Federalism/Intergovmntl Rel US

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor

Federalism is one of the key features of our system of government, yet it is poorly understood. In this course, we discuss how federalism works and how it might work better. Although this course is taught from a political science perspective, we will pay some attention to economics (fiscal federalism) and law (court decisions). Our principal goal is to understand how federalism and intergovernmental relations vary across policy domains. But we will also devote some thought to how the division of labor between governments might be redesigned in specific sectors, to promote greater effectiveness or efficiency or justice. In this course, we will devote substantial attention to education policy, health policy, environmental policy, and welfare policy. We will also devote some attention to homeland security policy and the politics of disasters. Enter this course with an open mind!