Course Description: A survey of the basic principles of the federal government. This includes the legislative, executive, and administrative areas of government, judicial organization and its functioning, citizenship, elections, political parties, interest groups among other topics. We will focus on the structures, systems, actors, processes, and institutions of the federal government including the U.S. Constitution, federalism, civil rights, political dynamics, the presidency, Congress, and the judiciary. Emphasis will be placed on analyzing and explaining the behavior of government with regard to current political issues and the fall national election. The course will integrate current issues and knowledge in context with the historical development of our system of government.
