311 Objectives SPS

Week 1

Bibby 1: Parties & Politics | Publisher's Description of Bibby.

What are the roles and functions of political parties in a democracy?

What are the paradoxes of Americans' views of political parties?

Can we distinguish between parties and interest groups?

Bibby 2: Party Battle

to understand the competition among American political parties

to perceive the changing directions of political parties over time

knowledge of the five historical party systems in the US

critical thinking about the current party system

thinking about the role of minor parties in the US

Week 2

Bibby 3: Characteristics of American Party System

to understand the nature of American two party competition

to perceive the decentralized power structures of American political parties

to learn about the need for broadly based support in US elections

to understand the loose connections between party and policy programs in the US

to perceive the loose connections between members and parties

Bibby 4: Party Organizations

to understand the nature of national parties

to learn the state, county and local structures of American political parties

critical thinking about the effects of party organization

Bibby 5: Nominations for State and Congressional Offices

to understand the evolution and regulation of the direct primary election

to perceive the value of preprimary endorsements and competition in primaries

to think critically about voter turnout in primary elections

to think critically about the direct primary and the general election and parties

Week 3

Test: Essay Questions covering all materials to this point.

Bibby 6: Presidential Nominations

to understand the methods of delegate selection

to perceive the phases of the nominating process

to think critically about the ongoing process of party reform

to think critically about participation by voters and the media in presidential nominating politics

to think critically about a lengthy, candidate-centered, primary focused and media oriented process

Lectures: The Nomination System: The Primary Election Campaign

Maisel's '78 race, Lectures: Introduction | Maine's First District | Maps | Census Profile, 2003 |

Decision to Run | Structure & Organization | Finance | Strategy | Tactics | My Conclusions

understanding via a case study of the nature of the primary process

perception of the organization, strategy and tactics needed in primary campaigns

critical thinking in application of the case study to the findings of Maisel's national survey of candidates.

Bibby 7: General Elections

understanding of the extension of the suffrage and direct election of the Senate

distinction between party column versus office bloc ballot forms

knowledge of the financing of US elections

understanding of the electoral college

understanding of the general election campaign

critical thinking about the campaign and governance

Lecture: Public Opinion Polling

understanding of the role of opinion polling in a democracy

knowledge of the relationship of a structured, random sample of respondents to the universe of the public

critical thinking about the problems of opinion poll questions and answer categories

critical analysis of opinion poll data

Lecture: Campaign Debates

knowledge of the modern history of campaign debates

critical understanding of the value and limitations of campaign debates

Week 4

Bibby 8: Political Parties and Voters

to understand the difficulties of voter turnout

to observe the fluctuations over time in party identification of voters

to understand the appeal of candidates and issues

to explore the social and economic bases of voting

critical thinking about the causes of election results

Bibby 9: Parties in Government

knowledge of the role of the President as party leader

understanding of the interactions of party with President and Congress

understanding of the interactions of party with the executive and judicial branches

critical thinking about the strengths and weaknesses of party influence on government

Bibby 10: Conclusion

critical thinking about the nature of American parties as distinctive, durable, adaptive and useful

Lecture: Spatial Theory of Parties: one and two Dimensions of European and American Parties

understanding of the spatial theory of parties in one and two dimensions

Lecture: Responsible Parties to New Electoral Order

to understand the concept of responsible parties and its difficult application to the US

to think critically about the new electoral order, or current party system

Week 5

Papers Due, with presentations of papers: 5 pages, with proper organization & citations.

careful analysis of parties and elections

organized writing about parties and elections

FINAL EXAM. Comprehensive: pages of one-paragraph answers and 1-page essays. Questions.

demonstration of factual and conceptual knowledge of course materials in paragraph answers

demonstration of some integration of course materials in essays

critical thinking about key concepts in the class demonstrated in essays