Pol Sci 381 - The Politics of Electoral Systems

Institution:

Washington University in St Louis

Subject:

Description:

It is impossible to appreciate the variety of electoral systems used to select legislative bodies without taking a comparative perspective. We begin this course with a brief consideration of what goals political founders and reformers are pursuing when they design an electoral system. Then we define the conceptual dimensions along which electoral rules can vary. With these basic concepts in hand, we then study specific national cases to assess the impact of electoral laws on party systems, legislator behavior, and interbranch relations. After completing a series of case studies, we return to a comparative perspective to discuss recent scholarly research in this field. This research conceives of electoral systems as incentive structures for voters, candidates, parties, and politicians. To wrap up the course, we return to the question of what founders and reformers can hope to achieve when selecting electoral systems.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.wustl.edu

Phone Number:

(314) 935-5000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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