NEW!
Most recent video lectures
New Module on Liberalism & Conservatism
The American Political Mind, November 25, 2021
An examination of the American political mind. The module focuses on the substantive agendas that liberal and conservatives political forces have advanced in the post-New Deal era through to contemporary times. Specific emphasis is placed upon the three basic states that American progressives have constructed or tried to construct (New Deal, Great Society & democratic socialism), along with the ascendency of Reagan, the New Democrats (third-way) and the rise of conservative populism.
New Module on the Party System
A Unique American Development, Octiber 15, 2021
An examination of the unique roll of parties in the American system. The module begins with a developmental focus: how parties both emerged, evolved and then 'devolved.' The module ends with a conceptual picture of a broad national policy marketplace fundamentally structured by rival monopolistic suppliers of product. Third parties are also discussed, including what role they play and why they fail.
New Module on the Policy State
Making American Sausage, September 15, 2021
Attempts to conceptualize the American policy system in terms of incrementalism, stasis, and recurring mechanical processes. The emphasis is on the stability of the setup, who wins or loses, why, and the conditions under which such a system could accommodate non-incrementalist (radical) changes. The system is contrasted with neat-and-clean majoritarian systems and with proportional representation. Special emphasis is paid to seeing policy positions in terms of a marketplace defined by pro-and-con pressure (stasis).
New Module on Trial Combat
Hypothesis, Structure & Ordeal, December 10, 2021
This module covers two basic things: the procedure of the trial, and the behavioral tactics of the participants. Students learn not about jury selection, witness examination, opening statement, closing argument, deliberation and verdict, but about what the system participants do strategically when engaging in each of theses. Examples are shown from popular criminal trials.
New Module on Pretrial Defense
Controlling Damage & Building Theories, November 10, 2021
After the client is charged, the defense begins. This module is about criminal discovery, challenges to the cause for the charge, suppression of evidence, plea negotiations, pretrial hearings, and about the types of defense lawyers and prosecutors in the system. Particular attention is paid to how a specialized and expensive criminal defense lawyers will more aggressively conduct case discovery and theory-building.
Dr. Wilson
I'm a tenured full prof at an American university teaching in the areas of American politics, law & courts, and political theory. I am an internationally recognized scholar of Ludwig Wittgenstein and am well published in the field of legal theory.
Latest Lectures
A quaint and rational theory for why American politics became crazy
Conservative Radio Politics
A case study in how effective platforming can be
The Cross Examination
Understanding form, technique & strategy
The Direct Examination
Understanding form, technique & strategy
The Power of Legal Relevance
How the law gives discretion to the trial judge
The Law of Privilege
The secrets that even truth will not out
New Democrats and Third Way Politics
What it means, how it came about, why it matters and how to spot it
Republican v. Democratic Imaginations
Which party has an easier time selling its message in the policy game?
Can the Republican Party be a Majority Party?
Looking at national voting data at multiple levels of analysis
Defense Lawyers and Prosecutors
Understanding the lawyers in the system