American Electoral Politics: The 2020 Elections

3 units

This course will track many elements of the presidential election process as it happens this fall. In particular, we shall examine the reason and role of the primary and caucus process in choosing delegates to the national conventions; the role of campaign donations and political action committees; how and why various aspects of the media cover campaigns, the more powerful role of social media, why journalists choose certain narrative lines; how televised debates and polls sort out the leading contenders; how the base of both leading parties have considerable leverage in choosing their party's nominee, and how polls work and shape public perceptions.