POLS203 - American Politics and Culture

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Teaching organisation

Unit rationale, description and aim

America's political system has conventionally been regarded as a beacon of democracy and hope in the world. Yet do the formal institutions and practices of American government still conform with our expectations of a robust democracy? Or are they in need of reform? This unit introduces students to the main theories and practice of American government. It examines central documents and institutions of the American political system, including the Constitution, Congress, the Presidency, the Supreme Court, the Bill of Rights, and the major political parties. Key political issues in foreign policy, abortion, religion, race, gun control, and political extremism will also be examined, drawing on cultural political representations to illuminate the dynamics at play. The aim of this unit is to acquaint students with the concepts and skills necessary to analyse the institutions, policies, and issues in contemporary American politics.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Describe the nature and significance of American politics and governance and the key institutional arrangements of the American political system (GA5) 

LO2 - Critically discuss diverse political perspectives in American politics and culture, particularly with respect to marginalised, disadvantaged, and vulnerable peoples and communities (GA1) 

LO3 - Demonstrate the capacity to gather, analyse and advocate solutions to political problems through evidence-based argument and evaluation of secondary and primary sources (GA4, GA7, GA8, GA9). 

LO4 - Apply concepts and theories used in the study of American politics to the analysis of interests, ideas, institutions and political behaviour in a way that informs students’ own practices of engaged citizenship (GA6). 

Graduate attributes

GA1 - demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity 

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA6 - solve problems in a variety of settings taking local and international perspectives into account

GA7 - work both autonomously and collaboratively 

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

Content

Topics will include: 

• The Constitution   
• Congress 
• The Presidency 
• The Supreme Court 
• The Bill of Rights 
• The Parties: Republicans, Democrats, and third parties 
• Electoral behaviour and participation: Campaigns, Elections and the Media 
• Organised interests and lobby groups  
• American responses to foreign threats 
• Key issues: abortion, religion, race, and gun control 
• The electoral success of Donald Trump and other recent leaders 
• The rise of populism and the future of American democracy 
• Cultural political representations of US politics – i.e. The West Wing, The Wire, House of Cards 

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit employs two formal ways of learning and teaching. Lectures are structured to promote case-based learning, a format that involves collaborative deep learning. Students will explore real world challenges and problems, a process that requires them to demonstrate their investigative, problem-solving and decision-making skills. Case-based learning requires learning specific theories and concepts that will complement the conceptual tools and theoretical knowledge critical to analysing divergent approaches in American politics.  

Tutorials for this unit provide students opportunities for active learning. Students will engage in activities including reading, writing, interrogating ideas, exploring case studies, doing role plays, debating, and giving presentations. These activities, as well as promoting analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of lecture content, are designed to build skills appropriate to the second-year study in Politics and International Relations.  

This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the semester. To achieve a passing standard in this unit, students will find it helpful to engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments utilised in this unit, as described in the learning and teaching strategy and the assessment strategy. The learning and teaching and assessment strategies include a range of approaches to support your learning such as reading, reflection, discussion, webinars, podcasts, video etc. 

Assessment strategy and rationale

A range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. The assessment strategy allows students to engage in a variety of tasks, each aligned to their own learning outcomes.  

The descriptive task (quiz) enables students to describe the nature and significance of American politics and governance and the key institutional arrangements of the American political system. 

The written analytical task (report) is designed to enable students to research and write a report on how the American political system is adapting to a contemporary culture, economic, social, religious, or environmental challenge. It offers students an opportunity to critically discuss diverse political perspectives in American politics and culture, particularly with respect to marginalised, disadvantaged, and vulnerable peoples and communities, and to demonstrate the capacity to gather, analyse and advocate ethical solutions to political problems through evidence-based argument and evaluation of secondary and primary sources. 

The major written task (essay) enables students to develop, research, and write an essay that applies concepts and theories used in the study of American politics to the analysis of interests, ideas, institutions and political behaviour in a way that informs students’ own practices of engaged citizenship. 

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Barron, J. (2008). The Long Road to the White House. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press  

Black, A. E. (2007). From Inspiration to Legislation: How an Idea Becomes a Bill. New Jersey: Pearson. 

Carroll, S. (Ed.). (2003). Women and American Politics: New Questions, New Directions. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 

Dumbrell, J. (Ed.). (2013). Issues in American Politics. New York: Routledge. 

Jilson, C. (2011). American Government: Political Development and Institutional Change. New York: Routledge. 

Joseph. P. (Ed.). (2006). Black Power Movement: Rethinking the Civil Rights Black Power Era. New York: Routledge. 

Kalhoon, R. (2009). Political Moderation in America’s First Two Centuries. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 

Landy, M. (2019). American Government: Enduring Principles and Critical Choices. New York: Cambridge University Press. 

McKay, D. (6th ed.). (2005). American Politics & Society. Oxford: Blackwell. 

Wilson, J. Diiulio, J. Bose, M. Levendusky, M. (2019). American Government: Institutions and Policies. Boston: Cengage.