本課程乃是政治研究所博士班與碩士班的選修課程。其內容主要在探討民主憲政體制下（不論是總統制，議會制抑或是半總統制），國會（立法機關）必然是政府權力中心的事實。在民主憲政體制下，法律必須由民選的國會所制定，國會藉由法律的制定，為整個社會做權威性的價值分配，因此民主政治的統治必須以贏得國會的多數支持為前提。不過，國會雖然具有立法的權力，而其如何立法則需視國會內部的結構(structure)，以及國會與其他政治機構(political institutions)之間的互動關係而定。基本上，國會的立法過程(legislative process)乃是政治過程(political process)的一環。本課程旨在介紹國會內部的結構，並說明影響國會立法的政治因素，以期學生具備相關的政治專業知識，決策分析、領導與學術研究的能力。

This course is an elective course for the doctoral and master's programs of the Institute of Political Science. Its content mainly discusses the fact that under a democratic constitutional system (whether it is a presidential system, a parliamentary system or a semi-presidential system), the Congress (legislature) must be the center of government power. Under a democratic constitutional system, laws must be enacted by the democratically elected Congress, which makes authoritative value distribution for the entire society through the enactment of laws. Therefore, democratic political rule must be predicated on winning the majority support of Congress. However, although Congress has the power to legislate, how it legislates depends on the internal structure of Congress and the interaction between Congress and other political institutions. Basically, the legislative process of Congress is part of the political process. This course aims to introduce the internal structure of Congress and explain the political factors that influence Congressional legislation, so that students can acquire relevant political expertise, decision-making analysis, leadership and academic research capabilities.

(1) Clucas, Richard A. and Melody Ellis Valdini. 2015. The Character of Democracy: How Institutions Shape Politics. New York: Oxford University.
(2) CQ Press. 2013. How Congress Works. London: Sage.
(3) Dodd, Lawrence C. 2012. Thinking about Congress: Essays on Congressional Change. New York: Routledge.
(4) Dodd, Lawrence C. and Bruce I. Oppenheimer. ed. 2013. Congress: Reconsidered. London: Sage.
(5) Hazan, Reuven Y. ed. 2011. Cohesion and Discipline in Legislatures. New York: Routledge.
(6) Jenkins, Jeffery A., Eric M. Patashnik. 2012. Living Legislation: Durability, Change, and the Politics of American Law Making. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
(7) Keefe, William, and Morris S. Ogul. 2001. The American Legislative Process: Congress and the States. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
(8) McKay, William, and Charles W. Johnson. 2012. Parliament and Congress: Representation and Scrutiny in the Twenty-First Century. New York: Oxford University Press.
(9) Oleszek, Walter J. 2014. Congressional Procedures and the Policy Process. London: Sage.
(10) Papadopoulos, Yannis. 2013. Democracy in Crisis? Politics, Governance and Policy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
(11) Qvortrup, Matt. 2013. Direct Democracy: A comparative study of the theory and practice of government by the people. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
(12) Schickler, Eric and Frances E. Lee. 2013. The Oxford Handbook of The American Congress. New York: Oxford University Press.
(13) Smith, Steven S., Jason M. Roberts, and Ryan Vander Wielen. 2011. The American Congress. New York: Cambridge University Press.
(14) Stewart III, Charles. 2012. Analyzing Congress. New York: W.W. Norton.
(15) Stratus, Jacob R. 2012. Party and Procedure in the United States Congress. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.
(16) Thurber, James A. ed., 2009. Rivals for Power: Presidential-Congressional Relations. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.
(17) 任冀平（2014），＜司法審查存立的制度性基礎＞，（全球政治評

(1) Clucas, Richard A. and Melody Ellis Valdini. 2015. The Character of Democracy: How Institutions Shape Politics. New York: Oxford University.
(2) CQ Press. 2013. How Congress Works. London: Sage.
(3) Dodd, Lawrence C. 2012. Thinking about Congress: Essays on Congressional Change. New York: Routledge.
(4) Dodd, Lawrence C. and Bruce I. Oppenheimer. ed. 2013. Congress: Reconsidered. London: Sage.
(5) Hazan, Reuven Y. ed. 2011. Cohesion and Discipline in Legislatures. New York: Routledge.
(6) Jenkins, Jeffery A., Eric M. Patashnik. 2012. Living Legislation: Durability, Change, and the Politics of American Law Making. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
(7) Keefe, William, and Morris S. Ogul. 2001. The American Legislative Process: Congress and the States. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
(8) McKay, William, and Charles W. Johnson. 2012. Parliament and Congress: Representation and Scrutiny in the Twenty-First Century. New York: Oxford University Press.
(9) Oleszek, Walter J. 2014. Congressional Procedures and the Policy Process. London: Sage.
(10) Papadopoulos, Yannis. 2013. Democracy in Crisis? Politics, Governance and Policy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
(11) Qvortrup, Matt. 2013. Direct Democracy: A comparative study of the theory and practice of government by the people. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
(12) Schickler, Eric and Frances E. Lee. 2013. The Oxford Handbook of The American Congress. New York: Oxford University Press.
(13) Smith, Steven S., Jason M. Roberts, and Ryan Vander Wielen. 2011. The American Congress. New York: Cambridge University Press.
(14) Stewart III, Charles. 2012. Analyzing Congress. New York: W.W. Norton.
(15) Stratus, Jacob R. 2012. Party and Procedure in the United States Congress. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.
(16) Thurber, James A. ed., 2009. Rivals for Power: Presidential-Congressional Relations. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.
(17) Ren Jiping (2014), "The Institutional Basis for Judicial Review", (Global Political Review