Reflection

This course helped me developed a deeper understanding of why the U.S. government is
structured as it is and how it serves this large polity. In my first semester at school, I began to
hear many differing opinions from my own about America and its social and political structure. I
had lived in Europe and heard outside opinions but to be exposed to the plethora of opinions at
school opened my eyes to some of the supposed struggles for power. I began to take an interest
in the thought of other individuals and groups, and I have had a sincere interest in understanding
how the constitution can best serve them.
There have been two courses that have helped me start to understand differing thoughts
and groups. A political ideologies course, and an intercultural communications course. Through
these courses I have come to see that there are some who feel a struggle for power, and rights. I
have always been under the assumption that we were all free and had rights guaranteed to us as
Americans. I have come to understand that there are some who do not feel the same way. I came
to understand some of the outward expressions of these individuals and groups in Intercultural
Communications, and I developed an understanding of the fundamental principles and ideologies
of these individuals and groups in Political Ideologies. The beauty of U.S. Government and
Politics was that it gave me a deeper understanding of the function of the constitution in deciding
how our society functions here in America and the legality of these perceived struggles.
A benefit of this class has been the ability I have gained to understand others
perspectives. One of the defining characteristics of politics throughout the ages has been
divisiveness, and it is easy to fall into the idea of those who differ in opinion are, in essence, the

enemy. However, this class opened my eyes to others ideas and perspectives on what the
constitution means, especially in the sense of originalism versus the living document perspective.
My goals are to serve as a foreign service officer and practice law, the fundamental
guiding document for both of these professions is the constitution. As a diplomat, I will be
guided by our countries foreign policy and as a lawyer, all law stems from the supreme law of
the land. This class enabled me to understand how the constitution functions on a more practical
level than I had ever been able to understand before. In all our discussions of our structure, it
cam down to what does the constitution permit or prohibit?
I enjoyed this class and the skill of analyzing and interpreting the constitution that I have
begun to develop. It was intellectually challenging because of the constant need to examine your
beliefs and seek to understand the beliefs of others.