GPOL
6020

The 2024 Election in the United States - Democratic Backsliding?

New School for Social Research: Politics

Liberal Arts
Graduate Course
Degree Students (with Restrictions)
2024 US Election
Fall 2024
Taught By: David Plotke
Section: A

CRN: 17236

Credits: 3

Two dynamics frame the 2024 presidential election in the United States. Democratic backsliding refers to the declining robustness of democratic practices in the United States (and other countries) in the last two decades. This is the object of many studies in comparative politics. ‘Democratic weakness’ points to the difficulty of the Democratic Party and its allies in winning a national election that should be an easy victory. Democrats have won five of the last eight presidential elections and face a candidate who lost in 2020 and struggles to stay out of jail. The economy is decent and sometimes better. Ongoing foreign policy crises have not meant large-scale direct U.S. military action, a la Iraq in the early 2000s. Many Democratic positions poll well, such as abortion. How should we explain Democratic weakness – even if that party manages to win the election? In answering this question, we will be skeptical of accounts that reduce Democratic problems to failures to adopt the analyst’s preferred political stance. This course is open to M.A. and Ph.D. students in Politics, and to graduate students in other programs at NSSR and TNS. August 1 note: In the summer, the political world has changed dramatically in the U.S. President Biden has exited the presidential race. Vice-President Harris will be the Democratic nominee, with a nominee to be named for Vide President. Ex- President Trump was injured and almost murdered. The course will start by assessing the new terrain for the presidential race that emerges after the Democratic National Convention.

College: New School for Social Research (GF)

Department: Politics (POL)

Campus: New York City (GV)

Course Format: Seminar (R)

Modality: In-Person

Max Enrollment: 18

Add/Drop Deadline: September 9, 2024 (Monday)

Online Withdrawal Deadline: November 17, 2024 (Sunday)

Seats Available: Yes

Status: Closed*

* Status information is updated every few minutes. The status of this course may have changed since the last update. Open seats may have restrictions that will prevent some students from registering. Updated: 6:36am EDT 10/14/2024

Meeting Info:
Days: Tuesday
Times: 1:55pm - 3:45pm
Building: Johnson/Kaplan 66 West 12th
Room: 601
Date Range: 8/26/2024 - 12/3/2024