The focal point of this research seminar will be on the state of American democracy early in its third century. Two elements provide a basis for judging the state of American politics: first, we begin with a comparison of politics at the founding of the Republic with the state of politics in our own time; second, each seminar participant will engage in research on a particular aspect of American politics. Among the topics that will be considered are: the competing conceptions of democracy; the appropriate roles of the various institutions of politics (the press, political parties, local, state, and national politics); and, the social and economic systems and their diverse effects. Combined, these two elements will enable the seminar to consider how the American political system has changed and whether it has changed for the better and/or worse. Has the increasing diversity of the American population, the growth of imperial responsibility, the impact of the world economy on America (and of the American economy on the world), the pace of technological change, among other modern features, made democratic politics more or less possible? Discussion format. Requirements: a research paper and oral presentations in the seminar. No prerequisites Enrollment limited to 15. Senior majors have precedence.