Constitutional Law I (332-0-1)

Instructors

Nicolette Bruner

Meeting Info

University Hall 121: Mon, Wed 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

This course investigates the structure of American government as laid out by the Constitution and defined by the Supreme Court. It will also examine the many controversies over what, exactly, the Constitution means, who gets to decide, and how.

(also taught as POLI SCI 332)

POLI_SCI Prerequisite

Students who received a 5 on the AP exam for American Government can substitute a 300-level POLI_SCI course to fulfill the POLI_SCI 220 requirement for POLI_SCI 332. To apply the AP credit and fulfill the requirement with a POLI_SCI 300-level course, you must complete two action items: (1) Submit an Application of Credit to Weinberg College, and (2) email the Political Science Director of Undergraduate Studies (polisci.dus@northwestern.edu), including your student ID number, expected graduation term/year, and specify which 300-level class you have already taken as a substitute for a 200-level gateway course.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the quarter, students should be able to:

-recognize and articulate the relationship between the Supreme Court's constitutional decisionmaking; broader social, political, and economic factors; and the behaviors of individuals and groups (especially lawyers and Supreme Court justices);
-be able to evaluate and analyze Supreme Court decisions through careful evaluation of their major assertions, assumptions, evidential basis, and explanatory utility;
-understand and explain the evolution of constitutional doctrine in Supreme Court decisionmaking over time, in order to observe, describe, understand, and (maybe) predict the Supreme Court's behavior;
-reflect on how theories about judicial decisionmaking can help us understand (and obscure) the Supreme Court's approach to contemporary social issues like judicial review, the powers of Congress and the executive branch, and the relationship between the federal government and the states.

Teaching Method

Lecture; discussion

Evaluation Method

active and informed participation in class; short issue-spotting exercise; take home midterm exam; take home final exam

Class Materials (Required)

Coursepack will be provided on Canvas at no cost.

Class Attributes

Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Prerequisite: POLI_SCI 220-0 or POLI_SCI 230-0. Antirequisite: Student may not receive credit for both LEGAL_ST 332-0 and POLI_SCI 332-0.