UNIT 4 USA
| Content outline | Key Concepts | Course Outline |
| Elections and voting |
primary and caucus elections propositions partisanship |
- Units 4C, 5C and 6C are
not concerned with the institutional mechanisms of the US political
system, but also expect students have an awareness of the major economic and historical factors condition the contemporary functioning of the system and important contemporary political events. - a knowledge of the electoral mechanisms used in the US system and of their significance, and awareness of the factors that the outcomes of recent presidential and Congressional elections detailed knowledge of electoral behaviour is not required. |
| Political parties | New Deal liberalism conservatism Reaganism partydecline/renewal two-party system |
- a knowledge of the
ideologies, theories and traditions of the Democrats and Republicans, of
conflicts and tendencies within each party, and of their coalitions of
supporters. - a knowledge of the US party system, of the distribution of power within parties, and of the changing significance of parties as a means of organising the electorate and |
| Pressure groups | public interest
groups private interest groups lobbying |
- a knowledge of the
different categories of groups within the US system and of how they
operate. - a knowledge of the policy significance of organised groups and interests, of their resources and tactics, and of debates about their impact upon democracy. |
| Racial and ethnic politics |
civil rights multiculturalism/multi racialism black nationalism |
- a knowledge of racial and ethnic diversity in the USA and of key issues in minority politics, including forms of minority political activism and the extent of minority representation. |