GOVT 4112 - [The Politics of Change]

(crosslisted) AMST 4112
(HA-AS)

Spring. Next offered 2016-2017. 4 credits. Letter grades only.

S. Mettler.

President Barack Obama was elected in 2008 amid hopes of his supporters that the United States would address numerous pressing domestic policy issues. In this course, we assess Obama’s first term, examining why he accomplished his goals in some areas and not in others. We will also analyze the course that reforms took, and why alternative pathways were not pursued. Our inquiry will immerse us in the study of the institutional arrangements of American politics, the current political context, the challenges and opportunities posed by existing policies, and the legacy of past efforts to address key issues. In the first few weeks of the semester, students will learn about the relationship between the White House and Capitol Hill and the rise of partisan polarization in Congress. The body of the course will focus on prominent issue areas, such as: taxes and inequality, health care, higher education, K-12 education, and the environment. In each case, we will examine the issue in historical perspective by analyzing past reform efforts, and we will consider the Obama administration’s record to date and consider the implications for success over the next few years. Students will have the opportunity to write in-depth research papers. (AM)