WiSe 2019/2020

Universität Bremen
FB 8 | Institut für Politikwissenschaft
BA Politikwissenschaft

Dennis Redeker
Research Center on Inequality and Social Policy (SOCIUM)
Bremen International Graduate School of Social Sciences (BIGSSS)
Mary-Somerville-Str. 7, Room 7.4490

Contact: redeker@uni-bremen.de
Office Hours: Tuesdays, 11:00-12:00 and 14:00-15:00

Introduction to American Politics

Mondays, 12:00-14:00 (Room: UNICOM 3; ground floor; seminar room 3)

Content

After the Cold War ended, the United States remained as the only global super power. In spite of new
challengers to that status, specifically from Asia, the hegemonic position means that the American way of
life still matters: Presidents of the United States are (or were until recently) considered the leaders of the
free world, global news shows feature reports about primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire, and political
discussions the world over feature grievances about guns and money in US politics. For better or worse,
this is why we study US politics or – to do as the Romans do – American politics.

This class aims to provide an introduction to the American political system and to contemporary American
politics. It provides a deeper theoretical understanding of the structural and long-lasting forces in American
politics which help to interpret current political trends. The first part of the course deals with the US
constitution and the three branches of government it lays out. Here we will explore the debates of colonists
in the late 18th century about what kind of republic they want to live in. We will discuss the roles of the US
Congress, the presidency, and the federal judiciary in the political system and conclude this part by looking
at the enormous power of US states to shape the lives of Americans.

The second part of the class deals with important concepts and problems in American politics that
transcend daily politics and are deeply rooted within political culture. We will deal with four such issues
specifically: the role of political parties and elections, the role of race/ethnicity in American politics, the
role of gender, and – last but not least – the role of money in US politics. All these topics have developed
over time to become key elements of American political culture and have come to influence policy
outcomes for people across the US and beyond.

Finally, the third part of the class invites us to engage with current policy issues in American politics. The
insights into polity and politics from the previous weeks should help us better understand why debates and
policies change – or remain the same. We start this conversation by talking about inequality and the status
of welfare state development in the US. The two following meetings are reserved for any two topics of
your choice., e.g.: the protracted fight around gun ownership and control; recent changes in environmental
policy; recent topics in immigration; trade policy and structural change in the US economy; American
foreign policy toward Israel and Palestine; healthcare policy.

Over the course of this class, you should be able to accomplish a number of learning goals to be
demonstrated by way of a research paper about a topic covered by this class. Thus, in late January, we
conclude this class talking about your research paper proposals.

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Learning Goals

• Gain knowledge about the development and current state of the American political system as laid
out in the US Constitution (polity).
• Understand foremost conceptual themes and debates, and the functioning of American politics
from a political science perspective.
• Develop your ability to interpret and evaluate current policy debates in the United States utilizing
the empirical and conceptual knowledge gained throughout the class.

Assessment

There are two options to pass the course successfully, either with 3 or 6 CP.

For 3 CP you are required to submit a research paper of 3,000 words (+/- 10%) to be handed in by March
31, 2020 (100% of the overall grade). This paper should focus on one of the three parts of the class i.e.
dealing with a research question related to polity, politics or policy. In the end of each meeting, we will
come up with a number of open questions pertaining to the content matter of that meeting. These will be
framed to allow you to write a research paper responding to one of them. You may deviate slightly but
should generally pick one of the questions from that evolving list. You are required to present and discuss
your research question and paper proposal in the format of a one-page abstract in class (during the last
meeting) (pass or fail).

For 6 CP you are required to submit a research paper of 5,000 words (+/- 10%) to be handed in by March
31, 2020 (100% of the overall grade). This paper should deal with on all three parts of the class i.e. feature
a research question that is in some way related to polity, politics or policy. You are required to present and
discuss your research question and paper proposal in the format of a one-page abstract in class (during the
last meeting) (pass or fail).

You are additionally encouraged to discuss your paper (short or long) ahead of time, during office hours.

The research papers require correct citations and should be spell-checked. For this you should consult the
Study Guide1. Please also consult the Study Guide for more information on formatting requirements and
general guidelines for writing a research paper.

Papers should be handed in via email (redeker@uni-bremen.de) attaching the “Copyright Declaration” and
a title page. Please also consult the information sheet concerning the use of anti-plagiarism software. Both
documents can be found on the Stud.IP.

Office Hours

My office hours are on Tuesdays from 11:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 15:00 (Mary-Somerville-Str. 7,
Room 7.4490). Please email me before you drop by to reduce waiting times.

1
https://www.politik.uni-bremen.de/ccm/cms-service/stream/asset/StudyGuide%202016%20(Update%2025-03-
2017).pdf?asset_id=1386014

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Meeting 1: Introduction – What is American Politics?

The first meeting of the semester serves to discuss the content covered by this course, your expectations,
the approaches to learning and the ways in which your progress is assessed. In addition, this meeting
provides a first glance at the importance and complexity of the study of American politics.

Required Reading: none.

Meeting 2: A Short Political History of the United States

The United States are the subject of the study of American politics. In order to understand today’s political
institutions, political cultures and behaviors, and current political debates, we need to understand – at least
roughly – where these are coming from. Specifically, we need to study the context of the founding of the
United States in the late 18th century and the its subsequent domestic political struggles including the
genocide conducted against native Americans (and the westward-expansion of the US), the abolition of
slavery (and the Civil War), the New Deal of the 1930s and the Civil Rights Era. This session aims to
cover the history of more than two-hundred years of US politics. A number of maps will help us navigate
this substantial period of time.

Required Reading:

• Smith, R. (1993). Beyond Tocqueville, Myrdal, and Hartz: The Multiple Traditions in
America. The American Political Science Review, 87(3), 549-566. (18 pages)

Meeting 3: The US Constitution

The average written constitution only remains valid for an estimated seventeen years2. Effective since
1789, the US Constitution is oldest democratic constitution currently in force. For all their political
differences, most Americans revere their constitution and the fundamental political values it expresses.
This session is dedicated to exploring the founding of the United States and the creation of the US
Constitution. Under which conditions was the document drafted? What were the most contentious issues in
the process of drafting and adopting the constitution?

Required Reading:

• Constitution of the United States (ca. 20 pages)

• Marshall, T. (1987). Reflections on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution. Harvard
Law Review 101(1), 1-5. (5 pages)

Meeting 4: The US Congress

Together the House of Representatives and the Senate make up the US Congress, the legislative branch of
government of the United States. Its working is outlined in Article 1 of the Constitution. This session
entails a discussion of the legislative process in Congress. We will engage with questions such as: How
does a bill become a law? What is the role of committees in the legislative process? What is the nature and
intended function of each of the two chambers of Congress?

Required Reading:

• Valelly, R. M. (2013). American Politics: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 22-32 (“Congress and its bicameralism”). (11 pages)
• S.M. (10 January 2013). Throw the bums two more years: Why America should double the terms
of House members. The Economist. (3 pages)

2
According to Thomas Ginsburg, Zachary Elkins, and James Melton’s blog post:
https://www.law.uchicago.edu/news/lifespan-written-constitutions

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Meeting 5: The Presidency and the Executive

Amaury de Riencourt wrote that the presidency "wears ten hats-as Head of State, Chief Executive, Minister
of Foreign Affairs, Chief Legislator, Head of the Party, Tribune of the People, Ultimate Arbiter of Social
Justice, Guardian of Economic Prosperity, and World Leader of Western Civilization" (as quoted by
Arthur S. Miller). The power of the US president has increased successively since the founding of the
republic. This is true even though in the beginning, rather than to create a surrogate king, the “framers” of
the US Constitution intended to create a relatively weak president focused on the few federal policy fields
of the day, specifically in the areas of foreign affairs and the command of the military.

Required Reading:

• Valelly, R. M. (2013). American Politics: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 11-21 (“The presidency”). (11 pages)
• Binyamin Appelbaum, B. and Shear, M. D. (13 August 2016). Once Skeptical of Executive
Power, Obama Has Come to Embrace It. The New York Times. (5 pages)

Meeting 6: The Federal Judiciary

The federal judiciary plays a crucial role in the US political system. Not only do judges (and juries) make
sure that federal law is applied justly, and a uniform law of the land established, nine of them – on the
Supreme Court – engage in the important practice of “judicial review”. That process allows claimants to
submit to the court cases that pertain to the functioning of the US political system, including the
relationship between the three branches of government, and between the federal government and the states.
Perhaps most importantly, over time, the Supreme Court both prevented and gave way to fundamental
social changes in US society, from segregation and desegregation to abortion rights and same-sex
marriage.

Required Reading:

• Valelly, R. M. (2013). American Politics: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 42-52 (“The Supreme Court”). (11 pages)
• Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137 (1803), Wikipedia
• Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954), Wikipedia

Meeting 7: Party Politics and Elections

Like in many liberal democracies, political competition in the United States is organized around regularly
occurring general elections, on the federal, state and local level. Over time, a relatively stable rivalry
between two main political parties – Republicans and Democrats – has been established, with few third-
party or independent members of US Congress being elected. We will talk about the respective platforms
of these parties and the how they compete for legislative and executive offices on the federal level. The
way elections are held in the US are themselves rather political, with complaints about issues such as
“gerrymandering”, “voter suppression” and “voting fraud” being brought by both parties.

Required Reading:

• Valelly, R. M. (2013). American Politics: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 75-86 (“Political parties and democratic choice”). (12 pages)
• Stephanopoulos, N. (2018). Walking the line: Modern gerrymandering and partisanship. Georgia
Law Review 52(4), 1009-1038. (30 pages)

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Meeting 8: Race and Politics

When Barrack Obama was elected president in 2008, some commentators were convinced of the
irreversible change that his election would have on US race relationships. Few topics have such great
salience in US politics as those related to race, ethnicity and immigration. This meeting serves to start an
exploration how African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans vote and engage
politically and how discourses are affected by race and ethnicity.

Required Reading:

• Hajnal, Z., & Trounstine, J. (2014). What underlies urban politics? Race, class, ideology,
partisanship, and the urban vote. Urban Affairs Review 50(1), 63-99. (37 pages)

Meeting 9: Money in Politics

Money plays an outsized role in American politics – especially if one compares it to most liberal
democracies. Members of the House of Representatives and other office-holders spend a great deal of their
time raising funds from companies, foundations and private individuals. How much money anyone
(including companies) spends is not limited and not always transparent, in part thanks to so-called Super
PACs (Political Action Committees). Since spending money during election campaigns (including for ads,
campaign staff, data) is more important than in most countries, who gets how much can determine a
candidate’s chances to get elected. Who gave money before an election in turn may influence decisions
both in the legislative and executive branch of government. During this meeting, we will look at some of
the implications political scientists think come with such great dependence on private funding of politicians
in the US.

Required Reading:

• Bowler, S., & Donovan, T. (2016). Campaign Money, Congress, and Perceptions of Corruption.
American Politics Research 44(2), 272–295. (24 pages)
• Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310 (2010), Wikipedia

Meeting 10: Inequality and the Welfare State

The welfare state in the United States represents a contested policy issue, much like in most countries. Yet,
the specific politics in this field and the policies in place differ in many ways from other OECD countries,
notably in continental Europe. Questions that relate to the US welfare state include: How much should
people rely on themselves, rather than on others regarding risks such as illness or unemployment, or when
they retire? How does US social policy relate to inequality?

Guest Speaker: Joseph van der Naald, City University of New York (CUNY)

Required Reading:

• Lynch, J. (2015). A cross-national perspective on the American welfare state. In: Daniel Beland,
Christopher Howard, Kimberly J. Morgan (eds.), Oxford Handbook of US Social Policy. Oxford:
Oxford University Press. (21 pages)

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Meeting 11: Immigration Debate and Policy

For years, political groups across the political spectrum desire immigration reform of one kind or the other.
Liberal forces want to provide those with a pathway to legality who came to (or were born) in the country
without having a documented immigration history. The same politicians and advocates tend to emphasize
the role of the US to take in more people who had to flee their home countries for political or other reasons.
Proponents of such policies currently encounter an executive that aims to make it more difficult to migrate
to the US without a visa (among other things by reinforcing the border infrastructure), from certain
countries or on certain visa categories (e.g. by lowering of the intake of refugees). They also argue that
people, who acted against the law – by coming to the country illegally or by overstaying their visa, should
be send back to their home countries.

Required Reading:

• Johnson, R. (2018). Trump, the Democrats, and the Politics of Immigration. Political Insight 9(3),
15-19. (5 pages)
• Felter, C. and Renwick, D. (2019). The U.S. Immigration Debate. Council on Foreign Relations.
(12 pages)

Meeting 12: Criminal Justice Reform

Although US crime rates have steadily declined during the past 25 years, state and federal policies have
driven up the number of people in prisons. Today the US has an incarceration rate more than six times that
of other rich countries (Kearney et al., 2014). Recently reform efforts have been proposed based on these
and other extreme occurrences in the criminal justice system such as the bipartisan Sentencing Reform and
Corrections Act (currently in the Senate). In addition, police brutality and discrimination against non-white
suspects gave rise to a number of reform movements, including Black Lives Matter.

Required Reading:

• Kearney, M. S., Harris, B. H., Jácome, E. and Parker, L. (2014). Ten Economic Facts about Crime
and Incarceration in the United States. Brookings. (22 pages)
• Eckhouse, L. (2019). Race, Party, and Representation in Criminal Justice Politics. The Journal of
Politics 81(3), 1143-1152. (10 pages)

Meeting 13: Populism and the 2018 Mid-term Elections

This meeting will put an emphasis on the political developments of the last few years. This encompasses
the rise of populism in US politics but also – in part as a reaction – the most-female and ethnically diverse
US Congress in history.

Required Reading:

• Skonieczny, A. (2018). Emotions and Political Narratives: Populism, Trump and Trade. Politics
and Governance 6(4), 62–72. (11 pages)
• Jaffe, S. (2018). Why Did a Majority of White Women Vote for Trump? New Labor Forum 27(1),
18–26. (9 pages)

Meeting 14: Conclusion and Discussion of Paper Proposals

The last meeting is reserved to find arrive at some conclusions together. What have you learned? Which
questions remain unanswered? Where has American come from, in terms of the development of its polity,
politics and policy, and which directions will it move to? In addition, you are required to present a one-
page abstract – including your research question and some ideas for a structure – in class (please bring a
few print-outs). Students will comment on each other’s work to make sure all are well prepared to write
their papers.

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