Syllabus

Introduction to Politics and Government
Fall 2007
Political Science Course # PS 106 01

Course Description

Students technically do not need to be "introduced" to politics and government, since these affect almost every aspect of their lives, from what they earn (e.g., taxes) to what they eat (food safety laws) to where they go (public roads) and how they get there (oil policies). Yet students, like many Americans, may feel bewildered, shut out, overwhelmed, or even disgusted by the political process. To overcome these obstacles to understanding, this course offers a systematic approach to politics and government. Students will address broad political questions like the following:

• Is liberal democracy the best form of government?
• How does power affect the distribution of resources?
• What is a political ideology?
• How do political institutions like Congress and the courts operate?
• What drives nations to go to war?

By engaging with questions like these, the course should help students clearly identify the ways in which politics affects their lives, and the lives of others, and to critically evaluate claims made by political actors. We will also work together towards developing skills that transcend the classroom. Through the study of politics and government, students should begin to develop powers of analysis and argumentation that will improve their thinking, writing, and speaking, both on and off campus.

Finally, this course also serves as an introduction to the discipline of political science. Those students considering this field as a major or minor will come away from the course with an understanding of the main sub-fields of political science, as well as some of the dominant theoretical approaches within the discipline.

Required Texts

Students are encouraged to purchase the following book:

Power & Choice
W. Phillips Shively
10th Edition (2007)
ISBN: 9780073278902

This book is available from Shakespeare and Company (939 Lexington Avenue, at 69th Street). In addition, a number of less expensive used copies may be available online. If you purchase online or elsewhere, however, make sure that you obtain the correct edition and that you can get the book in a timely fashion.

Additional readings will be assigned throughout the semester through the use of handouts, library access, and online links at the course website. Readings will be assigned at the end of each class, and also will be posted on the class website.

Course Requirements

• Come to class prepared. Complete all required readings beforehand, and bring your textbooks to class.
  

• Participate. Attend class regularly and on time—you cannot participate if you are not present—and join your colleagues in critical analysis of the assigned readings. In order to encourage participation, you will be asked to complete the following assignment:
  

• Summaries. Write five (5) one-page summaries of assigned readings throughout the course of the semester. Guidelines for summary writing will be distributed during class. In general, you can submit summaries whenever you would like, with the following restriction: one summary must be completed in September, with an additional one (two in total) due by the mid-term exam. Still, I encourage you to WRITE YOUR SUMMARIES EARLY – do not wait until the end of the semester, or you may run out of time to complete your required seven.
  

• Complete all other written assignments:
  

• Exams. You will be given two examinations throughout the course, a mid-term and a final. The final exam focuses primarily on material covered in the second half of the course, but may build upon and refer to material discussed earlier. Exams will consist of brief essay questions, with the questions distributed in advance. Exams will be based on the required readings and on classroom discussions.
  

• Paper. One 5-7 page research paper will be due later in the semester. Details for the assignment, including deadlines and instructions, will be distributed in class after the mid-term examination.

Grading

Your grade will be based on your written work and your class participation. Course requirements will be weighted as follows when calculating your grade:

Exams: 50%
Of the two exams, your lowest grade will be worth 20%, while your highest will be worth 30%. Make-up exams will be given only when proper documentation for the absence is provided.

Paper: 25%
Grading criteria will be included when the paper assignment is distributed. A one letter grade penalty will be imposed upon late papers without valid documentation (e.g., medical emergency).

Participation: 25%
Submission of all required summaries establishes a base participation grade of B. Failure to submit a summary will lower this grade by one-third of a letter grade (e.g., B to B-). Excessive lateness or absences may lead to further reductions, while frequent and thoughtful contributions to class discussion will have the opposite effect.

Incomplete grades will be assigned only for a valid and documented cause, for a length of time specified by the instructor when the documentation is accepted.

Academic Integrity

Students should be aware of the college’s policies regarding cheating, plagiarism and any other kind of academic misconduct as outlined in the MMC Academic Honesty Policy. These policies will be discussed briefly during the first class, and are available online. Students who have questions or concerns about their written work should discuss these with the instructor before submitting any assignments.

Special Needs

Any student who is learning disabled, whose primary language is other than English, or who has other special needs and may thus require special accommodations should notify me immediately.

Course Schedule (subject to change)

Thursday, September 6
Introduction to Politics (and Political Science)

Thursday, September 13
Introduction to Government
Concepts: Power

Thursday, September 20
Concepts: Authority, Legitimacy and Democracy

Thursday, September 27
Ideologies: Liberalism and its Critics; Fascism and Totalitarianism

Thursday, October 4
Constitutions and the Modern State
Exam Review

Thursday, October 11
MID-TERM EXAMINATION

Thursday, October 18
Institutions: Legislatures and the Executive (Parliamentary vs. Presidential Systems)

Thursday, October 25
Institutions: Law and the Courts; the Bureaucracy

Thursday, November 1
Public Policy (what governments do)
Political Participation: Elections and Parties

Thursday, November 8
Political Participation: Interest Groups, Social Movements and Social Capital

Thursday, November 15
International Politics: Realism and Institutionalism

Thursday, November 22
NO CLASS – THANKSGIVING BREAK

Thursday, November 29
International Politics: War and Peace

Thursday, December 6
Issues in Politics
Exam Review

Thursday, December 13
FINAL EXAM