Seminar in American Politics: Election Politics and Law

This course explores the politics and legal regulation of campaigns and elections and voting rights. The goal of the course is to engage students in a critical analysis of the legal context, social and political landscape that underpin political participation in the United States. The readings for the course are a mix of political science research and Supreme Court case law engaging elections, from voters to parties to interest groups to media, as well as major court cases, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, redistricting, ballot access, regulation of political parties, the 2000 presidential elections controversy, and campaign finance.