POL 011 - American Politics and Foreign Policy

This course presents an overview of the history, political institutions, and foreign policy of the United States of America. In considering the colonization, formation, and internal political dynamics of the United States, students will gain deeper understanding of the sources and drivers of American foreign relations. Emphasis will be given to understanding political structures through historical inquiry.

At the end of each class a single reading will be assigned. The following week’s class will consist of a lecture that covers material relevant to this reading, a class discussion, and a writing period. At the end of the class period, students will submit a short essay discussing the reading, and a new reading will be assigned. At the end of the term, the average of each student’s weekly writing assignment grades will be used to determine %35 of the student’s final grade. Grades will be based upon level of intellectual engagement with the assigned material, with a secondary emphasis on quality of English usage. The other %65 will be awarded on the basis of the mid-term and final exams.

Cox, Michael and Stokes, Doug (ed.) (2018) US Foreign Policy (3rd ed.), Oxford: Oxford University Press