PE 427: Democracy & Political Participation
SPRING 2008
Tues. & Thurs. 4:00 – 5:15 in 316 Elizabeth Hall
Dr. William R. Nylen
Department of Political Science
Stetson University
Office: 318A Elizabeth Hall
Summary of the Course: Ever since the end of the Cold War, taking place in the
context of, and further propelling forward, the so-called >Third Wave= of
democratization throughout the world, many Americans have been celebrating the global
victory of democracy and capitalism. Some have even gone to war allegedly to preserve
and promote this ‘victory’. At the same time, numerous democracies throughout the
world are wrestling with problems of “civic disengagement” and growing disillusionment
with ‘elitist democracy’ (i.e. inequality and elite domination) or ‘big government’ (i.e.
bureaucracy and state tyranny). What does all of this mean for the future of democracy?
Can anything be done to return democracy ‘to the people’? Should anything be done at
all? Looking at a real-world case of democratic representation and public administration
– the City of DeLand, FL – what can we learn about civic disengagement, elitist
democracy, big government and current efforts or future prescriptions to address these?
Course Requirements -- Grades will be based on performance in the following:
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Attendance and class participation, excluding oral presentations: 15%
Eight Reading/Minipaper Assignments and Presentations: 15%
Midterm exam of essays and short answer/identifications: 20%
Outline for final paper (due date TBA): 5%
Final literature review/research paper (due on last day of class): 25%
Final exam of essays and short answer/identifications: 20%
Dr. Nylen stands by Stetson's official statement on grades, which says:
Grades represent the instructor's final estimate of the student's performance in
a course. The grade of A (+ or -) may be interpreted to mean that the
instructor recognizes exceptional capacity and exceptional performance. The
grade of B (+ or -) signifies that the student has gained a significantly more
effective command of material than is generally expected in the course. The
grade or C or C+ is the instructor's certification that the student has
demonstrated the required mastery of the material. A student is graded C- or
D (+ or -) when his/her grasp of the course essentials is minimal. [Stetson
University Bulletin, 2006-7, P.31]
Any form of cheating, including and especially plagiarism, will result in an
automatic F grade for the entire course. To plagiarize is “To take and pass off as
one’s own (the ideas, writings, etc. of another).” [Webster’s New World
Dictionary of the American Language (1962)]
Requests for make-up exams or late papers must be preceded by a really, really,
really good excuse, or by written medical evidence.
Significant improvement through the semester can result in an upgrade of half a
letter grade.
BOOKS REQUIRED FOR PURCHASE:
David Held. Models of Democracy, 2nd Ed. (Stanford: Stanford Univ. Press, 1996).
William R. Nylen. Participatory Democracy versus Elitist Democracy: Lessons from
Brazil (New York: Palgrave, 2003)
Archon Fung. Empowered Participation: Reinventing Urban Democracy (Princeton:
Princeton Univeristy Press, 2004).
* Some required readings will be available on-line (Blackboard) as indicated. These are
just as important to the course as those required for purchase. Others are only
recommended, especially for those with a keen interest in the subject matter.
Internet Resources (only a small sample):
1. Sustainable Communities Network:
http://www.sustainable.org/creating/civic.html
2. Policyoptions.org
http://www.policyoptions.org/index.html
3. Kettering Foundation
http://www.kettering.org/index.aspx
I. Democracy and Political Participation – definitions, intellectual history, critiques,
debates
A. Introduction (Tues., Jan. 15)
-- Reading: David Held. Models of Democracy, “Preface to the Third
Edition” and “Introduction”
B. Republicanism (Thurs., Jan. 17: A)
-- Reading: Held, “Republicanism: Liberty, Self-Government and the
Active Citizen” (Ch.2)
C. Liberalism (Tues., Jan. 22: B)
-- Reading: Held, “The Development of Liberal Democracy: For and
Against the State” (Ch.3)
D. The Marxist critique and alternative (Thurs., Jan. 24: A)
-- Reading: Held, “Direct Democracy and the End of Politics” (Ch.4)
E. Competitive Elitism (Tues., Jan 29: B)
-- Reading: Held, “Competitive Elitism and the Technocratic Vision”
(Ch.5)
F. Pluralism (Thurs., Jan 31: A)
-- Reading: Held, “Pluralism, Corporate Capitalism and the State” (Ch.6)
G. Contemporary Crisis Theories & Neoliberalism (Tues., Feb. 5: B)
-- Reading: Held, “From Postwar Stability to Political Crisis …” (Ch.7)
-- Recommended: Lawrence Reed. “Why Limit Government?” in Heritage
Lectures, No. 843 (June 21, 2004): 1-4. [Blackboard]
H. Democracy and the demise of ‘real existing socialism’ (Thurs., Feb. 7: A)
-- Reading: Held, “Democracy after Soviet Communism” (Ch.8); AND
Nylen, “Preface and Acknowledgements” and “Elitist Democracy, Civic
Disengagement and Citizen Politics in the United States” (Ch.1)
I. Participatory/Deliberative Democracy (Tues., Feb. 12: B)
-- Reading: Held, “Deliberative Democracy and the Defence of the Public
Realm” (Ch.9); AND Nylen, “Participatory Democracy in Theory” (Ch.3)
-- Recommended: John Guidry & Mark Sawyer. “Contentious Pluralism:
The Public Sphere and Democracy” in Perspectives on Politics (2003), 1:
273-289. [Blackboard]
J. Conclusion: Democratic Autonomy -- the democratic ideal and standard of
measurement (Thurs., Feb. 14: NO MINIPAPERS DUE)
-- Reading: Held, “Democratic Autonomy” (Ch.10)
-- Study Guide Discussed/Distributed
II. MIDTERM EXAM (Tues., Feb. 19)
III. CLASS DISCUSSION: Where do we go from here? Research Strategies,
Responsibilities and Division of Labor (Thurs., Feb. 21)
IV. CASE STUDY & Relevant Theoretical/Comparative Literature: City of
DeLand & local-level democratic participation
A. City of DeLand: Historical Background
-- DeLand – The Movie: “DeLand: Past, Present and Future” (Tues., Feb.
26: no minipapers)
-- Visitor: Dr. John Schorr, Sociology
B. City of DeLand: Institutional Setting & Background (Thurs., Feb. 28)
-- Visit DeLand City Hall (New York Ave. & South Clara Ave.)
-- Meet with City Manager, Mike Abels, and Assistant City Manager,
Michael Pleus
MARCH 3-7: SPRING BREAK
C. Applied Democratic Theory/Practice, pt.1: Participatory Budgeting in
Brazil (Tues., Mar. 11: A)
-- Reading: Nylen, “Participatory Democracy in Practice – Brazil’s
Workers’ Party and The Participatory Budget” (Ch.4); and “The
Orçamento Participativo in Betim, Minas Gerais” (Ch.5)
D. An Interview with the Mayor (Thurs., Mar. 13)
-- Visit DeLand City Hall
-- Meeting/interview with Mayor, Robert Apgar
E. Applied Democratic Theory/Practice, pt.2: Participatory Budgeting in
Brazil (Tues., Mar. 18: B)
-- Reading: Nylen, “Administering the Participatory Budget—Ideology
and Dedication” (Ch.8); and “Participatory Democracy versus Elitist
Democracy—Lessons from Brazil” (Conclusion)
-- Recommended: Nylen, “Examining the Claims of Proponents of the
Participatory Budget” (Ch.6); and “Examining Claims of Critics of the
Participatory Budget” (Ch.7)
F. An Interview with Members of Advisory Committees (e.g. Tree Advisory,
Senior Council, Airport Noise Advisory, Planning Board, Economic
Development, DeLand Housing, Historic Preservation, Citizens Advisory Task
Force, etc.: http://www.deland.org/cityhall/clerk-boardmembers.htm (Thurs., Mar.
20)
-- Interviewees T.B.A.
G. Applied Democratic Theory/Practice, pt.3: Empowered Participation and
the Ecology of Civic Engagement (Tues., Mar. 25: A&B)
-- Reading: Fung, “Democracy as a Reform Strategy” (Ch.1); and Marion
Orr, “Community Organizing and the Changing Ecology of Civic
Engagement” in M.Orr [ed.] Transforming the City: Community
Organizing and the Challenge of Political Change (Lawrence: University
of Kansas Press, 2007): 1-27 [Blackboard or mimeo]
-- DUE: Final Paper Outline
H. Community-Based Research (Thurs., Mar. 27)
-- T.B.A.
I. Applied Democratic Theory/Practice, pt.4: (Tues., April 1: A)
-- Reading: Fung, “Down to the Neighborhoods” (Ch.2); and “Building
Capacity and Accountability” (Ch.3)
J. Community-Based Research (Thurs., April 3)
-- T.B.A.
K. Applied Democratic Theory/Practice, pt.5: Empowered Engagement
(Tues., April 8: B)
-- Reading: Fung, “Challenges to Participation” (Ch.4); and “Deliberation
and Poverty” (Ch.5)
L. Community-Based Research (Thurs., April 10)
-- T.B.A.
M. Applied Democratic Theory/Practice, pt.6: Empowered Engagement
(Tues., April 15: A&B)
-- Reading: Fung, “Deliberation in Social Conflict” (Ch.6); and “The
Chicago Experience and Beyond” (Ch.7)
V. Class Discussions of Research and Research Findings (Thurs., April 17, Tues.,
April 22 & Thurs., April 24)
VI. Final Exam Preparation Day (Tues., April 29)
-- Final Paper Due (electronic version in dropbox)
VII. FINAL EXAM (Wed., May 7, 9-11am)