Reply #36: University of Victoria class to study, analyze U.S. election in real time

[tbyg52]

Professors at the University of Victoria's political science department aren't waiting for the result of this year's U.S. presidential race to let students analyze it. Instead, they're making the race between Senators Barack Obama and John McCain the focus of a full-credit course, and they're inviting the public to join in.

The third-year course is called Obama vs. McCain: American Presidential Politics, Canada and the World. The class was going to be limited to 50 students, but Dennis Pilon, who specializes in electoral systems, said demand was so strong that the department doubled the class size. It's now full and has a waiting list.

In addition to the 100 UVic students, as many as 150 members of the public will be invited to register for the once-a-week, three-hour course. The cost through Continuing Studies will be about $180, and the faculty expects a full lecture theatre.

The concept was born at the department's annual spring retreat. Warren Magnusson, an expert on the role of the United States in the world, came up with the idea.

More:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080805.COURSE05/TPStory/National