Understanding the US Government

Season 1

In Understanding the US Government, prominent political scientist Professor Jennifer Nicoll Victor of George Mason University presents a spirited and comprehensive examination of the ins and outs of the American system of democracy, across 24 revealing lectures, covering both its many institutions and the intertwined political features that have developed as the theory of government designed in 1789 was put into practice.

Where to Watch Season 1

24 Episodes

Why Have Government?
E1
Why Have Government?Episode 1
The Framework of US Federalism
E2
The Framework of US FederalismEpisode 2
Civil Liberties: Freedoms from Government
E3
Civil Liberties: Freedoms from GovernmentEpisode 3
Civil Rights: Fairness under Government
E4
Civil Rights: Fairness under GovernmentEpisode 4
How a Bill Becomes a Law
E5
How a Bill Becomes a LawEpisode 5
Why Congress Is Such a Puzzle
E6
Why Congress Is Such a PuzzleEpisode 6
How Congressional Elections Work
E7
How Congressional Elections WorkEpisode 7
The Powers of the Presidency
E8
The Powers of the PresidencyEpisode 8
How Presidential Elections Work
E9
How Presidential Elections WorkEpisode 9
A Road Map of the Federal Bureaucracy
E10
A Road Map of the Federal BureaucracyEpisode 10
How the Judicial Branch Works
E11
How the Judicial Branch WorksEpisode 11
Where the Supreme Court Meets Politics
E12
Where the Supreme Court Meets PoliticsEpisode 12
The Challenges of Polling Public Opinion
E13
The Challenges of Polling Public OpinionEpisode 13
How Political Parties Organize Democracy
E14
How Political Parties Organize DemocracyEpisode 14
How Americans Became So Polarized
E15
How Americans Became So PolarizedEpisode 15
The Fundamentals of Elections and Voting
E16
The Fundamentals of Elections and VotingEpisode 16
How Does American Democracy Work?
E17
How Does American Democracy Work?Episode 17
The Ins and Outs of Campaign Finance
E18
The Ins and Outs of Campaign FinanceEpisode 18
The Pros and Cons of Organized Interests
E19
The Pros and Cons of Organized InterestsEpisode 19
Politics and the Media
E20
Politics and the MediaEpisode 20
How Givernment Affects the Economy
E21
How Givernment Affects the EconomyEpisode 21
How the US Social Safety Net Works
E22
How the US Social Safety Net WorksEpisode 22
The Major Shifts in American Foreign Policy
E23
The Major Shifts in American Foreign PolicyEpisode 23
The Changing State of American Democracy
E24
The Changing State of American DemocracyEpisode 24