Pol S 351: The American Democracy, Summer Quarter 2019

Is America democratic? What is democracy? What do we do when different dimensions of democracy collide? Are there costs to democracy? This course will explore these questions through a combination of historical analysis, studying current events, thinking through and applying democratic theory, and analyzing empirical research. We will assess how democratic American institutions (Congress, Presidency, and the Courts) are, the components of democratic citizenship, and how civil rights and civil liberties influence state-citizen/ citizen-citizen interactions.