Understanding the US Government

Better understand the inner workings of US political institutions in this gripping course taught by a celebrated political scientist, and gain eye-opening insights into America’s democratic system.

• By This Professor
• 01: Why Have Government?
• 02: The Framework of US Federalism
• 03: Civil Liberties: Freedoms from Government
• 04: Civil Rights: Fairness under Government
• 05: How a Bill Becomes a Law
• 06: Why Congress Is Such a Puzzle
• 07: How Congressional Elections Work
• 08: The Powers of the Presidency
• 09: How Presidential Elections Work
• 10: A Road Map of the Federal Bureaucracy
• 11: How the Judicial Branch Works
• 12: Where the Supreme Court Meets Politics
• 13: The Challenges of Polling Public Opinion
• 14: How Political Parties Organize Democracy
• 15: How Americans Became So Polarized
• 16: The Fundamentals of Elections and Voting
• 17: How Does American Democracy Work?
• 18: The Ins and Outs of Campaign Finance
• 19: The Pros and Cons of Organized Interests
• 20: Politics and the Media
• 21: How Government Affects the Economy
• 22: How the US Social Safety Net Works
• 23: The Major Shifts in American Foreign Policy
• 24: The Changing State of American Democracy