American Politics: Public Opinion and Democracy

This module examines the attributes of public opinion and its impact on policymaker decisions. Students learn about the theory and practice of polling as the primary method of assessing public opinion, including methodology, interpretation, and limitations of polling data.

This module explores the unique features of the U.S. two-party system, focusing on the Republican and Democratic parties. Students examine party structures, ideologies, and the concept of party realignments throughout American political history.

This module covers the presidential nominating process, including the "invisible primary," primaries, and caucuses. Students learn about general election campaign strategies with particular focus on battleground states and electoral dynamics.

This module analyzes factors affecting political movement success through case studies including the civil rights movement, Vietnam War protests, Tea Party movement, and Occupy Wall Street. Students learn about resource mobilization and sustained advocacy strategies.

This module examines interest group influence in American politics, with focus on why some groups are more influential than others. Students analyze the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 as a case study in group influence on legislation.

This module explores the evolution and influence of news media on politics, examining changes from traditional broadcast networks to modern cable and Internet outlets. Students analyze news coverage of the 2016 Trump-Clinton campaign as a case study.