311 Syllabus SPS

COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

To engage in critical thinking about campaigns and elections, both in discussion and in writing.
To ground our understanding of voters, parties and elections in historical perspectives.
To gain comparative perspectives on voters, parties & elections.
To encourage reading of campaigns and elections articles from news magazines and other news sources.
To understand topical events involving voters, parties & elections in the light of academic materials in political science.

COURSE EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES:

You will become more conversant with voter behavior
You will develop more understanding of political parties
You will be better able to analyze elections
You will gain understanding of historical and comparative academic perspectives on voters, parties & elections.
You will be able to discuss competently the topics of the week and term.
You will be able to write competent, critical essays about topics of the week
You will be able to write competent, critical term papers about topics of the term
You will be able to write competent, critical examination essays about topics of the term

PURPOSE: Catalog description: The influence, structure, and operation of the American party system; an evaluation of the major parties in the United States in historical context, and a consideration of factors weakening the role of parties today.

In this course you will be introduced to the concepts of political parties, voter behavior and the theories of competitive elections. We will examine some case studies of campaigns as well as some theory of the strategy of success. We shall explore the use of opinion polls, TV spots and other campaign instruments. I will present a view of the US parties and elections as contrasted with those of Western European social democratic states; and will help you to understand how the US system has changed over time.

The style of the course will be a reading-based seminar with students contributing essays, presentations and a research paper.

REQUIREMENTS FOR CLASS:
See also General Requirements and notes, on my Requirements Page.

Weekly Participation and Presentations (25%): Give a brief, four minute presentation in each class of your assigned article or chapter. This grade will include all your contributions to discussion.
Weekly essays (25%): Instructor will specify whether written in class or for homework. IF for homework, send a one-page single-spaced essay via email to jLewis@Huntingdon.edu, by Sunday at 7pm, analyzing a question posted from the previous week's discussion. Title your email and your essay 311SPS06-yourname-Essay1 (and increment the number for each week.) Plain text is best, or you may send attached files in Word or WordPerfect format. Standard 12 point Times New Roman or Arial Narrow fonts apply on all typed work.
Term Paper (25%): Send a five page single-spaced paper to the instructor before the final class session, taking a fuller look at a chosen current affairs issue by comparing newsmagazine article(s) with three articles from Annual Editions or the quality press. Use APSA citation style (similar to APA style, and illustrated on my web pages). Send email titled 311SPS06-yourname-Paper.
Final Essay exam (25%): in the final class session, you will be expected to write (or type on a computer if preferred) two pages of four one-paragraph accounts of articles, major events or concepts we have discussed, plus two one-page single-spaced general essays on a broader topic we have discussed (e.g., an election campaign, party systems, election systems.) If sending via email, titled 311SPS06-yourname-Exam. Exams are in closed-book and closed-notes format.

ABOUT THE READINGS:

Bibby, John F. 2003. Politics, Parties, and Elections in America. 5/e (Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth). Main text, succinct and organized, with broad coverage of party structures as well as campaigning. Publisher's Description of Bibby.
News analysis articles: we will extract the best articles on parties & elections, and discuss them systematically in class and in papers. The class, given only five weeks, is too short for a subscription -- so read news analysis articles online, or in your home, local library, HC's library, or professional office. By Tuesday evening at 9pm, the instructor will notify you via email and posting to the web based Timetable of the articles to discuss in the next class. Check the week's featured news article assignments posted via email and online by Tuesday evening at http://fs.huntingdon.edu/jlewis/Syl/SPS/index.htm.
Links: Time | Newsweek | US News | NY Times | Washington Post |

Students With Disabilities, HC notice: "Huntingdon College makes every reasonable accommodation for disabilities that have been processed and approved through our Disability Services Committee in accord with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. In order to request disability-related services at Huntingdon College, students must self-identify to the Disabilities Intake Coordinator, and provide appropriate and up-to-date documentation to verify their disability or special needs. After the accommodations have been approved by the Disability Services Committee, the 504 Coordinator, will notify your professor(s) of the Committee’s decision. If you have any questions regarding reasonable accommodation or need to request disability-related services, please contact Disability Services at (334) 833-4556 or email disabilityservices@huntingdon.edu."