J. INGRAM
Political Science 102, section 1 (20253)
Class Hours: MTWTh 1000-1140, HH-221
Off. Hrs: TuTh 1200-1300, NH-112
SUMMER 2015
Instructor: Dr. James W. Ingram III
Office Number: 594-3776
Email: jwingram3@aol.com
INTRO. TO AMERICAN & CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
COURSE OUTLINE
The object of this course is to educate students regarding “Political processes and institutions in
the United States and California. Considers a variety of public policy issues such as
environmental quality, health, education, relation between government and business, taxation,
and foreign affairs as reflected in the dynamics of national and state politics. When taken with
Political Science 101 will satisfy graduation requirement in American Institutions” (SDSU
General Catalog, 2014-15).
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Because this is a GE Course in the Social and Behavioral Sciences, we will seek to achieve the
following goals in this course:
“Goal 1: Explore and recognize basic terms, concepts, and domains of the social and behavioral
sciences;
Goal 2: Comprehend diverse theories and methods of the social and behavioral sciences;
Goal 3: Identify human behavioral patterns across space and time and discuss their
interrelatedness and distinctiveness;
Goal 4: Enhance understanding of the social world through the application of conceptual
frameworks from the social and behavioral sciences to first-hand engagement with contemporary
issues.”
[This language is quoted from a directive from SDSU’s University Senate.]
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
This course emphasizes the practice of critical thinking. Upon completion of this course, students
should be able to:
1. Critically analyze and discuss the origins and development of the U.S. Constitution, and its
role in American politics.
2. Critically analyze and discuss various political events and issues within the framework of the
American political system.
3. Critically analyze and discuss the general features of political behavior within the context of
parties, interest groups, the mass media etc.
4. Critically analyze and discuss the role of broad economic and political forces on the operations
of the U.S. government.
COURSE DETAILS
In order to meet the course objectives, the instructor will use three textbooks. First, students will
be reading Geer et al.’s analysis of Gateways to Democracy. This is one of the best new
textbooks on American politics, and will also assist students in learning more about the
discipline of political science. The second text for the class is Gerston and Christensen’s book
on California politics. The book is a classic, and has been used with many classes of students in
state politics. The last textbook for the course is the reader that I will be assembling with
Cengage. The readings in this new offering will follow the same basic themes and topics as
Geer, but offer the student a sample of the best writings on American politics from the 18th
through the 21st centuries. Classic essays are included in the collection, as are important
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monographs drawn from the academic literature on United States politics and government. I will
also post some readings, such as the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence on
Blackboard for students to use. It is recommended that students acquire one of the small pocketsized versions of these two documents for use in this class.
The second major component of the class is the lecture. Lectures will supplement the two
textbooks’ coverage of United States government, and also add information relevant to the
California experience. For example, some lectures will compare American and Californian
government in terms of their divergence on such political institutions and variables as executivelegislative relations, legislative flexibility, judicial selection, constitutional amendment and direct
democracy. At the same time, the lectures will highlight the similarities in the political culture
and economic structure of state and national governments. In sum, the lectures will seek to
provide a comparative perspective on American politics. To understand American politics
requires such a perspective, just as American politics often sheds light on political institutions
and behavior elsewhere. Trying to teach American politics without a comparative perspective is
a fool’s errand. How can one know what is important about American government and politics if
one cannot see their similarities to and differences from those of other nations? Only by drawing
salient comparisons and decisive contrasts can one address the problem that political scientists,
unlike natural scientists, cannot perform real experiments.
This is not an easy course. The class will be introducing students to game theory from the 1st
lecture, and applying its insights to understanding politics. Students will need to read course
materials on time, which means everyone is to have read them before coming to class on the day
they are listed on the schedule. That is why there are no readings listed for certain meetings. For
the 1st meeting, no reading is due because the instructor could not inform students in advance of a
reading assignment. On the other 3 days, there are no readings because there will be no lecture:
students are being tested on those days. By reading the materials on time, students will be able to
integrate them with each other, the lectures, and the many bytes of information gathered from
daily life. Successful students will perceive course concepts as more than the landscape by
which one speeds on life’s freeway.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Your course grade will be based on two midterm exams, a final, and participation. Each
examination will consist of two parts, one multiple-choice and one written, with each of these
components worth 15% of the course grade. Thus, the first midterm, second midterm and final
exam will each be worth 30% of the course grade. The participation component will comprise the
remaining 10% of your course grade. Both the multiple-choice and written components of your
three exams will be drawn from a study guide posted in advance. You must take examinations
using an 882 type Scantron and a number 2 pencil, as well as a pen. The final examination will
be comprehensive.
There is no extra credit for this class. However, I will award 10% of the points for the course
based on attendance and participation. I will be giving pop quizzes, doing lectures and showing
films during class time. Periodically, I will take attendance, and if you are not in class, you will
be penalized. I will also use this 10% as a way to address unsatisfactory conduct, which includes
disrupting class through early departures and late arrivals, as well as undesirable noise caused by
students chattering with one another during my lectures. In addition to this 10%, class
participation usually benefits students in other course components, such as exams and the essay.
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Some of the course participation may be submitted through Turnitin to ensure that students avoid
academic dishonesty. “Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be
subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin for the detection of plagiarism. All
submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin reference database solely
for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. You may submit your papers in such a
way that no identifying information about you is included. Another option is that you may
request, in writing, that your papers not be submitted to Turnitin. However, if you choose this
option you will be required to provide documentation to substantiate that the papers are your
original work and do not include any plagiarized material.”
If any student has difficulty in understanding these course requirements, he or she should
communicate with the instructor immediately in office hours or via email. In the interests of
fairness, students should understand exactly what is expected of them. This syllabus is this
class’s constitution, the social contract between students and the instructor. Since students will be
bound by it and graded accordingly, no one should take the course if he or she does not
understand what is expected. That would be analogous to signing a contract without reading or
understanding its terms. Both the students and the instructor are also bound by all of SDSU’s
relevant policies and procedures regarding proper conduct and student-instructor interaction. The
rules of common courtesy and decency will apply in all class settings; if any student is unaware
of what these are, he or she should request clarification from the instructor.
I do require that you observe proper classroom etiquette. If you are going to surf the net on your
computer, please sit in the back row of class so as not to disturb others. There are to be no private
conversations during class time. I only ask that if you must leave a class before a lecture is over,
you do it quietly and unobtrusively so that you do not disturb the learning of your fellow
students. As a diverse community of learners, students must strive to work together in a setting of
civility, tolerance, and respect for each other and for the instructor. The rules for proper
classroom behavior (which apply to online as well as onsite courses) include but are not limited
to the following:
-Conflicting opinions among members of a class are to be respected and responded to in a
professional manner;
-There are to be no offensive comments, language, or gestures;
-Please use culturally sensitive language when discussing or writing about all people groupings
covered in the class; slurs and epithets are unacceptable.
Students are permitted to form study groups in order to prepare for exams, but the exams are not
a collective performance. Group work during exams will constitute evidence of academic
dishonesty. If students turn in substantially identical work, or work that resembles materials from
improperly cited sources including the Internet, the instructor will then look for evidence of
plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty. As per university policy, I do want to make it
clear that it is NOT acceptable to turn in work that you have drafted in a previous or concurrent
class to satisfy your essay requirements for this class. For the purpose of this course, that is
academic dishonesty. Any student who commits plagiarism or any other form of academic
dishonesty will fail this class, and may face further action by the appropriate university officials.
This syllabus establishes the dates for all exams and essays. Unless in the case of verified
illness or emergency, these deadlines are not negotiable. Exceptions are discriminatory and
make the course unfair for students who are not granted special treatment. Late work will
be penalized a half-grade for the first hour it is late, and a full grade per day thereafter!
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COURSE DEADLINES AND GRADE CALCULATION
COMPONENT
DATE
PORTION OF COURSE
First Midterm-MCs
June 8
15%
First Midterm-written
June 8
15%
Second Midterm-MCs
June 22
15%
Second Midterm-written
June 22
15%
Final Exam-MCs
July 2
15%
Final Exam-written
July 2
15%
Participation
TBA
10%
Course Grade
N/A
100%
Required Readings (Please be sure to purchase edition indicated for each).
1. John G. Geer, Wendy J. Schiller and Jeffrey A. Segal, Gateways to Democracy: An
Introduction to American Government, Wadsworth Publishing; 2nd edition (January 1, 2013),
ISBN-10: 128541781X or ISBN-13: 978-1285417813 or e-book if available.
2. Gerston, Larry N. and Terry Christensen, California Politics and Government: A Practical
Approach, 13th Edition, Cengage, 2015--ISBN-13: 978-1285874524 ISBN-10: 1285874528.
3. Cengage Reader, which can be purchased as a bundle with the book or separately on
www.cengagebrain.com.
4. Readings posted by the professor for students to access on Blackboard.
SCHEDULE--LECTURES, READINGS, AND ASSIGNMENTS
Unit One—May 21
Explanation of the Syllabus; Broad Overview of Course and Concepts
No readings before class today.
On all other days, listed readings should be done before the class
on which they are listed.
Unit Two—May 26, 27
The U.S. Constitution, Democracy versus Republic.
Geer, Chapters 1-2; Cengage Readings such as Putnam,
Robert D. “Bowling alone: America’s declining social
capital.” Current 373 (1995): 3+; and Madison, James.
“Letters on a Bill of Rights.” The Constitution and Supreme
Court. Woodbridge, CT: Primary Source Media, 1999.
American Journey; U.S. Constitution (Blackboard).
Unit Three—May 28
Federalism, the American contribution to constitutional order.
Geer, Chapter 3; Cengage Readings such as Tubbesing,
Carl. “American federalism: what a ride: the changes in
congress aren’t apt to transform the relationship between
the states and the federal government.” State Legislatures
33.1 (2007): 12+; and White, Adam J. “The Tea Party’s
Constitution; A federalism debate on the right.” The Weekly
Standard 29 Aug. 2011.
Unit Four—June 1
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Civil Liberties and Rights in the American system.
Geer, Chapter 4-5; Gerston, Chapter 1; Cengage Readings
such as Pfiffner, James P. “Constraining executive power:
George W. Bush and the constitution.” Presidential Studies
Quarterly 38.1 (2008): 123+; and Bork, Robert. “The U.S.
Supreme Court Should Not Limit the Role of Religion in
Public Life.” Coercing Virtue: The Worldwide Rule of
Judges. Washington, DC: The AEI Press, 2003. The U.S
Supreme Court. Ed. Margaret Haerens. Detroit:
Greenhaven Press, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints; and Seneca
Falls Convention. “Declaration of Sentiments.” History of
Woman Suffrage. Ed. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B.
Anthony, and Matilda Joslyn Gage. Vol. 1. 1881. 70-71.
CourseReader. Detroit: Gale, 2010; and U.S. Supreme
Court. “Lawrence v. Texas.” CourseReader. Detroit: Gale,
2003; and King Jr., Martin Luther. “Letter from a
Birmingham Jail.” CourseReader. Detroit: Gale, 2010.
Unit Five—June 2, 3
Public opinion; From the Phantom Public to Idiocracy.
Geer, Chapter 6; Gerston, Chapter 9; Cengage Readings
such as Kernell, Samuel. “Life Before Polls: Ohio
Politicians Predict the 1828 Presidential Vote.” PS:
Political Science & Politics 33.3 (2000): 569; and Baum,
Matthew A. “How public opinion constrains the use of
force: the case of operation restore hope.” Presidential
Studies Quarterly 34.2 (2004): 187+.
Unit Six—June 4
The Forms of Communication in a Democratic State: Media, New and Old.
Geer, Chapter 7; Gerston, Chapter 3; Cengage Readings
such as Holbrook, Thomas. “Do Campaigns Really
Matter?” CourseReader. Detroit: Gale, 2011; and Ferraiolo,
Kathleen. “Marketing a policy idea: elite frame selection
and development in ballot initiative campaigns.” Politics &
Policy 37.2 (2009): 337+.
Unit Seven—June 8
FIRST MIDTERM EXAMINATION
Please bring a Form 882 Scantron and #2 pencil to class, as well as a pen.
I will do an online study session prior to the examination, at a time to be announced.
Unit Eight—June 9, 10
The Importance of Madisonian Minority Factions: Interest Groups.
Geer, Chapter 8; Gerston, Chapter 4; Cengage Readings
such as Simmons, Randy T., Diana W. Thomas, and Ryan
M. Yonk. “Bootleggers, Baptists, and political
entrepreneurs: key players in the rational game and morality
play of regulatory politics.” Independent Review 15.3
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(2011): 367+; and Beard, Charles A. “An Economic
Interpretation of the Constitution.” The Constitution and
Supreme Court. Woodbridge, CT: Primary Source Media,
1999. American Journey.
Unit Nine—June 11, 15
The Importance of Madisonian Majority Factions: Political Parties.
Geer, Chapter 9; Gerston, Chapter 2; Cengage Readings
such as Burnham, Walter Dean. “The end of American
party politics.” Society 35.2 (1998): 6; and Jacobson, Gary
C. “The effects of the George W. Bush presidency on
partisan attitudes.” Presidential Studies Quarterly 39.2
(2009): 172+.
Unit Ten—June 16
Voting, Campaigning and Elections.
Geer, Chapter 10-11; Gerston, Chapter 10; Cengage
Readings such as Brady, David W., Douglas Rivers, and
Laurel Harbridge. “The 2008 Democratic shift.” Policy
Review 152 (2008): 3+; and Knuckey, Jonathan. “Racial
resentment and vote choice in the 2008 U.S. presidential
election.” Politics & Policy 39.4 (2011): 559+.
Unit Eleven—June 17, 18
Congress or Progress: The Functions of Representation.
Geer, Chapter 12; Gerston, Chapter 5; Cengage Readings
such as Mayhew, David. “Congress: The Electoral
Connection.” CourseReader. Detroit: Gale, 2010; and
Marshall, John. “McCulloch v Maryland.” CourseReader.
Detroit: Gale, 1819; and Mann, Thomas E., and Norman J.
Ornstein. “When Congress Checks Out.” Foreign Affairs
Nov.-Dec. 2006: 67.
Unit Twelve—June 22
SECOND MIDTERM EXAMINATION
Please bring a Form 882 Scantron and #2 pencil to class, as well as a pen.
I will do an online study session prior to the examination, at a time to be announced.
Unit Thirteen—June 23, 24
American Foreign Policy and the Growth of the U.S. Presidency.
Geer, Chapter 13; Gerston, Chapter 7; Cengage Readings
such as Mayhew, David R. “Incumbency advantage in U.S.
presidential elections: the historical record.” Political
Science Quarterly 123.2 (2008): 201+; and Cameron,
Charles, and Jee-Kwang Park. “Going public when opinion
is contested: evidence from presidents’ campaigns for
Supreme Court nominees, 1930-2009.” Presidential Studies
Quarterly 41.3 (2011): 442+.
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Unit Fourteen—June 25, 29
The American Administrative State: Policy Implementation and the A.B.C.D. Alphabet Soup.
Geer, Chapter 14; Gerston, Chapter 8; Cengage Readings
such as Waterman, Richard W. “The administrative
presidency, unilateral power, and the unitary executive
theory.” Presidential Studies Quarterly 39.1 (2009): 5+;
and Rudalevige, Andrew. “The Administrative Presidency
and bureaucratic control: implementing a research agenda.”
Presidential Studies Quarterly 39.1 (2009): 10+.
Unit Fifteen—June 30, July 1
Storm Center: Judicial Politics, the Supreme Court and Democracy.
Geer, Chapter 15-16; Gerston, Chapter 6; Cengage
Readings such as Anderson, Kenneth. “Foreign law and the
U.S. constitution.” Policy Review 131 (2005): 33+; and
Graglia, Lino A. “Originalism and the Constitution: does
originalism always provide the answer?” Harvard Journal
of Law & Public Policy Winter 2011: 73+; and Siegel,
Reva B. “Dead or alive: originalism as popular
constitutionalism in Heller.” Harvard Law Review Nov.
2008: 191+; and Dierenfield, Bruce J. “School Prayer.”
Encyclopedia of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Ed. David S. Tanenhaus. Vol. 4. Detroit: Macmillan
Reference USA, 2008. 336-340.
Unit Sixteen—July 2
FINAL EXAMINATION
The Final will be held in our classroom on Thursday at 1000-1140.
Please bring a Form 882 Scantron and a #2 pencil, as well as a pen, to the final exam.
I will do an online study session prior to the examination, at a time to be announced.