In a democracy, nothing is more important or powerful than elections. In this course, students will examine what is certain to be one of the landmark elections in American history — the 2024 Presidential Election. In order to understand and contextualize this election, we will examine the history of American elections and the political process. Some of the questions students will ask and aim to understand are — who can vote and how has that changed over time? What are some of the obstacles to voting and why do they still exist? What the heck is an electoral college? What role does the media play in our elections? What are the candidates’ positions and policies? What is and why do we have a two party system? Why do certain citizens support certain candidates and what does that reveal about our nation? What role does money play in our elections?

Offered Fall 2024