POLS205-12S2 (C) Semester Two 2012
World Politics: American Politics

Description

This in-depth analysis of the United States (1960 - present) focuses on American domestic politics and institutions, as well as the causes and consequences of America's position as a global economic, military and cultural superpower.

In the movie A Few Good Men (1992), one character—a Marine Colonel—states, “We live in a world with walls and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns.”  This in-depth case study of American politics, which focuses on the timeframe 1960 – present, takes this statement as a starting point for evaluating the United States both domestically and as a global superpower.  The course begins with a brief introduction to the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the main ideas that initially influenced the American system. It then analyzes the contemporary era from President Kennedy to President Obama.  Topics to be emphasised include: the War Powers, civil rights and civil liberties, the causes and consequences of American foreign and defence policy, the differences (and similarities) in the foreign policies of President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama,  the role of the intelligence community (particularly the CIA), conflicts between the Executive, the Congress and the Courts, and such current issues as the decline in bipartisanship, the rise of 24-hour media coverage, and the Great Recession.  Throughout the course, we will consider why the United States rose to a position of global superpower in the mid 20th century, the consequences of its global reach, how domestic politics and international policy making interact, and the major threats and opportunities facing the United States in the 21st century.  As 2012 is an election year, we will also pay particular attention to the contest for the Presidency.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will:

1) Be familiar with the core ideas and institutions of the United States Government;
2) Be grounded in major events of contemporary American political history, from the 1960s to the present;
3) Be able to demonstrate how political divisions that date to the 1960s continue to influence U.S. foreign and domestic politics today;
4) Be able to explain why American elections at the federal level tend to be long, expensive, and brutal;
5) Be able to explain why the United States became a global superpower by the mid 20th century, and to evaluate critically the causes and consequences of this status across a variety of issues and regions;
6) Be able to identify major strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing the United States in the early 21st century;
7) Be able to demonstrate increased competence in such skills as analytical writing and policy analysis, suitable to a 200-level course in political science.

Pre-requisites

For further information see School of Social and Political Sciences.