ABA 812 - Analysis of Legislature Behavior

This course will examine the role of legislatures and the behavior of the members at both the state and federal level. The first part of the course will provide a historical review and analysis of how legislatures operate, the procedures by which they make laws, how they interact with the other branches of government and constituents. Considerable attention will also be directed toward discussing the “rules of the game” and procedural changes which have occurred over time. We will also examine the electoral process and the underlying contingencies that influence how and why legislators and voters make their decisions, and how those decisions affect policy outcomes. Throughout the course, we will rely on real time events and issues to validate what is covered in class.

Credits: 3