GVT 251 : State and Local Government
This course is an inquiry into the modern urban community and the political problems of city people in the United States. It examines the image of the city in U.S. culture, American political ideology, the heritage of machine and reform politics, voting and elections, the institutions of state and local government, intergovernmental relations between the national, state, regional, and local levels, the evolution of modern urban America, and the challenges and opportunities facing modern urban government. Students develop the ability to think, read, and write critically and analytically and to understand various forms of human interaction through an analysis of urban government and politics from its inception to the present. This course aids students in their efforts to understand how power is wielded in society and the responsibilities and rights of the individual in human society. Students develop an understanding of differing points of view on the same issue and the importance of considering the ramifications of decisions. Three lecture hours per week.
Gen. Ed. Competencies Met: Ethical Dimensions and Multicultural and Social Perspectives.
Course Outcomes
1. Explain the intellectual and political origins of the American city.
2. Identify the organization, powers and operations of the three branches of government at the federal, state and local levels.
3. Describe and assess the origins and changing relationship between the federal, state and local governments.
4. Appraise the various forms of political participation and the evolution of the American political process.
5. Analyze the evolution of urban America through a discussion of current public policy issues.