Politics and Elections
GOVT 232
Fall 2007 not offered
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This course allows students to analyze and evaluate whether or not parties and elections function as they are supposed to do according to democratic theory. Do they aggregate the opinions of a majority so to create a mandate for governing, or is something else going on? Does the majority speak, or is it "spoken to" by a clever group of managers and consultants? Does the dog wag the tail, or the tail wag the dog? Students will read, discuss, and debate classic and new scholarship in the field of parties and elections, from James Madison to James Thurber. They will learn the secrets of polling and advertising. All of this will be done within the context of congressional elections in general, and fall congressional elections in particular. |
Essential Capabilities:
None |
Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS GOVT |
Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: GOVT151 |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (CIVI-MN)(GOVT)(GOVT-American) |
Major Readings:
Aldrich, John H., WHY PARTIES?: THE ORIGIN AND TRANSFORMATION OF POLITICAL PARTIES IN AMERICA Fiorina, Abrams, and Pope, CULTURE WAR? THE MYTH OF A POLARIZED AMERICA Jacobson, Gary C., THE POLITICS OF CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS, 6th edition West, Darrel M., AIR WARS: TELEVISION ADVERTISING IN ELECTIONS CAMPAIGNS, 1952-2004 Plus a "course pack": a collection of articles for this class.
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Examinations and Assignments: Three papers, take-home final exam. |
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