American Politics

This course views hip hop music as an expression of minority politics in the United States. Specifically, students will investigate the arguments made in the lyrics of hip hop artists about the causes and consequences of the racial inequalities and group differences in the United States.

This course provides an in-depth study of the three branches of the U.S. government: the legislature, executive, and judiciary. We will examine the major questions and methodological approaches that shape the study of American political institutions, including quantitative, qualitative, and historical methods. Understanding the origins of these institutions will shed light on political power, representation, and American democracy.

This course analyzes policy-making in the United States. Special attention is given to selected domestic policies to illustrate how policies are developed and adopted and the role played by administrative organizations in implementing them.

This course examines the major, and often controversial, U.S. Supreme Court cases interpreting the Constitutional allocation of power between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the national government, and between the national government and state governments.

This course examines the major, and often controversial, U.S. Supreme Court cases interpreting the Constitution's protection of our rights and freedoms as U.S. citizens, especially, of course, as they are found in the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment.

This course covers seminal Supreme Court cases interpreting the 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th Amendments to the US Constitution, including the prohibition on unreasonable searches and seizures, warrant requirements, Miranda rights and interrogations and the right to counsel.

This course provides understanding of the role of law to the United States. It focuses particularly on the structure of our court systems at the national level, and to a lesser degree, the state and local levels and will emphasize the many political variables that affect our laws, the courts, and the appointment process.

This course addresses questions such as: What is the relationship between the biophysical environment and international security? Does competition over resources cause conflict? Does environmental scarcity cause conflict? How will global warming affect relations among great powers and the political stability of the developing world?

This course will consider how environmental problems arise, looking at how a progression of natural and human circumstances becomes an "environmental problem." It will survey the law, politics, and institutions that manage pollution. The course will also look closely at a handful of environmental policy issues particularly in the Columbia River, and the interplay of science, risk, and uncertainty.