Correspondence Directory

Majors and Courses of InstructionPolitics and Government350. Judicial Process and Policy-Making (Esler)An analysis of law and courts. Basic types, functions and determinants of law as well as major issuesin jurisprudence. Organization and basic functions of American courts and theories of judicialdecision making. The role of trial courts in criminal and civil procedures and the role of appellatecourts in overseeing the activities of trial courts. The impact and role of courts in American politics.Particular focus on the roles of judges, attorneys, prosecutors, juries, police and interest groups inthe judicial process. Prerequisite: 110, 111, or permission of instructor for underclassmen; open toupperclassmen without prerequisite. F.351. American Constitutional Law (Louthan)Analysis of the U.S. Constitution and the role of the Supreme Court in interpreting it. Analysis ofthe historical context in which the Constitution was created, the text of the Constitution and theintentions of its authors, and controversies over its ratification. Analysis of the role of the SupremeCourt and the methods it uses to interpret the Constitution’s meaning. Most extensively, analysisof Supreme Court decisions in leading cases involving judicial, congressional, and presidentialpower, federalism, government regulation of the economy, and civil rights and liberties. Prerequisite:Sophomores, juniors, and seniors only. 350 recommended as a prerequisite. S.352. Civil Rights and Liberties (Esler)The role of the law and courts in promoting freedom and equality. Initial focus on the meaningof and issues related to the values of freedom, equality, and democracy. The focus then shifts tothe Supreme Court’s interpretation of selected provisions of the Bill of Rights and the FourteenthAmendment. Specific topics include the incorporation doctrine, freedom of speech and religion,privacy, racial equality, gender equality, political and economic equality, and criminal defendantrights. Legal and political dimensions of these decisions will be given special attention. Prerequisite:110, 111 or permission of the instructor. 351 is recommended as a prerequisite. S.353. Congress and Legislative Process (McLean)The politics and public policy aspects of the national legislative branch of American government.The course examines the contemporary legislative and representative process including thecommittee system and seniority, party leadership, relations with the President and the SupremeCourt, and relations with constituents and lobbyists. F.354. The American Presidency (McLean)The nature and role of the American presidency. The historical development of the presidencyis examined to lay the foundation for discussions of the sources of presidential power, theconstitutional basis of the presidency, the role of the Executive Office and the bureaucracy. Therelationship of the presidency and Congress and the problems of public policy making are reviewed.The course concludes with discussion of the politics of modern presidencies. F.355. American Federalism and Public Policy (Ramsay)The relationship between public policymaking and the American federal system is explored frommany vantage points. Emphasis is placed on the roles of local, state, and federal agencies in theoperation of complex government programs in such policy areas as the environment, transportation,health care, social welfare, and education. The course also includes an examination of the majorstate and local government institutions (e.g., legislatures, governorships, municipalities). The237