The study of political parties gets straight to the heart of American politics. The story of political parties is about how we get along with one another. Political parties grew outside the Constitution and the more formal framework of government. No one planned or even wanted them. Parties developed as a response to the dream of a unified government. While parties have taken the country to the brink of violence, and beyond, they have also been vehicles for avoiding violent conflict, and for channeling disagreements. This course provides an understanding of how American politics works and can help make sense of election results and political trends. By understanding political parties, we can better understand what is going on in American politics today and in which direction American politics may be going.
Lecture 1 The Birth of Political Parties
Lecture 2 The Origins of the Democratic Party
Lecture 3 The Origins of the Republican Party
Lecture 4 Third Parties in the Nineteenth Century
Lecture 5 Third Parties in the Twentieth Century
Lecture 6 Comparative Analysis and Party Realignment
Lecture 7 Anti-Party Reforms
Lecture 8 The Electoral College
Lecture 9 Reapportionment and Redistricting
Lecture 10 Parties in Congress
Lecture 11 Party Identification
Lecture 12 The Solid South
Lecture 13 The Southern Strategy and the Transformation of the South
Lecture 14 The Future of the American Party System