PS 203 State and Local Government

Lecture Hours: 4
Credits: 4

Introduces U.S. state and local governments with emphasis on comparative political behavior in states and communities. Covers the political and institutional processes by which state and local governments make policy as well as the policy outputs themselves.

Prerequisite: Placement into WR 115 (or higher), or completion of WR 090 (or higher) with a grade of C or better; or consent of instructor.
Student Learning Outcomes:

Compare state and local political institutions and processes.
Discuss the scope of state and local government policies on communities.
Explain the role the individual citizen may play in state and local governments.
Analyze the structure and processes designed to manage conflict in states and communities.

Statewide General Education Outcomes:

Apply analytical skills to social phenomena in order to understand human behavior.
Apply knowledge and experience to foster personal growth and better appreciate the diverse social world in which we live.

Content Outline

Politics in State and Communities
- Political Approaches
- Comparative Study
- Policy responsibilities
- States, districts and territories
Democracy and Constitutionalism in the States
- Constitutional government
- Constitutional changes
- Democracy
- Direct versus representative democracy
- State initiatives
Participation in State Politics
- Nature of political participation
- Voter turnout
- Race, ethnicity, and political participation
- Securing the right to vote
- Minorities, women, age, interest groups, protest
Parties and Campaigns in the States
- American political parties-an examination
- Parties and primaries
- Organizations and activists
- Party leadership
- Divided parties, party competition, media campaigns, money
Legislators in State Politics
- Functions of state legislatures
- State legislatures-elections, incumbents, districting
- Legislative organization and procedure
- Legislators, party politics, and lobbying
Governors in State Politics
- Roles of the Governor
- Gubernatorial politics
- Executive power in state government
- Governor’s legislative powers
- Divided government
- Procedures, policies, political leadership
Courts, Crime, and Correctional Policy
- Politics and the judicial process
- Lawyers
- Judicial federalism
- Structure of the court system, judges, selection
- Judicial decision making
- State crimes, law enforcement, punishment
Governing America’s Communities
- County and city governments
- Elections
Politics of Taxation and Finance
- Types of taxes and tax politics
- State tax systems
- Tax issues
Politics and Civil Rights
- Historical review
- Segregation
- Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Affirmative Action
- Ethnic issues, ADA, gender, and abortion
Politics of Education
- Educational policy
- Historical and current educational issues
Politics of Poverty, Welfare, and Health
- The Poor in America
- Inequality in America
- Health care policy
- Current issues