Jacob Authement

Document Type

Syllabus

Publication Title

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Abstract

This course offers an introduction to the study of the American presidency. The course has three aims. The first is to introduce important facts and fundamental principles of American politics to help students understand the presidency as an institution – its history, its design, how it operates, and how it interacts with the other branches of American government. A discussion of these topics and others will provide students with a solid understanding of the U.S. executive branch. This understanding will allow students to analyze, critique, and debate American politics.

The second goal of the course is to force students to think critically about the presidency as an institution. In order to achieve this goal, students will be exposed to the conceptual material political scientists use to analyze presidential activities. We will apply these concepts to frame our thinking about important issues in the American presidency.

Finally, this course is designed to motivate further study of American politics and the executive branch of the U.S. government. We will often reference current events in class in connection to assigned readings and students are encouraged to keep abreast of political news. Students are encouraged to read materials outside of those assigned for class and to approach me with questions.

Publication Date

Spring 2025

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