Skip to Main Content

POLS&202: American Government: Topic Areas

Searching, selecting, citing and using ebooks for POLS&202 (Kerzner)

 

  1. Political Culture

    1. American Creed: liberty, equality, individualism, self-government
    2. Nature of politics as a conflict over scarce resources and values

  2. Rights and Responsibilities

    1. Equal Protection (14th Amendment): Anti-discrimination by government
      1. Brown v. Board of Ed.
      2. Occupational licensing
      3. Marriage equality 
    2. 1964 Civil Rights Act: anti-discrimination in public accommodations
    3. Affirmative Action: anti-discrimination in employment/admissions
    4. Freedom of Expression
    5. Fair Trial

  3. Federalism

    1. Federal Power in the Constitution
      1. Necessary & Proper Clause
      2. Commerce Clause
      3. Taxing and Spending Clause
    2. States' Powers: 10th Amendment

  4. Limited Government

    1. Denials of Power
    2. Enumerated Powers
    3. Bill of  Rights
    4. Separation of Powers

  5. Parties and Political Movements

    1. Conservatism vs. Progressivism
    2. Centrism vs. Polarization
    3. Civil/Voting Rights Movements
    4. Protest Movements

  6. Democracy & Elections

    1. Campaign Fundraising & Spending (advertising)
    2. Gerrymandering
    3. Voter Turnout vs. Suppression
    4. Electoral College vs. Popular Vote
    5. Party nominating rules: Primary or Caucus

  7. Congress

    1. Legislation vs Gridlock (filibuster)
    2. Incumbency & re-election
    3. Constituency
    4. Bicameral: House & Senate

  8. Presidency

    1. Domestic Policy: legislative agenda & executive action
    2. Regulatory Policy: monopoly/competition, inequity (defective/unsafe), moral hazard (subprime mortgages), negative externalities (pollution).

  9. Bureaucracy

    1. Social Policy: Religion & politics
    2. Welfare & Income:
      1. Public assistance: TANF, Medicaid, etc.
      2. Entitlements: Social Security, Medicare
      3. Income: Minimum wage, collective bargaining
    3. Fiscal & Monetary
      1. Govt. spending vs. Tax cuts
      2. Federal Reserve

  10. Judiciary

    1. Federal vs State
    2. Appellate vs. Trial
    3. Judicial Review

Contact Us

509-542-4887 library@columbiabasin.edu 2600 N 20th Ave, Pasco, WA. 99301