American Political Parties: the Past and the Present

elective courses
proseminars

This course looks at the American party system: both its history and its present state. We will discuss the methods of struggling for power and how power is executed. We will examine political careers of chosen party leaders throughout American history. We will look at the evolution, specificity and tactics of two major political parties as well as some less known political groups. Special attention will be paid to the electoral process (the emergence of candidates, pre-elections; party conventions; campaigns before presidential, congress and local elections) and the way parties are organized in the Congress.

The aim of this course is to explore the American party system since its beginning to the present day. In the beginning a general theory of political parties will be introduced – we will define political party, enumerate and compare different types of party systems; the role of political parties in democracies and their functions in political system will also be discussed. Then, we will focus our attention on American party system. We will examine its emergence, development, historical evolution and contemporary state.

Special attention will be paid to the electoral process (the emergence of candidates, pre-elections; party conventions; campaigns before presidential, congress and local elections) and the way parties are organized in the Congress. We will discuss the methods of struggling for power and how power is executed as well as the structural organization of major parties – both national and state. We will look at the evolution, specificity and tactics of two major political parties as well as some less known political groups. We will trace the voters’ support for two major parties in historical perspective and check what social groups in contemporary America vote for which party. We will compare platforms of two major parties and discuss major differences between them. Additionally, we will discuss the following concepts and problems concerning American party system: - party realignment; elections and their ‘party-orientation’; partisan control of state governments; the dynamics of partisan change; - the theory of ‘critical elections’; - the institution and function of primaries; - party identification; - party and leadership recruitment; - campaign process and strategy; - the moneys in political campaigns – its raising, regulations and abuses; - party decline and reform; - voter turnout.

Finally, we will study distinctiveness of American party system in comparison to other western liberal democracies.

Beck A. P., Sorauf F. J., Party Politics in America, New York: HarperCollins 1992

Bibby J. F., Politics, Parties, and Elections in America, Chicago: Nelson-Hall 1987

Brewer M. D, Stonecash J. M., Dynamics of American Political Parties, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2009

Dolbeare K. M., Medcalf L. J., American Ideologies Today, New York: McGraw – Hill 1993

Eldersveld S. J., Political Parties in American Society, New York: Basic Books 1982

Epstein L., Political Parties in the American Mold, Madison: The University of Wisconsin Press 1986

Gillespie J. D., Politics at the Periphery. Third Parties in Two-party America, Columbia: University of South Carolina Press 1993

Gould L. L., The Republicans: A History of the Grand Old Party, Oxford: Oxford University Press 2014

Grossman M., Hopkins D. A., Asymmetric Politics: Ideological Republicans and Group Interest Democrats, Oxford: Oxford University Press 2016

Hershey M. R. (ed.) Guide to U.S. Political Parties, CQ Press 2014

Hershey M. R., “Party Politics in America”, Routledge, 2017 (17th edition)

Keefe, W. J., Parties, Politics, and Public Policy in America, Washington: Congressional Quarterly Press 1991

Maisel L. S. (ed.), The Parties Respond. Changes in American Parties and Campaigns, Boulder: Westview Press 1994

Maisel L. S. (2), American Political Parties and Elections: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2007

Noel H., Political Ideologies and Political Parties in America, New York: Cambridge University Press 2013

O’Connor, K., Sabato L., American Government. Continuity and Change, New York: Longman 2000

Plunkitt G. W., Plunkitt of Tammany Hall: a series of very plain talks on very practical politics, New York: Penguin Books 1991

Pomper G. M., Passions and Interests. Political Party Concepts of American Democracy, Lawrence: University Press of Kansas 1992

Reichley, J. A., The Life of the Parties. A History of American Political Parties, New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. 1992

Rosenstone S. J., Behr R. L., Lazarus E. H., Third Parties in America. Citizens Response to Major Party Failure, Princeton: Princeton University Press 1984

Rusinowa I, Z dziejów amerykańskich partii politycznych, Warszawa: Egross 1994

Shafer B. E, Spady R. H, The American Political Landscape, Cambridge (MA): Harvard University Press 2014

Sifry M. L., Spoiling for a Fight. Third-Party Politics in America, New York: Rutledge 2003

Sundquist J. L., Dynamics of the party system. Alignment and realignment of political parties in the United States, Washington: Brookings Institution 1973

Washington G., The Washington Papers. Basic Selections from the Public and Private Writings of George Washington, ed. S. K. Padover, New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers 1955

Wolny P, "U.S. Political Parties: Development and Division", Lucent Press 2019

The Oxford Handbook of American Political Parties and Interest Groups, ed. S. Maisel, J. Berry, New York: Oxford University Press 2010

KNOWLEDGE:

Upon completing this course a student:

- possesses basic knowledge concerning the theory of political parties;

- is familiar with the history of American party system;

- knows the electoral process in the United States (especially the emergence of candidates, pre-elections; party conventions; campaigns before presidential, congress and local elections);

- understands the organization of American political parties in the Congress.

SKILLS

Upon completing this course a student:

- is able to discuss the emergence, evolution and current state of American party system as well as the evolution, specificity and tactics of two major political parties;

- analyze peculiarities of American party system in comparison to other western democracies;

- identifies the relations between contemporary American politics (both domestic and international) and the influence of main political parties;

- has ability to analyze both American major parties’ platforms and specific pieces of legislation passed in American Congress.

SOCIAL COMPETENCES

Upon completing this course a student:

- is aware of the mutual relations between cultural and legal/institutional causes of durability of two-party system in the U. S.;

- understands the importance of political parties for democratic political process and identifies major functions performed by the parties;

- initiates discussions on American major political parties' platforms and actively participates in it.

Course requirements:

1. Class attendance* and participation – up to 10 points

2. Written assignments – up to 20 points

3. Group research project – up to 30 points

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Grading:

0-30 pts = 2 (fail)

31-36 pts = 3

37-42 pts = 3+

43-48 pts = 4

49-54 pts = 4+

55-60 pts = 5

Ad. 1) Student can miss 2 classes without any excuse and consequences. Every next absence should be made up (either by an oral answer during the office hours or by sending me by email a short - 5 pages - summary of the literature and topic covered during the missed class). Every absence above a 2-absences-limit which has been not made up affects your final grade (reduces it by one grade). Missing 6 or more classes results in failing the course (unsatisfactory grade in both terms). Students do not get any points for mere presence. They are expected to read assigned literature before the class and contribute to class discussions by answering questions, offering possible explanations of discussed phenomena, contributing to better understanding of how American political parties operate. Overall, a student may get up to 10 points for participation in class discussions.

Ad. 2)

Written assignments will be frequently published on the course’s website.

Students will be expected to provide short (500-700 words) answers to 5 such assignments. For each response student may receive up to 4 points.

Ad. 3)

During our first meeting, students will be divided into 3-5 (depending on the overall number of students enrolled in the course) smaller groups. Each group will draw one research topic (out of the topics–bank prepared by the instructor) related to American political parties. Each team is responsible for two tasks:

a) conducting a research on a given topic concluded with writing a 10-15 pages–long paper covering the topic. The paper should be written in such a way that it could be used as a mandatory reading for the rest of group preparing for the class devoted to a given topic (up to 15 points)

b) preparing and delivering an extensive (30-45-minutes) presentation on the topic in the class (or via Zoom or some other conferencing software in case of remote teaching). Up to 15 points.