POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE UNITED STATES
Spring, 2005

James Bolner, Sr.
jimbolnersr@cox.net  - 766.5987

SYLLABUS

Seminar description: This seminar will focus on the structure and function of political parties in the United States’ political system. Topics to be treated will include: 1) the constitutional and statutory framework of political parties; 2) the evolution of the party system; 3) party ideology, membership, leadership, and financing; 4) the roles parties play in shaping and articulating political values; 5) the relationships between parties and the media;  and 6) attempts to reform of the party system.
 

The Constitutional and Statutory Context

The Evolution of Political Parties in the United States

Party Ideology, Membership, Leadership, and Financing

How Parties Shape and Articulate Political Values

Parties and the Media

Attempts to Reform the Party System

 


Online Resources:

Please Read >>
: Portable Data Format (PDF) Files

Louisiana Election Code 

The Democratic National Committee

The Republican National Committee

Directory of Parties (by politics1.com)

Yahoo!'s Directory of Political Parties in the United States 

American Political Parties (from wordiq.com)

The Campaign Finance Institute

David Broder, "Electoral 'Fixes'," Washington Post, October 21, 2004

Elections in the United States (by electionworld.com)

Elizabeth Mayer, "The Electoral College," New York Times (2004)

Douglas J. Amy, "How Proportional Representation Works," (from the PR Library)

Ed Labonte, Jr., "Proportional Representation - Frequently Asked Questions" (from fairvote.org) 

Political Parties - Summary [handout for students at Murray High School, Murray, UT]
Political Parties - Summary [PDF]

jimbolnersr at cox.net
 02.17.05