POLITICAL SCIENCE 100,
§ 9
American
Government
sPRING
2005
Dusable
452,
Instructor: LeAnn Beaty
Office: DuSable
476
Office Hours: TTH
Email: lbeaty1@niu.edu
Phone:
Blackboard: http://webcourses.niu.edu/
________________________________________________________________________
Course
Objectives
This course is designed to provide students with
knowledge
and understanding of American government and politics; the role of citizens
in
a democratic society; to develop in students an appreciation of public
affairs
issues; the role of the United States in a global context; and to encourage
students to use analytical tools to enhance society’s understanding of
public
problems and search for solutions.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Required
Textbook
The
Challenge of Democracy, Brief Edition, 5th Ed., Kenneth Janda,
Jeffrey Berry, Jerry Goldman, and Kevin Hula
(
Additional
required reading
assignments
are to be located at various Internet websites. Consult the outline below
for
specific assignments. Occasionally this may involve using a computer at an
NIU
computing lab to gain access to sites for which NIU has paid subscription
fees
(for example, www.jstor.org
or http:webcourses.niu.edu/).
Useful
Websites:
www.senate.gov www.house.gov
www.fec.gov
www.whitehouse.gov
www.supremecourtus.gov www.legis.state.il.us CNN Inside
Politics
Washington Post On
Politics
Drudge
Report New York
Times
Los Angeles
Times
FactCheck.org: Annenberg Political Fact
Check
Grades and
Assignments
5
Quizzes
50 points (Unannounced)
Idealogue
Essay 50 points (Feb. 01)
First
Exam 100
points (Feb.
10)
Second
Exam 100
points (Mar.
24)
Third
Exam 100
points (Apr.
19)
Fourth
Exam 100
points (May
05)
Total 500
points
Your
course grade will be based on total
points earned for the course. The
following grading scale will be used in assigning course
grade:
450-500
points
A
400-449
points
B
350-399
points
C
300-349
points
D
Below
349 points
F
Exams: There
will be four exams during the semester consisting of 50 multiple choice
questions covering material from class readings, lectures, and
discussions.
Essay: Run
IDEALOG at www.uspolitics.org
(do the readings and the survey you find there). Then write a 2-3 page essay
explaining which ideological category you wound up in (liberal,
conservative,
libertarian or communitarian) and why. Due
Quizzes: There
will be 6 unannounced quizzes (the lowest grade will be thrown out) worth 10 pts.each given throughout the
semester – no makeups
will be provided. The format of
the
quizzes will include either matching terms and
definitions from the assigned textbook readings, or a short reaction essay
to
the assigned articles for classroom discussion.
Extra Credit:
Extra credit points worth five (5) points will be
made
available for each exam, and will be announced in class or announced on the
Blackboard prior to each Exam, with specific guidelines. ALL ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE
Participation
Attendance: Attendance
will be taken at the beginning of each class period for record-keeping
purposes. Students arriving after
roll
call will not be added. Attendance
may
be used for consideration if the final grade is borderline
or participation is exceptional.
Blackboard
Discussion: Course
materials, notes, announcements, and grades will be posted on the blackboard
site. Students may refer to the
Discussion Board on the site to discuss topics or questions raised by the
text,
or to use it as a forum for asking questions about the lecture, articles,
tests, etc.
COURSE
POLICIES
Classroom Etiquette
Cell
Phones: Cell
phones are forbidden and should be turned off upon entering the auditorium.
A
first violation of this rule will result in a friendly warning. A second
violation will result in your removal from the classroom for that day. A
third
violation will result in a grade of F for the course. Any exceptions to this
general policy must be explicitly negotiated, in advance, with the
instructor.
Behavior and Attendance: Please demonstrate courtesy and respect toward
others
in class. This includes respecting the opinions of others and refraining
from
talking while they are speaking. Students who sleep, read the paper,
persistently talk with other students or are otherwise inattentive will be
asked to leave the class and will be subject to administrative dismissal
from
the course.
Because
class attendance and course grades are demonstrably and positively related,
the
University expects students to attend all class sessions of this
course. Information covered in class may not be
found
in the texts, and test questions may be taken from this material. Also, please make every effort to come to
class on time. If you must leave early let me know before class begins. Students who are having difficulty
arriving on time may be barred from class. Occasional difficulties do
arise
and are understandable if an appropriate explanation and apology are offered
after class. If there are any scheduling problems that cannot be avoided,
please consult with the instructor immediately.
You
are expected to take the exams at the scheduled times. If you must miss one
of
the four in-class exams because of illness, family emergency, or some other
legitimate reason, you must contact me before
the date of the scheduled exam. Requests to take a make-up exam will require
some documentation or other evidence attesting to your circumstances. If you
fail to contact me within 24 hours of the date of the missed exam, you
automatically forfeit the opportunity to take a makeup exam, and your grade
for
that exam will be recorded as zero. All makeup exams will be scheduled by
the
Instructor during course office hours.
Academic
Integrity
Plagiarism, cheating, and
other
novel forms of academic dishonesty will be dealt with seriously. The instructor reserves the right to fail
the
student for the rest of the course in the event these offenses are
detected. “Academic misconduct,” is defined by the NIU Student Judicial
Code
as the “receipt or transmission of unauthorized aid on assignments or
examinations,
plagiarism, unauthorized use of examination materials, or other forms of
dishonesty in academic matters.”
Dropping
the
Course
It is your responsibility to understand the
University’s procedures for dropping a class. If you stop attending this
class
but do not follow proper procedure for dropping the class you will receive a
failing grade and will also be financially obligated to pay for the class.
Check the drop deadline in the Academic Calendar for the
semester.
Under Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, NIU is committed to making reasonable
accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Those students with
disabilities that may have some impact on their coursework and for which
they
may require accommodations should notify the Center for Access-Ability
Resources (CAAR) on the fourth floor of the
Undergraduates are strongly
encouraged to consult the Department of Political Science web site on a
regular
basis. This up-to-date, central source of information will assist students
in
contacting faculty and staff, reviewing course requirements and syllabi,
exploring graduate study, researching career options, tracking department
events, and accessing important details related to undergraduate programs
and
activities. To reach the site, go to http://polisci.niu.edu
COURSE OUTLINE
Note: This schedule
and
the reading assignments are tentative.
Any changes will be announced in class.
PART ONE: PHILOSOPHICAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL
FOUNDATIONS
OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
A.
The
Theoretical Framework: The Dilemmas of Democracy
[1] The
Purposes of Government
[2] American political culture
[3] Models of Democracy
Required Readings: Janda, et al., Chapter
1
B.
The
Constitution: To Create A
[1] The
Declaration /of
[2] The Articles of Confederation: The First Attempt at Creating a Union
[3] The Constitutional Convention
[4] The
Required
C.
The
Federalism – Federal & State Governments: Cooperation vs.
Competition
[1] Theories of Federalism
[2] The Courts and Federalism
[3] Federalism and
Intergovernmental
Relations
Required
FIRST EXAM – Thursday, February 10
PART TWO: CITIZENSHIP AND AMERICAN
DEMOCRACY
D. Public Opinion,
Socialization, and the Media: Enlightenment vs. Ignorance
[1]
Public
Opinion
[2] Opinion Formation and Political Socialization
[3] Groups, Political Values, and Ideologies
[4] Mass Media
Required
E. Political Participation
and
Elections: Activism vs. Apathy & Indifference
[1]
Democracy, Political Participation, and Voting
[2] Types of Political Participation
[3] Patterns of Political Participation
Required
Bowling
Alone: The Collapse and Survival of American
Community on Civic Participation
F. Political
Parties, Campaigns and Elections: Rational Persuasion vs. Emotional
Manipulation
[1] Political Parties
[2] Elections
[2] Campaigns: Presidential and Congressional
[4] Campaign Finance Reforms
Required
Federalist Paper #68 ( locate at www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/federal/fed.htm)
and John Roche, "The Founding Fathers: A Reform Caucus in Action,"
American
Political Science Review (1961), Part V, pp. 810-811 (at www.jstor.org
).
In Federalist 68, Alexander Hamilton argues
that the Electoral College is a sophisticated institution carefully designed
by
the great thinkers at the Constitutional Convention. Based on his reading of
the debates that actually occurred at the Convention, Political Scientist
John
Roche has a different analysis of the origins of this peculiar institution.
G.
Interest
Groups: Private Interests vs. Public Good
[1] The
Federalist Paper # 10 – Mischief of Factions
[2] Role, Functions, Resources
[3] Lobbying
Required
In Federalist 10, founding father
James
Madison is worried about self-interested groups (factions) and how to design
a
democratic system to protect the nation from them. Where do factions come
from?
Can they be eliminated? In dealing with factions does he favor: (1) direct
or
indirect democracy? (2) majority rule or
pluralistic
democracy? (3) a large nation or a small
nation?
SECOND
EXAM – Thursday, March 24
PART THREE: THE INSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATIONS
OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
H.
The
Legislature: Representatives of People vs. Assembly of Feudal Lords
[1] Powers of Congress
[2] Election to Congress
[3] The Organization and
Structure
[4] Leadership
[5] The Legislative
Process
[6] The
Required
thomas.loc.gov (not
www.thomas.loc.gov). Click on "House
Committees."
Which committee you would like to work on if you
were
a member of the House of Representatives. Among the questions you should consider: (a) What
kinds of bills would you be dealing with? (b) How would this committee help
you
represent the district from which you were elected? (c) How would this
committee affect your power and prestige within the House of
Representatives?
I. The President: Public Servant vs. The King
[1]
Presidential Powers and Election
[2] The Organization and Structure
Required
J. The Bureaucracy and
Policymaking: Public Service vs. Self Service?
[1]
Origins and Development
[2] The Organization, Structure, and the Process
[3] Process
Required
K. The
Judiciary: Activism vs. Restraint
[1] Types of Laws and
Jurisdictions
[2] The Organization and Structure of the Federal Judiciary
[3] The U.S. Supreme Court
[4] Recruitment to the Federal Judiciary
Required Readings: Janda, et al., Chapter 11;
THIRD EXAM – Tuesday, April
19
PART FOUR: THE CULTURAL FOUNDATION OF AMERICAN
DEMOCRACY:
CIVIL LIBERTIES, CIVIL RIGHTS & ETHNIC DIVERSITY
L. The
Civil Liberties: Freedom vs. Order
[1] The Bill of Rights: Incorporation of Bill of
Rights to the States
[2]
Freedom of Religion, Expression, Speech, Press, and Criminal Justice
[3] Right to Privacy
Required
Engel v. Vitale
(locate at www.findlaw.com): Read Justice Black’s opinion of the Court
in Engel
v. Vitale and Justice Stewart’s dissenting opinion. Compare and contrast
these two conflicting interpretations of the establishment clause. Which is
most convincing to you? Why?
M. Civil
Rights and Equality: Freedom vs. Equality
[1]
Different concepts of equality
[2] Constitutional Amendments
[3] Racial and Gender Equality
[4] Affirmative Action
Required
FOURTH EXAM – Thursday,
May 12 @ noon-1:50 pm.