American Politics

American Politics
The United States boasts the oldest, continuous constitutional democracy in the world. The ability of this nation to withstand everything from economic change such as the industrial revolution, to social changes such as the civil rights revolutions, to international threats in the modern age including terrorism and globalism, mark the study of the American experience. The Florida Atlantic University American Politics program provides students with a strong understanding of the fundamentals of political science theory and methodology in the context of the American experience. Students of American Politics study policymaking, political institutions, and processes. The study of institutions includes political organizations, the Presidency, Congress, and the courts, which are analyzed from both a U.S. and a comparative perspective. Students may also study political behavior and processes such as public opinion, elections, political parties, social movements, and the influences of media and popular culture from sources such as political film and fiction. Students learn to quantitatively and qualitatively analyze political science phenomena, to understand the philosophical underpinnings of the American political system, and to develop an appreciation of and ability to compare the United States to other political systems.