Code scolarité : LG20FM30
This course first consists of a series of six lectures designed to complete the historical and political
background of third-year undergraduate students. After a brief overview of political and institutional
developments since the 1930’s, the lectures will closely examine all major federal institutions: the Congress,
the Supreme Court and the Presidency. American politics, national and local, will also be covered this
semester.

The tutorial course is meant to enable students to confront their theoretical knowledge to
contemporary issues. In each class, secondary source documents will be used to initiate a discussion of
current topics ranging from the presidential election, the future of political parties to recent trends in
American federalism.

Required reading:

Marc Landy and Sidney M. Milkis. American Government: Enduring Principles, Critical Choices. Cambridge University Press, 2014.

Books

Aldrich, John H. Why Parties? A Second Look. University of Chicago Press, 2011.
Beland, Daniel and Alex Waddan. The Politics of Policy Change: Welfare, Medicare, and Social Security Reform in
the United States. Georgetown University Press, 2012.
Cronin, Thomas and Michael A. Genovese. The Paradoxes of the American Presidency. Oxford University
Press, 2009.
Fiorina, Morris P. et. al. Culture War? The Myth of a Polarized America (3rd ed.). Longman, 2010.
Flaningan, William and Nancy H. Zingale. Political Behavior of the American Electorate (12th ed.). CQ Press,
2009.
Holyoke, Thomas T. Competitive Interests: Competition and Compromise in American Interest Group Politics.
Georgetown University Press, 2011.
Medvic, Stephen K. New Directions in Campaigns and Elections. Routledge , 2011.
O’Brien, David M. Storm Center: the Supreme Court in American Politics. W. W. Norton, 2011.
Peters, Guy B. American Public Policy: Promise and Performance (8th ed.). CQ Press, 2009.
Skocpol, Theda and Vanessa Williamson. The Tea Party and the Remaking of Republican Conservatism. Oxford
University Press, 2012.
Stonecash, Jeffrey M. (ed.) New Directions in American Political Parties. Routledge, 2010.
Smith, Steven M. The American Congress (7th ed.). Cambridge University Press, 2011.
Thurber, James A. and Candice J. Nelson (ed.). Campaigns and Elections American Style (3rd ed.). Westview
Press, 2009.
Tushnet, Mark. The Constitution of the United States of America: a Contextual Analysis. Hart Publishing, 2009.

Recommended websites

Students are referred to the page created for this course on the Moodle platform.
In addition, they are advised to consult academic journals available through the following portals:
- Jstor: http://www.jstor.org.scd-rproxy.u-strasbg.fr/
- Periodicals Archive Online: http://pao.chadwyck.co.uk.scd-rproxy.u-strasbg.fr/home.do
- Taylor & Francis online: http:/www.tandfonline.com.scd-rproxy.u-strasbg.fr/
- Wiley Online Library: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.scd-rproxy.u-strasbg.fr/

 

Lecture régulière de la presse américaine en ligne (New York Times, Washington Post)