POL S 202 A: Introduction to American Politics

Political Science 202: Introduction to American Politics

University of Washington

Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:20-4:30

Zoom on Canvas

Summer 2020, Full Term

Instructor: Stephanie Stanley, PhC.

Contact Info: stephs23@uw.edu

Office Hours: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10:00-11:00 on Zoom

(Grades posted on catalyst.uw.edu)

Course Overview:

 Do policies adopted by the government actually reflect the will of the people? Do political parties and elected officials truly represent the public? How do the institutions that comprise the US government work- or not work? This course will answer these questions and many others by examining the relationships among political institutions (Congress, the Presidency, and the Court System), linking mechanisms (parties, interest groups, and the media), and the mass public (social movements, public opinion, and political participation).

The first part of this course will discuss the implications of the American founding, explore the American founders’ rationale for governing institutions, and how those institutions have changed over time. The second part of the class will explore various linking mechanisms, how they operate, and the role they play in governance and policymaking. Next, we will discuss the effects the people have on politics as well as the various debates surrounding individual and group rights that persist today. Finally, we will use the ideas learned throughout this course to evaluate and understand our current political system in the wake of the 2016 presidential election.

A hybrid of lectures and class discussions will highlight key historical changes and critical debates that persist today within American politics. Grades for this course will be based on four components: discussion board posts, a midterm, a short paper, and a final exam. All readings will be available online or sent via your university email. Readings will include historical pieces such as selections from the Federalist Papers, academic sources such as journal articles, as well as current news articles.

Course Conduct:

1. Attend class on Zoom ready to engage with course material and contribute to discussions.
2. Be prepared to take notes during class.
3. Unless you email or talk to me and get special permission, you are expected to turn on your camera during Zoom class meetings.
4. Even though we are holding class virtually, you are still expected to conduct yourself professionally during Zoom class and office hours meetings.
5. Please do your best to be on time and stay on task during class time.
6. Be prepared for short written assignments or quizzes that may be given without advanced notice.
7. You are responsible to contact fellow students for the classes you miss. If you cannot contact a fellow student, I am available to catch you up.
8. Be respectful of others. It is important to remember that politics tends to be personal, and disrespect will not be tolerated.

Navigating Zoom

General Comments

 Many of us (myself included) are still getting used to online courses on Zoom. I’m excited to experiment with the technology, and we will definitely be learning along the way. Before we get started, here are some important things to keep in mind. First, although we aren’t at UW this term, this is still a professional, academic setting. Please keep that in mind when you unmute your mic and let the rest of the class see you via video. Secondly, assume that the instructors see whatever you say or type (and even do) on Zoom. Technology isn’t always reliable, and your mic or video may be on, and you may not know it. Be on the safe side with your speech and conduct, and you’ll be fine. Thirdly, please let me know if you have any technical difficulties, and I will do my best to help you out. And finally, thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as we navigate this brave, new, technical world together!

Lectures

 Lectures will be recorded and published on Zoom, which means that when you attend class, you may end up on the recording. Therefore, please be sure to conduct yourself professionally. Also, enough though lectures will be recorded, I still highly encourage you to attend class because the discussions, ability to ask questions, and think through course material together. Furthermore, in these unusual times, having some place “to be” virtually on a regular basis should bring structure to your schedule, which tends to improve one’s mental health. Finally, there may be some issues recording and uploading lectures on Zoom, so it may not be wise to rely solely on recordings if you are able to attend the live class sessions.

Office Hours

Office hours (Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10-11 am PST) will also be conducted via Zoom. Because I want to respect each student’s privacy, I will be admitting students one at a time. If I am meeting one on one with another student when you “attend” office hours, you’ll be in the waiting room. I will do my best to get to you as soon as possible. Thanks in advance for your patience. And if you are unable to make my office hours but would still like to meet via Zoom, please email me and I would be more than happy to arrange a meeting with you.

 Accommodations and University Policies:

Respectful Learning Environment

Instructors and students come from a variety of backgrounds with a wide array of life experiences. It is vital that we respect individual differences, divergent beliefs, and a variety of worldviews. Some of the course material may be at odds with your personal beliefs. Please approach the course content and others’ views with respect and sensitivity. Also, I want you all to feel comfortable expressing your opinions and thoughts during lectures and discussions, even if you do not think others agree with you. Having more than one perspective can contribute to a richer learning experience, as long as conversations remain respectful and civil.

 Disabilities Accommodations

I am more than willing to accommodate students with a documented disability (physical, learning, or psychological). If you require special accommodations, please obtain the official paper work from Disability Resources for Students (https://depts.washington.edu/uwdrs) and forward it to me by the end of the first week of class. Please feel free to meet with me to discuss any accommodations, and rest assured that all of our conversations will remain confidential. 

UW Resources:

Political Science Writing Center: http://depts.washington.edu/pswrite/

Plagiarism Policy:

-Assignments in this course may be reviewed by VeriCite or other plagiarism detection software.

-If you copy any work (published, online, another student’s work, etc.) and claim it as your own you will receive a zero for the plagiarized assignment, and you will be reported to the university.

-The rule of thumb is if it is not your idea, you need to cite it! When in doubt, cite it!

-For a full explanation of plagiarism please see the link below.

http://www.hcde.washington.edu/policies/plagiarism-and-academic-conduct     

UW’s Code of Conduct:

 http://www.washington.edu/students/handbook/conduct.html

Religious Accommodations Policy:

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy (https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/). Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form (https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/).

Course Requirements/ Evaluation:

Discussion Posts- 20%

Each week (except for those with exams) there will be a discussion prompt posted on Canvas by the end of class on Thursdays. You are responsible for submitting a response (100-300 words) to the prompt on the discussion post by the following Tuesday at 12 noon PST. The posts are graded as credit/no credit, and as long as you attempt to answer the prompt and turn in your post on time, you will get credit. You may also skip two prompts and still receive full credit for your discussion posts. No extra credit will be given for extra posts.

Midterm Exam*- 30%

The midterm exam will be on Canvas, be open note and open book, and must be completed independently.

Paper*- 20%

The paper will be a short analytical paper (4-6 pages) based on topics discussed in the course and include a paper proposal, paper outline, and final, full-length paper, all of which will be turned in on Canvas. See below for the due dates for each component of the paper. More information will be provided on the response paper after students take the midterm exam. Late papers will be docked .5 on the 4.0 grading scale for each day the paper is late.

Final*- 30%

The final exam will follow the same format of the midterm exam.

*Unless you have an excusable absence and the required documentation, no make-up exams or extensions on papers will be granted.

Grading Policy:

I will be grading your work this term, and I am willing to explain the reasoning behind your grade should you have any questions. If you wish to appeal your grade formally, you should follow this process:

1. Wait at least 24 hours after you receive your graded assignment before you file an appeal.
2. Within a week of receiving your grade, provide a written statement specifically describing why you believe you did not receive a fair grade. Then I will reassess your assignment. Note that your grade may be raised, lowered, or left unchanged.
3. We will then meet and discuss your grade and outcome of your re-grade on Zoom.

Writing Credit

This course has a writing credit option. If you would like to get writing credit for this course, you must notify me by 5 pm on July 3, 2020 to make the necessary arrangements. Students who opt into the writing credit must meet the following requirements:

1) 10-page research paper, with a rough draft and final draft. Students are expected to apply the feedback from the rough draft to their final draft.

2) Two papers of at least 5-pages or three papers with one of at least 5 pages. Students are expected to apply feedback from the first paper to (a) subsequent paper(s).

 Course Schedule:

Unit 1: The Founding and Political Institutions

Week 1: Introduction and American Founding (June 23^rd and 25th)

Tues: No readings 

Thurs: Federalist # 51 (http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed51.asp)

Centinel 1,

Dolbeare and Medcalf, “The Dark Side of the Constitution”

Week 2: Article I: Congress (June 30^th and July 2nd)

Tues: Federalist #57 (http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed57.asp)

1. Douglas Arnold, “Can Inattentive Citizens Control Their Elected Officials?”

Thurs: Martin Gilens, “Policy Consequences of Representational Inequality”

Week 3: Article II: The Presidency (July 7^th and 9th)

Tues: Federalist # 70 (http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed70.asp)

Neustadt: “from Presidential Power”

Jones, “Perspectives on the Presidency”

Thurs: Yoo “War Powers Belong to the President” (http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/war_powers_belong_to_the_president)

Epps, “Constitutional Myth #3: (https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/06/constitutional-myth-3-the-unitary-executive-is-a-dictator-in-war-and-peace/239627/)

Crouch, et al, “The Law: The Unitary Executive Theory and President Donald J. Trump”

Paper Proposal Due July 9, 2020 (on Canvas)

 Week 4: Article III: The Courts (July 14th)

Tues: Federalist # 78 (http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed78.asp)

Roosevelt “Originalism and the Living Constitution”

Thurs: No reading, Midterm scheduled

MIDTERM July 16, 2020 (on Canvas)

Unit 2: Linking Mechanisms

Week 5: Elections and Political Parties (July 21^st and 23^rd)

Tues: Michael Bailey, “The Two Sides of Money in Politics”

Ken Goldstein et al, “Even the Geeks are Polarized”

Thurs: Aldrich, “from Why Parties?”

Rae, “Be Careful What You Wish For”

Debating the Issue: Should the United States Encourage Multi-Party Politics?

Paper Outline Due July 23, 2020 (on Canvas)

Week 6: Interest Groups and the Media (July 28^th and 30^th)

Tues: Melinda Burns, “K Street and the Status Quo,”( https://psmag.com/social-justice/k-street-and-the-status-quo-20015)

Gary Andres, “Campaign-Style Advocacy: A Broader View of Lobbying”

Thurs: Markus Prior, “News vs. Entertainment,”

Bennett, “News Content and Illusion: Four Information Biases that Matter”

Unit 3: The People and Their Rights

Week 7: Citizenship, Voting, and Public Opinion (August 4^th and August 6^th)

Tues: Smith “Multiple Traditions Thesis”

Sobel Smith, “Voter ID Laws”

Mycoff et al, “Voter ID Laws”

Thurs: Bartels “The Irrational Public”

Stimson et al, “Dynamic Representation”

Popkin, “The Reasoning Voter”

PAPER DUE August 6, 2017 (on Canvas)

 Week 8: Social Movements, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties (August 11^th and 13^th)

Tues: Dufour, “Mobilizing Gay Activists”

Wilkinson, “Tactics of Protest”

Thurs: MLK’s “A Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” Malcolm X’s “The Ballot or the Bullet,”

Week 9: Civil Liberties, cont. (August 18^th)

Tues: Rauch, “In Defense of Prejudice”

Thurs: No reading, Final Exam scheduled

FINAL EXAM August 20, 2020 (on Canvas)

*News articles and other online sources may be added to the weekly readings*

*The course schedule is subject to changes at the discretion of the instructor*

Class Grade Scale

Score out of 100 / Score on 4.0 scale

96+                  4.0
95                    3.9
93-94               3.8

92                    3.7

90-91               3.6

 89                   3.5

87-88               3.4

86                    3.3

84-85               3.2

83                    3.1

81-82               3.0

80                    2.9

78-79               2.8

77                    2.7

75-76               2.6

74                    2.5

72-73               2.4

71                    2.3

69-70               2.2

68                    2.1

66-67               2.0

65                    1.9

63-64               1.8

62                    1.7

60-61               1.6

59                    1.5

57-58               1.4

56                    1.3

54-55               1.2

53                    1.1

51-52               1.0

50                    0.9

48-49               0.8

 47                   0.7