Representation, Power, and Identity Politics

Undergraduate / Graduate

Are "identity politics" the new normal in American politics or has group conflict always formed the basis of democratic government? How do political parties represent diverse constituencies and demands? What is the relationship between a social movement and a political party? This seminar course will address these and other related questions, as we examine American political parties, representation, and the politics of "identity" in the United States. This course is designed to focus on the ways in which groups are represented in the American political party system; how inequality and marginalization are often entrenched and reinforced through political parties; and how political parties shape the mobilization of voters. We will pay particular attention to the ways in which race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, class, religion and their intersections form the basis of what has come to be called "identity politics" by many pundits and politicians. In the first part of the course, we will engage an array of work in political science and other disciplines to learn about theories of representation, political power and collective action, and the structure and function of political parties, including how rules and reforms affect representation. We will also examine groups and identities as political and analytical concepts. The primary objective for this part is to develop a basic toolkit for understanding the inter-relationship between political parties and social groups.