Students of this course will:
• Become familiar with the history and political development of political parties with 
  a focus on understanding how this history and development can instruct our
  theoretical understanding of what parties are and how they develop within our
  specific political system 
• Understand the nature of our current party system as well as how it compares to
  others in the world
• Produce written work that demonstrates this knowledge
• Engage in the assessment of a variety of data in the area of political parties and
  how this data can be used to answer questions about political parties and their 
  influence in a variety of venues

Political Party Systems
The American Two-Party System
Party Organizations
Party Activists
Test and Party in the Electorate
Party Support and Realignments
Who Votes
How Parties Choose Candidates
Choosing Presidential Nominees
The General Election 
Financing Campaigns
Parties in Congress
Parties in the Executive and the Courts
Ideologies in General and What American Parties Stand For

All academic work must meet the standards contained in "A Culture of Honesty."  
Students are responsible for informing themselves about these standards before 
performing academic work.  The penalties for academic dishonesty are severe and 
ignorance is not an acceptable defense.  Also note that the course syllabus is a 
general plan for the course and that deviations announced to the class by the 
instructor may be necessary.