GOVT H 110 A: Introduction to American Democracy V.1

GOVT H 110 A: Introduction to American Democracy v.1

T/TH 1:40-2:55 Fall 2016

Somerset B15

GOVT H 110 A: Honors

Introduction to American Democracy

Suffolk University

Fall 2016

Prof. Brian M. Conley

Office: Government Department, Room 1084, 10th Floor, 73 Tremont Street

Office Hours: Monday/Wednesday 1:30-2:30PM, and by appointment

Email:

Phone: 617-994-6414

Course Description

This course will provide a critical introduction to American politics. By examining some of the key debates and issues in the field of American politics we will explore the intersecting, and at times competing ideas and traditions that have shaped American politics. Emphasis will be placed on understanding and analyzing foundational concepts and texts in American politics as well as the questions they continue to raise. Issues to be discussed include the constitutional foundations of the country, federalism, public opinion and the media, race and gender inequalities, liberalism, power, and political participation and activism.

CourseGoals & Learning Objectives

GOALS / OBJECTIVES / ASSESSMENTS
Develop a general understanding of the field of political science. / Develop the ability to analyze and critically evaluate competing political theories and arguments. / - Class Readings Assignments
- Midterm and Final Exam
- Class Discussion
Develop a general understanding of the social science writing process. / Develop the ability to organize and write a research paper. / - Class Readings Assignments
- Class Writing Assignments
Develop a general understanding of the social science research process. / Develop the ability to gather and critically evaluate research. / - Class Readings Assignments
- Midterm and Final Exam
- Class Writing Assignments
- Class Discussion
Develop a general understanding of how arguments are made and presented in the field of political science. / Develop presentation skills. / - Class Presentations
- Class Readings Assignments
- Class Discussion

Career Development Goals

GOALS / OBJECTIVES / ASSESSMENTS
Upon completion of this module, students will understand how to research and explore potential careers that are suited to their interests, skills, and values. / Analyze interests, skills, values, and experiences in the context of career planning for the US and internationally.
Demonstrate familiarity with available methods and resources for exploring interests and developing skills.
Identify skills and knowledge that are required for various careers. / Enrollment in FOCUS 2 and written reflection about the experience.
Upon completion of this module, students will know how to pursue opportunities inside and outside the classroom that enable them to explore their interests and develop their skills and knowledge. / Identify academic and experiential opportunities to explore interests and/or develop professionally.
Articulate personal and professional goals for desired skills.
Identify steps needed to explore interests or reach desired skills.
Design documents that enable completion of these steps. / Students will participate in a 3-hour simulation at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.
Attendance at Social Science Day (Oct 20).
Discussion with Senior GVT majors including presentation on career options available to GVT majors; will include discussion of the major, internships.

Course Requirements

A key component of the course will be learning how to organize and write a research paper, beginning with the development of a research question, followed by the drafting of a literature review, a research outline and concluding with a final research paper.

Students will be evaluated on the basis of the following:

·  Four (4) Writing Assignments

·  Midterm and Final Exam

·  Class Attendance and Participation

·  Class Presentations

1. Writing Assignments (4)

The first assignment is a research question. The second is a corresponding literature review, and the third a research outline. These three assignments will serve as the building blocks of the final assignment: a 12-14 page research paper. Each assignment will be preceded by a writing seminar that focuses on that component of the paper. The readings for these seminars are available on the class website.

2. Exams

Students will be assessed on the basis of two in-class exams. Both exams will consist of a series of short answer questions and an essay. The first exam, scheduled for November 3, will cover the first part of the course, and the second, scheduled for December 10, will cover the remainder of the assigned material. Both will be preceded by a review of the relevant material.

3. Class Attendance and Participation:

Students are expected to attend and participate in each class. An attendance sheet will be circulated at the beginning of each class. If you are unable to attend class, due to illness or a because of a conflict, please notify me by email.

I also strongly encourage you to read any of the major national newspapers, journals of opinion, news magazines and political blogs as well as to watch cable and broadcast news programs in order to stay abreast of current political issues and developments. You should feel free at any time to introduce issues you find relevant in our class discussion or on the class blog.

4. Presentations:

Students will be required to make a short (3-5 minute) presentation during the closing weeks of the semester on their research work and paper.

5. Edward M. Kennedy Institute of the United States Senate

All students enrolled in GOVT 110 are required to participate in a 3-hour simulation at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute of the United States Senate on Friday, December 2. The simulation will take place between 2:00-5:00 pm. If you are unable to attend the simulation, please let me know as soon as you can.

6. FOCUS 2: Career development Program

Students are also required to complete the online Focus 2 Career Development module and submit a brief evaluation of the program. You can find login instructions on the home page of the class website and the Focus 2 evaluation on the Assignment page.

Grading / Due Dates
Research Question: 5%
Literature Review: 20%
Paper Outline/Research Design: 5%
Final Research Paper: 30%
Mid-Term Exam 10%
Final Exam 10%
Attendance: 5%
Participation: 5%
Presentations: 5%
EMK Simulation: 2.5%
Focus 2: 2.5% / September 20
November 1
November 17
December 17
October 27
December 13
***
***
November 29-December 6
December 2 (2:00-5:00 pm)
December 13

Readings

The Syllabus as well as ALL course Readings and Power Points and support materials will be posted on the following class website: http://blogs.cas.suffolk.edu/govt110/

Password: govt110

Student Engagement Hours

To complete this course, students will need to dedicate, at a minimum, the following amount of time to the listed activities:

Item / Activity / Hours (total)
Course Readings: / 489 Pages x 8 min per Page / 65.2
Review Power Points: / 50 PP x .30 Hour per PP / 25
Research Question: / 5 Hours Preparation / 5
Midterm Exam: / 8 hours Exam Preparation / 8
Literature Review: / 15 Hours Preparation / 15
Research Outline: / 6 Hours Preparation / 6
Final Exam: / 12 Hours Preparation / 12
Final Paper: / 12 Hours Preparation / 12
Class Attendance: / 26 Classes x .75 minutes / 32.5
Kennedy Senate Simulation: / 3 Hours / 3
Focus 2 Career Module: / 3 Hours / 3
Total: / 186.7

University Policies:

Suffolk University Academic Honesty Policy:

Undergraduate Honor Policy:

“Students are expected to conduct themselves with integrity. In classrooms and laboratories, at internships, in libraries and in study groups and academic teams, cultivating and practicing honesty lays a foundation for lifelong integrity. Making honest, ethical choices is a necessary step in establishing communities of trust. Academic dishonesty includes four general types of inappropriate behavior: cheating, plagiarism, dishonest conduct and collusion/unauthorized collaboration.” (http://www.suffolk.edu/studenthandbook/19863.php)

Student Resources:

The university provides a range of student services. To learn more, explore this webpage:

http://www.suffolk.edu/explore/54511.php

Course Schedule:

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Tuesday: August 30: Introduction: Review Syllabus

Part I: Foundations

Constitution

Thursday: September 1:

Readings:

·  Samuel Kernell and Gary Jacobson. 2012. The Logic of American

Politics. Washington DC: CQ Press. 57-64.

·  James Madison. 2011. Federalist 10. In The Lanahan Readings in the

American Polity, ed. Ann Serow and Everett Ladd. 5th edition. Baltimore: Lanahan Publishers: 56-62.

·  Richard Hofstadter. 2011. “The American Political Tradition.” In The

Lanahan Readings in the American Polity, ed. Ann Serow and Everett Ladd. 5th edition. Baltimore: Lanahan Publishers. 45-50.

Tuesday: September 6: Labor Day: No Class

Thursday: September 8:

Readings:

·  Charles Beard. 2006. “Economic Interpretation of the Constitution.”

In The Enduring Debate: Classic and Contemporary Readings in American Politics, ed. David Cannon, John Coleman, Kenneth Mayer. New York: W.W. Norton and Co. 56-61.

·  Robert Brown. 2006. “Charles Beard and the Constitution: A Critical

Analysis of the Economic Interpretation of the Constitution.” In The Enduring Debate: Classic and Contemporary Readings in American Politics, ed. David Cannon, John Coleman, Kenneth Mayer. New York: W.W. Norton and Co. 62-67.

Writing Seminar: Research Question

Tuesday: September 13:

Readings:

·  Wayne Booth et al. 2003. The Craft of Research. Chicago: University

of Chicago Press. Chapter 3, 14.

·  Lisa Baglione. 2007. Writing a Research Paper in Political Science: A

Practical Guide to Inquiry, Structure, and Methods. New York: Thomson, Wadsworth. 14-16.

Federalism

Thursday: September 15:

Readings:

·  Samuel Kernell and Gary Jacobson. 2012. The Logic of American

Politics. Washington DC: CQ Press. 88-103.

·  Daniel Elazar. 2011. “Federalism.” In The Lanahan Readings in the

American Polity, ed. Ann Serow and Everett Ladd. 5th edition. Baltimore: Lanahan Publishers. 124-128.

·  United States v. Lopez. (1995). In The Lanahan Readings in the

American Polity, ed. Ann Serow and Everett Ladd. 3rd edition. Baltimore: Lanahan Publishers. 147-151.

At Issue: Constitution: Living or Not?

Tuesday: September 20: Research Question Due

Readings:

·  Antonin Scalia. 2006. “Common-Law Courts in a Civil-Law System:

The Role of the United States Federal Courts in Interpreting the Constitution and Laws.” In The Enduring Debate: Classic and Contemporary Readings in American Politics, ed. David Cannon, John Coleman, Kenneth Mayer. New York: W.W. Norton and Co. 268-275.

·  Stephen Breyer. 2006. “Our Democratic Constitution.” In The Enduring Debate: Classic and Contemporary Readings in American Politics, ed. David Cannon, John Coleman, Kenneth Mayer. New York: W.W. Norton and Co. 276-288.

Writing Seminar: Literature Review

Thursday: September 22:

Readings:

·  Lisa Baglione. 2007. Writing a Research Paper in Political Science: A

Practical Guide to Inquiry, Structure, and Methods. New York:

Thomson, Wadsworth. Chapter 3.

·  Laurence Jones and Edward Olson. 1996. Political Science Research:

A Handbook of Scope and Methods. New York: Longman. 30-40.

Part II: Political Institutions:

Congress

Tuesday: September 27:

Readings:

·  Samuel Kernell and Gary Jacobson. 2012. The Logic of American

Politics. Washington DC: CQ Press. 239-248.

·  United States Constitution. Article I, Section 8.

·  Herbert F Weisberg et al. 1999. “How Do Legislatures Operate?” In

Classics in Congressional Politics, ed. Herbert F Weisberg et al. New York: Longman, Inc. 192-206.

Thursday: September 29:

Readings:

·  Lawrence Dodd and Bruce Oppenheimer. 2012. “The House in a Time

of Crisis: Economic Turmoil and Partisan Upheaval.” In Congress Reconsidered, ed. Lawrence Dodd and Bruce Oppenheimer, 10th Edition. Washington, D.C: CQ Press. 27-58.

·  Barbara Sinclair. 2009. “Multiple Paths: The Legislative Process in the

House of Representatives,” in Herbert F Weisberg et al., eds., Classics in Congressional Politics (New York: Longman, Inc. 1999) 243-252.

·  Barbara Sinclair. 2012. “The New World of U.S Senators.” In Congress

Reconsidered, ed. Lawrence Dodd and Bruce Oppenheimer, 10th

Edition. Washington, D.C: CQ Press. 1-26.

Presidency

Tuesday: October 4:

Readings:

·  Samuel Kernell and Gary Jacobson. 2012. The Logic of American

Politics. Washington DC: CQ Press. 315-333.

·  Richard Neustadt. 2011. “Presidential Power and the Modern

President” in Ann Serow and Everett Ladd, eds. The Lanahan Readings in the American Polity. 5th Edition. Baltimore: Lanahan Publishers: 211-217.

Thursday: October 6:

Readings:

·  Joseph Pika and John Maltese. 2008. The Politics of the Presidency,

7th Edition. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 21-36.

·  Fred Greenstein. 2008. “Toward a Modern Presidency.” In

Understanding the Presidency, ed. James Pfiffner and Roger Davidson 5th Edition. New York: Longman. 55-58.

Judiciary

Tuesday: October 11:

Readings:

·  Samuel Kernell and Gary Jacobson. 2012. The Logic of American

Politics. Washington DC: CQ Press. 401-413.

·  Alexander Hamilton. 2011. Federalist # 78. In The Lanahan Readings

in the American Polity, ed. Ann Serow and Everett Ladd. 5th edition. Baltimore: Lanahan Publishers: 311-315.

Thursday: October 13:

Readings:

·  David Obrien. 2011. “Storm Center.” In The Lanahan Readings

in the American Polity, ed. Ann Serow and Everett Ladd. 5th edition. Baltimore: Lanahan Publishers: 321-325.

At Issue: The Imperial Presidency

Tuesday: October 18:

Readings:

·  Arthur Schlesinger. 2011. “The Imperial Presidency.” In The Lanahan

Readings in the American Polity, ed. Ann Serow and Everett Ladd. 5th edition. Baltimore: Lanahan Publishers. 218-224.

·  Andrew Rudalevige. 2008. “A New Imperial Presidency.” In

Understanding the Presidency, ed. James Pfiffner and Roger Davidson. 5th Edition. New York: Longman: 494-512.

·  Chitra Ragavan. 2006. “Cheney’s Guy.” US News and World Report May

29.

·  Peter Maass. 2013. “How Laura Poitras Helped Snowden Spill His

Secrets.” New York Times August 13. 1-15.

Thursday: October 20: Social Science Day

Midterm Exam Review

Tuesday: October 25:

·  Midterm Exam Review

Midterm Exam

Thursday: October 27:

Readings:

·  Midterm Exam

Part III: Political Participation and Electoral Politics

Political Participation and Parties

Tuesday: November 1: Literature Review Due

Readings:

·  Steven Rosenstone and John Hansen. 1993. Mobilization,

Participation and Democracy in America. New York: Macmillan. 10-20.

·  Samuel Kernell and Gary Jacobson. 2012. The Logic of American

Politics. Washington DC: CQ Press. 560-582.

·  Brian M. Conley. 2015. “Political Parties.” American Political Culture:

An Encyclopedia. New York: ABC-CLIO.