Legislative Behavior

Course Description

This course provides an overview of the theoretical and empirical studies of legislative politics. The course will place a particular emphasis on rational choice institutional perspectives. Briefly, this paradigm suggests that individual-level strategic calculations are paramount in understanding political phenomena, and institutions both emerge from and serve to constrain these rational, utility maximizing political actors. While the main focus of the course is the U.S. Congress, much of what we cover will have direct relevance to the study of legislatures more generally (both cross-nationally and American state legislatures). We will discuss congressional elections, the nature of congressional representation, positive theories of congressional organization, political parties, the committee system, institutional change, bicameralism, inter-branch relations, and comparative legislatures. 3 credits Prerequisite: Admission to the Political Science PhD Program Grading Letter graded (A, A-, B+, etc.)

Code

POL 627

Credits

3

Subject

POL