Government in United States - JMMZ313

• Title: Government in United States
• Czech title: Vláda ve Spojených státech
• Guaranteed by: Department of North American Studies (23-KAS)
• Faculty: Faculty of Social Sciences
• Actual: from 2020
• Semester: winter
• E-Credits: 6
• Examination process: winter s.:
• Hours per week, examination: winter s.:1/1, Ex [HT]
• Capacity: unknown / unknown (35)
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: not taught
• Language: English
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Is provided by: JMM345
• Note: course can be enrolled in outside the study plan; enabled for web enrollment; priority enrollment if the course is part of the study plan
• Guarantor: Mgr. Jana Sehnálková, Ph.D.
• Incompatibility : JMM345

Annotation

Last update: Mgr. Jana Sehnálková, Ph.D. (12.09.2021)

This course aims to provide the students with in-depth knowledge and understanding of the U.S. government. It focuses on the the theory, organization, functions, politics, and problems of the United States political system. The course primarily focuses on the federal level of government, however, attention is also paid the state-level government and the interaction between the state and the federal level. The course examines the mechanics of the government, the division of powers, checks and balances. It is mostly analytical, however, it tries to provide the historical context and follows the chronological evolution of the U.S. government. The major topics include the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government; political parties, campaigns, elections; bureaucracy; opinion and the formulation of public policy. Issues of political culture will also be debated. The course uses a variety of textual as well as audiovisual material.

Aim of the course

Last update: Mgr. Jana Sehnálková, Ph.D. (12.09.2021)

Upon successful completion of this course the student will be familiar with the  structure of the U.S. government and the basic mechanisms of its operation. They will also identify the key players and institutions and their mutual overlap.

Literature

Last update: Mgr. Jana Sehnálková, Ph.D. (12.09.2021)

Ø      Declaration of Independence

 

Ø      The U.S. Constitution

 

Ø       1789 Judicial Act

 

Ø       James Q. Wilson, John J. DiIulio, American Government: Institutions and Policies (Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005).

 

Ø       Lowi, Theodore, Ginsberg, Benjamin & Shepsle, Kenneth. American Government: Power and Purpose, New York: W.W. Norton & Co.,

 

Ø      Selected articles on various aspects of U.S. government (will be provided throughout the class)

Teaching methods

Last update: Mgr. Jana Sehnálková, Ph.D. (12.09.2021)

Since this class is partly a lecture and partly a seminar,  lecture will provide main guidance by means of two-way communication; The participants are expected to read assigned  material, raise questions about the claims in the article, and discuss their findings in the class.

Requirements to the exam

Last update: Mgr. Jana Sehnálková, Ph.D. (12.09.2021)

•  Attendance and active participation, including preparation for each class: 20 percent: Students are required to read and discuss assigned texts. The texts will be available online on the course website/SIS/. Should you have any problems getting access to the texts , let me know by email.

 

• Midterm exam: 30 %   - a short test the first/second week of November

 

• Final exam: 50%
  The final exam will include identification of basic concepts, understanding of various terms and relationships and short questions related to assigned readings.

 

Syllabus

Last update: Mgr. Jana Sehnálková, Ph.D. (12.09.2021)

Outline of topics that will be covered in the class:

 

1. Basic intro

 

2. The basic settings, basic principles

Historical background: Evolution of the Constitution and its basic principles: federalism, checks and balances, division of powers, legitimacy of the government, political culture, flexible/inflexible constitution?,  civil liberties, constitutionalism

   

3.  Outline of the Structure of the Government – Key players

• Federal v. State

• Executive: President, Office of the White House, Departments

• Legislative: Congress

• Judiciary: Courts

• Bureaucracy

    - basic structure, who does what, basic requirements for elections into the office.

    - explain structure of departments, White House Office

 

4.          Elections

• nominations, primaries, general elections, delegates vs. electors, electoral college

• Who can vote?

 

5.     The Executive Branch  

• electing the president

• the president and his powers (appointment, removal, legislative, vetoes – presidential and legislative, the power of the purse, executive agreement and treaties, the war power, the power to persuade)

• tensions between the legislative and the executive powers

• the White House Office

• the Cabinet, the Departments

• other institutions of the executive branch

 

6.       Midterm

 

7.    Congress I

 

• Powers of Congress

• House of Representatives and Senate

• Election to Congress, Members of Congress

• Congressional Leadership

• Committees

 

 

8.     Congress II: How a Bill Becomes a Law - process in the HoR and S

 

9.     The Judiciary (27.11.)

•    the structure of the judicial system

•    the powers and role of the Supreme Court

•    the framework within which the Supreme Court operates

•    getting a case in front of the Supreme Court

•    jury trials

•    famous cases

•    where to search for cases.

 

10.     Role of the Parties (4.12.)

• Political Parties, their role and organization, political parties in Congress, in States

• Campaign Finance and support for party candidates

 

11. Frames of Reference

• Public Opinion

• Political Socialization and participation

• Ideology

• Partisan Thinking

• Media

 

12.  Foreign policy and defense policy making

Entry requirements

Last update: SEHNALKO (18.09.2011)

Sufficient knowledge of English language, interest in the subject matter.