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Dr. Mark Cassell
Office: Bowman 302, Room 35 Spring 2002 Office Phone: 330-672-8945 MWF 11:00-11:50 BOW 133 Office Hours: MWF 1:00-4:00; by appointment E-mail: mcassell@kent.edu |
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Dr. Mark Cassell
Office: Bowman 302, Room 35 Spring 2002 Office Phone: 330-672-8945 MWF 11:00-11:50 BOW 133 Office Hours: MWF 1:00-4:00; by appointment E-mail: mcassell@kent.edu |
This course is an introduction to politics and government in the United States; it will cover the major themes, theories and concepts of this subfield of political science. In particular, we will consider the fundamental principles of the constitutional framework (federalism, separation of powers, civil liberties and civil rights); participatory processes; institutions; and public policy process and outcomes.
The course has four central objectives. The first is to help you gain a basic understanding of how the institutions and processes of U.S. government work. Whether or not you ever study politics formally again, such a grounding will help you participate effectively in public processes. Second, the course is designed to help you to identify, clarify, and develop your own public philosophy. A third objective is to expose you to a wide range of interesting careers in the public sector at the local, state and national levels; for some students, this course will prompt consideration of whether the public service is for you. Finally, I intend the course to attract some of you to consider political science as a major or minor.
Burns, James MacGregor, J.W. Peltason, Thomas E. Cronin, David Magleby. 2000. Government by the People, 18th Edition, Prentice Hall.
Donahue, John. 1999, Hazardous Currents New York: Century Foundation.
There are also selected additional readings for certain weeks (marked with an asterisks). These are available on reserve in the main library or at the course website. To download the readings from the course website do the following: 1) Using the Netscape or Microsoft Explorer browsers visit the course website; 2) Click on Course Outline; 3) Go to the week in which the reading is assigned and click on the reading; 4) You can now print the article or save it to disk by going to the file menu and clicking "print" or "save as." If you have any questions contact the computer help desk at 672-4357.
I also urge you to stay current with government and politics by regularly
reading a newspaper (e.g. New York Times, Washington Post,
Wall
Street Journal or news magazine (e.g. Newsweek, Time,
American
Prospect, National Review). It is important to read a local
paper as well.
Your evaluation in the class will be based on how well you fulfill the following course requirements:
1. Discussion Papers
Throughout the semester I will attempt to weave the lectures and readings into a series of class discussions centered around a particular policy issue. Students are expected to complete the weekly readings in preparation for the discussion. In addition, at least once during the semester, each student is required to select a discussion topic and prepare short paper (3-5 pages). You must sign up for a discussion topic during the first week of class. Papers are due by the end of class on the day the topic is covered. Late papers will be marked down a single grade for each day they are late. A handout describes the paper requirements in greater detail.
2. Internet Assignments
During three weeks of the semester (Weeks 3, 8, & 9) you will also be asked to complete an Internet assignment using a specially designed website for American government. The assignment will typically require you to complete a one or two paragraph write-up. The aim of these assignments is to link the theory and practice of politics, by learning about the real (and constantly changing) world of politics on the Internet. Please Note: Internet assignments are due in class on the Friday of the week they are assigned. You may turn your internet assignment in early. However, assignment turned in after class are marked down a single grade for each day they are late.
3. Exams
There will be two midterms and a final exam given. The midterms are held during class hours. The exams are designed to help you learn to apply the material. I recognize that exams are often stressful and I’ve taken a couple of steps ease the potential anxieties. First, the grade value of the exams increase incrementally to give you a chance to figure out the style of the exams: Midterm I is worth 20 percent; Midterm II is worth 25 percent; and the final is worth 30 percent of your grade. Second, prior to each exam I will hand out and post on the website a study guide to help go over the material. Third, a full class period will be devoted to answering questions or preparing for the exams. And finally, I will also schedule extra office hours prior to the exam.
Your final grade in the course will be based on the following weights:
Disability Policy: In accordance with University policy, if you have a documented disability and require accommodations to obtain equal access in this course, please contact the instructor at the beginning of the semester or when given an assignment for which an accommodation is required. Students with disabilities must verify the eligibility through the Office of Student Disability Services in the Michael Schwartz Student Services Center (672-2972).
Make-up Policy: A make-up midterm will only be given in the case of a medical emergency for which the student has documentation from a physician. Tests must be made up within one week of the regularly scheduled exam or the grade of zero will be recorded for the exam. The instructor must be notified prior to the exam if you are unable to take the exam at the scheduled time. Failure to provide such notification will result in the grade of zero for the exam. Make-up exams will be given at the instructor’s convenience and at a time other than when the class meets.
Course Outline
I. American Politics Beliefs and Values
Week 1 (Lecture Outline)
Jan. 14
Orientation and Introduction
No Reading
Handout discussion paper assignment and syllabus.
Jan. 16 What should government do?
Jan. 20
Film: "Washington's Other Scandal"
Deadline for signing up for discussion topic.
Week 2 (Lecture Outline)
Jan. 21 Martin Luther King Day – No class
Jan. 23 - 25 What is government?
Jan. 25
Class Discussion: Do we have too much government or not enough?
Week 3 (Lecture Outline)
Jan 28 – Feb 1 What is democracy? How do you go about designing it?
| Internet
Assignment #1:
Click on the assignment hyperlink. Next, click on "The Constitution" on the left hand side. Take at least fifteen minutes to visit some of the web-sites on this page, especially the Library of Congress American Memory site. Then complete Project #1: Madison's Notes. Use the web-site for The Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787 (listed below Project #1) to answer this question. Choose any day during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Read Madison’s Notes and try to interpret and summarize what went on that day. Be sure to discuss any conflicts that may have arisen and how the Framers dealt with them. Finally, if possible, pinpoint where in the Constitution we can find the fruits of the Framers’ labor for that day. Please write a two paragraph response to this question and turn your answers in by the end of class on Friday, February 1. |
Week 4 (Lecture Outline)
Feb 4 – 8 Federalism and Devolution
Week 5
Feb 11 Class Discussion: Should welfare be devolved to the states?
Feb 13 Review for Midterm
Feb 15
Midterm 1
II. Participation in American Government
Week 6 (Lecture Outline)
Feb 18 - 22 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Week 7 (Lecture Outline)
Feb. 25 – March 1 Equality under the law
Week 8
March 4 - 8 (Lecture Outline) Who participates in democracy and how
| Internet Assignment #2:
Go to the Public Agenda Online website (www.publicagenda.org)--the inside source for public opinion and policy analysis. On the left side of the page are the major policy issues in the 2000 Elections (ex. Illegal drugs, social security, welfare, race, education, health care, family, economy). Each policy issue includes a briefing on the policy alternatives, public attitudes and candidate positions. Choose any TWO policy issues to report on. Make sure to click on ALL of the links under the heading PUBLIC OPINION. For each policy be sure to answer three questions. 1) Define briefly the policy problem (found in Overview section). 2) What are general public attitudes on this issue and how can public opinion be contradictory (under RED FLAGS). 3) Finally, which political party (Democrats or Republicans) does the public has more faith in to solve the problem. The report should be two to three pages and is due during class on March 8. |
Week 9
March 11 - 15 (Lecture Outline) How does the media shape participation
| Internet
Assignment #3:
Project Censored is an annual nationwide research project out of Sonoma State University, Project Censored has been publishing Censored: The News that Didn’t Make the News since 1976. Links include some recent Project Censored online newsletters and information about the yearbooks and how to buy them. To get to the juicy stuff, scroll down the menu to Current Yearbook or Yearbook Archives and click. You’ll find the press releases for the top ten censored stories going back to 1989. Click on to the Project Censored home page. http://www.projectcensored.org Choose one of Project Censored’s top stories that never made the news. Write a brief report that discusses the following: What is the story? Had you ever heard of the story? What about the media that did cover the story? (What information, if any, can you discover about them?) The assignment is due in class on March 15. |
March 15 Class Discussion: Does the media ensure that our democracy is functioning?
Week 10
March 18 Film "Counterfeit Coverage"
March 20 Midterm Review
March 22 Midterm 2
III. Policymaking Institutions
Week 11
April 1-5 (Lecture Outline) Congress
Week 12
April 8-12 (Lecture Outline) Executive
Week 13
April 15-19 (Lecture
Outline)
The Judiciary
Week 14
April 22-26 (Lecture Outline) State governments and Economic Policy
Week 15
April 29 Class Discussion: Does devolution contribute to inequality?
May 1 TBA
May 3 Review for Final
FINAL EXAM: Thursday, May 9, 10:15-12:30
