PSC 311: Voters, Parties and Elections, Time Table

Revised 6 Dec. 2008, by Jeremy Lewis, with links and new speakers.

2008 Election links | 2006 Election links
CNN Politics | Economist | Politico | Real Clear Politics | Time, primaries | USA Today
Note that video documentary clips and TV campaign spots will be inserted only where time permits.
Ring binders on Library Reserve hold some articles for this class.
Brief, topical articles may be added. Where reading titles are not already linked, you may volunteer to write the outline.
Week: [01] [02] [03] [04] [05] [06] [07] [Test] [08] [09] [10] [11] [12] [13] 14] [15] [Final]
No classes, Fall 2008: 1 Sep, Labor Day; 24-28 Nov, Thanksgiving; 5 Dec. classes end.
No classes on HC In-Service (Away Football) Fridays: 19 Sep.; 3, 10 & 24 Oct.; and 14 Nov.
Dr. Lewis will be away at a conference, 26-29 Aug. in week 1. Readings remain testable.
Additional session: Jan Crawford Greenburg, "Supreme [Court] Conflict", Tues. 23 Sep., 7:30pm, Chapel

Date	Reading	Topic or Title [click for outlines]	Speakers
		Development of the Party System
Week 1 26, [28] Aug	Bibby 1 (APSA conf.}	Parties & Politics Publisher's Description of Bibby. Dr. Lewis will be away at a conference, 26-29 Aug. in week 1. Readings remain testable.
Week 2 2, 4 Sep (M Labor Day)	Bibby 2 web web	Party Battle CBS News, Report on Coverage of Election Night 2000 (pub. 2001) Wall Street Journal, Mayor Bobby Bright and southern politicsNew
Week 3 9, 11 Sep	Bibby 3 Reserve - Avi Rubin -	Characteristics of American Party System Asher, Herbert. 1998. "Analyzing and Interpreting Polls" chapter 8 CNN Politics \| New York Times Poll Watch index \| USA Today "Perils of Electronic Voting", San Jose Mercury News, August 8, 2004. [Local] or: Johns Hopkins Information Security Inst. archive
Week 4 16, 18 Sep	Speaker Lecture & Discussion (read outlines)	Public Opinion Polling Katheryn Kennedy, "Rock the Polls", Tues New Traugott 1, What are Polls & Surveys, & Why Conducted? Traugott 2, What are Election Polls, & How Conducted? Traugott 3, How do Candidates & Organizations Use Poll Data? Traugott 4, How do News Organizations Collect & Report Poll Data? Traugott 5, Why do Pollsters Use Samples? Traugott 6, How do Interviews Take Place? Traugott 7, How are Questionnaires Put Together? Traugott 8, How do Media Organizations Analyze Polls? Traugott 9, How Can I Evaluate Published Poll Results? Traugott 10, What are Some Common Problems and Complaints About Polls? Critical thinking exercise on poll: Barack Obama Test New
23, 25 Sep	Week 5 Maisel 1 Maisel 2 Maisel 3 Stallworth lecture TV & online	The Nomination System: The Primary Election Campaign IntroductionNew \| Maine's First District \| Maps \| Census Profile, 2003 \| Decision to Run Structure & Organization Jan Crawford Greenburg, "Supreme [Court] Conflict", Tues. 23 Sep., 7:30pm, Chapel and in PSC 311, 12:30pm in FL 203 -- NEW Presidential Debate, 25 Sep 2008, 8pm CT -- NEW
Week 6 30 Sep, 2 Oct	Maisel 4 Maisel 5 Maisel 6 Maisel +	Finance Strategy [outline *NEW*] Tactics Appendix; Post Script
	Video TV & online online	documentary, The War Room, first half [Clinton, 1992] Vice-Presidential Debate, 2 Oct 2008, 8pm CT -- NEW Biden and Palin preview, includes video clips, by NY Times *NEW* CBS News, Roe v Wade & Supreme Court, interviews by Katie Couric with Biden & Palin, VP candidatesNew CBS News, Separation of church and state, interviews by Katie Couric with Biden & Palin, VP candidatesNew
Week 7 7. 9 Oct	Web video	Review coverage of the Primaries and Caucuses, 2008 Election Blog \| Election '08 Notes The War Room, second half [documentary, 1992 Clinton campaign] Pres. Debates
Th 9 Oct	Test	Essay Questions covering all materials to this point.
Week 8 14, 16 Oct	Bibby 4 Bibby 5	Party Organizations Nominations for State and Congressional Offices	Maegan -
	Web, Polls - Videos Video notes	http://www.electoral-vote.com/states/alabama.html http://www.electoral-vote.com/ US map '04 by poll data PBS, "The Choice, 2004" (excellent series on presidential races.) Third Presidential Debate '04, Domestic Policy. PBS, Debating our Destiny: Forty Years of Presidential Debates *New link*
Week 9 21, 23 Oct	Bibby 6 Reserve	Presidential Nominations New Nelson (ed) The Elections of 1992, the Presidency and the Congress. [Workbook]
	web video - -	PBS Frontline, The Choice, Series, 2008, via Facebook, PBS Hi-res streaming, YouTube/PBS, or iTunes free download. (120 mins, both major candidates). Shown on APTV: 8pm 23 Oct. & 10pm 26 Oct.. *New*
Week 10 28, 30 Oct	Bibby 7 web article	The Study of Elections General Elections RF Kennedy Jr, "Was the 2004 Election Stolen?" Rolling Stone, 1 June '06 [Local]	- Cole
	Curtis vol. 2	Edmund Burke Thomas Paine	Chanley Todd
Week 11 4. 6 Nov	Bibby 8	The Study of Articulation (of Voters to Government) Political Parties and Voters	- Shane N
	web data Web file Web file	Election maps, charts, New York Times political web Polling results and projections online Election '04 Results summary. Analysis of '04 by Cindy Barnes Hayden '99
Week 12 11, 13 Nov	Bibby 9 Bibby 10 Reserve Recommend	The Parties in Government Parties in Government Conclusion Theories of Parties & Elections Ware, Alan. 1996. Political Parties and Party Systems. "Introduction" & "Conclusions"
Week 13 18, 20 Nov	Lecture Nivola 15: Nivola 16:	Spatial Theory of Parties: one and two Dimensions of European and American Parties Downs, Economic Theory of Democracy Stokes, Spatial Models of Party Competition	- - Heath Chanley
	Papers Due	10-15 pages, with proper organization & citations, Th week 13 Th.: Guest speaker: Felix Parker '07, campaign operative
Week 14	24-28 Nov	*Thanksgiving Break*
	Capstone Days	Senior Capstone research presentations, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, [2008]
Week 15 2, 4 Dec	Nivola 17: Nivola 18: Lecture Film	Fiorina, Decline of Collective Responsibility in American Politics Key, Elections As Collective Decisions. Responsible Parties to New Electoral Order [Outline.] I'm On The Ballot (PBS, circa 2000) *New*	Chanley Shane N
8-11 Dec	FINAL EXAM.	Comprehensive: Fri. 12 Dec at 08:30 Questions. May include some multiple choice questions.