Fall 2021 | POL 3310H Section 001: Topics in American Politics -- Women in the US Congress (35240)
- Instructor(s)
- Class Component:
- Lecture
- Credits:
- 3 Credits
- Grading Basis:
- A-F only
- Instructor Consent:
- No Special Consent Required
- Instruction Mode:
- In Person Term Based
- Class Attributes:
- HonorsTopics Course
- Enrollment Requirements:
- honors student
- Times and Locations:
- Regular Academic Session09/07/2021 - 12/15/2021Tue, Thu 11:15AM - 12:30PMUMTC, West BankHubert H Humphrey Center 30
- Enrollment Status:
- Open (13 of 25 seats filled)
- Also Offered:
- Course Catalog Description:
- Topics in American politics.
- Class Description:
This honors course examines gender dynamics in the U.S. Congress and the ways in which congresswomen affect representation and policy making, along with the factors that enhance and constrain women's election to Congress and women's influence and legislative effectiveness in Congress. We focus on gender dynamics in congressional elections, representation, the legislative process, and the pursuit of power inside Congress. We explore political science research about women in legislative politics from a range of theoretical and methodological approaches. Throughout this course, we will analyze the ways in which sex and gender-based issues and discrimination intersect with other politically relevant categories, identities, and forms of marginalization, such as race, class, and ideological and partisan identification.
- Learning Objectives:
The major goal of this class is for you to understand how gender shapes, and is shaped by, legislative politics. The course is divided into six sections: (1) Introduction and Theoretical Perspectives; (2) Underrepresentation in Congress; (3) Congressional Elections; (4) Representation; Parties in Congress; (5) Committees and Caucuses in Congress; and (6) Legislative Effectiveness and Policymaking. By the end of the semester, you should be able to:
· Understand basic theories about sex and gender and how they intersect with other identities as they apply to legislative politics;
· Articulate how sex/gender matters to several aspects of legislative politics, parties, committees, legislative politics, relationships with the Executive branch and interest groups, and the policymaking process;
· Master basic empirical facts about sex/gender and the U.S. Congress;
· Better understand political institutions and the policymaking process;
· Collect data about 20 members of Congress, and, along with data collected by classmates that includes all members of Congress, conduct and present original empirical research; and
· Improve your analytic ability.- Grading:
Students will closely track the congressional careers of several members of Congress in three short papers and data collection assignments. Students will write a research paper of at least ten pages that addresses one of the themes of the course using the data that we collect as a class, and students will share their findings with the class in a short presentation near the end of the semester. In addition, there will be a take-home midterm and an in-class midterm. Class sessions will include lecture and discussion. Class participation is an essential component of this course. Students are expected to attend regularly, to read the assigned readings prior to class, and to come to class prepared to discuss the course material. On occasion, I will distribute questions about the readings. Sometimes, you will be asked to respond to the questions while completing the readings. Other times, I will distribute the questions during the class in which we are discussing the readings.
Grades will be determined as follows:
10% Class participation
20% Take-home midterm exam
20% In-class midterm exam
25% 3 short papers and data collection
25% Research paper and presentation- Textbooks:
- https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/35240/1219
- Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
- 14 April 2021
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