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Political Institutions


Political Institutions studies the formal and informal rules, practices, and regularities at both the domestic and international level that guide and constrain political choices and activities. It is concerned with the emergence, dynamics, and consequences of institutions in both authoritarian and non-authoritarian regimes. This focus includes constitutional design and how the organization of legislatures, parties, judiciaries, markets and other social structures shape relationships between individuals and states, and in turn, the factors shaping the emergence and evolution of those institutions.

“If you’re interested in American political institutions in an election year, then I highly recommend Professors Aldrich and Munger’s ‘Campaign and Elections.'”
POLSCI 242D | Campaigns and Elections | MoWe 10:15am – 11:05am

“If you’re interested in why some countries may perpetually suffer from corruption and what might actually be done to solve it, Professor Manion is teaching a great course.”
POLSCI 317 | Global Corruption | MoWe 10:15am – 11:30am

And if you’re interested in what it might mean to engineer – or ‘design’ – an institution to solve a real world problem, something that matters to you then I’m ‘Political, Social and Economic Institutions, where we do exactly that.”
POLSCI 335S | Econ, Pol, Soc Institutions | WF 1:45pm – 3:00pm

POLSCI 2020 Fall Term