American National Government
Political Science 101, Call #04934/5, Winter 2002
Instructor's Office Hours etc.
Instructor:
Mr. Rick Dodgson
Office: 205
Lindley Hall
Office
Hours: M-Th.11-12 a.m.
Phone: Office
740 597 1382
E-mail: rick1@frognet.net rd338088@ohio.edu
Website: http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~rd338088/
Course Description: This course will introduce the subject of
American Politics and Government with an eye towards the general question of
legitimacy. The course will proceed
from an overall look at who the players are in American Politics, to the
general constitutional structure of government, the ways in which politics takes
place in American society and then to the major institutions in American
government. By the end of the term, you
should have an understanding of both how and why decisions get made in the ways
in which they do, and who is likely to benefit from government as it is
practiced in the United States.
Course Evaluation: Grading will
be based solely on the quality of your work.
Assignments and grades break down as follows:
#
reading quiz 10%
#
2 midterm examinations,
30% each, 60% total
#
1 final examination, 30%
General classroom participation and discussion will
factor into borderline cases. To avoid an F for the course, you must complete
ALL assignments and pass the final exam.
If you have to miss an exam you should notify the instructor in advance
with a satisfactory excuse (e.g., a documented sickness or family emergency)
and make arrangements for a make-up. A student who does not arrange for a
make-up within a week after an exam will automatically receive a failing grade
for the exam.
Attendance:
Attendance is required consistent with the policies outlined in the
undergraduate catalog. Failure to
maintain regular attendance will result in a 10% penalty upon calculation of
final grade.
Academic Misconduct: Academic
misconduct includes cheating and plagiarism (using someone else’s words or
ideas without acknowledging or citing this use). [Ohio University Undergraduate
Catalog, 2000-2001, p. 32]. Punishments range from receiving an "F"
for that examination to suspension.
A 100-93 A- 92-90
B+ 87-89 B 83-86
B- 80-82 C+ 77-79
C 73-76 C- 70-72
D+ 67-69 D 63-66
D- 60-62 F 59-0
Required Reading (available from the Little Professor bookstore):
Textbook:
Lowi, Ginsburg and Wier, We The People, shorter third edition,
Norton
Newspaper: Subscribe to a national newspaper
such as the New York Times or the Washington Post. Students must keep abreast of current
political news. I will include current events questions on all examinations.
Additional readings: There will be a few additional
readings indicated in this syllabus that will be available on my OU website.
Norton's web site for We the People, is: http://www.wwnorton.com/wtp3e/
This web site includes many helpful additions such as
current events articles, practice quizzes and study outlines. Students in past classes have found it very
useful.
We will be covering a lot of material and it is
imperative that you not fall behind in the readings. Reading should be completed before lecture so that you
will be prepared for in class discussions. It is a grim task to try and catch
up all at once on this reading a day or two before a midterm.
Schedule
Of Readings
January
3 Introduction (American Political Culture)
Reading: WP
ch 1 (pages 2-31, pay particular attention to pages 14-29)
January
7, 8 Introduction
cont’d (American Political Culture)
Reading: WP ch 2 (pages 32-66, pay particular attention to pages
59-64)
January
9, 10, The
Constitutional Structure of Government
Reading: WP
ch 3 (pages 68-107)
Declaration of Independence, skim Constitution (pages
A3-5, A10-23)
January 14 Reading Quiz
January
15-17 Civil
Rights and Voting Rights
Reading: WP
ch 6 (pages 194-233)
January
21 No
Class, Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
January
22 Civil
Rights and Voting Rights (cont’d)
Reading: WP
ch 11 (pages 388-399)
Martin Luther King, Jr. Letter from Birmingham Jail (Website)
January
23-24 Federalism:
State vs National Power
Reading: WP
ch 4 (pages 110-143)
Federalist #10, # 51 (A24‑A29 in WP)
January 28 Midterm Examination
January 29-31 Civil Liberties
Reading: WP
ch 5 (pages 146-190)
Roe vs Wade (website)
Feb
4 Civil Liberties (cont’d)
February 5, 6, 7, Media
and Public Opinion
Reading: WP
ch 8 (pages 298-307)
WP ch 7 (pages 256-272)
February
11-13 Interest Groups
Reading: WP
ch 12 (pages 436-472)
February
14, 18, 19 Voting and Elections
Reading: WP
ch 11 (pages 369-430)
February 20 Midterm Examination
February 21, 25, 26, Political
Parties
Reading: WP
ch 10 (pages 346-376)
Feb
27, 28 The Institution of Congress
Reading: WP
ch 13 (pages 480-493, 503-517)
March 4, 5 The Institution of the Presidency
Reading: WP
ch 14 (pages 530-544, 551-560)
March 6, 7 The Institution of the Judiciary
Reading: WP
ch 16 (pages 612-647)
March
11 Final Exam at 8.00 am for those taking the 9:10-10.00
class
March
12 Final Exam at 8.00 am for those taking the 10:10-11.00
class