Readings in American Politics: texts and discourses 4219-AL105

Knowledge:
Upon completion of the course, the student

- identifies the core arguments, methodologies, and historical contexts of classical and contemporary texts in American political science.
- understands the place of political research in the field of American Studies;
- understands such concepts as power, authority, identity, federalism, political culture, pluralism, democracy, social capital, and civil society in the context of studying United States of America;
- knows the basic methods and tools of conducting research in the field of political science related to studying political phenomena in the United States;
- knows the general design as well as specific rules under which American political system operates – with especial emphasis on the institutions of the U. S. Congress and the POTUS.
- understand the foundational constitutional design as well as the evolution of U.S. political institutions;
- understands the philosophical and ideological underpinings of American political institutions.
Skills
Upon completion of the course, the student:
- analyzes and critically evaluate complex academic texts in the field of political science to extract primary arguments, biases, and theoretical frameworks;
- uses methods and tools appropriate for conducting research of the selected institutions or phenomena related to American politics;
- explains and interprets various political phenomena occurring in the United States using theoretical and methodological approaches studies during the course;
- explains the mutual relations between political phenomena and their historic, social, cultural and economic context;
- discusses political topics related to the United States of America, using appropriate, specialized terminology used in the political science;
Social competences
Upon completion of the course, the student
- critically selects the sources of knowledge about the current American political life;
- formulates his/her own opinions on the topics related to American politics using the specialized knowledge acquired during the course;
- initiates debates on current political and social events taking place in the United States;
- demonstrate an appreciation for the diverse perspectives, historical contexts, and structural realities that influence the political behavior of various demographic groups;
- recognizes the importance of unwritten democratic norms, such as liberty, equality, reciprocity, tolerance, pluralism and institutional forbearance in maintaining civic health and stability.

Teaching methods
- Critical readings
- Class discussions
- Response papers
- Mini-quizzes
- Written, in-class essay

Requirements and grading
Requirements
1. Class attendance
Students are allowed to miss 2 (two) classes during the entire semester. Every other absence above the two-absence limit should be made up in the way agreed with the instructor. Missing more than two classes without making up additional absences may result in failing the course. Missing more than 5 classes results in an automatic failing of the course.
2. Active participation in class discussions based on the reading of the assigned texts
Students are expected to read all the mandatory readings assigned to the specific topic prior to the class when the topic is going to be discussed. Ideally, students should have access to the readings during the class (electronic or paper copy). Active participation in class discussions referring to the literature is highly expected. A student can receive up to 10 points for active participation in classes during the entire semester.
3. Mini-quizess
There will be 10 (ten) mini-quizzes organized during the semester, verifying whether students have read the literature assigned for the class. For each of the quizzes a student may receive up to 5 points.
4. Response papers
During the course students will be expected to deliver two response papers (1200-1500 words each) referring to the topics discussed in the class. For each of the response papers a student may receive up to 10 points. The papers should contain detailed references (e. G. including page numbers) to the texts quoted or referred to.
5. Final in-class essay
During the last class in the semester, students will be expected to write a short essay, for which they can receive up to 20 points.

Grading
In total a student may receive 100 points. The final grade will be calculated according to the following table:
0-49 points = 2 (fail)
50-59 points = 3
60-69 points = 3+
70-79 points = 4
80-89 points = 4+
90-98 points = 5
99-100 points = 5!

Topics with assigned literature

Part I: American political culture and political institutions
1. American Political Culture – ideological foundations
This class explores the competing intellectual roots of the American political order by contrasting the dominant liberal consensus with classical republican ideals. Through seminal works by Hartz, Pocock, and Wood, students will examine how concepts of virtue, liberty, and historical continuity shaped the nation's early ideological blueprint. The session also introduces critical challenges to these singular narratives, such as Rogers Smith’s multiple traditions thesis.

Readings
Hartz, Louis, The Liberal Tradition in America (New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1955), pp. 3–14, 20–23.

Pocock, John G. A., The Machiavellian Moment. Florentine Political Thought and the Atlantic Republican Tradition (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1975), chapter 15 (The Americanization of virtue).

Wood, Gordon S., The Creation of the American Republic, 1776-1787 (Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1969), chapter 2 (Republicanism).

Supplementary readings:
Smith, Rogers M. “Beyond Tocqueville, Myrdal, and Hartz: The Multiple Traditions in America.” The American Political Science Review, Vol. 87, No. 3 (Sep., 1993), pp. 549-566.

Gibson, Alan. “Ancients, Moderns and Americans: The Republicanism–Liberalism Debate Revisited,” History of Political Thought, Vol. 21, no. 2 (Summer 2000).

2. American Civil Religion
This class investigates the concept of civil religion the United States, analyzing how quasi-religious symbols, beliefs, and rituals as well as the set of commonly shared values unite the nation. Students will examine how these shared moral and intellectual structures can both foster national identity and create deep ideological disharmony.

Readings
Bellah, Robert N. “Civil Religion in America.” Daedalus, Vol. 134, No. 4 (Fall 2005), pp. 40-55

Huntington, Samuel. American politics. The promise of disharmony (Cambridge: The Belknap Press, 1983), chapter 2 (The American Creed and National Identity)

Supplementary readings
Foner, Eric. “Why Is There No Socialism in the United States?” History Workshop, No 17 (Spring 1984), pp. 57-80

3. American Exceptionalism
This topic assesses the unique structural, cultural, and historical trajectory of the United States relative to other democratic nations. Drawing on the works of Ceaser and Lipset, students will evaluate the origins of "exceptionalist" discourse and debate its polarizing nature as a "double-edged sword" that influences both domestic institutions and foreign policy.

Readings
Ceaser, James. "The Origins and Character of American Exceptionalism." American Political Thought, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Spring 2012), pp. 3-28

Lipset, Seymour Martin. American exceptionalism: A double-edged sword (New York: WW Norton & Company, 1996), pp. 17-32, 151-175.

Lipset, Seymour Martin. "A Unique People in an Exceptional Country." Society 28, no. 1 (1990).

4. American Political Culture, political institution and policies
This topic bridges cultural theory and empirical policy outcomes by exploring how distinct regional subcultures shape state political systems. Through Elazar’s classic framework of moralistic, individualistic, and traditionalistic political cultures, students will analyze how cultural variations directly affect state public policy decisions and government operations.

Readings
Elazar, Daniel J. “Steps in the Study of American Political Culture.” Publius, Vol. 10, No. 2, (Spring, 1980), pp. 127-139.

Morgan, David R., and Sheilah S. Watson. "Political culture, political system characteristics, and public policies among the American states." Publius: The Journal of Federalism 21, no. 2 (1991): 31-48.

5. American Political Development
This class introduces the subfield of American Political Development (APD), focusing on how political institutions and ideas evolve and transform over long stretches of historical time. By engaging with debates among scholars like Ceaser and Smith, students will examine the tension between natural law, historical contingency, and institutional path dependency in shaping American politics.

Readings
Ceaser, James W., Jack N. Rakove, Nancy L. Rosenblum, Rogers M. Smith, and James W. Ceaser. Nature and history in American political development: a debate (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2009), pp. 1–90.

Part II: The society, political behavior, and collective action

6. The political character of identity and its limits
This topic explores the modern emergence and political consequences of identity-based mobilization and the universal human demand for recognition. Drawing on Fukuyama's work, students will examine how modern identity politics can simultaneously empower marginalized groups and fragment broader civic cohesion and democratic consensus.

Readings
Fukuyama, Francis. Identity: Contemporary identity politics and the struggle for recognition (London: Profile Books, 2018), pp. 3-41, 91-123.

7. Origins and Fractures of Civil Society
This class focuses on the social conditions necessary for democratic stability and the challenges posed by increasing social fragmentation. By pairing Lipset’s classic work on economic development and legitimacy with Putnam's research on modern ethnic diversity, students will analyze how demographic shifts affect civic engagement and community cohesion.

Readings
Lipset, Seymour Martin. "Some Social Requisites of Democracy: Economic Development and Political Legitimacy. The American Political Science Review, Vol. 53, No. 1 (Mar., 1959), pp. 69-105

Putnam, Robert D. "E Pluribus Unum: Diversity and Community in the Twenty-first Century." Scandinavian Political Studies, Vol. 30 – No. 2 (2007), pp. 137-174

8. Civil Society, Social Trust, and Social Capital
This session examines the concept of social capital—defined as the networks, norms, and social trust that facilitate collective action. Through Putnam’s iconic "Bowling Alone" thesis and Fukuyama's developmental insights, students will investigate the causes behind the decline of American civic trust and the potential pathways for community renewal.

Readings
Fukuyama, Francis. "Social capital, civil society and development" Third World Quarterly, Vol 22, No 1 (2001), pp 7– 20

Putnam, Robert D. “Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social Capital.” Journal of Democracy, Vol. 6, no. 1 (1995), pp. 65-78

Putnam, Robert D. "Tuning in, tuning out: The strange disappearance of social capital in America" PS: Political Science & Politics Vol. 28, Iss. 4 (Dec. 1995), 664-683

Supplementary readings
Putnam, Robert, Montgomery Philip. “Robert Putnanm Knows Why You’re Alone.” The New York Times, July 14, 2024

Putnam, Robert. The Upswing. How America Came Together a Century Ago and How We Can Do It Again (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2020), Prologue: What’s Past Is

9. Political Interests and Collective Action Problem
This topic applies rational-choice and public choice theory to investigate how individuals organize to achieve common goals. Using Olson’s seminal work and Buchanan's public choice framework, students will analyze why groups often fail to cooperate effectively due to free-rider problems and examine the institutional mechanisms designed to overcome these collective obstacles.

Readings
Buchanan, James M. "What Is Public Choice Theory?" Economic Education Bulletin, Vol XLIII, No.5 (2003), pp. 1-4.

Olson Jr, Mancur. The Logic of Collective Action: Public Goods and the Theory of Groups (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1971), pp. 5-52, 98-113, 125-130.

Part III: The Constitutional blueprint of American politics
10. American Constitutional System
This class traces the intellectual and structural evolution of American constitutionalism from early colonial compacts to state and federal constitutions. Through the historical analyses of Lutz, students will explore how covenant-based colonial frameworks influenced the written constitutions and structural designs that distribute power within the American republic today.

Readings
Lutz, Donald S. "From covenant to constitution in American political thought." Publius 10, no. 4 (1980): 101-133.

Lutz, Donald S. "The purposes of American state constitutions." Publius 12, no. 1 (1982): 27-44.

11. The Constitution on Trial: Majoritarian Democracy vs. Republican Constraint
This class subjects the American constitutional framework to an intellectual debate by contrasting modern majoritarian democratic expectations with the virtues of counter-majoritarian republican design. By juxtaposing the Robert Dahl’s famous critique of a “democratic deficit” with a modern defenders of the constitutional design, students will try to answer the question whether the Constitution's frustration of the direct popular will is a historical defect to be reformed, or is it a necessary safeguard for maintaining long-term civic stability in a highly polarized nation?

Readings
Dahl, Robert A. “How Democratic Is the American Constitution?” (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2001): chapters 1-3.

Hale, Dennis and Landy, Marc. “Keeping the Republic: A Defense of American Constitutionalism” (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2024): Introduction, chapters 1 & 5.

12. Federalism and the States
This session analyzes the constitutional and practical division of power between the national government and the states. Relying on Elazar's theories, students will explore the transition from centralized "statist" governance to shared-sovereignty federal arrangements and compare the American system to unitary frameworks globally.

Readings
Elazar, Daniel J. "From statism to federalism: a paradigm shift." Publius: The Journal of Federalism 25, no. 2 (1995): 5-18.

Elazar, Daniel J. "Contrasting unitary and federal systems." International Political Science Review 18, no. 3 (1997): 237-251.

13. Studying Congress
This topic examines the evolution of legislative studies and the internal institutional incentives that drive congressional behavior. By discussing Polsby's institutional analysis alongside Fiorina's classic critiques of the bureaucratic-legislative complex, students will evaluate how legislative structures shape representation, careerism, and policy outcomes.

Readings
Polsby, Nelson W., and Eric Schickler. "Landmarks in the Study of Congress since 1945." Annual Review of Political Science 5, no. 1 (2002), pp. 333-367.

Fiorina, Morris P., Congress: Keystone of the Washington establishment. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1989), pp. 3-47, 53-80.

14. Studying Presidency and Leadership
This concluding class explores the theoretical models and empirical realities of executive power and executive leadership. Through Nye’s analysis of leadership types and Bowles' methodological overview, students will analyze the limits of presidential command, public expectations, and the evolving nature of executive influence in American politics.

Readings
Nye Jr, Joseph. The powers to Lead (New York: Oxford University Press, 2008), pp. 1-52, 109-145.

Bowles, Nigel. "Studying the presidency." Annual Review of Political Science 2, no. 1 (1999): 1-23.

15. In-class essay