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I. Course Title: American Political Parties (AG)

II. Course Number: POSC 326

III. Credit Hours: 3 credits 

IV. Prerequisites: None

V. Course Description: 

Students will examine political parties and their role in American politics. The course will include discussion of the development and functions of party organizations, the role of parties in elections, and the role of parties in government.

Note(s): Cultural or Behavioral Analysis designated course.

VI. Detailed Description of Content of the Course:

POSC 326, for majors, minors, and other students, offers a detailed consideration of the place of political parties in American politics, party identification in the electorate, the role of parties in electoral campaigns, and the role of party in government. The following is an outline of topics to be covered:

1) Origins and Development of American Political Parties

        a. The Constitution and the Founding Era

        b. The first party system-Republican and Federalists

        c. The second party system-Democrats and Whigs

        d. The third party system-Democrats and Republicans

        e. The decline of parties in the twentieth century

2) The Party as an Organization

       a. The organizational structure of the parties

       b. The party in electioneering-formal aspects

                1. The electoral college

                2. Other institutional reinforcements of the two-party system

3) Party Nominations

        a. Candidate recruitment

        b. Primary elections and other nomination methods

        c. General elections

4) Party in Presidential elections

        a. The "pre-primary" period

        b. Primary campaigning

        c. The nominating conventions

        d. Candidate debates

        e. General election campaigning

        f. Campaign finance

5) Partisanship and Party Identification

        a. Partisan identification and the ideology of opinion

        b. Public opinion polling

                1. Methods

                2. Measurement problems

6) Party in Government

        a. Party in the legislature

        b. Party in the Executive

        c. Party in the Judiciary

VI. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course:

POSC 326 will rely primarily on lectures and discussion of primary and secondary readings. Guest lectures, case studies, student presentations, and group projects are possible learning strategies in the classroom. It is anticipated that the course will be offered yearly and will rely also on discussion of ongoing campaigns, with students responsible for following events in the media.

VII. Goals and Objectives of the Course:

1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of how political parties influence political culture, beliefs, and voting behavior.
2. Students will describe how political parties organize the electoral process.
3. Students will analyze and evaluate the impact that political parties have on the democratic process and the American governmental system.

VIII. Assessment Measures:

These will vary with the instructor, but may include exams, take-home essays, quizzes on current events, graded discussions and debates, book or literature reviews, oral presentations, group projects, and individual research projects.

 

Other Course Information: None

 

Review and Approval

March 01, 2021