Christopher N. Lawrence, Ph.D.

Courses Taught

My teaching interests lie in the areas of American and comparative political behavior (the study of the political actions of individuals and groups in society, including voting, public opinion, and campaigns and elections), political institutions (government structures and laws, including the legislative and judicial branches of government), and those aspects of politics that have characteristics associated with both institutions and behavior, such as political parties and interest groups.

I also enjoy teaching courses in research methods (the process of social scientific research using primary and secondary sources) and quantitative political analysis, and working with students on independent research projects.

Courses in 2009–10

I am scheduled to teach the following courses at Texas A&M International University during the 2009–10 academic year:

Fall 2010 (preliminary)

• PSCI 2306, American State Government (Texas Government)
• PSCI 3301 (SOCI 3305), Research Methods in the Social Sciences
• PSCI/SOCI 5321, Social Inquiry (graduate methods I)

Summer 2010 (preliminary)

• PSCI 2305, American National Government
• PSCI 2306, American State Government (Texas Government)

Spring 2010

• PSCI 2306/American State Government (Texas Government) [Syllabus]
• PSCI 3320/Congress and the Presidency [Syllabus]
• PSCI 4320/The Political System of the U.S.A. [Syllabus]

Fall 2009

• PSCI 2305/American National Government (2 sections) [Syllabus]
• PSCI 3301 (SOCI 3305)/Research Methods in the Social Sciences [Syllabus]
• PSCI 5303/American Political Institutions (graduate) [Syllabus]

Summer (II) 2009

• PSCI 2305/American National Government [Syllabus]
• PSCI 2306/American State Government (Texas Government) [Syllabus]

Previous Courses

Other undergraduate courses taught at TAMIU, Saint Louis University, Tulane University, Duke University, Millsaps College, and/or the University of Mississippi include:

Undergraduate Courses

• Congress
• Congress and the Presidency
• Constitutional Law: Institutions, Federalism, and Economic Liberties
• Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties
• Politics of the American South
• Political System of the United States (parties, interest groups, and mass political behavior)
• Public Opinion
• Research Methods in Political Science
• Voting Behavior and Political Participation (aka Electoral Behavior)
• Voting and Representation (Freshman Seminar in Political Science)

Graduate Courses

• American Political Behavior
• Public Policy Development and Implementation

I have also served on honors thesis committees at Millsaps College and Tulane University.

Syllabi for All Courses Taught

All of these syllabi are in Adobe PDF format. Generally speaking, the most recently-taught version of a syllabus appears here; earlier syllabi are available upon request.

• American Government (100-student lecture course with department-mandated textbook, Fall 2008); a syllabus from a smaller American Government seminar based on my textbook preferences is also available.
• Texas Government (Spring 2009)
• Research Methods (undergraduate, Fall 2008)
• Freshman Seminar, Introduction to Politics: Representation and Voting Systems (Fall 2007)
• The U.S. Congress (Spring 2007)
• Congress and the Presidency (Spring 2009)
• The Political System of the United States of America (Spring 2009)
• Electoral Behavior (Fall 2006)
• Politics of the American South (Spring 2008)
• Public Opinion (Spring 2005)
• Public Opinion and Voting Behavior (Spring 2008)
• Constitutional Law: Institutions and Processes; Economic Liberties (Summer 2005)
• Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties; Criminal Procedure (Spring 2005)
• Public Policy Development and Implementation (Fall 2008, MPA lecture course)
• American Political Behavior (Spring 2009, graduate seminar)