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Author
JandaWeb links: |
Reading Timetable: Janda
Website; US politics.
HC Students' outline links. |
Speakers |
Week 1
25-29 Aug |
First session:
Janda
1
(APSA
conf.) |
Explanation of course, sign up for magazines,
check info.
Freedom,
Order or Equality?
Is there a political dilemma between freedom and
order? [Janda]
Is there a modern dilemma between freedom and equality?
[Janda]
How can these two dilemmas give us four types of
political belief in modern US? [Janda]
What kinds of policy or values are upheld by each
political belief? [Janda]
How do the four boxes of political beliefs differ
from a traditional European spectrum of politics? [Janda]
Dr. Lewis
will be away at a conference, 26-29 Aug. in week 1. Readings remain testable.
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|
|
Curtis v2 |
Thomas
Paine
Should we accept the rules and government set by
past generations? [Paine]
Do men have natural rights -- and if so, what are
they? [Paine]
Do we have a right to rebel against the government?
[Paine]
|
Justin |
|
Homework:
Web fun: |
Idealog (Web)
[How to print or capture graphs]
[Graphs '06] [Graphs
'07] [Graphs '08]
Are you liberal, libertarian, communitarian or conservative?
print screen or capture resulting graph, send
to Lewis.
Politics
on YouTube, 2007 |
|
Week2
T2-5 Sep
(Mon
Labor Day) |
Janda
2 |
Majoritarian
or Pluralist Democracy?
How can we make democracy work? [Janda]
Should a majority rule on every question? [Janda]
Are minority rights better protected by interest
groups that by majoritarian democracy? [Janda]
Will a larger Republic give us a safe balance of
interest groups? [Janda]
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|
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Serow 1
(Contents) |
American Ideology:
1
Alexis de Tocqueville, "Democracy in America"
2
James Bryce, "American Commonwealth"
Does democracy require social and economic as well
as political equality? [Tocqueville, Bryce]
What types of equality do Americans enjoy? [Tocqueville,
Bryce]
|
-
Emily
Hall |
|
Serow 1 |
3
Louis Hartz, "Liberal tradition in America."
4
Theda Skocpol, "Diminished Democracy" [+]
5
Cornell West, "Race Matters" [+] NEW
outline
What types of equality are consistent with the US
Founders ideas? [Hartz]
Is US democracy incomplete without social or economic
equality? [Skocpol, West]
|
Davis
-
Mollie |
|
Web fun:
Web fun: |
Online
Political Quotes Game (Wadsworth)
Beloit
College's mindset of freshmen: what did YOU grow up with? |
|
Week 3
8-12 Sep |
Janda
3 |
Constitution
How was the constitution formed and ratified? [Janda]
What plans were proposed for the US constitution?
[Janda]
What compromises were made to secure approval of
the constitution? [Janda]
What amendments have been made to the US constitution?
[Janda]
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|
|
Serow 2 |
Constitution & American Democracy:
9
Richard Hofstadter, "American Political Tradition."
10
James Madison, "Federalist No. 10."
12
C. Wright Mills, "The Power Elite."
14
Robert Dahl, "Who Governs?
Is there an identifiable American political tradition?
[Hofstadter]
How can the mischief of factions be controlled? [Madison]
Who runs the US behind the scenes, a small elite
or a broad set of groups? [Mills, Dahl]
|
-
-
Paul M
Ann K
Shane N |
|
Web fun:
Web fun: |
JusticeLearning.org
[notes] explains US constitution
& justice issues
http://www.constitutionday.us/
has useful links.
Cornell.edu also has a fine, more advanced,
US constitution site. |
|
Week 4
15-19 Sep |
Janda
4 |
Federalism
How has the relation of federal to state and local
government changed over time? [Janda]
What does the federal government provide to states
and localities? [Janda]
What is the proper relation of federal government
to states? [Janda]
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|
|
Serow 3 & 4 |
Separation of Powers & Federalism:
15
James Madison, "Federalist No. 51."
16
Woodrow Wilson, "Congressional Government."
17
James Sterling Young, "Washington Community."
18
James Madison, "Federalist 39 & 46." [new #]
20
Daniel Elazar, "American Federalism."
How can the branches of government be made to check
each other? [Madison]
Did the C19th Congress become the dominant branch?
[Wilson]
How did the early Congress develop? [Young]
What is the relation of federal to state and local
governments? [Madison, Elazar]
No
classes on HC In-Service (Away Football) Friday 19 Sep. |
-
-
Will
Aarendy
Chris
Justin
|
Monday
Week 5
22-26 Sep |
TEST
Janda
5
Web fun:
Stallworth Lecture: |
Only Weeks 1-4 Testable.
Public
Opinion and Political Socialization
Match
your policy choices to a (surprising) candidate for president in 2008
Jan Crawford Greenburg,
"Supreme [Court] Conflict", Tues. 23 Sep., 7:30pm, Chapel
and in PSC 311,
12:30pm in FL 203 -- NEW |
|
|
Serow 10 |
Public Opinion:
55
Walter Lippmann, "Phantom Public." [new #]
56
V.O. Key, "Public Opinion & American Democracy." [new #]
57
Thomas Cronin, "Direct Democracy." [new #]
How well can public opinion understand politics?
[Lippmann]
Can public opinion provide a democratic check on
political elites? [Key]
Do we need to distinguish between the attentive (elite)
and inattentive (mass) public? [Lippmann]
Is direct democracy feasible? [Cronin]
|
-
Andrew
Roman
Horace |
|
Web fun:
Web fun: |
Political
Compass: plots your ideological position from a quiz; explanation
of the two dimensions of political
thinking [local file]. (More sophisticated than Idealog).
Critical thinking exercise on poll: Barack
Obama Test New |
|
|
Curtis v1
Web fun: |
Baron
de Montesquieu;
How does the culture of a society affect its ability
to forge a democracy? [Montesquieu]
Beloit
College's mindset of freshmen: what did YOU grow up with? |
|
Week 6
29 Sep-3 Oct |
Janda
6 |
Media
How much media coverage is of politics? [Janda]
How do the media vary in their needs and qualities?
[Janda]
Do citizens receive enough information to be sovereign
in politics? [Janda]
|
|
|
Serow 14
Serow 12 |
Media:
79 Katharine
Graham, "Personal History" [+]
80 Larry
Sabato, "Feeding Frenzy."
68 William
Eggers, "Government 2.0" [+]
How did reporters uncover the Watergate scandal?
[Graham]
Has reporting of politics deteriorated since Watergate
into personal scandals? [Sabato]
Do the new electronic media create a new kind of
politics? [Eggers]
|
-
Emily
Sarah
Paul |
|
Curtis v1 |
Thomas
Hobbes,
John
Locke,
[Table]
Lecture comparing Hobbes & Locke [Lewis]
What is the nature of man in the state of nature
(without government)?
What kind of society do men share, therefore, without
government?
How can men join together to form a government?
Is there a right to rebel against this government?
Does it make a difference whether the author is writing
during civil war or in peacetime?
|
|
|
Web fun:
Web fun:
Weblog:
No
Friday Class: |
Note: think critically about email hoaxes.
I
suspected one, googled, & found:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/tyler.asp
Here's another frequent hoax -- Ollie North
himself has disavowed the claims:
http://www.snopes.com/rumors/north.asp
Steven
Taylor (Troy U) PoliBlogger.com
No
classes on HC In-Service (Away Football) Friday 19 Sep. |
|
Week7
6-10 Oct |
Janda
7 |
Participation
and Voting
What types of participation are conventional or unconventional?
[Janda]
How well do Americans turn out to vote? [Janda]
What causes high or low electoral turnout? [Janda]
Is US turnout rising or falling, and does it matter?
[Janda]
Why was voting so common in the C19th? [Janda]
What is the effect of education on turnout? [Janda]
Should voting be mandatory?
|
|
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Serow 12
Serow 14 |
Voting & Elections: [Civics
Model]
71
Ceaser & Busch, "Red Over Blue" (Swift boats) [+]
72 Piven & Cloward, "Why
Amer's Still Don't Vote"
82
Martin Wattenberg, "Where Have all the Voters Gone?" [+]
How did the swift boat attack spots affect the 2004
election? [Ceasar]
Does lack of public benefits decrease turnout? [Piven
& Cloward]
Does polarization of politics increase turnout? [Wattenberg]
|
-
John
Roman
Molly |
|
Serow 2 |
11 Lani
Guinier, "Tyranny of the Majority." [#]
Does the electoral system decrease turnout? [Guinier]
How can we fairly count up the votes? [Guinier]
|
Justin |
Week 8
13-17 Oct |
Janda
8 |
Political
Parties [Mon-Tue Fall Break]
What are the functions of political parties? [Janda]
What are the US political parties like? [Janda]
How do US political parties differ from those in
Europe? [Janda]
Are political parties gathering strength or weakening
over time? [Janda]
Are parties private organizations or public, regulated
ones? [Janda]
How has the US system of parties changed over time?
[Janda]
Are some elections more important than others? [Janda]
|
|
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Serow 13 |
Political Parties:
79
Walter Dean Burnham, "Critical Elections ..."
74
Ceaser & Busch, "Red Over Blue" (realignment) [+]
75 Black & Black, "Rise
of Southern Republicans." [#]
78 Monmonier, "Bushmanders
& Bullwinkles" [#]
Are some elections more important than others? [Burnham]
What is a realignment of voters, and is one occurring
currently? [Burnham, Ceasar]
Is the US polarized into Red (Republican) and Blue
(Democratic) states? [Ceasar]
Has there been a realignment of southern white voters?
[Black]
How does redistricting affect the party seats in
legislatures? [Monmonier]
|
|
|
Web, Polls |
http://www.electoral-vote.com/states/alabama.html
http://www.electoral-vote.com/
US map by poll data |
|
Week 9
20-24 Oct |
Janda
9 |
Nominations,
Elections and Campaigns
What are the stages of the nomination process? [Janda]
What kinds of primary and caucus are there? [Janda]
Does the presidential nomination process deliver
good quality candidates? [Janda]
How well do third parties fare in campaigns? [Janda]
How does the election system count the votes? [Janda]
Can the "wrong" president be elected? [Janda]
Is the role of money in US elections excessive? [Janda]
What is the role of PACs and 527 groups in US elections?
[Janda]
|
|
|
Serow 12 |
Voting & Elections:
67 Johnson, "No
Place for Amateurs" [#]
69
Kathleen Hall Jamieson, "Dirty Politics." [#]
70
Steve Ansolabehere, "Going Negative." [#]
What role do professionals play in campaigns? [Johnson]
Have attack spots on TV changed political campaigning?
[Jamieson; Ansolabehere]
|
|
|
Web fun: |
JibJab election
'Toons. |
|
Week10
27-31 Oct |
Janda
10 |
Interest
Groups
How can interest groups influence US politics? [Janda]
Does lobbying produce a balance of interests? [Janda]
|
|
|
Serow 11 |
Interest Groups:
59
Alexis de Tocqueville, "Democracy in America." [#]
60
EE Schattschneider, "Semisovereign People." [#]
61
Theodore Lowi, "End of Liberalism." [#]
62
Jeffrey Birnbaum, "The Lobbyists." [#]
How active are Americans in joining interest groups?
[Tocqueville]
Are active interest groups compatible with democracy?
[Tocqueville]
Has the interest group system created deadlock in
democracy? [Lowi]
Have lobbyists become overwhelming in the Congress?
[Birnbaum]
|
|
|
Hallowe'en |
Second Test, Friday
[unless a "Football away" Friday, then Wednesday] or |
|
Week 11
3-7 Nov |
Janda
11 |
Congress
How is congress organized? [Janda]
What are the powers of Congress? [Janda]
How does a bill become law? [Janda]
What are the differences between House and Senate?
[Janda]
How do committees work? [Janda]
|
|
|
Serow 5 |
Congress:
22
David Mayhew, "Congress: Electoral Connection." [#]
23
Richard Fenno, "Home Style." [#]
30
David Price, "Congressional Experience." [#]
Does congressional behavior work purely toward re-election?
[Mayhew]
What methods do congressmen use in serving constituents
for re-election? [Mayhew]
How do members represent themselves in their home
districts? [Fenno]
How do US Reps. ensure re-election? [Fenno]
What is the experience for a new US Rep. like? [Price]
|
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Week 12
10-14 Nov |
Janda
12 |
The
Presidency
What are the powers of the presidency versus Congress
and the courts? [Janda]
How has the presidency swelled? [Janda]
How is the presidency organized? [Janda]
How can the presidency supervise the bureaucracy?
[Janda]
|
|
|
Serow 6 |
Presidency:
31
Richard Neustadt, "Presidential Power." [#]
32
Arthur Schlesinger, "Imperial Presidency." [#]
33
Thomas Cronin, "Paradoxes of Presidency." [#]
Does the president have any power beyond persuasion?
[Neustadt]
Has the presidency grown too powerful, and why? [Schlesinger]
Do we expect too much of the presidency? [Cronin]
|
|
|
web file |
The
Four Parachutes joke [PPS] (no comment intended!) |
|
Week 13
17-21 Nov |
Janda
13 |
The
Bureaucracy
Lecture
How is the bureaucracy organized? [Janda]
What are the characteristics and scale of US agencies?
[Janda]
How are bureaucracies influenced by Congress, the
courts and the presidency? [Janda]
Do bureaucracies inevitably grow, or can they be
controlled and limited? [Janda]
|
|
|
Serow 7 |
Executive Branch:
32
Hugh Heclo, "Government of Strangers." [#]
39
Reich, "Locked in the Cabinet" [#]
40
James Q. Wilson, "Bureaucracy" [+]
David
Osborne, "Reinventing Government." [Lecture Slide]
How do career civil servants and political appointees
get along? [Heclo]
How difficult is it for a new cabinet secretary to
hire appointees? [Reich]
What is the nature of bureaucracy? [Wilson]
Should bureaucracy be reinvented? [Osborne]
|
|
|
Curtis v2 |
John
Stuart Mill, "On Liberty",
Alexis
De Tocqueville. |
|
|
24-28
Nov
|
Thanksgiving: |
Whole week |
|
Week14
1-5 Dec |
Janda
14 |
The
Courts
How are the courts structured? [Janda]
What are the functions of the courts? [Janda]
How does the judicial process work? [Janda]
Is judicial review compatible with democracy? [Janda]
|
|
|
Serow 8 |
Judiciary:
41
Alexander Hamilton, "Federalist 78." [#]
42
Eugene Rostow, "Democratic Character of Judicial Review." [#]
43
David O'Brien, "Storm Center." [#]
44
Peter Irons, "Brennan vs Rehnquist." [#]
Is judicial review compatible with a democracy? [Hamilton;
Rostow]
By what process does the supreme court decide cases?
[O'Brien]
How did the supreme court under Rehnquist differ
from that under Brennan's influence? [Irons]
|
|
|
website:
Velasco |
Oyez: Supreme
Court Cases | Docket.
AL
suffers unlimited interest group donations to judicial campaigns, '07 |
|
| Weeks 13-14 |
Capstones |
Seniors present on topics in American Government:
['04] ['05]
['06] ['07] |
|
| 4-8 Dec. |
essay exam |
Comprehensive: 08:30
Tues 9 Dec, in usual classroom |
|
