Political Science 353
State and Local Politics
Fall 2014
Donovan
AH 418; x3018
Office Hours: T, Th 1:30-3pm & arrange
Course meets in BH 401 @1pm MWF
URL: http://faculty.wwu.edu/~donovat/
mailto:Todd.Donovan@wwu.edu
Course Themes:
In the first half of the course, we approach local politics in terms of a perspective that
assumes places compete over the positive and negative aspects of development. We examine this
with historical and contemporary examples. We also seek to identify what motives cities have in
using public policies when competing with each other. A major theme is that development
(zoning) policies are one of the few areas where cities exercise any political autonomy. We begin
with an overview of the city in American political history, examine the relationship between
urbanization and politics, then proceed to issues of conflict and inequality within (and between)
cities. Emphasis is given to development issues and participation in local politics.
In the second half of the quarter, we examine how (or if) variation in state political
institutions have implications for how politics works in different states. We also assess how (or
if) politics are "different" in Washington state and the American west. For this reason, we spend
some time examining how political institutions are structured in different states (e.g. governors'
powers, political parties, courts, election rules). The last few weeks of the course focus on some
of political phenomena that often characterize politics in the western states: direct democracy, tax
revolts, and fiscal problems.
Course Texts: (you will need the following books)
Judd, D. and T. Swanstrom. 2015. City Politics: The Political Economy of Urban America. New
York: Harper Collins. 9th Edition (or 8th).
Donovan, Todd, Daniel A. Smith, Tracy Osborn and Chris Z. Mooney. 2015. State and Local
Politics: Institutions and Reform: The Essentials. Thomson Wadsworth. 4th (or 3rd) edition.
Additional required readings are listed in the syllabus and are available electronically through the
WWU library. Check the web version of the syllabus for updated links to reading materials.
Tasks:
Your evaluation (grade) will be, for the most part, based upon comprehension and application of
topics covered in readings and lecture. An essay or policy memo (to be discussed) is due in the
ninth week of the quarter.
15% of the course grade is based on participation. This participation component requires
attending class, submitting questions for guest speakers, submitting breif responses to two films
we will view, and participating in the Week 10 budgeting excercise. (I will discuss these in
class).
Your course grade will be calculated according to:
Midterm:
Essay/Memo
Final:
Participation
Course Outline:
Section One:
30%
25%
30%
15%
These dates may change as we go
Political Economy of Place
(Sept 24 & 26)
Reading: Judd and Swanstrom, chpts 1 & 2
Reading. John Logan and Harvey Molotch. 1976. "The City as a Growth Machine" American Journal
of Sociology. (JSTOR or Proquest)
Recommended reading:
Paul Peterson. 1981. City Limits. University of Chicago Press.
John Logan and Harvey Molotch. 1987. The Political Economy of Place. UC Press.
Teibout, Charles 1956. "A Pure Theory of Local Expenditure." Journal of Political Economy. 64:416-24.
The Study of Local Politics
The Political Economy of Place
Local development politics
Section Two:
Sep. 24
Sep. 24
Sep. 26
Cities in US History
(Sept 29 & Oct 1)
Reading: Judd and Swanstrom, chpt. 3
Recommended reading:
Amy Bridges. 1987. A City in the Republic: Antebellum New York and the Origins of Machine Politics.
Cornell.
William Riordan. 1963. Plunkitt of Tammany Hall.
American Cities in Historical Perspective
The Urban Machine
The Reform Movement
Section Three:
Sep. 29
Oct 1
Oct 1
The Reform Era and Consequences
(Oct 3 - 8th)
Reading: Donovan et al Chapter 3 & Chapter 11
Judd, Chpts 4, 5
Recommended reading:
Amy Bridges. 1999. Morning Glories: Municipal Reform In The Southwest. Princeton Univ. Press.
Chandler Davidson and Korbel. 1981. "At-Large Elections and Minority-Group Representation."
Journal of Politics. 43:982-1005.
Post-reform Institutions
Participation and the Irony of Local Politics
Minority representation
Film / guest
Oct 3
Oct 3
Oct 6
Oct 8
No Class October 10th (Friday)
Section Four:
Modern Suburbs
(Oct 13 - 20)
Reading: Judd and Swanstrom, chpts 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10
Recommended readings:
Anthony Downs. 1973. Opening up the Suburbs: An Urban Strategy for America. Yale
University Press.
David Rusk. 1993. Cities without Suburbs. Johns Hopkins University.
National Urban Policy / Rise of Suburbs
Suburb/City Competition and Stratification
State growth management plans
Film / guest
Oct 13
Oct 15
Oct 17
Oct 20
Section Five: Local Growth and Revenue Politics (Oct. 22-27)
Reading: Judd and Swanstrom, chpts. 11 & 12
Donovan et al Chpt 12
Local Economic Development Competition
Local Conflict Over Growth
Local Revenue sources
Oct 22
Oct 24
Oct 27
MIDTERM (on or about Oct 29 or 31st)
Section Six:
State Politics
(Nov 3 - 7)
Reading: Donovan et al Chapter 1; Chpt 15
State Political Culture
Elections in Washington
K-12 Funding in WA
Nov 3
Nov 5
Nov 7
No Class November 10th (Monday)
Section Seven:
State Institutions I
(Nov 12-14)
Reading: Donovan et al Chapter 5, 6 & 7
Political Parties
Interest Groups
State Legislatures
Nov12
Nov 14
Nov 14
Section Eight:
State Institutions II
(Nov 17 - 21)
Reading: Donovan et al Chapter 8, 9
Donovan et al Chapter 4
Recommended reading:
Thomas Cronin. 1989. Direct Democracy: The Politics of Initiative, Referendum and Reform.
Harvard.
The Governor
State Courts
Progressive Reforms & Direct Democracy
The Initiative Industrial Complex
Section Nine:
Nov 17
Nov 17
Nov 19
Nov 21
State Policy
(Nov 24)
Reading: Donovan et al Chapter 10
State Fiscal Politics
TBA
Nov 24
No class Nov. 26th & 28th (Thanksgiving holiday)
Budgeting exercise
Exam review
Final: Tues. Dec. 9th 3:30-4:50
(Dec
Dec 5
1 & 3)