Arguments about the proper relationship between markets and governments – that is, about political economy – are at the heart of many of the most intense conflicts in contemporary American politics. This seminar is designed to explore what we know about the American political economy. We will approach the topic from multiple vantage points – theory, including classic and contemporary work; comparative analysis; historical analyses of the American experience; and investigations of recent and on-going political conflicts. The goal is to better understand why the political economy of the United States is distinctive, and to shed light on the broader question of how – and for whose benefit – the American political system operates. Among other topics we will discuss the political power of business, the sources of rising inequality in the United States, the causes and consequences of finance's increasing role in the American economy, and the politics of health care reform.
The Junior Seminars are intense writing seminars which focus on the research area of the faculty member teaching the course. The seminars provide an opportunity for students to have direct intellectual interactions with faculty members while also giving the students an understanding for faculty research.
Junior seminars fulfill upper division requirements for the major.
Subfield: American Politics
Political Science Majors of Junior and Senior status (must be 3rd or 4th year students with at least 60 units completed) with a minimum overall UC GPA of 3.3. Students must place themselves on the waitlist through TeleBEARS in Phase 1. Selection will occur around November 8, 2013. Continued enrollment in the seminar will be contingent upon maintaining your overall UC GPA at 3.3 (i.e., an overall UC GPA of a 3.2999 will not suffice). Priority may be given to students who have not yet taken a junior seminar.