Kurzus nemzetközi vendég- és részidős hallgatóknak

Kar

Állam- és Jogtudományi Kar

Szervezet

ÁJTK Politikatudományi Intézet

Kód

JNX_ERASMUS:I21

Cím

American politics and Government

Tervezett félév

Mindkét

Meghirdetve

2024/25/1

ECTS

5

Nyelv

en

Tantárgy tartalma

Title American Politics and Government Lecturer(s): Contact email address: Dr. Tibor Mándi, Máté József Czene-Joó czenejoomate@gmail.com Brief description This is an introductory course in the study of the American political system. The aim is to gain a general understanding of the nature of American democracy, and how political institutions work in the US, with examples drawn from history, current affairs, and contemporary popular culture. We start by revisiting the history and examining the ideological context of the American Founding. We take an in-depth look at the three branches of government, their evolution, the challenges they face today, and their future prospects. We then take a thorough look at the most important issues in the political agenda, and we examine how these issues are introduced and framed by the parties and politicians. As conclusion, we discuss the greatest challenges of American democracy, such as growing inequality, polarization, racial injustice, and the dysfunctionality of political institutions. Schedule 1. Introduction 2. Early American history: life in the colonies and the American Revolution 3. The American Experiment: the building blocks of American democracy 4. Civil rights and liberties 5. Elections: voting rights & election security 6. Congress: the legislative process 7. The Presidency: executive power in the US 8. The Supreme Court and the judiciary 9. Parties, political culture, and ideologies 10. The media, public opinion, and the political agenda 11. The challenges of American democracy; conclusion 12. Final assessment Materials/Recommended readings Hershey, Marjorie Randon (2021): Party Politics in America. 18th ed., Routledge, Abingdon. LaPira, T. M.; Drutman, L.; Kosar, K. R. (2020): Congress Overwhelmed: The Decline in Congressional Capacity and Prospects for Reform. University of Chicago Press. Lowi, Theodore J.; Ginsberg, Benjamin; Shepsle, Kenneth A.; Ansolabehere, Stephen (2021): American Government: Power and Purpose (Sixteenth Edition). W.W. Norton & Co., New York. Perlstein, Rick (2001): Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus. Bold Type Books, Washington. Perlstein, Rick (2020): Reaganland: America’s Right Turn 1976 – 1980. Simon & Schuster, New York. Zinn, Howard (2005): A People’s History of the United States. HarperCollins, New York. Assessment/Exam Multiple choice test OR essay on chosen topic (6,000 characters minimum)

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