This module focuses on the key features of the legislative process in democracies. The seminar is intended to provide undergraduate students with the opportunity to read and discuss scholarly literature on legislative studies and to complete a research paper on a related topic of their choosing. We will study, in comparative perspective, the policy-making process in legislatures: incentives and goals of legislators and parties, how legislatures are organized, how legislative coalitions are built, and how legislatures interact with executives.
We will begin with the most influential general ideas on legislatures and their organization, focusing on the US Congress and British Parliament. We will deal with contemporary issues and normative critiques of both institutions and the far reaching impact of their internal workings. Next we'll proceed to studies of specific legislatures, including those in Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Throughout the module, we will also discuss approaches to political science research and each student will produce a paper focusing on an original research project on a legislative politics topic of their choosing, approved by the instructor. Projects can be designed to relate to a wide range of substantive student interests. Topics for projects may include:
Passage of policies (e.g. economic reforms, social policies)
Distributive politics (geographic targeting of resources) and interest group influence on legislation
Representation of interest groups (e.g. agriculture or business)
Legislative voting unity/party discipline
Representation of women and minorities in legislatures
Legislative careers, professionalization
Committee rules, structures, membership patterns, assignment process
Legislative organization and controlling the policy agenda
Bicameralism (e.g. comparisons of upper and lower houses)
Legislative campaign behaviour
Divided and minority governments
Legislative speech and communication
We will begin with the most influential general ideas on legislatures and their organization, focusing on the US Congress and British Parliament. We will deal with contemporary issues and normative critiques of both institutions and the far reaching impact of their internal workings. Next we'll proceed to studies of specific legislatures, including those in Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Throughout the module, we will also discuss approaches to political science research and each student will produce a paper focusing on an original research project on a legislative politics topic of their choosing, approved by the instructor. Projects can be designed to relate to a wide range of substantive student interests. Topics for projects may include:
Passage of policies (e.g. economic reforms, social policies)
Distributive politics (geographic targeting of resources) and interest group influence on legislation
Representation of interest groups (e.g. agriculture or business)
Legislative voting unity/party discipline
Representation of women and minorities in legislatures
Legislative careers, professionalization
Committee rules, structures, membership patterns, assignment process
Legislative organization and controlling the policy agenda
Bicameralism (e.g. comparisons of upper and lower houses)
Legislative campaign behaviour
Divided and minority governments
Legislative speech and communication