State and Local Govt Policy

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

As Congress is increasingly gridlocked, much of the policymaking in the United States actually happens at the state and local level. This course will introduce you to the mechanics and politics of state and local governments in the United States. We will begin by surveying what state and local governments actually control: what policies are within their jurisdiction, what they spend money on, and how they raise that revenue. We will unpack what social science can tell us about who gets what and why in the state and local context. Throughout the course, we will explore specific policy areas, addressing current debates using the social science lens we’ve developed. Along the way, you will write a policy paper on a topic of your choice using political science theory to understand why things are broken and how to help fix them.