Focus of class readings may be chronological, topical-thematic, disciplinary, and/or based on case studies.  
 
1. Definitions of power
a. General definitions: power, authority, democracy, representation, majoritarianism, pluralism, and elitism
2. Development of American constitution and government
a. Bill of Rights, federalism, checks and balances, separation of powers
b. Definition and explanation of civil liberties and civil rights
c. State and Local Government, California politics
3. Political Parties, Interest Groups, Mass Movements, and Media in American Politics
a. Interest Groups---controlling “mischiefs of factions, business, labor, agricultural, consumer, and environmental interest groups, lobbying
b. Political Parties---why the two party system persists, how political parties operate in  government, the role of party organizations in politics, third parties and American politics
c. Mass Movements---leadership, community organizing, selected case studies
d. Media---media in a democracy, candidates and television, cyberspace and campaigns
4. Linking Government to Individuals: public opinion, campaigns, and elections in American Politics
a. The roles of family, education, peers, life events, economic status and occupation on political opinions.
b. Measuring public opinion.
c. Factors affecting whether and how people vote including party identification, perception of candidates, socioeconomic factors, ideology, and campaigns
d. Nomination process, types of elections, and presidential elections
5. Institutions of American Government
 Congress---Congressional elections, congressional leadership and organization, the legislative process, the budgeting process, the makeup of Congress
a. The Presidency---the president’s constitutional powers, the expansion of presidential powers, the organization of the executive branch, issues of presidential leadership and executive privilege
b. The Bureaucracy----the nature and size of the bureaucracy, how the federal bureaucracy is organized, policymaking and the iron triangle, curbing waste and improving effieciency
c. The Judiciary---the federal court system, , federal judicial appointments, the Supreme Court in American politics, ideology and the courts
6. Public Policy
a. Definitions of domestic policy, social welfare policy, economic policy
b. The policymaking process including agenda-setting, policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation
c. American foreign policy including actors in foreign policy, history of American foreign policy, interventionism, the Cold War, and War on Terror 

Students are also assigned reading, writing and other outside assignments equivalent to two hours per one hour lecture.