POL2015: Congress and the Legislative Process

Abstract

Course Overview: The purpose of this course is to analyze the politics of the contemporary U.S. Congress, with an emphasis on the historical roots of the institution. We will cover such topics as representation, elections, parties and leaders, committees, public policy, and the relationship between Congress and the other branches of government. The objectives for this course are fourfold: 1) To gain an understanding of the historical foundations of the modern Congress 2) To better understand and evaluate the nature of America’s representative democracy 3) To assess, with a critical eye, current practices in Congress, representatives’ behavior and their responsiveness to citizens in a democracy 4) To improve students’ ability to present cogent analytical arguments, both in writing and in oral discussion.