This course examines an important question: Do court rulings effect significant change in public policy? We examine this question by investigating U.S. Supreme Court holdings and lower court treatment of policy issues in the following areas: abortion; access to justice; race, sexual orientation and gender discrimination; affirmative action and the death penalty.
Prerequisite: PSC-101

Through 25-hour-per-week internships in local or state governmental agencies (both political and administrative) or nongovernmental agencies (such as interest groups, media or nonprofits), students are exposed to the way in which subnational policy is formulated, implemented and evaluated. In addition, students attend a weekly seminar that integrates various themes in public administration, public policy and state and local government.
Prerequisite: PSC-101

The judicial process and the federal system through the case method.
Prerequisite: PSC-101

Study of the civil rights of the American constitution through readings and the case method.
Prerequisite: PSC-101

This course examines an important question: Do court rulings effect significant change in public policy? We examine this question by investigating U.S. Supreme Court holdings and lower court treatment of policy issues in the following areas: abortion; access to justice; race, sexual orientation and gender discrimination; affirmative action and the death penalty.
Prerequisite: PSC-101

Examination of African American, Hispanic, Asian American and Native American efforts to organize for political action in the face of political, social and economic constraints. Groups are compared to other politically active groups in U.S. politics.
Prerequisite: PSC-101