Syllabus

Course Meeting Times

Lectures: 1 sessions / week, 2 hours / session

Course Overview

This course provides a selective overview of electoral politics in the United States, with an emphasis on presidential and congressional elections. It examines the macro-level determinants of electoral outcomes as well as the political behavior of individual Americans. Each week covers a different topic, with readings designed to highlight controversies or debates in the political science literature. Depending on the number of students who enroll, the course will be something of hybrid between a seminar and a lecture, but regardless of enrollment a good deal of in-class participation will be expected of students.

Prerequisites

This course has no formal prerequisites. The readings, however, are pitched at a higher level than a typical undergraduate course (many of the texts could also be assigned in a graduate seminar), so undergraduates with little previous exposure to academic political science may find themselves in over their head. Graduate students are welcome to enroll in or audit this course, and it may be possible to tailor the course to their specific interests and goals.

Course Requirements