Instructor: Kang Chen
Govt 2301, CRN 63244
HCC Southwest, Stafford campus
Spring 2011
TR 7pm-8:30pm
Classroom: STF3 221
Department Website: http://swc2.hccs.edu/htmls/govdep/
e-mail: kchen28@yahoo.com
Office hours: before/after class
GOVT 2301 – AMERICAN GOVERNMENT I: National, State, and Local
Course Description:
Government 2301 is one of two courses designed to introduce students to the study of government in the
United States at the national, state, and local levels. This course is fully transferable to all public colleges
and universities in the great state of Texas.
We will be interested in this class in analyzing how the structures of American and Texas government and
the dynamics of American and Texas politics interact. For example, the electoral college is a structural or
institutional feature of American government that has specific effects upon the actions and strategies of
political actors. In order to understand the election strategies of presidential candidates, you must know
what the electoral college is, both in terms of function and structure.
Governmental structures do not simply appear out of nowhere. They are established and maintained by
men, and embody ideals and principles. Knowledge of the structures of government is hollow without an
understanding of the reasons given for their existence. For example, what justification(s) could be given
for the role of the electoral college in United States presidential elections? Only when you have
understood the arguments in favor of an institution or practice will you be able to offer a meaningful
critique of that institution or practice.
The broader goal in this class is to teach you to think about government and politics. It is designed to
make you a more thoughtful and engaged citizen, especially in how you receive news stories. In 2010,
some of the leading news stories were, in no particular order: (1) the respective fortunes of the
Democratic and Republican parties in the 2010 mid-term elections, (2) the nature and significance of
opposition to President Obama’s policy agenda, especially as embodied in the movement/organization
known as the Tea Party, (3) continuing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, (4) the United States
economy, and (5) the rehauling of the United States healthcare system. Now, whether or not you support
(for example) the healthcare reform law depends first of all on whether you believe there is a problem
with health care in the United States. If you believe that there is a problem, then the solution you favor
will depend on what you believe the proper role of government is, including what you believe is the
proper role of the federal government vis-à-vis the state governments. But your opinions regarding the
proper role of government ought to be informed by, above all, knowledge of the United States
Constitution, and the principles embodied therein. For that reason, we will spend almost a third of this
class reflecting upon the Constitution and its principles. Put another way, in this class, I do not care
whether you are for or against (for example) the healthcare reform law. What I care about is that you are
able to give thoughtful and well-informed reasons to support whatever opinion you hold. If I can impress
nothing else upon you, I want to impress upon you the fact that reasonable people can disagree. But we
can disagree without being disagreeable.
Class lectures will use the assigned reading as a beginning point, but will not be confined to explaining
and reviewing the assigned reading. My goal in the class lecture will be to engage the class in an
exploration of issues and concerns raised by the reading. In other words, it is imperative that you
complete your reading assignments before you come to class. Furthermore, I will frequently discuss
relevant current events in class. Therefore, if you miss a class, you are advised to procure class notes
from one (or more!) of your classmates.
Required Text:
Tannahill, Neal. 2010. American and Texas Government: Policy and Politics, 10th edition. New York:
Pearson Longman Publishing, Inc.
Recommended Reading:
I strongly encourage you to regularly read a major national newspaper (e.g., The New York Times, Wall
Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Houston Chronicle; NOTE: if you choose one of the
out-of-state newspapers, you should ALSO choose an additional source for Texas state and local news).
All of the above have free Internet editions.
Grading:
3 Exams
Pop Quizzes and Homework Assignments
75% (25% each)
25%
There will be three examinations during the instruction period. The exams will consist of a combination
of at least two of the following five question formats: essay questions, questions requiring short answers,
fill-in-the-blank statements, multiple choice questions, and true-false questions. In general, I may test you
over anything that is covered by your reading assignments, as well as anything that I go over in class
lectures, including current events. There will be no make-up exams.
There will also be a number of pop quizzes over the course of the semester. The quizzes will be designed
to make sure that you are keeping up with the assigned readings. To preserve the element of suspense
crucial to pop quizzes, the number of quizzes to be administered will remain a closely guarded secret. I
am, however, willing to offer you this range: there will be at least one (1) quiz, and no more than twentythree (23) quizzes, over the course of the semester. There will be no make-up quizzes. If I administer
more than one quiz over the course of the semester, I will drop your lowest quiz grade.
The following grading scale will be used:
A = 90-100
B = 80-89
C = 70-79
D = 60-69
F = 0-59
Attendance and Tardiness/Leaving Early:
The college provides that students may be dropped after missing more than six hours of class time (for
this section, 6 hours = 4 classes). However, I generally do not drop or withdraw students. Do not stop
showing up to class and assume that I will drop or withdraw you from the class. If you have not
withdrawn from the class yourself and your name is on my roll sheet at the end of the semester,
chances are you will be receiving a grade, probably a failing grade. With the foregoing in mind, if
you decide you must drop or withdraw from the course, please fill out the appropriate form in the college
office on campus. The last day you can drop a class is January 19, 2011. The last day you can withdraw
from a class is April 21, 2011.
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If you miss more than half a class, you will be considered absent from the class. If you miss more than 15
minutes of class, you will be considered tardy or to have left class early. Three tardies/early leaves equal
to one absence.
Scholastic Dishonesty:
The College has approved the following statement on scholastic dishonesty: “Scholastic dishonesty
includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. Cheating on a test includes
copying from another student's test paper; using, during a test, materials not authorized by the person
giving the test; collaborating with another student during a test without authority; knowingly using,
buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in whole or part the contents of an unadministered test;
or bribing another person to obtain a test that is to be administered. ‘Plagiarism’ means the appropriation
of another's work and the unacknowledged incorporation of that work in one's own written work for
credit. ‘Collusion’ means the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work
offered for credit.”
In other words—Don’t cheat. If I catch you cheating, I will fail you from the class and take additional
disciplinary action as appropriate. It’s that simple.
Student Discipline:
Adult behavior is expected. Disruptive behavior/ activities, which interfere with teaching and /or learning
will not be tolerated, and may result in an administrative withdrawal without refund.
Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices:
Please turn cell phones and electronic devices off or to silent mode before coming to class.
Reasonable Accommodations:
HCCS is compliant with the ADA and Sec. 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision,
hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the
Disability Service Office at the respective college at the beginning of each semester.
Faculty are authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the Disability
Support Services Office.
If you have any questions, please contact the Disability Counselor at your college or Donna Price at
713-718-7910.
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READING SCHEDULE
Week 1: Class Overview & Introduction to the Study of Government
Jan. 18
Overview of the Class (or, Get Out Now While You Still Can)
Jan. 19
Last day to drop/add/swap
Jan. 20
READ Tannahill, Introduction AND Ch. 1
Week 2: The Foundations of American Government & Federalist 10
Jan 25
READ Tannahill, Ch. 2 AND Declaration of Independence & U.S. Constitution
READ Perry, Ch. 1
Jan 27
READ Federalist 10, available here: http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa00.htm
Week 3: Madison’s Advocacy of the Proposed Constitution
Feb 1
READ Federalist 39
Feb 3
READ Federalist 51
Week 4: Brutus and the House Divided
Feb 8
READ Brutus I-II, available here: http://www.constitution.org/afp/brutus00.htm
READ Perry, Ch. 2
Feb 10
READ Davis, “Farewell Address” AND Lincoln, First Inaugural Address, available here:
http://jeffersondavis.rice.edu/resources.cfm?doc_id=1507 and
http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres31.html
Week 5: Federalism Today
Feb 15
READ Tannahill, Ch. 3
READ Perry, Ch. 3
Feb 17
EXAM 1 (bring Scantron and Blue Book) (+2 points)
Week 6: Public Opinion & the Media
Feb 22
READ Ch. 4
Feb 24
READ Ch. 6 AND Prior, “News vs. Entertainment”
Week 7: Political Participation
March 1
READ Ch. 5 AND Hibbing & Theiss-Morse, Introduction to Stealth Democracy:
http://assets.cambridge.org/97805218/11385/excerpt/9780521811385_excerpt.pdf
March 3
READ Ch. 21
Week 8: Interest Groups
March 8
READ Ch. 7 AND Lowi, “The Public Philosophy: Interest Group Liberalism”
March 10
READ Ch. 22 AND Schlozman, “Who Sings in the Heavenly Chorus”
SPRING BREAK (March 15-21)
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Week 9: Political Parties
March 22
READ Ch. 8 AND Ch. 23
March 24
EXAM 2 (bring Scantron and Blue Book) (+2 points)
Week 10: The Presidential Election Process and National Elections
March 29
READ Ch. 9, pp. 216-35 AND Ch. 24, pp. 636-40
March 31
READ Ch. 9, pp. 199-216, 236-40
Week 11: Elections Continued
April 5
READ Ch. 24, pp. 633-36, 640-62
April 7
READ Powell and Wilcox, “Money and American Elections” AND Citizens United v.
Federal Election Commission
Week 12: Texas Government and Elections
April 12
READ Ch. 18
April 14
READ Ch. 19
April 15
Last day to withdraw from a class
Week 13: Units of Texas Government
April 19
READ Ch. 28
April 21
READ Ch. 29
Week 14: Make-Up Week
April 26
Make-Up Class #1
April 28
Make-Up Class #2
Week 15: Review
May 3
Review Day or Make-up Class #3
May 5
EXAM 3 (bring Scantron and Blue Book) (+2 points)
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