POL 41000 - Political Parties And Politics

Credit Hours: 3.00. This course explores the dynamic roles of political parties and organized interests in the American political system. Students will examine both theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence to understand how these entities function within government and society. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to critically evaluate how institutional changes have shaped interplay between parties and organized interests in U.S. politics-and how parties and groups deeply influence modern-day politics.
Course Learning Outcomes
1. Identify the theoretical and empirical functions of political parties and organized interests in government, the populace, and as organizations.
2. Analyze the tensions and complementarities between organized interests and political parties in both current-day and historical U.S. politics.
3. Describe core models of partisanship and their ramifications for politics.
4. Assess how changes to political institutions throughout American history have affected parties, organized interests, and their relations.

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