institutions (Winter/Spring 2021)
POLS-Y 675 Political Philosophy (Summer 2021)
POLS-P 570 Introduction to the Study of Politics (Fall 2021)
POLS-Y 567 Public Opinion: Approach and Issues (Winter/Spring 2022)
POLS-Y 580 Research Methods in Political Science (Summer 2022)
POLS-Y 661 American Politics (Fall 2022)
POLS-Y 567 Public Opinion: Approaches and Issues (Winter/Spring 2023)
POLS-Y 530: Globalization and the International Political Economy (Summer 2023)

Related Courses By Institution (by course number)
POLS-P 570 Introduction to the Study of Politics (Fall 2021)
POLS-Y 567 Public Opinion: Approaches and Issues (Winter/Spring 2022, Winter/Spring 2023)
POLS-Y 580 Research Methods in Political Science (Summer 2022)
POLS-Y 657 Comparative Politics (TBD)
POLS-Y 661 American Politics (Winter/Spring 2021, Fall 2022)
POLS-Y 675 Political Philosophy (Summer 2021)