This course examines the politics and policy making of state
governments within the structure of U.S. federalism.  We will
consider the consequences of decentralization of power and decision
making and how and why this varies among the states from one policy
area to another.  We will also look at differences in the political
cultures of the states and how these yield quite different patterns
of political behavior and policy.
	The reading load will average 50-75 pages a week.  Classes
will be a mixture of lecture and discussion.  There will be three
examinations and two papers.  The exams will be a mixture of essay
and short answer.  One of the papers will be a short exercise on an
aspect of state politics like redistricting, the initiative process
or term limits. The other, longer paper, is an analysis of the
politics and policy relationship between the legislature and governor
in a specific state.  There will be about 20 pages of written work in
the two papers.
	At the end of the course students should have achieved
several things: (1) the great variety of forms which the political
communities of the states take; (2) a knowledge of the research
materials available for investigations of state politics; (3) a sense
of the possibilities for reform in the state-national policy
connection; and (4) the ability to articulate the pros and cons of
alternative institutional and policy making arrangements in our
federal system.