United States Politics: Money, Culture, Power
UndergraduateMAQ-POIX3922019
Course information for 2019 intake View information for 2025 course intake
Take stock of how money and culture feeds into the American political system. Explain the power of the Constitution in US politics. Monitor the influence of special interest groups. See how race, faith and the economy intertwine with policy.
Enrolments for this course are closed, but you may have other options to start studying now. Book a consultation to learn more.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- -
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
United States Politics: Money, Culture, Power
About this subject
At the completion of this subject, students will be able to:
- find, analyse and interpret primary and secondary US political sources and present the information in a written form
- distinguish between competing interpretations of key US political issues, and succinctly express the strengths and weaknesses of these interpretation in written and oral form
- explain the main features of US political institutions such as the Constitution, Federalism, Congress and the Presidency
- articulate their knowledge of US politics in group discussions.
- Introduction: US political culture, beliefs and values
- The American Constitution
- Political Parties
- Political Participation and Elections
- Congress
- The Presidency
- Research for Essay
- Interest groups
- Religion and Politics
- Race and Politics
- Social Policy and Welfare
- The Economy and Politics
- Examination Week
This subject was previously known as PLTX392 American Politics.
US politics is today, as in much of its past, dominated by money and the power that money can buy. US cultural life is also preoccupied with money, in ways that profoundly affect the distribution of political power. Proceeding from these premises, this subject explores the relationship between money, culture and power in contemporary US politics. Topics covered include campaign financing, interest groups and the media; the impact of social inequalities of class, race, gender and sexual preference on US politics; the role of religion and political parties in the formulation of dominant political ideas; and the politics surrounding the global financial crisis and its aftermath.- Essay 1 (20%)
- Essay 2 (40%)
- Non-Invigilated Exam (30%)
- Participation (10%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Equivalent subjects
You should not enrol in this subject if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:
MAQ-PLTX392 (Not currently available)
Others
Students should have studied some politics at 200 level prior to undertaking this subject.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
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