American Government is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of the single-semester American government course. This title includes innovative features designed to enhance student learning, including Insider Perspective features and a Get Connected Module that shows students how they can get engaged in the political process. The book provides an important opportunity for students to learn the core concepts of American government and understand how those concepts apply to their lives and the world around them. American Government includes updated information on the 2016 presidential election.Senior Contributing AuthorsGlen Krutz (Content Lead), University of OklahomaSylvie Waskiewicz, PhD (Lead Editor)

In this course, the student will explore campaigns and elections, learning their purpose and significance and observing the impact that they have on the American political system. The course will focus on the history and evolution of elections and voting laws in the United States, as well as what compels individuals to run for office and how campaigns are structured. Also, the course will teach the student the role that political parties, interest groups, voters, and the media play in elections. Lastly, the student will take a closer look at electoral outcomes and the impact that elections have on public policy after votes are counted, as well as what types of proposals could be implemented to improve our electoral system. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: explain the importance of elections, voting, democracy, and citizenship in the United States; describe the various types of elections that exist within the American political system; identify the legal and constitutional bases of campaigns and elections in the United States; explain the types of individuals that run for political office and why; analyze the influence of incumbency in elections; explain how candidates develop campaigns and financing; discuss the role of money in political campaigns; discuss the influence of political parties on campaigns and elections; describe the characteristics of the U.S. party system; explain the role of interest groups in influence campaigns and election outcomes; explain the various influences and motivations of the American voter; describe the factors associated with both nonvoter and voter disenfranchisement in contemporary elections; analyze and explain the critical role of the media in campaigns and elections; explain how election outcomes impact government actions and public policy; analyze both historical and contemporary election reforms. (POLSC333)

This course analyzes the development of the United States Congress by focusing on the competing theoretical lenses through which legislatures have been studied. In particular, it compares sociological and economic models of legislative behavior, applying those models to floor decision-making, committee behavior, political parties, relations with other branches of the Federal government, and elections. Graduate students are expected to pursue the subject in greater depth through reading and individual research. This course analyzes the development of the United States Congress by focusing on the competing theoretical lenses through which legislatures have been studied. In particular, it compares sociological and economic models of legislative behavior, applying those models to floor decision-making, committee behavior, political parties, relations with other branches of the Federal government, and elections. Graduate students are expected to pursue the subject in greater depth through reading and individual research.

This course provides a substantive overview of U.S. politics and an introduction to the discipline of political science. It surveys the institutional foundations of U.S. politics as well as the activities of political elites, organizations, and ordinary citizens. It also explores the application of general political science concepts and analytic frameworks to specific episodes and phenomena in U.S. politics.

This course serves as an introduction to American government and politics. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: Explain the major purposes of government; Distinguish between different forms of government and democracy, underscoring the American political system.; Differentiate between American political ideologies, particularly conservative and liberal, and attitudes about the scope of government; Analyze the roots of the American political system, the failure of the Articles of Confederation, and the adoption of the Constitution; Discuss the fundamental principles of the American political system, such as separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism; Define the term 'public opinion' and explain how it is measured in American politics; Define the major factors of political socialization in American society; Describe American political culture and values and discuss their connection to social and demographic characteristics; Describe how the media influences the American public and political behavior; Evaluate the role of the media in the American political system; Discuss the various modes of participation available to individuals in the American political system; Outline the evolution of suffrage in American political history; Compare political participation rates in different types of American elections (i.e. presidential vs. congressional) and in relation to participation rates in other democratic countries; Explain the role of political parties in the American political system; Trace the evolution of political parties in the United States; Compare the major ideological differences between the modern Republican and Democratic parties today; Distinguish between different types of campaigns and elections; Explain the process of electing a president; Evaluate the role and strategies of interest groups in American politics; Account for the increase in and importance of interest groups in the American political system; Outline the history and structure of the Congress (House of Representatives and Senate); Analyze the factors that influence the outcomes of Congressional elections; Explain the legislative process and how a bill becomes a law; Describe the importance and role of the committees in Congress; Compare procedural and organizational differences between the House and Senate; Analyze the sources of presidential power and how the powers of the president have evolved overtime; Assess the role of public opinion polls and approval ratings and their impact on presidential power; Define the executive branch and the bureaucracy; Trace the evolution of the bureaucracy and bureaucratic reform; Assess the impact of the bureaucracy on public policy making; Outline the history and structure of the judicial branch; Explain the origins and importance of judicial review; Describe the nomination process for federal and Supreme Court judges and how it has changed overtime; Evaluate the role and impact of the Supreme Court in American society; Distinguish between civil rights and civil liberties; Explain the history and importance of the Bill of Rights; Examine the rights protected under the First Amendment and key Supreme Court cases that have defined these First Amendment rights; Discuss the various viewpoints on the Second Amendment; Analyze the 'right to privacy' and its origins and discuss Supreme Court rulings on privacy; Explain the process of incorporation and extending the Bill of Rights to the states; Trace the history and outcome of the Civil Rights Movement; Differentiate between de jure and de facto segregation; Discuss the process of expanding civil rights to other minorities and women; Evaluate the history and impact of affirmative action; Distinguish between different types of public policy; Describe the four main steps of the policymaking process; Explain theories of economic policy and their implementation in American politics throughout history; Discuss the budget process and key components included in the budget; Examine the major objectives and outcomes of United States tax policy; Trace the history and development of social public policy in the United States; Assess the creation, evolution and future of Social Security; Evaluate welfare reform and its impact on society; Evaluate federal education reform and the role of the federal government in creating education policy; Outline the key players and institutions in the foreign policy-making process; Discuss the history and current goals of United States foreign policy. (Political Science 231)

This survey course can be used by students who are looking to take just one general overview course or by those who want to go on to more advanced study in any of the subfields that comprise the political science discipline, such as American politics, comparative politics, international politics, or political theory. The goal of this course is to introduce the student to the discipline's concepts, terminology, and methods and to explore instances of applied political science through real world examples. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: Describe and evaluate the concepts of power, legitimacy, and authority; Discuss the origins and developments of the nation-state; Distinguish between traditional and behavioral approaches to the study of politics; Discuss general approaches to the study of politics, such as political philosophy, political systems theory, and political economy; Describe and discuss the political socialization process; Examine the nature of political participation from a comparative perspective; Discuss the nature of public opinion from a comparative perspective; Identify the different types of electoral systems and be able to assess the implications of those systems; Identify the role and functions of political parties; Identify the different types of party systems from a comparative perspective; Describe and evaluate the general principles of presidential and parliamentary political systems; Describe and compare the essential features of at least three governments of Western Europe; Identify and evaluate the principles of authoritarian and totalitarian governments; Discuss the concepts of political development and problems facing developing nations; Discuss and explain the origins and principles of democratic capitalism, democratic socialism, Marxist socialism, national socialism, fascism, and third world ideologies; Describe the origins, development, and principles of international law; Identify and assess the influence of major international organizations; Describe and analyze the causes of international conflict; Analyze current critical issues in international relationships. (Political Science 101)

" This subject is designed for upper level undergraduates and graduate students as an introduction to politics and the policy process in modern Japan. The semester is divided into two parts. After a two-week general introduction to Japan and to the dominant approaches to the study of Japanese history, politics and society, we will begin exploring five aspects of Japanese politics: party politics, electoral politics, interest group politics, bureaucratic politics, and policy, which will be broken up into seven additional sections. We will try to understand the ways in which the actors and institutions identified in the first part of the semester affect the policy process across a variety of issues areas."