U.S. Govt: Race, Gender and Power is a course that explores personhood and its construction in the American political system. Since the drafting of the Constitution, the US political system has restricted access to legal rights and protections of personhood; in particular for women and People of Color. In turn, this creates unique political realities for the Black, Chicanx/Latinx, Asian American, Native American, Feminist and LGBTQ experiences within the US political system. This course will examine the Constitution and the federal and state governments it creates from the perspectives of these communities, as well as how the Constitution, judicial system, media, interest groups, and political parties have been used by the People to achieve greater access to freedom and equality. In short, this course will examine who exactly has historically been included in the American collective of “We the People”, how this has changed over time, and what this means for our society today.
This course will cover the following topics on the AP US Government and Politics Exam; Foundations of American Democracy, Civil Liberties and Civil Rights, American Political Ideologies and Beliefs, and Political Participation.