This course focuses on U.S. political parties. We will cover the following themes this term: (1) what parties are and what they do; (2) party factions and coalitions; (3) social and issue cleavages; (4) how Democratic and Republicans view the world; (5) elite and mass polarization; and (6) the future of the Democratic and Republican parties. By the end of the semester you’ll have a broad and deep understanding of the key role parties play in American politics, where they have been, and where they are going. prereq: 1001 or equiv or instr consent