17.261 | Fall 2005 | Undergraduate, Graduate

Congress and the American Political System II

Course Description

This course analyzes the development of the United States Congress by focusing on the competing theoretical lenses through which legislatures have been studied. In particular, it compares sociological and economic models of legislative behavior, applying those models to floor decision-making, committee behavior, …
This course analyzes the development of the United States Congress by focusing on the competing theoretical lenses through which legislatures have been studied. In particular, it compares sociological and economic models of legislative behavior, applying those models to floor decision-making, committee behavior, political parties, relations with other branches of the Federal government, and elections. Graduate students are expected to pursue the subject in greater depth through reading and individual research.
Learning Resource Types
Written Assignments
A photograph of the U.S. Capitol building.
The U.S. Capitol. (Image courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey.)