PSCI 3460: Political Parties

Overview

• Elective for political science majors

• Development, organization, and influence of political parties and interest groups. 

• Taught Spring 2023

Pedagogical Approach and Course Evaluation

Political Parties is an upper-level elective for political science majors that explores the development, organization, and influence of political parties and interest groups in the American political system. I taught this course in Spring 2023, reviving it after a long absence from the curriculum. Given the intense partisanship characterizing contemporary U.S. politics, I reintroduced the course to help students critically examine the institutional and ideological dynamics shaping party behavior, party realignment, and partisan polarization.

Students were assigned a core textbook on American political parties, which I supplemented with structured reading guides to support comprehension and fuel class discussion. The course combined conceptual analysis with applied political research and real-world political engagement.

To enhance engagement and apply concepts experientially, I incorporated interactive tools such as the Washington Post's Primary Simulator which helped students understand how parties nominate candidates, and a gerrymandering simulator, which illuminated the strategic and ethical complexities of district design.

Assessment Structure:

• Three multiple-choice exams measured students' grasp of foundational concepts, such as the history of party formation, realignment theory, the structure of party organizations, and the role of parties in electoral mobilization and governance.

• Three short research papers encouraged deeper analytical thinking:

  • 1. • Party Platforms Comparison—students analyzed recent Democratic and Republican platforms, identifying ideological shifts and policy divergences.

       • Minor Parties in the U.S.—students examined the development and impact of third parties, considering structural barriers to their success and the role of protest movements in reshaping the two-party system.

       • Campaign Financing—students investigated how parties fundraise, the role of PACs, Super PACs, and 501(c) groups, and how money influences access, representation, and accountability.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Identity if the party in electorate, the party organization, and the party in government

• Articulate the history of the American two-party system and other minor parties

• Make relevant comparisons to the United States party system with other comparable democracies

• Identify the role of political action groups within partisan politics

• Discuss the factors that socialize an individual’s party affiliation

• Understand the party at national, state, and local levels

• Differentiate how the party operates in the legislature, executive, and judiciary

• Infer the effects of party politics in the most recent elections

Evaluation of Course:

By the end of the course, students demonstrated a sophisticated grasp of the institutional, historical, and ideological dimensions of party politics in the United States. They were able to critically analyze the evolution of party systems, explaining key moments of realignment and factionalism that have shaped the American political landscape. 

Drawing on both empirical data and primary source materials, students compared party ideologies and platforms, evaluated the institutional challenges faced by third parties, and assessed the influence these parties exert on national discourse despite structural disadvantages. They developed a solid understanding of the mechanics of campaign finance—including legal frameworks and the role of interest groups—and applied this knowledge in both written assignments and class discussions. 

Throughout the course, students consistently demonstrated the ability to apply theoretical concepts to contemporary events, particularly the 2020 and 2022 elections, offering nuanced reflections on how parties broker power and adapt to changing political contexts. Political simulations, including a primary election game and a gerrymandering activity, further deepened students’ understanding of strategic behavior within electoral systems.

This course cultivated a deeper appreciation for the complexity of party behavior and democratic accountability. Many students entered with a strong foundation in electoral politics, and the curriculum was intentionally designed to build on that prior knowledge, introducing more advanced theories of party dynamics and institutional design. The small class size and participatory structure created an intellectually rigorous and highly interactive environment. 

Political Parties was one of the most rewarding courses I’ve taught; students were eager to connect course materials to ongoing political developments and to interrogate the role of parties in shaping the national political narrative. Given the continued centrality of partisanship in American life, I look forward to offering this course again in a future election cycle, when new developments in polarization, party identity, and democratic legitimacy will offer even richer ground for analysis.