{"id":8547,"date":"2020-10-22T15:19:26","date_gmt":"2020-10-22T19:19:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/polisci\/?page_id=8547"},"modified":"2026-08-25T16:01:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T20:01:12","slug":"american-politics","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/polisci\/academics\/courses\/american-politics\/","title":{"rendered":"American Politics"},"content":{"rendered":"

CAS PO 301 Presidential Leadership <\/strong>(4 credits)
\nPresidential power and functions; relations with Congress, political party, and the public; personality and leadership; and comparative study of selected presidents.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0 Social Inquiry II
\n\"\"\u00a0 Oral and\/or Signed Communication
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

CAS PO 302 Congress and its Critics <\/strong>(4 credits)
\nPrerequisite: CAS PO 111<\/a> or CAS PO 141<\/a> or consent of the instructor.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The United States Congress is the most studied branch of U.S. Government, and central to our understanding of policy, elections, and representative democracy. The purpose of this course is to examine two fundamental questions: (1) what do Members of Congress do and why and (2) how do the individual and collective actions of Members of Congress explain national policy? Throughout, we will debate the common criticism that \u201cCongress is broken\u201d and consider its effectiveness as an institution. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:<\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0 Social Inquiry II
\n\"\"\u00a0 Critical Thinking<\/p>\n

CAS PO 303 It\u2019s a Free Country: Civil Liberties in America <\/strong>(4 credits)
\nAn accessible introduction to American civil liberties. Students will read a sampling of key Supreme Court cases about issues including speech, religion, privacy and equality. They will understand the key the debates, considerations, and decisions about old and new civil liberties challenges in the U.S. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:<\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0 Philosophical Inquiry and Life’s Meanings
\n\"\"\u00a0 Ethical Reasoning
\n\"\"\u00a0 Critical Thinking<\/p>\n

CAS PO 306 Media and Politics in the United States <\/strong>(4 credits)
\nPrerequisite: CAS PO 111<\/a> or CAS PO 141<\/a> or consent of the instructor.<\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Examines changes over time in the American polity\u2019s assumptions about what the press ought to do. In particular, relates our understanding of the press\u2019s role to contemporary media developments including technological changes, corporate media ownership, and the re-amateurization of journalism. This course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area(s):<\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0 Social Inquiry II
\n\"\"\u00a0 Critical Thinking<\/p>\n

CAS PO 307 Public Opinion in American Politics <\/strong>(4 credits)
\nPrerequisite: CAS PO 111<\/a> or CAS PO 141<\/a> or consent of instructor.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Public opinion is a central component of democratic politics; in this course we study public opinion in the United States. In addition to this substantive focus, the course is intended to foster the development of two skills: critical reading and rigorous, careful and clear writing. This course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area(s):<\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0 Social Inquiry II<\/p>\n

CAS PO 308 The Politics of Race and Ethnicity <\/strong>(4 credits)
\n(BU Hub Pathway: Social & Racial Justice<\/em>)<\/em><\/p>\n

Combining research from history, political science, sociology, and economics, this course examines the role of race and ethnicity in shaping American politics and policy.\u00a0<\/span>Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:<\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0 Ethical Reasoning
\n\"\"\u00a0 Social Inquiry II
\n\"\"\u00a0 Critical Thinking<\/p>\n

CAS PO 313 The Politics and Policy of HBO\u2019s The Wire<\/strong> (4 credits)
\n(BU Hub Pathway: Social & Racial Justice)
\n<\/em>
\nHBO\u2019s television series The Wire is used to explore politics and policy. \u00a0A number of interdisciplinary topics\u00a0 are covered, including the war on drugs, urban elections, bureaucracy, rational choice theory, and the decline of American cities. This course m<\/em>eets with CAS AA313. <\/em><\/span>This course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area(s):
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0 Ethical Reasoning
\n\"\"\u00a0 Social Inquiry II
\n\"\"\u00a0 Teamwork\/Collaboration<\/p>\n

CAS PO 409\/GRS PO 609 The Political Psychology of Group-Based Politics<\/strong> (4 credits)
\nPrerequisite: Junior Standing and one previous course in political science or social psychology; or consent of instructor.
\n<\/em>
\nThe study of political psychology, integrating political science and social and cognitive psychology as it informs the dynamics of group-based politics, including especially race, gender, class, and political party affiliation. This course meets with CAS PS 512.<\/em><\/p>\n

*This course does not currently satisfy any BU Hub requirements. <\/em><\/p>\n

CAS PO 505 Readings in American Politics<\/strong> (4 credits)
\nTopics vary. Possible offerings include but are not limited to Women in Government, Controversies in American Government.<\/p>\n

*This course does not currently satisfy any BU Hub requirements. <\/em><\/p>\n

CAS PO 507 Development of American Constitutional Law
\n<\/strong>Prereq: CAS PO 111 and CAS PO 304.<\/em>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

A survey of the development of constitutional law and the exercise of power by the U.S. Supreme Court. The course is drawn entirely from decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court and the principal theme is the development of national constitutions and power. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub area(s):<\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0 Writing-Intensive Course
\n\"\"\u00a0 Oral and\/or Signed Communication
\n\"\"\u00a0 Historical Consciousness<\/p>\n

CAS PO 508 The Judiciary and Civil Liberties <\/strong>(4 credits)
\n(BU Hub Pathway: Social & Racial Justice<\/em>)
\nPrerequisite: First Year Writing Seminar (WR 120 or equivalent)<\/em><\/p>\n

First Amendment rights of speech, press, assembly, religion; rights of defendants in criminal cases; and the constitutional protection of racial minorities. Supreme Court decision-making processes and modes of compliance with its decisions are also considered. This course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area(s):<\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0 Historical Consciousness
\n\"\"\u00a0 Oral and\/or Signed Communication
\n\"\"\u00a0 Writing-Intensive Course<\/p>\n

CAS PO 517 Urban Politics <\/strong>(4 credits)
\nPrerequisite: First Year Writing Seminar (WR 120 or equivalent) <\/em><\/p>\n

Explores the impact of American urban politics on the implementation of local policy. Topics include\u00a0 deindustrialization, white flight, neighborhood effects, housing policy, schools, regionalism, and factors\u00a0 that constrain policy-making capacities.\u00a0Meets with CAS AA 517. <\/em>This course fulfills a single unit of the following BU Hub area(s):<\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0 The Individual in Community
\n\"\"\u00a0 Teamwork\/Collaboration
\n\"\"\u00a0 Writing-Intensive Course<\/p>\n

CAS PO 519 Inequality and American Politics<\/strong> (4 credits)
\n(BU Hub Pathway: Social & Racial Justice)<\/em>
\nPrerequisite: First Year Writing Seminar (WR 120 or equivalent)<\/em><\/p>\n

Combining research from history, political science, economics, and public policy, this course examines the role of income inequality in shaping American politics and policy. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:<\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0 The Individual in Community
\n\"\"\u00a0 Research and Information Literacy
\n\"\"\u00a0 Writing-Intensive Course<\/p>\n

CAS PO 578 The United States as a Great Power<\/strong> (4 credits)
\nPrereq: juniors, seniors, and graduate students only and First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or 120)<\/em><\/p>\n

The course material is organized along a debate format. Although the course is primarily concerned with twentieth-century U.S. foreign policy, attention is also given to eighteenth- and nineteenth-century issues. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub area(s):<\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0 Historical Consciousness
\n\"\"\u00a0 Writing-Intensive Course
\n\"\"\u00a0 Research and Information Literacy<\/p>\n

CAS PO 579 Political Biography and Statecraft <\/strong>(4 credits)
\nPolitical biographies and memoir literature are used to evaluate twentieth-century international relations and statecraft. Topics vary but may include biographical literature related to World War II, the Cold War, and Third World political leaders. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas:<\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0 Historical Consciousness
\n\"\"\u00a0 Writing-Intensive Course
\n\"\"\u00a0 Research and Information Literacy<\/p>\n

GRS PO 711 Approaches to the Study of American Politics <\/strong>(4 credits)
\nGraduate Core Course.<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>Introduces students to major theoretical, substantive, and methodological problems in the study of American politics by examining two sets of literature: scholarly debates and discussion of theory and research, and the concrete research of leading Americanists.<\/p>\n

*This course does not currently satisfy any BU Hub requirements. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

CAS PO 301 Presidential Leadership (4 credits) Presidential power and functions; relations with Congress, political party, and the public; personality and leadership; and comparative study of selected presidents. \u00a0 Social Inquiry II \u00a0 Oral and\/or Signed Communication CAS PO 302 Congress and its Critics (4 credits) Prerequisite: CAS PO 111 or CAS PO 141 or […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9133,"featured_media":0,"parent":8456,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/polisci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8547"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/polisci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/polisci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/polisci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9133"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/polisci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8547"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/polisci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8547\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11629,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/polisci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8547\/revisions\/11629"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/polisci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8456"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/polisci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8547"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}