NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY
Department of Political Science
Instructor: Srie Ramli POLS 260
Office: ZH 422
Section 02 (Spring 2005)
Phone: 753-7044
MW 3.30-4.45
Office hours: M-W
2.30-3.00 DuSable 461
E-mail: sramli@niu.edu
“Without comparisons to make, the mind does not know
how to proceed.”
Alexis de Tocqueville, 1830
COMPARATIVE AND FOREIGN POLITICS
This course is an introduction to the comparative study
of governments and politics. The goal
is to understand how political authority is organized and how it operates in a
variety of nations. In the effort to
understand why political system vary in form and substance across time and
space, the course will examine both historical processes of political change
and development and contemporary political institutions, practices and
policies.
The course focuses on six important contemporary states:
Great Britain, France, and the People’s Republic of China, Japan, Iran, and
Indonesia. It identifies and analyzes
the common problems these governments face, compares the alternative
institutions and methods these six states have adopted. In addition, the course evaluates the
processes by attempts to explain similarities and differences in their
performance. Because of the large amount of new material to be covered, this
course will be primarily a lecture course, though with occasional classroom
discussions.
The objective is that students who successfully completed
this course can have the ability to examine political systems of the six
countries by contrasting and comparing aspects of these political systems.
This way, they are expected to understand how
other societies are organized and governed and also better understanding of
their own countries’ politics.
Readings:
Michael G. Roskin, Coutries and Concepts: Politics, Geography,
Culture, 8th edition (Prentice Hall, 2003)
In-class handouts
Videos (if time and schedule
permit)
Course Requirements and Grading:
Students
are expected to keep up with the readings, which mean that you should complete
each reading assignment by the time we begin the corresponding section of the
course. The lectures will parallel and
complement the readings, but students cannot count on the lectures repeating
the reading. The exams will be based in
equal parts on the readings and lectures.
Attendance, class participation and class reports
Attendance
at all class sessions is expected and I will check attendance at the beginning
of every session. An attendance score
will be calculated as the percentage of the class sessions that you attend, and
this score will determine 15% of your course grade. The participation portion of your final grade is designed to
reward those students who came to class prepared. Satisfactory class participation requires that students are
present and attentive as well as contributing to class discussions in a manner
that reflects they have read the required materials.
Occasionally
missing classes and quizzes may not affect your final grade; however, repeated
absences will start to limit your maximum achievable grade. After the first week of class, I request
that you try to sit in approximately the same place to facilitate our learning
and to associate names with real live people for quickly monitoring attendance.
At
the end of each class you will hand in a “class report” containing two sentences: (1) what is the most
important/interesting thing you learned in class that day; and (2) what is your
most important/puzzling remaining question.
Put your name and date on this essay and hand it in before leaving the
room. These will count towards the 15%
of your grades that rides on attendance and class participation.
The Learning Environment
Respect for the learning community and the learning
process would normally include coming to class on time and remaining in ones
seat, requesting permission to speak and exclude persistent lateness, studying
for another class, and reading newspaper.
Note that entering and leaving the room while class is in progress is
not acceptable (I will count any “walkouts” as absences unless the student has
permission or there is an emergency).
My classes start at three minutes past the hour in order to allow for
accidents. Comments that are not
relevant to the ongoing discussion, off the point, disruptive to discussion,
insensitive to others, or attempt to dominate the discussion will not be
rewarded.
Exams
There will be three exams. Two of these will be midterms in class on March 2 and April 6, 2005. Each one will count for 20% of your course
grade. The final exam is comprehensive,
but approximately more than half of the questions will be on material covered
after the second exam. The final exam
will count for 30% of your course grade and take place during the regularly
scheduled final exam period (May 9, 2005). The format of the exam will be a combination
of essay, short answers, and multiple choices.
NO MAKE-UP EXAMS WILL BE GIVEN,
except at the discretion of the instructor well in advance of the exam.
Quizzes and Journals
There will be 6 unannounced quizzes given in class
throughout the semester. These quizzes
will be held which will also require you to be able to write about what you
have read for class that day, including current affairs as reported in the news
such as the New York Times. The best 4 will be counted toward 10% of
your final grade.
Journals
Each student is supposed to
read 5 articles (per countries) from sources as the New York Times and the Washington
Post and summarize and analyze them in a paragraph (approximately 100-200
letters). Journals will be collected three
times during the semester (February
28, April 4, and May 4, 2005). Students are supposed to
read articles on countries that we cover. Therefore, the first journal should
include at least 10 articles on England and France and the second journal
should have articles on China and Japan.
The third journal includes articles about Iran and Indonesia. It is
advised to read articles that cover political issues or current issues of
importance in that country. Any other kinds of newspaper of a specific country
are more than welcome. To find such newspapers, go to Internet Public Library
(http://www.ipl.org/div/news). The site provides links to various newspapers of each
country. Failure to submit the journal on due date will result in reduction of
half letter grade per day.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to know
and comply with NIU policies on academic integrity (See undergraduate catalog).
Any student found guilty of cheating or plagiarizing will receive an “F” for
the examination and the course.
Components of Final Grade
A. Attendance, participation and class reports 15%
B. Quizzes and Journals 15%
C. Midterm exam (1) 20%
D. Midterm exam (2) 20%
E. Final Exam 30%
Course grades will be
distributed as follows:
Final average Final Grade
90-100% A
80-89%
B
60-79% C
50-59%
D
Below 50%
F
Miscellaneous
The Department of Political
Science will recognize, on an annual basis, outstanding undergraduate papers
written in conjunction with 300-400 level political science courses or directed
studies. Authors do not have to be political science majors or have a
particular class standing. Winners are expected to attend the Department’s
spring graduation ceremony where they will receive a certificate and $50.00.
Papers, which can be submitted by students or faculty, must be supplied in triplicate
to a department secretary by February 28. All copies should have two cover
pages – one with the student’s name and one without the student’s name. Only
papers written in the previous calendar
year can be considered for the award. However, papers completed in the current
spring semester are eligible for the following year’s competition even if the
student has graduated.
NIU abides by Section 504 of
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which mandates reasonable accommodations be
provided for qualified students with disabilities. If you have a disability and may require some type of
instructional and/or examination accommodation, please contact me early in the
semester so that I can provide or facilitate in providing accommodations you
may need. If you have not already done
so, you will need to register with the Center for Access-Ability Resources
(CAAR), the accommodations for students with disabilities. The CAAR office is located on the 4th
floor of the University Health Service building (815-753-1303). I look forward
to talking to you soon to learn how I may be helpful in enhancing your academic
success in this course.
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 Schedule
January 19 Introduction: go over the syllabus and
class requirements
Concepts: Nation and State, Comparing
Polities
January 24, 26 Read:
Roskin chp 1
January 31 Political Systems, Political
institutions and process
Great Britain
February 2 Impact of the past (Roskin chp.2)
February 7, 9 Political Institutions (Roskin Chp. 3)
February 14 Culture, patterns of interactions and
quarrels
(Roskin
Chp.4-6)
France
February 16 Impact of the past
(Roskin Chp. 7)
February 21, 23 Political Institutions (Roskin chp
8)
February 28 Culture,
interactions and quarrels (Roskin Chp 9-11)
First Journal due today! The journal must include at least ten (10) articles.
Midterm 1
March 2
China
March 7
Impact of the
past (Roskin chp. 27)
March 9
Governance
and Policy Making (Roskin chp 27 and handouts).
March
12-20 Spring Break! Have fun!!!
March 21, 23 Representation and participation;
Chinese politics in transition
Japan
March 28
Impact of the
Past (Roskin chp. 22)
March 30, April 4 Key Institutions and Political
Interactions (Roskin chp. 23)
Second Journal due April 4
Midterm 2
April 6
Iran
April 11
The
Making of Modern Iranian State (Roskin chp. 30)
April 13, 18
Governance and
Policy Making (in-class handouts, TBA)
April 20 Iranian politics in transition
Indonesia
April 25
Traditional
and Colonial influence, Independence 1945 (Readings: TBA, in-class handouts)
April 27, May 2
The New Order,
The Reformasi (Readings, TBA)
May 4
Current Indonesia and study review
Third (and last) Journal is due today!
Monday May
9, 2005 (4-5.50pm) Final exam.