The Modern American Presidency: Its Evol

The dramatic Trump presidency forced a reexamination of the institution of the U.S. presidency at home and abroad in a way not witnessed for a generation. Allies of the President celebrated the disruption of presidential “norms” in support of populist ideals. Critics of the President bemoaned the disappearance of those “norms” and warned of the threat that a resurgent “Imperial Presidency” poses to American democracy and its constitutional system. In the three years since January 2021, the current President, Joe Biden, has sought to return the presidency to a more “normal” condition. This course will not only introduce students to the evolution of the most important office in the most powerful country in the World, but provide them with the tools to understand, analyze and contextualize current developments in Presidential power. 

The toolbox of the contemporary policy analyst and policymaker must include some familiarity with historical investigation and argumentation. Policy debates, especially in international relations, are almost always punctuated by references to historical lessons, parallels, or analogies. Yet these are not only often inaccurate but even when they are accurate can restrict creativity by the policymaker. The past can be helpful: the challenge for the policymaker is figuring out when that is the case. This is a lecture course, which combines historical perspective and analysis with first-person accounts of what it is like to work in and for the White House. What are the limits on presidential power at home and abroad? How were these limits established and, under the US constitutional system, can they be undone? How have the nuclear and digital ages affected those powers? What role does the character or personality of the incumbent play in the functioning or effectiveness of a presidency? Although more attention will be given to the President as a World actor, given the importance of domestic considerations in US foreign policy, the growth of the presidency in domestic affairs will also be discussed.