Your final project is to complete a 4-5 page paper (1000 to 1250 words) which uses proper citations and has a bibliography (not included in word count). The paper will provide the student’s answer to the question “Who Governs” ? Does pluralist, elite, bureaucratic, or social movement theory best explain where power lies in American politics?
The paper will focus on only one of these topics (which the writer will choose):
1) Voting rights (including racial discrimination, restoration of voting rights for felons, voter registration requirements, and ease or difficulty of voting)
2) The second amendment (including both efforts to limit the sale and ownership of firearms, as well as efforts to reduce barriers to use of guns)
3) Freedom of speech and the role of a free press in upholding or enabling people in the U.S. to uphold their ideals (see pages 10-14 chapter 1). Issues such as ownership of media, access to local news, influence of social media, and the role of SuperPACs and the Citizens United Supreme Court decision are examples of aspects to consider.
Strong papers will look at each issue and consider how each theory does or does not seem to explain the issue at present. For example, what legislation has been passed (or not), what role did mass demonstrations or civil disobedience play (now or in the past), how are interest groups important, and what is the current state of the issue compared to earlier eras.
Students should use their textbooks to understand the various theories, and to learn about background information on their chosen topic.
