Course Syllabus
Introduction to American Politics
Fall 2015, Donovan
Office: AH 418
Voice: x3018
Office Hours: T, Th 9-11am & arrange
Todd.Donovan@wwu.edu
http://faculty.wwu.edu/~donovat/
Political Science 250 serves as an introduction to American (national) politics,
and to the study of politics more generally. The first half of the course consists of an
examination of political institutions in the U.S. We begin with a critical analysis of the
U.S. Constitution, then proceed to a discussion of the distribution of power among major
political institutions, with a focus on who has the power to declare war. Following this,
the latter portion of the class focuses more directly on issues related to the political
activity of individual citizens and groups. We conclude with a discussion of civil rights
and liberties. In several of our discussions sections, we will focus on key institutions to
assess how (or if) various processes should be made 'more' democratic.
This is an introductory course. We are concerned with a number of broad themes
and questions. What, for example, are the consequences of having a political system built
around a document that was written over 200 years ago? Can we still look to it for
guidance when declaring a war? Does it serve as an adequate source of contemporary
rights and liberties? Should we be concerned about the fact that nearly half of all
Americans fail to vote, and that election results fail to reflect the preferences of most of
those who do bother to vote? Have our elected officials been corrupted by the pursuit of
campaign money? What implications do the answers to these questions have for the
prospects of contemporary democratic practices in the U.S.?
COURSE TEXTS & MATERIALS:
James Morone and Robin Kersh. 2016. By The People. WW Norton. Oxford University
Press.
R. Ellis and M. Nelson. 2014. Debating Reform: Conflicting Perspectives on How to Fix
the American Political System. Sage / CQ Press. 2nd Ed.
Additional readings on-line, and provided.
COURSE WEB PAGE:
Look to the course web page for links to exam review questions, occasional lecture notes,
supplementary exercises, and other materials (http://faculty.wwu.edu/~donovat
COURSE TASKS:
Your evaluation (grade) will be based upon your performance on two mid-term
examinations, a non-comprehensive final examination, written responses to weekly
discussion prompts, and participation in your discussion groups. Exams will be based on
essay questions drawn from the lecture and multiple choice questions drawn from the
reading material.
GRADING CRITERIA:
two midterm examinations:
final examination:
weekly response, groups & discussion
27% each
26%
20%
CLASS SCHEDULE: Our schedule will be a mix of lecture and discussions.
Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays will blend lecture and discussion (yes I will ask you
questions; having you chat with your peers).
Thursdays we will meet to discuss and review what we are learning; and target what we
will do when we break into our small discussion groups. Everyone has enrolled in a
discussion group that meets either Thursday or Friday.
Reading assignments, topics, and writing prompts for the breakout group discussions are
listed below.
PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE “WHAT DO YOU THINK” sections
of the Morone & Kersh chapters.
I. Democracy:
A. What is democracy? American democracy?
B. America's liberal tradition
READ: (on-line & in text) US Constitution READ: (text) Morone & Kersh
Chapter 1 (Intro) & 2 (Constitution)
READ: Ellis and Nelson, Chapter 1
Discussion 1 Oct. 1 & 2): Should it be easier to amend the US Constitution?
II. Constitutional Foundations of U.S. Government:
A. Federalists, Anti-Federalists, and the new Republic
B. READ: Antifederalist #9 and Antifederalist #84 and Articles of
Confederation
B. Madisonian Democracy
READ: Federalist # 39 (on-line), Federalist # 51 (easily found on line)
C. The Modern State: The Slow Rise of National Supremacy
READ: Morone & Kersh Chapter 3 (Federalism)
READ: McCulloch v. Maryland (on-line).
READ: Ellis & Nelson, Chapter 2
Discussion 2: Oct. 8 & 9: Should each state set its drinking age?
No Lecture October 8th (Thursday)
III. Contemporary Institutions:
A. Political Parties; Structure and Functions
READ: Morone & Kersh Chapter 9 (Parties, 299-320)
B. Party Systems and System Change
MIDTERM EXAM I Oct 15th (Thurs) - no discussion
READ: Ellis and Nelson, Chapter 11
Discussion 3 Oct 22 & 23: Should proportional representation be used for
US House elections?
D. The Media
READ: Morone & Kersh Chapter 7
VIEW: Stewart: On Cross-fire, (YouTube); Media Research Center:
Current examples of liberal bias.
HEAR McChesney; Corporate Media and Democracy, (Real Audio).
READ: Ellis and Nelson, Chapter 7
Discussion 4, Oct 29 & 30: Should Congress bring back the fairness
doctrine?
E. Interest Groups and Lobbying
READ: Morone & Kersh (Groups and Interests, 282-298)
IV. Campaigns and Voting:
A. Public Opinion
READ: Morone & Kersh, Chapter 6
B. Elections and Participation
C. Why Iowa?
READ: Morone & Kersh, Chapter 8
Midterm II, Nov. 4th (Wed.)
READ: Ellis and Nelson, Chapter 5
Discussion 5, Nov 5 & 6: Should the US adopt a national initiative?
V. The Congress:
A. Powers / Functions
B. The Broken Branch.
READ: Morone & Kersh, Chapter 10 (Congress)
READ: Ellis and Nelson, Chapter 13
Discussion 6, Nov 12 & 13 Should the US Senate represent people, not
states?
VI. The Overpowered Branch:
A. Presidential Powers: Imperial or Imperiled?
READ: Morone & Kersh, Chapter 11 (The Presidency)
B. The President and War
READ: War Powers Resolution, on line
READ: Ellis and Nelson, Chapter 20
Discussion 7, Nov 19 & 20: Do we need a War Powers Consultation Act?
VII. Courts, Rights and Liberties
A. The Contorted Branch
READ: Morone & Kersh, Chapter 13 (The Judicial Branch)
B. Selective Incorporation/Nationalization of the Bill of Rights.
READ: Morone & Kersh, Chapter 4 & 5 (Civil Liberties & Rights)
C. The Right to Privacy
Discussion 8, Dec. 3 & 4: Is there a Constitutional Right to Privacy?
READ: Griswold v. CT,
http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/historics/USSC_CR_0381_0479_ZO.html
Roe v. Wade
http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/historics/USSC_CR_0410_0113_ZS.html
D. Bush v. Gore (TBA)
Final