American Political Process (LAW-680-001)
Louis Caldera
Meets: 02:30 PM - 03:50 PM ( T, TH)
Enrolled: 21 / Limit: 25
Notices
Note that the syllabus attached below was for the Spring 2020 version of this course and has not yet been updated. But it will give you a sense of the course pacing, coverage and expectations. For further information see the course page for Class Emails, additional readings and links to course materials, or contact me directly.
Description
This course is about how American democracy works. It examines the constitutional and statutory law that structures how the American political process operates and how that law has evolved in response to societal pressures and historical events, including changes in the nation’s size, population, economy, politics and role in the world, up to the consideration of contemporary questions and controversies surrounding the electoral process. The course covers the major Supreme Court cases on the topics of voting rights, reapportionment and redistricting, regulation of political parties, candidates and elections, up to the election law matter that were framed so prominently by the 2020 presidential election. It pays particular attention to competing political philosophies and empirical assumptions that underlie the Court's reasoning in these cases, while still focusing on the cases as litigation tools used to serve political purposes. In addition to covering doctrine, the course considers the theoretical underpinnings of the electoral system, the role of Congress and the courts in overseeing that system, and proposals for reform of the electoral process.
Textbooks and Other Materials
The textbook information on this page was provided by the instructor. Students should use this information when considering purchases from the AU Campus Store or other vendors. Students may check to determine if books are currently available for purchase online.
The textbook information on this page was provided by the instructor. Students should use this information when considering purchases from the AU Campus Store or other vendors. Students may check to determine if books are currently available for purchase online. 1. The Law of Democracy (5th Edition, 2016) by Samuel Issacharoff, Pamela Karlan, Richard Pildes, and Nathaniel Persily. _ 2. The 2019 Supplement to The Law of Democracy: https://3668083.app.netsuite.com/core/media/media.nl?id=3508202&c=3668083&h=6b593bcd626e97f26edb&_xt=.pdf
First Class Readings
See the syllabus.
Syllabus
Use your MyAU username and password to access the syllabus in the following format(s):
Adobe Acrobat (PDF)