Area Politics C (Institutions, Processes, and Ideology in US Politics: Practices and Theories)

Instructors

Michael. A. BAILEY

Credits / Language / Semester

2Credits / English / Summer

Objectives/Overview

In this course we will analyze the role of political parties and ideology in two of the major institutions the U.S. Congress and the Supreme Court. We will consider alternative ways of thinking about political divisions and trends using the U.S. Congress and Supreme Courts as critically important yet highly different venues for such divisions to manifest themselves. By the conclusion of this course, students should acquire an understanding of how ideas and parties divide Congress and the courts, from both theoretical and historical perspectives. We finish by using the material to consider future directions for party and ideology in American politics.
(This lecture is made possible by the generous support from the Shibusawa Ei’ichi Memorial Foundation commemorating the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the A. Barton Hepburn Professorship in American Constitution, History, and Diplomacy, currently called American Political and Diplomatic History at the Faculty of Law, the University of Tokyo, in 1918.)

Keywords

United States of America, Congress, Supreme Court, political parties, ideology

Schedule

15 class sessions from July 28 through Aug 7

Teaching Methods

Seminar

Grading

Participation in discussion: At every session, each student will be asked to identify what he or she considers the most important question or problem from at least one of the readings and/or the subject of that session.
One short paper of no more than 250 words. To be presented in the seminar.
One research paper. M.A. students, approximately 10 pages; Ph.D. students, 15-20 pages

Required Textbooks

Journal articles and selections from books

Related Websites

http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/baileyma/

Related Resources

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