POLI321

The purposes of this course are to acquaint students with the breadth of scholarship concerning the United States Supreme Court and produce original research. The topics and readings reflect the interdisciplinary nature of public law and studying the Court including work in political science, legal studies (e.g. law professors), and history. The authors are generally considered experts in the field and employ various research methods. The course is organized into four sections--evolution of the Court including its powers and place within the broader political context, staffing the Court and case selection, judicial decision-making, and the impact of Court cases. Throughout the course, we will discuss the basic contours of the literature, the implications of the research, and the research methods used by the authors. We will also apply the course material to the current Court and its cases.