American Politics

Module title	American Politics
Module code	POC2005
Academic year	2023/4
Credits	15
Module staff	Professor Daniel Stevens (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	11

Number students taking module (anticipated)	40

Module description

Students of Politics need to understand different political systems around the world. While the United States is very familiar to us it has a political system that is fundamentally unlike that of Britain or most countries in Europe. Indeed, the way it elects its president, for example, is unique. This module provides an introduction to American democracy, from its foundations in the Constitution and federalism, to its political culture, institutions and processes, and the policies that emerge from it all. It examines the design and rationale for the American political system and the implications it has for governing and the policy making process. We will also examine how reforms to governmental institutions and processes might influence the way citizens interact with government. Throughout the module we will make comparisons between the American system and other democracies around the world.

No prior knowledge skills or experience are required to take this module and it is suitable for specialist and non-specialist students.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module comprehensively examines the political system of the United States, from its foundations with the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, through the way its institutions work, to contemporary debates about gun control and health care. We will use theories and findings from the study of US Politics to understand politics in each of the domains we study. We will survey classic and contemporary work in these fields.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the major theories of US Politics in the various subfields we examine in oral and written work;
2. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of different theories and research in oral and written work;
3. Apply major theories about US Politics to historical and contemporary issues in oral and written work;

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

4. Demonstrate comprehension and the ability to use key concepts pertaining to US Politics in oral and written work;
5. Synthesize and critique major theories and arguments in the field in your written work;
6. Demonstrate that you understand the implications of new evidence for a given theory in your oral and written work;
7. Demonstrate that you can identify different methods of research in the field and their possible implications for findings in your oral and written work;

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

8. demonstrate oral and written analytical and organizational skills in essays, online and/or in-person discussion with some guidance;
9. Write essays to a deadline.

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

1. The US Constitution

Its origins and the compromises that allowed its passage

2. US Federalism

The history of the federal system, how it has evolved, and why it is fundamental to understanding US politics

3. Ideology and Public Opinion

US political culture and how this manifests itself in public opinion over time.

Debates about polarization and its consequences

4. Political Parties

Reasons for the two party system, party competition, role of party identification

5. Voting and Elections

Recent national elections, voter turnout, understanding vote choice

6. Congress I

Congressional campaigns and elections

7. Congress II

How Congress is organized; congressional committees

8. Congress III

Congress and the presidency; divided government

9. Presidency

The powers of the presidency

Presidential approval and its effects

The “two presidencies” thesis

10. The Supreme Court

Principle of judicial review

Activism versus restraint

The contemporary Court

11. Public Policy

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
27.5	122.5	0

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and teaching activity	11	Lectures
Scheduled Learning and teaching activity	11	Seminars
Guided Independent study	44	About 4 hours per week reading and preparing
Guided Independent study	29	Group project. Around 20 hours researching, 4 hours planning, 5 hours writing.
Guided Independent study	55	Preparation for summative essay

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Questions based on readings or topics to be submitted at the beginning of the week (emailed on Sunday before class)	3-5 questions	4, 5, 7-8	Written feedback from module convenor and peer feedback from other members of the class

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
60	0	40

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Essay	75	2,500 words	1-9	Written feedback
1 x 5 minute presentation (as part of 15 minute presentation)	25	5 minutes + slides (all materials submitted via eBART) + evidence of contribution on Trello	4, 5, 7, 8	Written feedback
	0
	0
	0
	0

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Essay	Essay (2,500 words)	1-9	August/September reassessment period
Presentation	15 minute viva (5 min presentation + questions)	4, 5, 7, 8	August/September reassessment period

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

McKay, David. 2017 (9^th edition). American Politics and Society. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell.

Fiorina, Morris. 2017. Unstable Majorities: Polarization, Party Sorting and Political Stalemate. Stanford: Hoover Institution Press.

Theiss-Morse, Elizabeth, Michael Wagner, William Flanigan, and Nancy Zingale. 2018 (14^th edition). The Political Behavior of the American Electorate.

Thurber, James, and Antoine Yoshinaka (eds.). 2015. American Gridlock: The Sources, Character, and Impact of Political Polarization.

Wattenberg, Martin. 2015. Is Voting for Young People?

Key words search

American, Politics, Government, institutions, Reform

Credit value	15
Module ECTS	7.5
Module pre-requisites	None
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	5
Available as distance learning?	No
Origin date	04/03/2008
Last revision date	18/03/2022