The American Presidency This course examines the development and modern practice of presidential leadership. Focus is on presidential decision-making, changes in the structure of the presidency as an institution, differences among individual presidents, and the interaction of the president with other major actors, including national governing institutions (executive branch, Congress, courts), interest groups, media, and the public. The course includes an historical overview of the evolution of the presidency, and examines changes in the electoral process.

U. S. National Elections In this course we will analyze national elections in the United States. Topics covered will include party systems, electoral realignment, voting behavior and turnout, candidate strategy, the nomination process, the legal framework for elections, the Electoral College, gender, race and ethnicity, the media, the Internet, and U.S. elections in comparative perspective. Although the focus will be on the upcoming congressional and presidential contests, earlier elections will be studied for insight into continuity and change in American electoral politics.

The Politics of the U.S. Congress Introduces students to the analysis of Congress and congressional policy-making. Considers how congressional elections, institutions, and policy hang together roughly in equilibrium. Focuses on the internal organization of Congress-committees, parties, House and Senate leadership, rules and norms, and congressional staff. Analyzes the power of Congress relative to the president, the bureaucracy, and the courts, specifically in the policy process. Investigates how unified and divided party control of the government affects legislation in the House and Senate. Finally, applies congressional theories to determine the fates of specific policy proposals in Congress.

Bureaucracy How did 9-11 happen?  Why did the U.S. believe Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction?  What went wrong with relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina?  Answering these questions requires an understanding of bureaucracies in the American political context -- the subject of this course.   It begins with an overview of the nature of bureaucracies and theories for their formation, followed by an examination of bureaucratic actors (managers, operators, and executives) and the context within which they work. It concludes with an attempt to assess bureaucratic effectiveness. Case studies of particular bureaucracies, including those involved in the War on Terror, Iraq and Hurricane Katrina, are included to sharpen analyses.

Introduction to American Politics This course introduces the institutions and practices of American government and politics. The aim is to give students a firm understanding of the workings of and the balance of power among the American Congress, President, bureaucracy, and court system. We begin with the Constitution, which provides the set of founding principles upon which the American government is based. We then look at how American citizens make decisions about politics. Finally, we examine how political institutions, interest groups, parties, elections, and legislative bodies and rules aggregate diverse, often conflicting preferences and how they resolve or exacerbate problems.

The American Presidency In-depth examination of the exercise of presidential leadership from a normative and empirical perspective. What are the sources of presidential power, the constraints on its use, and the implications for the American political system? The focus is on the leadership strategies of the modern presidents (FDR through Obama).

Seminar on the U.S. Congress The U.S. Congress is the most powerful political institution in the nation, and one of the least popular.  To understand why, this course examines theories of representation and how they relate to the contemporary Congress; the historical development and institutionalization of the Congress; the roles of parties, candidates, media, and money in Congressional elections; the legislative process, including roles of committees, interest groups, parties, congressional leaders, and presidents; the impact of representational and policy-making processes on the nature of legislation enacted by Congress; and Congress in comparative perspective.

American President Biography In this course we will examine biographies, both written and filmed, of several American presidents, including those who are well known – Madison, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt – and those who are less well known – Cleveland, Polk, Van Buren, John Quincy Adams, and McKinley. What, if anything, prepared these men for the nation’s highest office? What explains their successes? Their failures? Why do we consider some great, and others not so great? What do these biographies reveal about how Americans evaluate their leaders? 3 hr. sem. AMR, CW, HIS

Frontiers in Political Science Research Nothing is more controversial among political scientists than the topic of how to study politics. In this course, we consider a variety of advanced techniques for studying political phenomena, including statistical methods, game theory, institutional analysis, case study techniques, experiments, and agent-based modeling. We will work with concrete examples (drawn from major political science journals) of how scholars have used these techniques, and consider the ongoing philosophical controversies associated with each approach. Students will have the opportunity to conduct original research using a method and subject of their choosing.

Matthew Dickinson

Reviews and ratings for Matthew Dickinson at Middlebury College.Matthew Dickinson teaches American Presidency, U.S. National Elections, Politics of US Congress and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Matthew Dickinson good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

Intro to American Politics is a course that every political science major and person interested in politics at Middlebury should take. I say this because it is not overly centered towards one element of American politics whether this be the legislative, judicial, or executive branch. Rather, Dickinson emphasizes a holistic approach where students have the ability to go into depth on all of them. I would say that Dickinson grades fair. Definitely the sort of profesor where a B+/A- isn't all that hard to get but an A is rewarding. Would take again and who doesn't love a little grandpa humor from the old geezer?

Professor Dickinson made the course enjoyable for a topic so tedious and boring. Heavy reading and a mid-term, final, and big paper on a bureaucratic agent of choice. I also recomment Dickinson as a professor he's great.

This was my first political science class! The class isn't super difficult, but there's a lot of readings. Additionally, you get evaluated through pop quizzes and cold-calling (this happens more infrequently though). There's a midterm and final, and he was pretty fair with grading my midterm. The midterm included three sections: identifying vocabulary/topics and two in-class essays. Sometimes in class, Dickinson makes a slideshow diverting away from the readings. An example is the 2026 midterm results, which I really enjoy discussing in class! However, this causes the lecture schedule to be slightly behind. Overall the class is pretty light. 