Government in United States - JTM032

• Title: Government in United States
• Czech title: Americký politický systém
• Guaranteed by: Department of North American Studies (23-KAS)
• Faculty: Faculty of Social Sciences
• Actual: from 2025
• Semester: winter
• E-Credits: 6
• Examination process: winter s.:
• Hours per week, examination: winter s.:1/1, Ex [HT]
• Capacity: 30 / unknown (30)
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: taught
• Language: English
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Additional information: https://dl2.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=6006
• Note: course can be enrolled in outside the study plan; enabled for web enrollment; priority enrollment if the course is part of the study plan
• Guarantor: Mgr. Jana Sehnálková, Ph.D.
• Teacher(s): Mgr. Jana Sehnálková, Ph.D.
• Class: Courses for incoming students
• Incompatibility : JMM345

Annotation

English

This course aims to provide the students with in-depth knowledge and understanding of the U.S. government. It focuses on the the theory, organization, functions, politics, and problems of the United States political system. The course primarily focuses on the federal level of government, however, attention is also paid the state-level government and the interaction between the state and the federal level. The course examines the mechanics of the government, the division of powers, checks and balances. It is mostly analytical, however, it tries to provide the historical context and follows the chronological evolution of the U.S. government. The major topics include the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government; political parties, campaigns, elections; bureaucracy; opinion and the formulation of public policy. Issues of political culture will also be debated. The course uses a variety of textual as well as audiovisual material.

Last update: Sehnálková Jana, Mgr., Ph.D. (27.08.2025)

Czech

Cílem kurzu je poskytnout studentům hlubší znalosti a porozumění fungování vlády Spojených států. Zaměřuje se na teorii, organizaci, funkce, politiku a problémy amerického politického systému. Kurz se primárně soustředí na federální úroveň vlády, avšak pozornost je věnována také vládě na úrovni jednotlivých států a interakci mezi státní a federální úrovní.

Kurz zkoumá mechanismy fungování vlády, dělbu moci a systém brzd a protivah. V kurzu se zaměříme na analýzu fungování vlády, zároveň budeme zkoumat historický kontext a sledovat přístup k roli americké vlády. Mezi hlavní probíraná témata patří zákonodárná, výkonná a soudní moc; politické strany, volební kampaně a volby; byrokracie; veřejné mínění a tvorba veřejných politik. Diskutovány budou také otázky politické kultury.

Kurz využívá širokou škálu textových i audiovizuálních materiálů.

Last update: Sehnálková Jana, Mgr., Ph.D. (16.09.2025)

Aim of the course

Upon successful completion of this course the student will be familiar with the  structure of the U.S. government and the basic mechanisms of its operation. They will also identify the key players and institutions and their mutual overlap.

Last update: Sehnálková Jana, Mgr., Ph.D. (27.08.2025)

Course completion requirements

Grading is based on the Dean's Measure no. 20/2019: https://fsv.cuni.cz/deans-measure-no-20/2019

• 91% and more   => A
• 81-90%             => B
• 71-80%             => C
• 61-70%             => D
• 51-60%             => E
• 0-50%               => F

More in SMĚRNICE S_SO_002: Organizace zkouškových termínů, kontrol studia a užívání klasifikace A–F na FSV UK.

Last update: Sehnálková Jana, Mgr., Ph.D. (27.08.2025)

Literature

Ø      Declaration of Independence

 

Ø      The U.S. Constitution

 

Ø       1789 Judicial Act

 

Ø       James Q. Wilson, John J. DiIulio, American Government: Institutions and Policies (Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005).

 

Ø       Lowi, Theodore, Ginsberg, Benjamin & Shepsle, Kenneth. American Government: Power and Purpose, New York: W.W. Norton & Co.,

 

Ø      Selected articles on various aspects of U.S. government (will be provided throughout the class)

Last update: Sehnálková Jana, Mgr., Ph.D. (27.08.2025)

Teaching methods

Since this class is partly a lecture and partly a seminar,  lecture will provide main guidance by means of two-way communication; The participants are expected to read assigned  material, raise questions about the claims in the article, and discuss their findings in the class.

All the course material can be found in Moodle: https://dl2.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=6006

The use and citation of generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT or MS Copilot) in seminar papers and
other coursework must comply with the decrees of the IMS Director No. 7/2023 and 9/2023.
Generative AI tools may be used unless explicitly prohibited by the instructor. However, they may
not be used to generate substantial sections of the text or replace the student’s own intellectual
contribution. The student remains fully responsible for any content generated with assistance of AI
tools.
Presenting AI-generated content, whether verbatim, rephrased, or only slightly modified, as one's
own work constitutes plagiarism.
Every submitted paper must include a transparent statement specifying which generative AI tools
were used, in which stage of the work they were employed, and how they were used, or confirming
that no generative AI tools were used. If this statement is missing or incomplete, the instructor is
not permitted to accept the paper for evaluation.
Unless the instructor explicitly prohibits the use of generative AI tools, the decision to use or not to
use them rests fully with the student. The student has the right to request that the instructor does not
use AI assistance for evaluating their work.

Last update: Sehnálková Jana, Mgr., Ph.D. (03.10.2025)

Requirements to the exam

•  Attendance and active participation, including preparation for each class: 20 percent: Students are required to read and discuss assigned texts. The texts will be available online on the course website/SIS/. Should you have any problems getting access to the texts , let me know by email.

 

• Midterm exam: 30 %   - a short test the first/second week of November

 

• Final exam: 50%
  The final written exam will include identification of basic concepts, understanding of various terms and relationships and short questions related to assigned readings.

 

EXAM:

Please notet that the final written exam will be administer via Moodle. Instructions will be sent via email and will be available in the individual terms for the exam. Signup for exam will take place traditionally via SIS where dates for the exam will be available. 

 

 

GRADING SCALE:  

GRADING SCALE, based on Dean's Measure no. 17/2023 (SMĚRNICE S_SO_002): 

• 91 % and more   =>          A
• 81-90 %             =>          B
• 71-80 %             =>          C
• 61-70 %             =>          D
• 51-60 %             =>          E
• 0-50 %                =>         F

 

Last update: Sehnálková Jana, Mgr., Ph.D. (27.08.2025)

Syllabus

Please note that there is no class on Oct 27 and Nov 17. 

The key areas that will be covered in the Winter Semester 2025-2026.

 

  The basic settings, basic principles

            The United States Constitution and its origin, federalism, checks and balances,   division of powers, legitimacy of the government, political culture, flexible/inflexible         constitution?, civil liberties, constitutionalism

          

   Outline of the Structure of the Government – Key players 

• Executive: President, Office of the White House, Departments
• Legislative: Congress
• Judiciary: Courts
• Bureaucracy

      - basic structure, who does what, basic requirements for elections into the office.

      - explain structure of departments, White House Office

 

       Elections

• nominations, primaries, general elections

• Who can vote?

               

     The Executive Branch

·         electing the president

·         the president and his powers (appointment, removal, legislative, vetoes – presidential and legislative, the power of the purse, executive agreement and treaties, the war power, the power to persuade)

·         tensions between the legislative and the executive powers

·         the White House Office

·         the Cabinet, the Departments

·         other institutions of the executive branch

·         foreign and domestic policy-making

 

          The Judiciary

• the structure of the judicial system
• the powers and role of the Supreme Court
• the framework within which the Supreme Court operates
• getting a case in front of the Supreme Court
• jury trials
• famous cases
• where to search for cases.

         

         Congress

• Powers of Congress
• House of Representatives and Senate
• Election to Congress, Members of Congress
• Congressional Leadership
• Committees 
• How a Bill Becomes a Law - process in the HoR and S
  

            Party Politics

• Political Parties, their role and organization, political parties in Congress, in States
• Campaign Finance and support for party candidates

            Public Opinion and Frames of Reference

Last update: Sehnálková Jana, Mgr., Ph.D. (16.09.2025)

Entry requirements

Sufficient knowledge of English language, interest in the subject matter.

Last update: Sehnálková Jana, Mgr., Ph.D. (27.08.2025)