The Legislative Process:

Abstract

This course is designed to provide students with a broad introduction to the state of knowledge on legislative politics with a particular emphasis on the United States Congress. Our concentration will be on the functions that legislatures perform in society, as well as those factors, such as legislative institutionalization, integration, and development, that increase the probability that legislative bodies will achieve and maintain stability within a political system. We will also examine the role of individual legislators within the legislature, their capacity as representatives, as well as the behavioral predispositions and institutional constraints that structure both their actions and decisions.