How to Win Elections in the US

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

This course provides a practical overview of electoral politics in the United States, with an emphasis on presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial elections. We will examine the macro-level determinants of electoral outcomes as well as the political behavior of individual Americans. You will learn how social scientists study elections. Throughout the course, we will focus on how candidates and campaign professionals can impact the outcome of elections. We will examine how candidate quality and issue positions impact elections. And we will examine the effects of specific campaign tactics. Finally, we'll talk about the consequences of elections for the wider political system.