Christopher Anderson

Class: MWF 11:30-12:20

Office hours: M 10:00-11:00 and by appointment

Office: H 126A Phone: (768)-4235

Home phone: 203-624-6632 (a toll call)

Email: anderson37@aol.com

Politics is show business for ugly people.

-Paul Begala, campaign advisor to Bill Clinton

Elections are the great show of American politics. While major bills are passed into law by Congress and major decisions are handed down by the Supreme Court without most of the public taking any notice, election campaigns are the times when politicians actively court public attention. This course offers an examination of the good things, the bad things, and the ugly things about the American way of selecting our leaders.

We will explore how campaigns are organized and funded, what strategies campaigns employ to try to win votes, how voters make up their minds about whom to support (and whether to vote at all), and how American political campaigns have changed over time. We will also examine how the structure of our governmental institutions influences the kinds of campaigns and elections we have.

Students are expected to gain a thorough understanding of how Americans elect leaders and develop a critical perspective on American electoral processes.