Study Guide Unit III

1. Political Parties

• Historical evolution of US party system
• Function and structure of political parties
• Political parties’ effects on the political process
• Party reform, campaign strategies, and financing in the electronic age
• Ideological and demographic differences between the two political parties

2. Elections

·        Study of elections

·        Election laws

·        Election systems on the state and national level

3. Political Action Committees (PACs)

·        Role as a part of the political process

·        Treatment of PACs

4. Interest Groups/Lobbying

·        Role of interest groups and lobbyists

·        Why some interests are represented by organized groups and why some aren’t

·        What they do

·        How they do it

·        How it effects the political process

·        How it effects public policy

5. The Media

·        How the media is a major and growing force

·        Inherent bias of the media

·        Role and impact of the media on the political system

·        Impact of media on public opinion, voter perception, campaign strategies, electoral outcomes, agenda development, and image of official and candidates represented by the media

·        The symbiotic, yet frequently conflictual, relationship between candidates, elected officials, and the media

Major Readings:

Federalist 10 by James Madison

O’Connor Chapter 12 Political Parties (404), Chapter 16 Interest Groups (566), and

Chapter 15 Media (530), Chapter 13 Elections