Response Paper 2 - Institutions

Important

Due Friday, November 6, at 11:59 pm on Canvas

Purpose

This assignment will help you think about how different aspects of the American political system help (or hinder) the democratic process.

Task

You will write a response paper (3 double-spaced pages, 12-point font) where you discuss how one of the institutions of the American political system contributes to the fragility or stability of American democracy.

In this paper, you should integrate the assigned readings for the topic of your choice. Further, the paper should focus on current events and may also offer a critique of existing research or propose new research questions. Make sure to strike a good balance between summarizing the readings and answering the overall question.

Criteria for Success

A successful essay will:

1. Briefly summarize the main concepts and ideas from the readings
2. Have a clear thesis statement in the first paragraph
3. Discuss how the institutions of the American political system we covered in class contribute to the stability or fragility of American democracy
4. Have a coherent structure and no grammar errors