Politics of the American Presidency

Undergraduate / Graduate

The president is the single most visible individual in the American political system. Understanding the power of-and the constraints on-the individual who inhabits the White House is a critical task for explaining our contemporary politics. This course surveys the politics of presidential power in a system where power is separated between but also shared by adjoining branches of government. From this institutional perspective, the course engages the following questions: What is presidential power? For what aims do presidents exercise power? When do presidents succeed in achieving their goals, and when do they fail? How do presidents manage relations with Congress, the courts, and the bureaucracy? What is presidential leadership and when is it most clearly exhibited? Through answering these questions, the course provides a deeper understanding of the factors that shape the exercise of presidential power and its implications for governance, public policy, American democracy.