The field of American Politics encompasses the study of the structure and dynamics of mass behavior and opinion and of the major governmental and extragovernmental institutions, their interrelationships, their historical evolution and their role in the policy process. Specifically, the field covers the major national government institutions (presidency, Congress, bureaucracy and courts); subnational governments and the federal system; extragovernmental organizations such as parties, interest groups and social movements; the behavior and opinions of elites and masses who operate within these institutions and organizations who may seek (as in the case of elections and voting) to influence them; the impact of institutions, organizations, and actors on public policy; the determinants of public policy; the legal and constitutional context in which politics occurs; and changes in all of these elements and their relations with each other and with society over time.
Resources in the field of American politics include:
- American Politics Workshop
- Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership
- Elections Research Center
- Experimental Politics Workshop
- Models and Data Group
- Election Law Journal (edited by David Canon)
- Faculty shared with the La Follette School of Public Affairs
Recent Ph.D. graduates have been placed in positions at West Virginia University, Pew Research Center, St. Lawrence University, Princeton University, University of Buffalo, Government Accountabilty Office, Macalaster College, Cal State-San Marcos, Georgetown University, University of Oklahoma, DePaul University, Dickinson College, and University of Minnesota.