Volume 24, Number 3, February 2015: The Supreme Court: a political, not judicial, institution? Robert Singh 10 A US political parties (): Students should learn In particular, students should Chapter 3: ‘Political about the current understand the differences between the parties’ in A2 US factionalised nature of the ideological divisions fiscal conservatives, social Government and parties and internal divisions. within the two main conservatives and moderates in the Politics by Anthony J parties and factions Republican Party, as well as between Bennett within them, including liberal activists, centrists and Chapter 5: ‘The the Freedom Caucus moderates in the Democratic Party. In Changing Role of and Tea Party in the particular, students should focus on the Political Parties’ in Republican party and values, influence and success of the American Politics the Congressional different factions within each party. and Society by Progressive Caucus in McKay (2017: 9th the Democrat party. Edition) 10 B The judicial branch of Students should learn Students should understand that the Chapter 7: ‘The government (): definitions for the constitution is a vague document that Supreme and concepts of strict and can be interpreted in a number of ways, the protection of current composition ideology – loose constructionism, both depending on the specific case rights and liberties’ in of the justices and ways in and judicial activism and on the views of the individual A2 US Government which the constitution can be and restraint, including justices sitting on the Supreme Court. and Politics by interpreted. the merits and Students should understand that the Anthony J Bennett drawbacks of each judicial philosophy of the Supreme Chapter 14: ‘The approach. Court justices can be based on both Supreme Court and their views on how the constitution Judicial Politics’ in should be interpreted as well as their American Politics political views justices can, at times, – and Society by David
Volume 24, Number 3, February 2015: The Supreme Court: a political, not judicial, institution? Robert Singh 10 A US political parties (): factionalised nature of the parties and internal divisions. Students should learn about the current ideological divisions within the two main parties and factions within them, including the Freedom Caucus and Tea Party in the Republican party and the Congressional Progressive Caucus in the Democrat party. In particular, students should understand the differences between the fiscal conservatives, social conservatives and moderates in the Republican Party, as well as between liberal activists, centrists and moderates in the Democratic Party. In particular, students should focus on the values, influence and success of the different factions within each party. Chapter 3: ‘Political parties’ in A2 US Government and Politics by Anthony J Bennett Chapter 5: ‘The Changing Role of Political Parties’ in American Politics and Society by McKay (2017: 9th Edition) 10 B The judicial branch of government (): current composition – ideology of the justices and ways in which the constitution can be interpreted. Students should learn definitions for the concepts of strict and loose constructionism, and judicial activism and restraint, including the merits and drawbacks of each approach. Students should understand that the constitution is a vague document that can be interpreted in a number of ways, both depending on the specific case and on the views of the individual justices sitting on the Supreme Court. Students should understand that the judicial philosophy of the Supreme Court justices can be based on both their views on how the constitution should be interpreted as well as their political views – justices can, at times, Chapter 7: ‘The Supreme and the protection of rights and liberties’ in A2 US Government and Politics by Anthony J Bennett Chapter 14: ‘The Supreme Court and Judicial Politics’ in American Politics and Society by David