POL 172 - If We Can Keep It: Fundamentals of American Democracy (1)

This course covers the important features and themes in American politics that affect how democratic our political system is. We’ll start with the most fundamental questions of what politics are for, what a democracy is, and then turn to the Early Republic - we’ll reflect on our Constitution and the arguments for and against the particulars in it. We will also put the document in our modern context to understand how it stacks up against more contemporary understandings of democracy. As we move through the major organizing forces in American politics - federalism, polarization, and nationalization - we will pair contemporary readings and data with foundational American political thought to understand both our roots and our current dilemmas. Ultimately, this course aims to develop a framework for how we can use social science to assess who voices are and are not heard in US politics.
(Social Science) (Quantitative Reasoning Encounter)