NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY
Department of Political Science
Instructor: Srie Ramli
POLS
260
Office: ZH 405
Section 01 (Spring 2006)
Phone: 753-7054 MWF: 9.00 – 9.50
Office hours: T-TH 2-3pm DuSable 459
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. The course will examine both historical processes of
political change and development and contemporary political institutions,
practices and policies.
The course focuses on seven important contemporary
states: Great Britain, France, The People’s Republic of China, Japan, Iran,
Indonesia, and Nigeria. The course
includes explanation on similarities and differences in these governments’
political institutions. Students are
expected to identify and analyze the common problems these governments face,
compares the alternative institutions and methods these seven states have
adopted. Because of the large amount of
new material to be covered, this course will include lecture, students’
presentation and discussions and film documentaries.
Readings:
Shively (ed.). Comparative
Governance. McGraw-Hill, 2004.
In-class handouts
Videos:
Order! Order!
(GB)
Francois Mitterand (France)
China After Mao
(China)
The Meiji Revolution (Japan)
Islam Rising: Which Way Next for Iran? (Iran)
Hope in the Horizon (Nigeria)
The New Rulers of the World/Globalization (Indonesia)
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, lectures, films, group presentation and
discussions.
Attendance, class participation and class reports
Attendance
at all class sessions is expected and I will check attendance at the beginning
of every session. 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 10%
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, remaining in ones seat,
and requesting permission to speak, etc.
Attitudes such as persistent lateness, studying for another class,
playing with or talking on cell phone, talking with other students outside the
topic discussed in class, reading newspaper and so forth are extremely 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.
Quizzes
There will be many 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 quizzes will be counted toward 10% of
your final grade.
Group Presentation
At the beginning of semester students will be grouped
into five to six people to present individual country. The presentation will take about 15-20
minutes and students are expected to give a brief explanation on the roles and
powers of governmental institutions including issues of current affairs of the
country assigned; power point presentation is strongly favored. To facilitate discussion, I will provide
list of questions to be addressed in presentation. Members of other groups must
also provide at least TWO questions
to ask to the group presenting. The
presentation will be graded based on clarity, group coordination, understanding
of materials, preparation, etc. The
other groups will also be graded (as part of the participation grade) on their
questions and comments. The group presentation will account for 20% of the
overall grade.
Exams
There will be TWO
midterm exams. The first midterm exam in February
20, 2006 will cover the conceptual approach and the first two countries
(Great Britain and France). The second
midterm in March 27, 2006 and will
cover China and Japan. The midterm
exams 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 midterm exam. The final exam will count for 35% of your
course grade and take place during the regularly scheduled final exam period (May 10, 2006). The format of the exams 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. Please refer to the NIU final exam policy below.
Students whose class schedule commits them to take three final
examinations in one day may elect to have the examination in the highest
numbered course of the three rescheduled. If the occurrence of three finals in
one day, however, is the result of the examination in a particular class having
been rescheduled (with appropriate approval), the examination that does not
conform to the announced schedule is the one the student may elect to have
rescheduled.
In order to reschedule an examination, the student should contact
the course instructor one week prior to the first day of final examination week.
Blackboards and On-line Reserve
I will be using blackboard as the means of communication
with students. I am sure that all of
you are familiar with the blackboard system.
I will post handouts, additional readings, announcements, etc in
blackboard (I will try to post them one or two day before class) please check
the blackboard frequently. I will also post materials for class in the
E-reserve (I will announce the URL in class). You will be able to access the
E-reserve materials directly from your computer.
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 (class reports) 10 %
B. Quizzes
10 %
C. Group Presentation
20 %
D. Midterm exams (1 and 2) 30 %
E. Final Exam
30 %
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….. 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.
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 Health Services Building. CAAR will
assist students in making appropriate accommodations with course instructors.
It is important that CAAR and instructors be informed of any disability-related
needs during the first two weeks of the semester.
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 18
Introduction: go over the syllabus and class requirements
Concepts: Nation and State, Comparing Polities
January 20, 23, 25 Introduction to CP
Political Systems, Political
institutions and process
Great Britain
January 27, 30 Impact of the past
February 1, 3 Film and current affairs
February 6 Political Institutions (group presentation)
France
February 8, 10 Impact of
the past
February 13, 15
film, culture, current affairs
February 17 Political
Institutions (group presentation)
February 20 Midterm 1
China
February 22, 24 Impact of the
past
February 27, March 1, 3 film, current affairs, Chinese politics in
transition
March 6 Group
presentation or film
Japan
March 8, 10 Impact of the Past
(Film)
March 11 –
19
Spring Break – Have fun!!!
March 20, 22 Resume Japan
politics
March 24 Group presentation
March 27 Midterm 2
Iran
March 29, 31 The Making
of Modern Iranian State
April 3, 5 Iranian
politics in transition, film
April 7 Governance
and Policy Making (group presentation)
Indonesia
April 10, 12 Brief
history and Colonial influence, Independence 1945
April 14, 17 Film, The New Order, The Reformasi
April 19 Government
institutions -- Group presentation
Nigeria
April 21, 24 Brief History and political
development
April 26, 28 Film,
current issues and problems
April 28 Governmental Institutions
(presentation)
May 1, 3 Study guide
review, recap
May 5
Reading Day (no class)
Wednesday May 10, 8.00-9.50 Final Exam.