American Politics and the Environment

1. Introduction: The American Political Setting and the Environment.
Background on Environmental Politics and Policy.
Environmentalism: 1930's-1990's.
The American Constitutional System, Public Policy Making and the Environment.
The Role of Science and the Environment.
Design of the Book.

2. American Federalism and Environmental Politics.
Federal-State Relations: Historical Roots.
Contemporary Federal-State Interactions: Implementation and Enforcement.
Effort and Performance of the States.

3. Public Opinion, the Media, and Environmental, Issues.
Public Opinion, the Media, and the Environment.
The Study of American Public Opinion.
Public Opinion and the Environment.
The Role and Functions of the Media.
The Environment as a Mediated Issue.
Media Coverage of the Environment.
The Public's News Interest and Its Assessment of Media Coverage.
Politics, Organized Interests, the Media, and Environment.

4. Environmental Activism: Political Parties and Interest Groups.
Political Parties, Interest Groups, and the Environment.
The Role and Functions of Political Parties.
Party Platforms and Presidential Performance.
Parties, Legislatures, and Environmental Politics.
The Role and Functions of Interest Groups.
Types and Characteristics of Environmental Groups.
Opposition to Environmental Activism: Business and Industry, Sagebrush Rebellion, Wise Use/Property Rights Movement.

5. Congress and Environmental Policy.
Congress and Environmental Policy.
Processes and Behavioral Characteristics.

6. The Environmental Presidency.
Roles of the Modern President.
The Diverse Environment and Presidential Response.
The President as Opinion/Party Leader.
The President as an Environmental Legislative Leader.
The President as an Environmental Chief Executive.
The President as and Environmental Commander in Chief/Chief Diplomat.

7. Executive Agencies and Environmental Policy.
Environmental Agencies and Public Policy Making.

8. The Environmental Court.
Court Involvement with Environmental Issues.
Reasons for the Court's Involvement.
The Evolution of Court Involvement.
Contemporary Environmental Issues.
Consequences of Court Involvement in Environmentalism.
An Eco-Friendly Court?
The Role of the Chief Justice.
The Influence of Congressional Action on court Decision Making and the Environment.
Presidential Leadership and the Court.
The Public and the Court.
Parties and Court.

9. Global Environmental Policy.
Global Environmental Issues.
International and Regional Organizations.
National Security and the Environment.
Environmental Opinion: Citizens and Business Leaders.

10. Conclusion: American Politics and the Environment.
Observations About American Politics and the Environment.

Course Codes

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