Political Behavior
This MIT graduate seminar examines how mass publics and political elites behave in the United States, covering political participation, political inequality, elections, voting behavior, and political organizations. Materials on MIT OpenCourseWare include a full syllabus, weekly reading lists drawn from major political science journals and books, and discussion questions used to structure seminar sessions. The course traces how citizens engage with politics, why participation is unevenly distributed across income and education levels, and how parties, interest groups, and other organizations shape electoral outcomes. As an OCW offering, all readings and assignments are free to access, though there is no certificate. The seminar format assumes graduate-level familiarity with research methods and existing literature in American politics, making it best suited to advanced students or independent learners already versed in the field.