POLSC
10: CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT
FALL 2008
MW 8:00 – 9:25A
CEDAR 1
Ted Hamilton
Office: 217 Tamarack Hall
Email: hamiltont@yosemite.edu
CENTRAL
THEMES, CONCEPTS, AND PROCESSES
|
THEMES |
CONCEPTS |
PROCESSES |
|
Scientific Method |
Political Science as a Social Science |
Theories, Methods, Empirical Evidence |
|
Democracy |
Economic Organization, Social Structure, Political
Structure, Cultural Values |
Analysis of Historical Documents, International
Comparisons |
|
American Political Culture |
Economic Organization, Demographic Conditions,
International Status |
Structure, Power, Agency |
|
American Culture |
Beliefs, Values, and Behaviors, Social Structure,
Demography |
Myths, Misconceptions, Empirical Evidence, Comparative
Analysis |
|
Institutional Organization |
Transnational Corporate Capitalism, Government
(Executive, Legislative, Judicial), Bureaucracy, Interest Groups, Political
Parties |
Ecological Model, Relative Democratic Status,
Institutional Change, Social Movements |
|
American Social Problems |
Unprecedented Challenges and Opportunities |
Structure, Power, Agency, Comparative Analysis |
GRAPHIC
PRESENTATION REQUIREMENTS
·
1ST Presentation: (50 Points) Due
September 25th
·
2ND Presentation: (50 Points) Due
October 30th
·
Final Presentation: (100 Points) Due December 8th
by 10:00 am
Each Graphic Presentation must include at least 5 elements and 5 modern
nation-states PLUS the United States demonstrating our relative “democratic status”.
FIRST EXAM (100 POINTS)
STRUCTURAL LEVEL
DEMOCRACY IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT:
VALUES, INTENTIONS, CONTEXTS, AND OUTCOMES
1.
Greenberg and Page have a clear and consistent
bias in favor of democracy. List, in
rank order, the most significant ideas they present which best demonstrate
their bias. Shively notes that democratization “…consists of many
different sorts of processes, in different parts of the world, where the push
for democracy came from many different causes and motives”. Describe, and evaluate the most significant
processes and factors that make the American “democracy” different from other
Western democracies.
2.
The Declaration of Independence, Articles of
Confederation, and the U.S. Constitution represent key aspects of the
development of the political structure of the United States. Evaluate each of these documents, providing a
contextual framework, an interpretation of the significant similarities and
contrasts, an assessment of “support”, and the degree to which these documents
have been able to address changing conditions in the United States.
3.
What motivated the framers of the U.S. Constitution
to reject their instructions and invent a new constitution? Provide a cost/benefit analysis of the
desirability of the U.S. Constitution from the perspective of at least three
significant segments of American society in the 1780’s. Are the arguments presented by the
Federalists and the Anti-Federalists relevant today?
4.
The “marble cake” of American federalism has
evolved as a consequence of significant historical interactions. List and describe the most significant of
these interactions, graph the evolution and devolution trends, and assess
throughout the statement that “...a shift of power and responsibility from the
federal level to the state level will decrease the quality of American
democracy.” In your assessment, be sure to provide a
comparative perspective by comparing and/or contrasting the political
organization of the U.S. (in regards to “marble cake” federalism) with at least
one other democratic state.
5.
Describe and demonstrate four significant
changes in demographics, economics, and relative world status that have
influenced the political culture of the United States. Following each description and demonstration
assess the impact on the democratic aspects of our political culture,
emphasizing positive and negative developments.
In your
analysis, be sure to address issues of power and choice and the degree to which
they have influenced the political culture of the U.S.
n Use the ‘Ten Criteria.’
n Graphic presentations
accompanying responses are strongly RECOMMENDED.
n Essay breakdown should
approximate one-third each of the following:
reading/class dialogue/original thinking (which does not mean opinion).
n Students must have notes and text books approved by instructor before outlines are due for each exam.
Practice ‘Learned
Resourcefulness.’ Avoid procrastination, develop appropriate help-seeking
behaviors, ask questions, learn to recognize & utilize resources (e.g. the
library, fellow students, the instructor, tutoring, study groups, etc.) embrace
realistic goals and priorities.
LINKAGE
LEVEL
MYTHS
& MISCONCEPTIONS IN AMERICAN SOCIETY:
“DEMOCRACY” IN THE U.S. AND ABROAD
1.
Distinguish between the following terms: (a) nonattitudes,
(b) attitudes, (c)
opinions, (d) knowledge, and (e) wisdom as they apply to contemporary U.S.
issues. Be sure to include at least a
minimum of the issues of race and ethnicity, gender, social class, and
age. Were the fears of the founders
realized over time?
2.
List, in rank order, the most significant myths
and misconceptions many Americans express about the mass media in the U.S.
Critically evaluate the sources of these myths and misconceptions, the proximity
of these views to the structural realities, and the most substantial effects
which can be attributed to the mass media.
3.
Greenberg and Page propose that the two
appropriate views of interest groups ought to be PLURALISM or the EVILS
of FACTIONS paradigm. Challenge this
framework by applying a NEOCORPORATISM comparative analysis (as offered
by Shively). Be sure to evaluate the
“...special place of business corporation” in your analysis. Finally, evaluate the degree to which each of
these views can enhance or discourage democratic possibilities.
4.
Apply the ecological model to at least four
significant social movements in American political history, tracing the
“factors that encourage,” the specific strategies and tactics employed, and the
viability and vitality of the movements today.
Be sure to graphically present the most successfully institutionalized movements.
5.
In the other Western democracies political
parties and elections contrast decidedly with U.S. parties and elections. List, describe, and evaluate the most
significant differences between U.S. parties and elections and those of at
least two other Western democratic states.
It has been claimed that the differences between our Democrats and
Republicans are “...real, important, enduring, and becoming more
distinctive.” Can this claim be
validated, or has our “Two-Party System” made our political parties a barrier
to democracy?
n Use the ‘Ten Criteria.’
n Graphic presentations
accompanying responses are strongly RECOMMENDED.
n Essay breakdown should
approximate one-third each of the following:
reading/class dialogue/original thinking (which does not mean opinion).
n Students must have notes and text books approved by instructor before outlines are due for each exam.
Practice ‘Learned
Resourcefulness.’ Avoid procrastination, develop appropriate help-seeking
behaviors, ask questions, learn to recognize & utilize resources (e.g. the
library, fellow students, the instructor, tutoring, study groups, etc.) embrace
realistic goals and priorities.
1.
The authority, organization, and behavior of
the U.S. Congress contrasts significantly with the legislative branches of most
Western democracies. Compare and
contrast these aspects of our congress with more democratic bodies emphasizing
the effectiveness, representational qualities, and responsiveness of each body.
2.
Evaluate the historical contributions to
democratic liberties and democratic political equality which have been made
primarily by the U.S. Supreme Court. Was
the Judicial Branch intended to be a barrier to democracy? On the key principles of liberty and
political equality has the court served “original intents”? And finally, are our expectations for justice
in conflict with the ways in which laws are interpreted and employed in our courts?
3.
Greenberg and Page employ a comparative view of
the America bureaucracy, claiming that ours “...is different from bureaucracies
in other democratic nations.”
Graphically describe and demonstrate the impact of our political culture
and Constitutional framework upon the federal bureaucracy. Evaluate how the expectations, resources, and
leadership issues influence bureaucratic effectiveness, responsiveness, and
respect for the bureaucracy. In what
ways does the American bureaucracy differ from those of other Western
democracies?
4.
Has the U.S. Presidency become more democratic,
evolving well beyond the vision of the Founders? Assess the most significant reasons for the
changes in the presidency and apply a comparative of our chief executive office
with those of parliamentary democracies.
In your comparative analysis, provide an assessment of responsibility and accountability in the presidential and parliamentary systems. Do Americans “expect too much” and “select
too poorly” for the president to be very democratic or effective?
5.
Select two problems from list A and two from
list B and provide a contextual cost/benefit analysis of the responses provided
by our political culture and our governmental structure. Why do we appear to contrast so strongly with
the democracies?
“A” “B”
Social Welfare Military
Spending
Taxation Foreign
Aid
Regulation Environmental
Impact
Education Promoting
Democracy
Health National
Security
Wealth & Poverty Globalization
n Use the ‘Ten Criteria.’
n Graphic presentations
accompanying responses are strongly RECOMMENDED.
n Essay breakdown should
approximate one-third each of the following:
reading/class dialogue/original thinking (which does not mean opinion).
n Students must have notes and text books approved by instructor before outlines are due for each exam.
Practice ‘Learned
Resourcefulness.’ Avoid procrastination, develop appropriate help-seeking
behaviors, ask questions, learn to recognize & utilize resources (e.g. the
library, fellow students, the instructor, tutoring, study groups, etc.) embrace
realistic goals and priorities.