| "For there is no doubt that the most radical division that it is possible to make of humanity is that which splits it into two classes of creatures: those who make great demands on themselves, piling up difficulties and duties; and those who demand nothing special of themselves, but for whom to live is to be every moment what they already are, without imposing on themselves any effort towards perfection; mere bouys that float on the waves." Jose Ortega y Gasset |
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This course is designed to:
1) introduce students to the structures, actors, and processes of the |
This is the basic text for the course. It critically examines the nature of American governmental structures, actors, and outcomes, but more importantly, the processes of American government. The text's approach can be summarized as follows:
This workbook examines political phenomena through the use of the ExplorIt data analysis system developed by the MicroCase Corporation. Students must purchase the correct edition. (: You cannot purchase a used copy of this workbook since the data sets change every year). With this workbook, you will be able to do the workbook exercises either at your own computer or in the department's microcomputer lab in SJ 209. The workbook introduces you to quantitative data analysis and its use in the discipline of Political Science. To do exercises in the workbook requires no previous computer knowledge. The workbook emphasizes analytic and critical thinking skills, not computer skills!
There will be some supplemental readings assigned during the semester. Some of these will be on reserve and available in Roesch Library while other readings will be accessible through Roesch Library's Electronic Reserve or via hotlinks on the course homepage. Students are expected to have read all such material by the date assigned, be prepared to discuss the material in class, and know this material for any unannounced quizzes and scheduled exams.
Since this is an introductory course, some of the class time will be devoted to lectures. This is however, a hands-on class and an extraordinary amount of time inside and outside of class will be devoted to doing research, asking and answering questions, and making comparisons. There are a number of things which you must do to succeed in this class. It is imperative that you keep up with the reading in the Dye and Zeigler text. Theirs is an interesting and unique approach which must be read before class for the lectures to be informative and supplementary. The articles on reserve in the library and on the class homepage must also be read on time. I reserve the right to administer unannounced quizzes on the chapter material or other readings at any point during the semester. While it would be optimum if we could discuss every article in class, time constraints normally prevent this. Therefore, students are expected to continually access the class homepage. Students MUST access the WebLecture page prior to every class and do all readings and exercises "embedded" in the page! You are responsible for all ideas explored on the page! It will be difficult for you to understand some of the lectures, participate in class discussions, participate in class activities, and do well on the examinations without having read the assigned materials. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, students will need to check the class homepage daily. Many of the activities associated with the class occur in small groups outside of the normal class period. This is especially true for the Ruritania simulation which makes up a significant portion of your grade and is a key to your being able to critically analyze American government from a comparative perspective. Students will have to frequently check the homepage and their e-mail to keep abreast of the many external class activities.
There are a number of obligations which you are expected to uphold and they revolve around your obligation to be responsible for your own education. The University of Dayton provides you with a number of resources to assist you in your quest for knowledge--a wide variety of courses, professors, a library, a counseling center, staff to improve study skills, the campus network with access to information sources throughout the world, and laboratories, just to name a few. Ultimately, however, the responsibility for your education rests upon your shoulders. Reading assigned materials on time, coming to class, accessing the class homepage, and having good note-taking skills and good study habits are some of the things that only you can provide. I have tried to develop as many mechanisms as I can within the framework of the course to assist you in your education. I have tried to select an interesting and unique textbook that should stimulate you to look at the American political system from different perspectives. I have chosen some supplementary readings that address fundamental issues of current concern. You will actually be doing some data analysis this semester through the MicroCase data-analysis system. You will participate in an interactive simulation which will allow you to compare the American political system with other types of political systems. I also have selected some films and videos which are designed to stimulate your curiosity. I have developed some mechanisms within the course requirements (quizzes and research assignments) to try to encourage you to live up to your responsibility to read material on time. A professor can only do so much. You have to be responsible for your education. Coming to class prepared to discuss the readings, asking questions about the material, and developing the study habits necessary for success in college are, ultimately, only things which you can do.
A) The in-class examinations take place during the semester's regular class time (50 minutes). The exams are part objective and part essay. In order for exams to be fair indicators of student performance, a student must take the exam at the same time as other students. Thus, make-up exams will be given only in the most extreme circumstances. You must notify me in advance if you are unable to take the exam, otherwise you will receive a grade of zero on the exam.
B) A series of quizzes, and writing assignments will be required during the semester. Assignments will include such things as library research assignments, computer assignments from the MicroCase workbook and from the simulation, and short writing assignments embedded in the lecture notes. The points for these will vary.
C) An interactive simulation, entitled Ruritania, is a key component of this course. By the third week of the semester, you will be assigned to a political party and will begin to respond to the developments in Ruritania. A number of decisions will need to be made by your political party. Your group will be able to meet "virtually" and decisions will then be sent to me and then posted on the Ruritania homepage. Your group's efforts will be monitored and a group grade for your participation will be established.
D) The final examination will be held during the regularly scheduled exam time and will be a
comprehensive final examination.
I am located in St. Joseph 227. The office telephone number is 3648. I can also be reached through the departmental secretary (3626) and through the e-mail links on the departmental and course homepages or via: ahern@riker.stjoe.udayton.edu or stjoe/ahern. My office hours exclusively for this class are MWF 10:00-10:50.
The following outline identifies the readings and topics to be covered during each section of the course. Please read the chapter(s) in Dye and Zeigler before the first lecture in a particular section. You will be notified when to read the assigned readings or do the assigned exercises.
During this first section of the course, we explore the three basic theoretical approaches to the study of government: elitism, democracy, and pluralism. We then utilize these three critical approaches to explore the philosophical, economic, historical, and cultural roots of American politics and the impact which these factors have upon the development of the constitutional structure of American government and the development of the contemporary American political culture.
There are three basic approaches to the study of society that can be utilized to critique the American political system: elite, democratic, and plural theory. During this section of Part I, we explore these three basic approaches and discuss the differences between normative and empirical theory.
D&Z 1 *Schuman
The basic structure of relationships between levels of government (federalism) and between institutions of government at the national level (separation of powers, checks and balances) are set forth in the Constitution. In this section we explore the sections of the Constitution which shape contemporary political interactions and the dynamics of the document's writing. In exploring the history of the Constitution (both its writing and ratification), we apply the lenses of elite, democratic, and plural theory to see whether the Constitution creates a structure and helps to create a political culture sympathetic to elite, democratic, or plural rule. D&Z 2, 14
Web connections to:
Dye and Zeigler obviously believe that America is run by the elite. Elite theory posits that elites are different from the masses in the values that they share. How did elite values develop? In this section of the course we explore the development of the elite and elite values.
D&Z 3,4,5
In this section of the course we examine mass attitudes and values. Do the masses have a different set of values than the elite? If so, are these values more or less democratic than the elites? Dye and Zeigler argue that the masses are less democratic than the elite and are prone to follow anti-democratic leaders and display anti-democratic behaviors.
D&Z 5 Web Connection: Nature
One of the primary activities in many political systems is making demands or articulating interests. People and groups are constantly making demands upon the political system. Does the system listen to the demands of individuals? groups? Are there extragovernmental entities which aggregate and articulate demands? Are these processes and entities elitist, democratic, or pluralist by nature?
From political socialization to political advertising, the media have come to play an important role in shaping our beliefs, attitudes, values, and opinions. Increasingly the media also play a role in "deciding what is to be decided" (ie., shaping the public agenda). How pervasive is the mass media in the United States? Does it expand democracy or plural or elite control?
D&Z 6
Many Americans tend to assume that democracy and elections are synonymous. In the United States, millions of dollars are spent on elections. During this segment of the course we explore the nature of elections and the political party system and whether the American electoral and party systems are most compatible with elite, democratic, or pluralist notions of society.
D&Z 7,8
In this section we explore the nature and operation of interest groups in American society. Are interest groups compatible with or an anathema to democracy? Do interest groups represent some types of interests better than others? Do interest groups impede or assist the policymaking process?
D&Z 9
Second Exam:
Finally, we examine the institutions, processes and policies of the American political system. We explore how the institutions of the political system work together (and separately) to create public policies. While the constitutional structure of government may seem to grant certain areas of jurisdiction to each institution of American government, even the most casual observer of American government recognizes that the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government all have their "fingerprints" on the public policies which emerge from the policymaking process. While exploring each institution separately, we will concentrate on the interaction among these institutions which characterizes the policymaking process in the United States.
The executive branch of government consists of the President and the bureaucracy. While most of the media and public attention focuses upon the President, an enormous amount of policymaking activity actually takes place at the bureaucratic level. We explore the nature of the power which the president hopes to bring to bear to shape public policy along with the role which the bureaucracy plays in furthering or hindering a president's policy agenda.
D&Z 10,11
All types of legislative assemblies perform two functions: representation and lawmaking. They often sacrifice doing one well for the sake of the other. The U.S. Congress is no exception to this rule. In this section of the course we explore the nature of the representative and legislative functions in general through the lens or filters of the three broad theories of government. Of particular concern are: 1) the roles of political parties and interest groups; 2) the nature of an individual congressperson's behavior and its effect upon the overall operation of Congress; and 3) the interaction between the Congress and the executive branch of government.
D&Z 12
Dye and Zeigler argue that the Supreme Court is the ultimate elite bastion of government--people appointed for life, with little accountability, who can overturn any act of Congress or the executive branch, and who have generally operated within the framework of elite interests. During this section of the course we will explore the nature of "the law", the structure of the American judicial system, the processes through which judges make decisions, and the rationales for those decisions.
D&Z 13
I. The Foundations of American Government and Politics
A. The Three Basic Approaches
Web Connections to:
Types of Regimes
B. The Development of the Constitution
Electronic Readings
Thomas Paine, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, Federalists 10 and 51
Langston Hughes, "Let America Be America Again"
Alexis de Tocqueville in America
Founding Fathers and the Constitution
C. The Development of the Elite and Elite Values
D. Mass Attitudes and Elite/Mass Conflict
First Exam:
II. Interest Articulation in the United States
A. Elites, Masses and the Mass Media
B. Political Parties, Elections, and Campaigns in the United States
Web connections to:
political parties in the US
C. Interest Groups in American Society
III. The Institutions, Processes, and Policies of the Political System
A. The Executive Branch
B. The Congress
C. The Courts
Third Exam: December xx
IV. Conclusions