Political parties have played a central role in extending democracy and organizing power in the United States, yet their worth is a continuing subject of debate. In one ideal formulation, parties not only link citizens to their government, they also provide the coherency and unity needed to govern in a political system in which power is widely dispersed. But there is also an American tradition of antipathy toward parties. They have been criticized for inflaming divisions among the people and for grid-locking the government. For others, political parties fail to offer citizens meaningful choices; the Republican and Democratic parties are likened to a choice between "tweedledee and tweedledum." This course will investigate this debate over parties by examining their nature and role in American political life, both past and present. Throughout the course, we will explore such questions as: What constitutes a party? Why were parties invented? For whom do parties function? Why a two-party system, and what role do third parties play? Is partisanship good or bad for democracy? For governance? And, in the age of technology and mass communications, are parties still relevant? Format: lecture/discussion. Requirements: two 6- to 8-page papers, one 8- to 10-page paper, class presentation, and class participation. Prerequisites: Political Science course at the 200 or 300 level or permission of instructor. Enrollment limit: 24 (expected: 24). Preference given to Political Science majors. American Politics Subfield

Hour: MELLOW