POLS 260: FOREIGN AND
COMPARATIVE POLITICS
Northern Illinois
University
Department of
Political Science
Spring 2006, Dusable
459
Section 04: T&Th 3:30-4:45
Instructor: Dr. Kheang Un
Office: Zulauf 414
Phone: 815-753-7043
Email: kun1@niu.edu
Office Hours: T &Th 2-3:30 and by appointment
This course is NIU’s introduction to the study of political
systems outside the United States. As such, it has two main goals. First, it will give you a chance to study the
politics of particular countries you probably know little about. Second, it seeks to convey analytical
approaches to the study of politics and to provide you with an opportunity to
reflect on some of the essential questions, old and new, with which students of
politics have to grapple. Your new
understanding from this class should enhance your roles as citizens in a
democracy, i.e., enable you to make more informed judgments on the policies
that our leaders propose to follow in dealing with foreign countries.
To achieve its comparative goal, this course will examine
the political systems of Great Britain,
France, Japan,
China, Russia,
Iran and South
Africa.
Course Policies and
Requirements
1. The Learning Environment. Your instructor
is committed to the principle of active learning. This principle requires students’ active
involvement in, commitment to, and responsibility for their own education. Hence, it is important that students conduct
themselves in ways that indicate respect for the learning community and the
learning process. Respect for the
learning community should preclude such behavior as persistent tardiness,
leaving the room during class time (unless prior advice was given to the
instructor or in case of emergency), falling asleep, reading the newspaper, turning
your cell phone on, studying for another class, or chatting with others.
2. Readings and Lecture. Please purchase a copy of
the textbook for this course: Michael G.
Roskin, Countries and Concepts: Politics,
Geography, Culture 8th edition at the Student
Center or at the Village Common
Bookstores. Some short readings may also
be distributed in class.
Lectures will parallel and compliments the readings. As such, students cannot just rely solely on
the lectures or the readings.
3. Class attendance
and Participation. Attendance at all
class session is expected, and the instructor will check the attendance
regularly. Class participation and
attendance will account for 10 percent of the total course grade. More significantly, informed participation in
class discussion will significantly help students in borderline grade
situations.
4. Exams. This course will have three exams. Two will be midterms written in class on February
16 and April 06. Each of these exams
will be worth 25 percent of the total course grade. A final exam, worth 30 percent, will be taken
during the regular final exam day, May 11 from 4:00-5:50
pm. The format of each exam
will be a combination of essay, short answer, and multiple-choice. No make up exam will be offered, except in
cases of emergency, as defined by the instructor, and with advance
notification. There will also be some
pop quizzes given without prior notice.
The total points from all quizzes will be worth 10 percent of the total
course grade.
5. Course Grade. Course Grades will be distributed as follows:
Final
Average Final
Grade
90-100 % A
80-89 % B
65-79% C
50-64 D
Below 50% F
6. Academic
Integrity. Students are expected to
know and comply with NIU polices on academic integrity (see p. 47 of 2001
Undergraduate Catalog). Any student
found guilty of cheating or plagiarizing will receive an “F” for the
examination and the course. He or she
may also be subject to additional sanctions imposed by the university.
7. Undergraduate Writing Awards. 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.
8. Statement Concerning Students with Disabilities. 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.
9. Department of Political Science Web Site. 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
Schedule
of Lectures, Required Readings, and Exams
January 17
Introduction
to the Course
January 19
Key Concepts,
Roskin, pp. 1-18
January 24
Great
Britain: Impact of the Past, Roskin, pp.
22-34
Great
Britain: Political Culture, Roskin, pp.
53-65
January 26
Great
Britain: Elections and Parties, Roskin, p.
50, box on p. 51, pp. 66-73
Donley
Studlar, “A Constitutional Revolution in Britain?”
in Christine Soe ed., Annual
Edition: Comparative Politics, 03/04, (Guilford:
McGraw, 2004), pp. 12- 17. [to be
handed out].
February 31
Great
Britain: Key Institutions, Roskin, pp.
36-50, pp. 74-77
Video:
Order! Order! Order!
February 02
Great
Britain: Quarrels, Roskin, pp. 79-92
February 07
France:
Impact of the Past, Roskin pp. 96-111
Video: The
French Revolution.
February 09
France:
Political Culture, Roskin pp. 130-145
France:
Elections and Parties, Roskin pp. 147-160, pp. 124-125, box on p. 126
February 14
France:
Key Institutions, Roskin pp. 113-124, p. 127, box on p.128
France : Quarrels, Roskin: pp. 162-175; Matine Durand
and John Martin, “The 35-hour
week: Portrait of a French Exception,” OECD
Observer, No. 244 (September
04), pp. 10-12; The Economist, “France’s
Failure,” and “An Underclass
Rebellion,” November 12, 05); pp.11-12, 24-26 [to be handed out].
February 16
Exam I
February 21
Russia:
Impact of the Past, Roskin, 262-277, box on p. 286, box on p. 287,
box
on p. 312, box on p. 313, box on p. 315, box on p. 317, box on p. 320,
box
on p. 321,
Russia:
Political Culture, Roskin, pp. 295-309.
February 23
Russia:
Government Institutions, Roskin, pp. 279-293, p. 314, pp. 319-322, box on p.
316,
March 28
Russia:
Parties and Elections, Roskin, box on p. 288, pp. 310-312, p. 293 (A Party
System Under) box on p. 292,
March 02
Russia:
Quarrels, Roskin, pp. 314-318, pp. 324-336, p. 314
M. Goldman,
“Putin and the Oligarchs,” Foreign
Affairs Vol. 83, Issue 6 (Novemebr/December
2004), pp. 33-44 [to be handed out].
The
Economist, “The Challenger,” December
11, 2004, p. 9; “Vladimir
III?” p. 46-47 [to be handed out].
March 07
China:
Impact of the Past, Roskin, pp. 416-424, box on p. 434
Video:
“Two Coasts of China.”
March 09
China:
Political Culture, Roskin, box on p. 420, box on p. 421, pp. 430-432,
box
on p. 433, box on p. 435, box on p. 436
March 21
China:
Government Institutions, Roskin, PP. 424-429
March 23
China:
Quarrels, Roskin, box on p. 426, pp. 433 (from Chrouching)-446
Clay
Chandler, “Inside The New China: Part Communist, Part Capitalist-and full
speed ahead,” in Suzan Ogden, Global Studies: China 11th
edition, (Guilford:
McGraw,
2004), pp.104-107. [to be handed out].
March 28
Japan:
Impact of the Past, Roskin pp. 340-353
Video:
Meiji: “Asia’s Response to the West.”
Japan:
Political Culture, Roskin, pp. 367-381.
March 30
Japan:
Elections and Parties, Roskin pp. 359-363, box on p. 364, pp. 387-389,
pp. 391 (danger of)-394
Japan:
Government Institutions, Roskin pp. 363-66, pp. 382-386,
pp.
389 (No One)-391
April 04
Japan:
Quarrels Roskin pp. 396-411
The Economist, “The Sun Also Rises,”
(October 8, 05), pp. 3-6 [to be handed out].
April 06
Exam II
April 11
South
Africa: Impact of the Past, Roskin, pp.
482-487, box on pa. 488, box on p. 493, box on p. 497.
April 13
South
Africa: Political Culture, Roskin, pp.
498-503.
April 18
South
Africa: Elections and Parties, Roskin, pp.
495-496, pp. 503-509.
South
Africa: Government Institutions, Roskin, pp.487-494.
April 20
South
Africa: Quarrels Roskin, pp. 509-515.
April 25
Iran:
Impact of the Past, Roskin, 518-525
Jeffrey
Herbst, “Mbeki’s South Africa,”
Foreign Affairs (November/December
05) Vol.
84, Issue 06, pp. 93-105 [to be handed out].
April 27
Iran:
Political Culture, Roskin, pp.529-535, box on p. 536
May 02
Iran:
Election and Parties, Roskin, Box on p. 526, pp. 528-529, pp. 535-539
Iran:
Key Institutions, Roskin, p. 525, pp. 526-528
May 04
Iran:
Quarrels, Roskin, pp. 540-548.
Afshin
Molavi, “Buying Time in Tehran: Iran
the China
Model,” Foreign Affairs,
Vol. 83, Issue 6, 2004, pp. 9-16.
[to be handed out];
The
Economist, “Still Failing, Still Defiant,” pp. 23-25 [to be handed out].
May 11
Final Exam 4:00-5:50 pm