This course introduces students to the US politics and government. We will examine the American political institutions and their practices and how the political forces are combined to shape them. Topics of the course cover the US Congress, political parties, pressure groups, growth of the Presidency, the bureaucracy, the judiciary, federalism, separation of powers, and the Bill of Rights; constitutional development and law. We will also discuss interactions among different American political institutions on the issues including voting, interest groups, public opinions, politicized identity and the media.