Document Type
Syllabus
Publication Date
Fall 9-1-2024
Course Description
This course is designed to be an introduction to American government, its historical foundations, institutions, and political processes. We will examine how our political system was designed, how it has changed over time, which includes a discussion on the Constitution, federalism, civil liberties, civil rights, equality, and social movements. We will also discuss the role and scope of government as it was conceived by the Founders, and as it is viewed today by discussing the various institutions in American government, such as Congress, the presidency, the federal bureaucracy, and the federal judiciary. We will also examine how public opinion, and the media have changed and have affected our government institutions. In addition, we will also discuss interest groups, political parties and voting, and campaigns and elections and the role that they play in the American political system. Finally, we will examine American public policy by focusing on economic, social, and foreign policy issues. To achieve these objectives, I have chosen a textbook that explores the role of history as a guide to understanding contemporary American politics. The historical approach of the textbook will also highlight the country’s ongoing struggles with our growing diversity. Political science tends to focus on the production of power in societies, i.e., how, and why people create the structures and institutions that shape our lives. One way to look at politics then is to understand the “rules of the game.” We will do this by studying transformative periods in the past and how they continue to shape the world we live in today.
Recommended Citation
Kirchgassner, Brooks, "POLS 110C Introduction to American Politics Kirchgassner Fall 2024" (2024). All Course Syllabi. 633, Scholarly and Creative Work from DePauw University.
https://scholarship.depauw.edu/records_syllabi/633
Student Outcomes
1. Students will be able to evaluate the basic debates and issues in American government and American political history. 2. Students will able to identify and describe the key functions of the three branches of government. 3. Students will be able to assess the causes and consequences of different forms of political participation and outline the ways in which individuals and groups can affect political outcomes in the United States.