POL 397 - Seminar in American Government

FDR: SS2
Credits: 3
When Offered: Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit.

Prerequisites: POL 100 or permission of the instructor.Examination of selected topics in American political institutions, ideas, and processes. May be repeated for degree credit with permission and if the topics are different.

Topic for Fall, 2009:

POL 397: Seminar: Tocqueville’s Democracy in America (3). Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America, written over 160 years ago, provides an opportune vehicle for a comprehensive examination of the American regime. The course examines the virtues and defects of our form of government and way of life and reflects on whether Tocqueville’s observations remain relevant today. Topics covered include the role of race, religion, and gender in American politics, as well as the function of the media, political parties, and interest groups in a liberal democracy. (SS2) Connelly