Dr. Michael W. Frank
POSC 2100 - 3 hrs.
Semester II, 2008-2009
Why do people hate government and politics?
Is government necessary but inherently negative, something that we need to tolerate like going to the dentist? What’s wrong with American government and how can it be fixed? Do the institutions or processes of government need to be reformed? If so, how? What are the root causes of the problems we have with government? Answering that question is crucial: in order to fix the problems, we need to treat the causes and not merely the symptoms. On a more fundamental level, how democratic is our political system? How democratic should it be?This course addresses those questions by examining the major structures of the American political system, including the Constitution, federalism, public opinion, voting, interest groups, political parties, elections, Congress, the presidency, and the courts. It has been designed to meet the requirements for the Societal Structures component of Anderson University’s Liberal Arts Program, to serve as the introductory course for the Political Science major, and to supplement the requirements for selected professional majors.
Take some time to familiarize yourself with this web site. The links to the left provide you with some basic information about the course: the texts, the course objectives, the requirements, and the class schedule. You will also find information about my policies, how I grade, how to contact me, and what I expect in terms of your writing.
If you are an athlete who has athletic events that conflict with this class, please come see me during the first week of classes so that I am aware of them and you understand how that might affect your performance in the class.
If you have a special problem that might affect your performance in the class, please come see me during the first week of classes. Appropriate arrangements can be made to work closely with the Office of Disabled Student Services or a tutor.
Last Modified: 01/12/09