POL 380 - Symposium: Davidson in Washington

Section A
World Politics in American Politics
Ceka

In this seminar, we will explore how world politics, foreign actors, and events in the rest of the world influence American politics and policy. The course has two overarching goals. First, we will examine the role that domestic and foreign actors play in the making of American foreign policy by looking at lobbying efforts, think tank activity and diplomacy, and by studying cases such as the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, US-China relations, and conflicts in the Middle East. Second, we will explore the interplay between world politics and American politics by investigating the influence of foreign affairs in US elections and the power struggle between the President and Congress.

Section B
Identity in American Politics
Crowder-Meyer

One of the clearest findings across American politics scholarship is the power of party identity on political outcomes. Partisanship shapes how citizens behave, the outcome of elections, and what representatives do once in office. It is increasingly evident that many other identities influence American politics as well. In “Identity in American Politics,” we will investigate how identities such as gender, race, ethnicity, and region affect American politics and the outcomes of American government.

Satisfies a major requirement in Political Science.