Course Description:
The purpose of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the role of political campaigns in the American political system. This semester, the class will primarily use the presidential election, select U.S. Senate races, and recent New Jersey races as case studies for examining the techniques, tactics, events, and media involved in elections. We will spend a good deal of class time listening to presentations from candidates, consultants, pollsters, journalists, lobbyists, and elected officials who will provide a real-world perspective on political campaigning. We will also read and discuss works that take a more critical approach to analyzing campaigns along with those that provide background on key players and the dynamics of the political scene.
