121.100 PSC AMERICAN NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Spring 2007 MW, 10:35-11:30am + weekly discussion section Maxwell Auditorium Professor Danny Hayes [e-mail] Eggers 322 Office Hours: MW, 1:30-3:00pm & by appt. [phone] TEACHING ASSISTANTS Karen Allen [e-mail] Sections: 32176, 32177 Office: Eggers TA Bay 024 Hours: M, 11:45am-12:45pm & F, 11:35am-12:35pm Kyung-hwa Kim [e-mail] Sections: 32180, 32181 Office: Eggers TA Bay 027 Hours: MW, 9:30-10:30am & by appt. Spencer Tacktill [e-mail] Sections: 32178, 32179 Office: Eggers TA Bay 024 Hours: Th, 11:15am-1:15pm
COURSE OVERVIEW AND GOALS This course provides a survey of the political processes and institutions of American government. I know what you might be thinkingthat sounds boring. Let me assure you, this course will be anything but. The bulk of American political history has been characterized by drama and conflict, and our investigation of American politics will include a focus on topics like September 11, Monica Lewinsky, the civil rights movement, the 2004 presidential election, and the debate over gay marriage, just to name a few. Controversial, always; boring, never. Each of these political issues and events and most otherscan be seen most clearly through the lens of the historical and institutional development of the American political system. Our lectures, readings, and discussions will touch on the Constitution, the presidency, the judiciary, political parties, voting, and public policymaking, among other topics. In all of this, our focus will be on how the basic features of American government illuminate the stories and events that appear in the news every day, be it the war on terrorism or the price of milk at Wegmans. Ultimately, this course has three goals: To provide you with a basic understanding of the United States political development and institutions To help you understand why our government works the way it does To help you become a savvy analyst of government and politics, and a thoughtful consumer of political news READINGS This course has one assigned textbook and a handful of supplementary readings, which you are expected to complete before the class for which they are assigned. You are also expected to keep up with the news. Textbook Samuel Kernell and Gary C. Jacobson. 2006. The Logic of American Politics, 3rd Edition. Washington, DC: CQ Press. (Available at the University Bookstore, and noted as K&J in the course schedule below.)
Supplementary readings As noted in the course schedule below, in addition to your textbook readings, there are a couple of supplementary readings throughout the semester. One is freely available on the Internet, with the URL in the course schedule below, and any remaining ones will be placed on electronic reserve, which can be accessed through the SU Library Web site (http://library.syr.edu/instruction/class/index.html). The Newspaper It should come as no surprise in a political science course that you are expected to keep up with politics in the news. Our discussions in lecture and the weekly sections will frequently touch on current events, so it is imperative that you keep apprised of major political goings-on. Reading a newspaper is the best way to do this. Not only will this often bring course material to life, but it will undoubtedly make the class more interesting. (As a non-trivial side benefit, being a news junkie invariably gives you interesting things to talk about at parties, especially when you find yourself in a conversation that has lapsed into awkward silence.) You are free to read (in print or online) any paper(s) of your choosing, with the following limitation: You need to choose a news source that includes frequent coverage of national politics. For that reason, The Daily Orange, fine publication that it is, does not count. The following are a few suggestions, any of which are excellent sources of political news: The New York Times: www.nyt.com (requires free online registration) The Wall Street Journal www.wsj.com (requires paid online subscription) The Los Angeles Times www.latimes.com The Washington Post www.washingtonpost.com (requires free online registration) WEEKLY DISCUSSION SECTIONS The weekly discussion sections are purposefully namedthey are intended to be opportunities for you to discuss material from the weeks lectures and readings in more depth than can normally be done in a class of 150. They also serve as a forum for you to ask questions of the teaching assistants, and to give them an opportunity to elaborate on the weeks topic(s). A portion of almost every section will deal with current events that pertain to something weve talked about in lecture. As noted below, 15% of your grade will be based on your participation in these sessions. Heres how that will work: Five times throughout the semester, an unannounced quizsome people like to call these pop quizzeswill be given in your discussion section. If you are in class to take the quiz, you will earn five (5) points simply for being present. Each of the 10 questions on the quiz, drawn from the weeks readings and recent news events, will be worth of a point. Thus, if you make a perfect score on the quiz, you will earn 10 points (5 points for attending + 5 points for 10 correct answers). If you are absent, you will get a 0. At the end of the semester, your quiz scores (50 points possible) will be translated into the 15% of your grade for participation. This setup is designed to reward students who regularly attend discussion section and keep up with the reading. Your discussion leader will say more about the format of the sections during your first session on Jan. 25/26. EVALUATION Your grade in this class will be based on four exams and your participation in weekly discussion sections. The breakdown is as follows: Exam 1 (Feb. 12): 15%
Exam 2 (March 7): 20% Exam 3 (April 9): 25% Exam 4 (Final exam period): 25% Participation (section attendance and quizzes): 15%
At the end of the semester, your grade will be assigned based on the following scale: A (93-100), A- (90-92), B+ (87-89), B B- (83-86), (80-82), C+ (77-79), C (73-76), C- (70-72), D (6069), and F (0-59). (Note that there are no +/- grades in the D or F range.) Exam Format The four exams will consist of both multiple choice questions and short answer identifications. The multiple-choice questions will be straightforward, with four answers to choose from. For the short answer portion of the exam, you will be expected to identify several terms and explain, in a few sentences, why they are important. If you expect to miss an exam, it is your responsibility to let me or your discussion section leader know (in person or via e-mail) immediately. Makeup exams will be given only in extreme circumstances, such as the death of an immediate family member. We will be the final arbiters of what meets the definition of extreme. SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY Thinking about cheating? Dont do it. The University has established the following statement as its understanding of what constitutes a students breach of the principles of academic honesty: Syracuse University students shall exhibit honesty in all academic endeavors. Cheating in any form is not tolerated, nor is assisting another person to cheat. The submission of any work by a student is taken as a guarantee that the thoughts and expressions in it are the students own except when properly credited to another. Violations of this principle include: giving or receiving aid in an exam or where otherwise prohibited, fraud, plagiarism, the falsification or forgery of any record, or any other deceptive act in connection with academic work. Plagiarism is the representation of anothers words, ideas, programs, formulae, opinions, or other products of work as ones own either overtly or by failing to attribute them to their true source. We take plagiarism and academic dishonesty seriously. If you are unsure about what constitutes scholastic dishonesty, consult with us on how to avoid it. You can also educate yourself on the College of Arts and Sciences policies and procedures, here: http://provost.syr.edu/integritypolicies/ASPoliciesProcedures.pdf. ACADEMIC FREEDOM Each student is strongly encouraged to participate in class discussions. In any classroom situation that involves discussion and critical thinking, particularly about political ideas, there are bound to be many differing viewpoints. Students may not only disagree with each other at times, but the students and instructors may also find that they have disparate views on sensitive and volatile topics. It is our hope that these differences will enhance class discussion and create an atmosphere where all of us will be encouraged to think and learn from each other. Therefore, be assured that students grades will not be affected by any beliefs or ideas expressed in class or in assignments. Rather, we will all respect the views of others when expressed in classroom discussions. ACCOMMODATIONS The Syracuse University Office of Disability Services (http://disabilityservices.syr.edu) provides support and resources for students with disabilities. Please let us know as soon as possible if you will need special accommodations this semester.
THOSE INDISPENSABLE CELL PHONES While Im as big a fan as anyone of hearing Beyonces Irreplaceable as a ringtone, the fact is that cell phones are a distraction. As a courtesy to me and your classmates, please turn off yours before entering class. If you dont, the rule is this: If your phone rings, I get to answer it and talk to whomever is on the linewhether its your mother, brother, or that person you met at a bar last night. So leave it on at your own peril. COURSE SCHEDULE (Note: This is subject to change as the semester proceeds.) The Foundations American ...