The following schedule is preliminary and subject to revision. I try to stick to the schedule, but if the situation warrants it, I deviate from it at times. I will announce this in advance, but if you are someone who strongly values sticking to schedules, this class is probably not for you!
| I. Forms of Political Participation |
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| September 2 | |
| September 5 | Participation in Democracy: Competing Visions |
| II. Setting the Stage: American Institutions, American Values |
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| September 9 | The Framers's Constitution--And Ours
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| September 12, 15 & 17 | The Framers and Their Constitution: Madison (and his Opponents) Speaks From The Grave
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| September 19 | In-Class Video
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September 23 & 26 |
American Values: Consensus or Dissensus? The Declaration of Independence (not very long; you can skim the grievances section) Tocqueville, "The Social State of the Anglo-Americans," and "Of Individualism in Democracies" Huntington, "Ideals and Institutions" Kingdon, "America the Unusual" Hertzke, "Echoes of Populist Discontent" DuBois, "Our Spiritual Strivings" (from The Souls of Black Folk) Study Guide #5
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| September 30 | Civil Rights/Civil Liberties and the Bill of Rights |
October 1 & 3 | Federalism and the Continuing Debate Over Centralization in American Government
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October 7 |
Midterm I--Exam Questions
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| III. Intermediary Institutions: Links Between Government and Citizen |
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October 9 |
Public Opinion and the Perils of Polling Current Events Presentation sign-up |
October 15 & 17 |
Media and Elections: How Political Scientists (and Economists) Think About Elections Differently From Journalists, and Why the Political Scientists Are Usually Right, Or, Why Political Consultants are Perpetually Overrated |
October 21 |
Media and Politics: A More Sophisticated Approach to Media "Bias" |
October 24 |
The Party System: The Breakdown of the New Deal Coalition, the Destruction of the "Solid South," and the Rise of the Gender Gap |
| October 29 | The Party System: The (Uncertain) Future of Racial Politics |
| October 31 | |
| November 4 & 7 | The Party System: Does the U.S. Need "Stronger" Parties? More Parties? |
| November 11 | Interest Groups, Pluralism and American Democracy Re-read Federalist Papers #10, in Serow, 49-55 Tocqueville, "On The Primary Role and Essential Importance of Associations in America" Putnam, "Bowling Alone," (required readings folder) Ladd, "The Ladd Report," (required readings folder) Skocpol, "Voice and Inequality" (Recommended: Wilson, 143-160) Study Guide #17 |
| November 12 | Midterm II--Exam Questions |
| IV. Federal Policymaking and the Institutions of National Government |
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| Novermber 14 | The Presidency |
| November 17 & 21 | The Problem of Presidential Power, or, Why The President Usually Can't Order People Around, Even in His Own Branch (Except Perhaps When it Comes to Foreign Policy, or During a Crisis?) |
November 25
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Congress: Forces of Centralization and Decentralization |
December 2 | Congress: Individual Incentives, Institutional Effects |
| December 3 | The U.S. Legal System |
December 5 | Dictators in Black Robes? The Supreme Court and American Democracy |
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| V. Summing Up |
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December 9 | A Divided Democracy? Paper #3 due for Track II Students on December 19 at 4.30 |
Maintained (sort of) by: Tom Burke, tburke@wellesley.edu
The Department of Political Science
Date created: July 5, 1999
Date modified: September 1, 2008
Page expires:January 2009