POSC 314

POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

PROF. PIERCE

In this course we will study some of the important ways in which citizens attempt to participate in and influence the political system. Certainly the most widespread form of political participation is voting. We will investigate various explanations for turnout and candidate choice in presidential elections, and the consequences of such participation for policy making and the political system. Not all participation is as nice and peaceful as elections, however. Protest is a more unconventional form of political participation which is used primarily by disadvantaged groups in American society. We will investigate the use of this and other unconventional tactics by various social and political movements. These movements will include the women's movement and poor people's movements.