Special Topics in American Politics: Race and Representation in American Political Institutions
How can you tell that you are well-represented? More specifically, how can you judge this idea of “representation” in a society that often seems to be working against you? This course will explore and analyze the myriad functions of race and racism in shaping representative institutions in the United States. In doing so, we will discuss several themes central to understanding American politics such as descriptive vs. substantive representation, political responsiveness, civil rights, inequality, and intersectionality. The three major American Political Institutions: the Presidency, Congress, and the Court(s) are featured as well as intermediary institutions such as the media, interest groups, the criminal justice system, and immigration enforcement. While this course does not expect specialized knowledge of American politics, having taken PS1 will surely be helpful.
Instructor: Christian Hosam
This course number will change to be 109A before the first day of class.