Seminar: Political Representation In the U.S.

Course Description

Advanced seminar examining several aspects of political representation in the United States, including debates about what constitutes "good" or "effective" representation and proposals for reform. Topics include Congressional redistricting, increasing electoral competition, whether Congress should "look like America", term limits, the relationship between public opinion and policy-making, and how elected officials learn about public opinion. Addresses democratic theory and the impact that electoral rules have on public opinion, political behavior, and representation. Assignments include two short papers, one research paper, a midterm, and weekly discussions. Requires the completion of any American politics course.

Basic Enrollment Requirements: Unofficial Transcript – Bachelor’s Degree or progress towards a Bachelor’s Degree + 3.0 GPA.

Refund Policy: The refund policy for Courses at Tufts offerings is dependent on the offering type: whether the offering is a course, workshop or short course, or in-demand offering. Please refer to the section details to confirm the type of offering as well as any exceptions to the standard refund policy. The refund policies for each offering type are viewable here: https://universitycollege.tufts.edu/policies/refunds#Courses-at-Tufts-(Academic-Year--Summer-Session)

Remission Eligible: Yes; first day of term; all university policies apply.