US State Government & Politics

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Although the majority of policymaking happens at the state level, most Americans know more about federal politics. This class will examine the political processes of subnational governments in the U.S. by focusing on the offices (such as governors & state legislators) and intervening institutions (e.g. campaigns & elections, interest groups, and direct democracy) of politics in state-level governments. This class will be structured to familiarize students with the unique institutions of American states, as well as understand the ways in which the states differ from each other and the federal government. At the end of the semester, students will write a paper applying information from the course to a state of their choice.