Substantive Changes to Political Science 201
Politics and Violence
1.
There is greater emphasis on scholarly research and substantive literature and consequently less reliance on anecdotal and impressionist literature.
2.
There is a greater and more systematic focus on the role that human nature plays in examining and explaining politics and violence.
3.
There is much more rigorous set of course expectations and expectations for the determination of adequate, good, and superior performance of course work.
4.
The textbooks for each section or theme in the course reflect the most recent available to scholars in the field.
5.
There is a greater emphasis on promoting written skills through more written in-class and out-of class exercises.
6.
There is a major emphasis on greater student participation and discussion thought the development of the “Leading Questions about Human Nature, Politics, and Violence.”
Department or Program
Political Science
Course Number
201
Semester Hours
3
Frequency of Offering
Each Semester
Course Title
Politics and Violence
Catalogue Description
A study of the modern and enduring questions about violence, its origins, causes, and its cures, this course explores violence from a political science as well as from an interdisciplinary perspective.
This is an existing course previously approved by A2C2
This course would satisfy University Studies Requirements for Social Science
Department Contact Person
Fredrick Paul Lee
457-5657 flee@winona.edu
General Course Outcomes:

1. To obtain a heuristically satisfying set of perspectives of the most important elements in scholarly efforts to achieve conceptual clarity and definitional utility in regard to the major themes of a course on human nature, politics and violence.
2. To gain insightfulness beyond anecdotal and impressionist explanations for the dynamic of, and interplay of human nature, politics, and violence.
3. To comprehend, in part, why conceptual and definitional issues of human nature, politics, and violence are rigorously debated within scholarly and within public policy making institutions across democracies and non-democracies.
4. To appreciate how and why cross-cultural and cross-national variables play important roles in our conceptualizing, analyzing, and interpreting the behaviors associated with human nature, politics, and violence.
5. To recognize the difference between explanatory appeal and explanatory power in regard to the persuasiveness of competing arguments as pathways to understand human nature, politics, and violence.
Course Outcomes:
A.
Understand humans as individuals and as parts of larger social systems:
This course enables students to understand humans as individuals and as parts of larger social systems through the course’s emphasis on explaining human nature, politics, and violence by way of cross-cultural, cross-national, and trans species substantive and research literature. The course’s focus allow students to examine individual, group, institutional, and systemic influences and behaviors and how these in turn enable us to locate and to discuss the relevant points of departure for the study of human nature, politics, and violence as universal themes for social science inquiry.
B.
Understand the historical context of the social sciences:
This course provides students with opportunities to investigate the origins of scholarly interests in the area of human nature, politics, and violence. Students will come to understand that scholars have competing and often conflicting intellectual groundings, paradigmatic emphases, and theoretical insights. As an example of the last sentence, students examine why and how there are still fundamental questions to be raised and answered about the origins, scope and directions of social science inquiry into human nature, politics, and violence.
C. Identify problems and frame research questions relating to humans and their
experience:
In this course, students will examine the most important issues and problems relating to human nature, politics, and violence and will work to discover the impact and the consequences of politics and violence in the lives of humans and their experiences. Through the use of “Leading
Questions about Human Nature, Politics, and Violence” students are expected to develop insights into the formulation of substantive and empirical questions that are of interest to individuals pursuing social science research into human nature, politics, and violence.
D.
Become familiar with the process of theory-building and theoretical frameworks used by the social sciences:

Students will be expected to understand and to explain the vocabulary, time, energy, and effort employed by social scientists as these scholars seek to achieve conceptual clarity, heuristic, utility, theoretical insightfulness, and analytical and empirically sound methodological designs and paradigmatic frameworks needed for the investigation of the leading questions about human nature, politics, and violence.
E.
Understand research methods used by the social sciences:
Students are expected to write a variety of discussion papers in which they are to interpret a substantive question, or to analyze a problem, or to interpret data, or to respond to an opposing point of view from their own perspectives of a topic or theme. The course materials and texts are based upon qualitative, quantitative, and visual resources. In the course of writing and the discussion papers, students are expected to learn and to practice the presentation skills and methods employed by social scientists as these scholars attempt to examine, elucidate, evaluate and entice and to persuade others in the field that what they have researched and written is worthy of praise and admiration in that the work or works move the research and substantive agendas towards greater theoretical fruitfulness in exploring the themes of human nature, politics, and violence.
F.
Describe and detail discipline-specific knowledge and its applications:
The course and its rigorous presentation of materials relating to human nature, politics, and violence give student sample knowledge and skills necessary to challenge conventional wisdom about human nature, politics, and violence in our world. Students will develop the tools needed to examine and to evaluate public policy proposals and the underlining and often unstated assumptions attendant to these proposals as they relate to human nature, politics, and violence.
G.
Understand differences among and commonalities across humans and their experience:
This prepares students and challenges students to appreciate the objective and the personal constraints and realities that our human nature, politics, and our violence impose on each of us.
Students are presented with information, concepts, and facts which allow them to raise and to think about and to answer the enduring and contemporary questions that human nature, politics, and violence force us to confront as citizens, practitioners, perpetrators, victims, and as mourners. With knowledge, students can learn how and why we must try to use our resources and talents to achieve brotherhood amongst all peoples.
Winona State University
Department of Political Science and Public Administration
Political Science 201
Politics and Violence

Fall 2008-and Spring 2009
Course1.winona.edu./flee
Fredrick P. Lee
Office: 115 Minne Hall
Office hours are Noon-3:00 pm Mondays, Tuesday and Wednesday, in Minne
1:30- 2:30 pm Thursdays, room 157 (North Lounge), at Residential College flee@winona.edu
457-5657
Catalogue Description:
A study of the contemporary and the enduring questions about human nature, politics, and violence. The course explores human nature, politics, and violence from a political science as well as an interdisciplinary perspective.
Offered every semester.
Politics and Violence (PS 201)
This is an interdisciplinary course with a focus on some abiding questions which are heuristically interesting to raise, to examine, and to answer, if only tentatively, about human nature, politics, and violence. These three themes or areas of inquiry have a series of “leading questions” and these questions wills serve as the foundation and take-off point for thinking about human nature, politics, and violence.
Because this course is interdisciplinary, the course readings, documentaries, assignments, exercises and class discussions will cover a variety of approaches to human nature, politics, and violence. Some approaches are anthropology, biology, economics history, literature, mass media, political science, philosophy, psychology, religion and sociology. This is primarily a writing and discussion course and a premium is placed on student skills in writing and in arguing competently across a variety of formats and assignments. As a University Studies course, Politics and Violence (PS 201) aims at helping students understand political and other perspectives regarding human behavior.
Course Texts:
Desmond Morris, The Naked Ape
Frans de Waal, Chimpanzee Politics: Sex and Power Among Apes (2 nd ed.)
Peter Wrangham and Dale Peterson, Demonic Males: Apes and the Origins of Human Violence
A selection of articles is on reserve in the library and will be assigned at the appropriate time. These articles are required reading as are all course assignments and I reserve the right to administer unannounced quizzes to make sure that you are doing the required readings for the course. If you fail three quizzes, I will assign you a letter grade of “F” for the course.
I will also show several documentaries over the course of the semester and if you miss a screening, it is your responsibility to obtain the documentary from the library or from me (during my office hours).
Course Requirements:
Each week, you will submit a one-page paper, which must not exceed twenty (20) double spaced typed lines on length. You will write these papers in response to an assignment that I will pose to you. I will not grade every paper you submit, but I will not, under any circumstances tell you which papers I am going to grade. You may be asked to interpret, analyze, or critique an argument, theme, issue or controversy in regard to one of the three central topics of this course. The criteria that I will use to

evaluate your written work are listed under the section of the syllabus entitled, “Criteria for Grade
Assignment.” In addition to these papers, you will write each week one in-class discussion paper which will serve as a basis for class discussion for a variety of themes that the course explores.
1. You will write one (1) book review, not to exceed twenty (20) doubled-spaced typed lines in length, for each text used in this class. The criteria for these book reviews are on reserve in my
Politic and Violence binder in the library and I will discuss these criteria and the due dates for these book reviews at the appropriate time.
2. You will write and recite a poem, no more than twenty (20) doubled spaced typed lines in length. Your poem must directly or indirectly address the three major themes of this
course. You will submit and recite your poem on the date and the time scheduled for the
final examination.
3. You are to maintain a vocabulary list which will contain the definitions of words used in
class for which no one to my satisfaction can offer a reasonable or credible definition.
You are not allowed to use your laptop in class to locate the definition, nor are you
permitted to use your laptop to find the definition outside of class. You must use a real
paperbound or clothbound dictionary and you must cite that dictionary by writing the
page number and the name of the dictionary used to locate the definition.
4. You will maintain a file of your responses to my “food for thought” or “think tank”
questions which I will ask over the course of the semester. These questions are presented
in class for you to ponder, perhaps with friends, classmates and family. These questions
are to be answered using no more than three sentences and these questions are to be
answered outside of class. Your responses must be typed and kept inside your manila
folder which I will collect at the time of our final examination.
5. You will obtain a manila folder, “8.5 x 11” in which to keep and to present all class
materials when I collect those materials during final examinations week.
Class Format:
1. Generally speaking, each class will begin with a twenty (20) minute writing exercise. Typically,
these exercises will require you to define an important concept, to explain an important theory or
theme or to interpret some statement or empirical research findings. As a rule, I will make copies
of your papers and we will discuss your papers in the first hour of class. These discussion papers
will be graded.
2. In the second hour of class, we will examine the assigned readings for the class meeting. If, on
three separate occasions I call on you to answer questions about the assigned readings and you
fail to respond with a credible answer, which would demonstrate that you have done the required
reading assignments, I will give you and “F” for the course. During this second hour of class we
will examine and discuss you assigned take-home paper or essay. You must bring two copies of
your take-home paper assignments to class.
3. The third hour of class will be devoted to attempts at understanding the leading questions about
the three themes which comprise the focus of the course.
4. When appropriate, we will view documentaries and films as heuristic vehicles for understanding
the three themes in the course.

Class Rules:
Below are my rules for the conduct of this class. Read the rules and study them carefully. These rules are not subject to your approval. I reserve the right to amend, delete, and add to these rules. If you find that these rules are too burdensome, do me and yourself a favor. Drop the course.
1.
I do not give extra credit for class attendance nor do I give extra credit for class participation.
2.
I do not re-read graded papers. If you are dissatisfied with your final course grade, you may and can appeal your final course grade to the Grade Appeal Committee of the University.
3.
I do not accept emailed class assignments.
4.
I do not give “advisory” opinions on assignments which are to be graded. I do not play the “Is this what you’re looking for?” game with students in any of my classes.
5.
I do not summarize nor do I recapitulate class materials, lectures, and discussions for students who miss classes. Find yourself a “buddy” who is willing to help you to know and to understand the class materials, lectures, and discussions you have missed.
6.
I do not allow the use of laptop computers in my class, unless you have a documented disability which makes the use of a laptop necessary.
7.
I will randomly assign you a class number. That number is the only identification I will accept when you turn in written work, except for in-class writing exercises. You will put your name on the in-class writing exercises. If you put any other identification on your assignments, I will not grade your assignment.
8.
I will not tolerate sleeping in class.
9.
I will not tolerate cellular telephones disturbing my class.
10.
I will terminate your privilege of bringing food and drink to class if I see that you are leaving wrappers, containers, and other debris in the classroom.
Criteria for Grade Assignment:
Below are my criteria for grade assignment. Read the criteria and study them carefully. These criteria are not subject to your approval. I reserve the right to amend, delete, and to add to these criteria. If you find that these criteria are too burdensome, do me and yourself a favor. Drop the course.
1. Your paper is turned in on time. Late papers, unless you have my permission to turn in a late
paper, will receive a grade no higher than “D”.
2. Your paper has no more than three (3) typographical errors, or does it have more than three (3)
errors in regard to its syntax (spelling, verb tense, grammar, and composition). If your paper has
more than three such errors, I will return it to you and you will not receive a grade for the
assignment nor will I allow you to resubmit your paper.
3. Your paper will not be graded if you were not in class on the day that the assignment was given to
the class.
4. Your paper reveals that you have done the assigned readings prior to the writing of your paper.
5. Your paper demonstrates that you have actually answered the assigned question(s).
6. Your paper offers unique and heuristically useful insights on the question(s) under examination,
rather than being a paper which is merely derivative and a regurgitation of classroom discussions,
course reading materials, and which has banal insights and commentary which are true by
definition.
7. Your paper demonstrates that you have organized synthesized your thoughts into a logical and
internally consistent and readable essay.
8. Your paper reveals that you have some comfort and facility in employing the concepts, methods,
and theories of political science in your analysis and your discussion points in your paper.

9. Your paper does not preach nor does it editorialize.
10. Your paper demonstrates that you appreciate and understand the importance of avoiding over-
generalizing beyond the strength and the weight of the available evidence for your assignment.
11. Your paper reveals that you can take a broad, modest perspective, which tries to relate
information, concepts, data, and theories into a complete and integrative essay, rather than a
perspective which merely amasses facts, figures, and detailed minutiae.
12. Your paper must conform to the rules that I set for the number of lines and the number of pages
for your assignments. If your paper does not conform to my rules, I will return it to you and you
will not receive a grade for the assignment nor will I allow you to resubmit your paper.
13. Your paper will receive no recorded grade until you have made all corrections which I indicate
need to be made in your paper. You must, on the original paper, which you submitted, respond
to my criticisms, questions and marginalia. It is not necessary for you to redo the original paper
nor will I accept a revised or new version of your original paper.
14. Your paper will not receive a higher grade because you have corrected it to my satisfaction.
Grade Schedule:
1.
Each paper that you submit will have the same value as any other that you submit.
2.
Each paper has therefore equal weight in the determination of your final course grade.
3.
I take two factors in account in assigning final course grades. The two factors are consistency and improvement in the quality of your work.
Correction Language for my Classes:
Below are my language and terms which I will employ when I grade your assignments. When they appear on your paper, they mean that you have correctible errors which you must correct if you wish to receive a grade for your assignment. Correcting the paper will not result in a higher grade, so do not bother to ask. When you have shown me your corrections and I deem that your corrections are satisfactory, I will enter your grade into my permanent record book. You need not rewrite your paper.
Make the corrections on the original graded paper. When you see the letters which are in the below parentheses on your paper, they mean that you have correctible errors. Carefully study Professor Don
Scheid’s paper, entitled “Too-Common mistakes” in the front of the binder for this class. The paper contains many useful tips and points for you to know and to employ as you work on and write your papers. I will hold you accountable for fully understanding the tips and points presented in Professor
Scheid’s paper.
1.
not a sentence or not an intelligible sentence (nas)
2.
not a credible sentence from a college student (nc)
3.
wrong word (ww)
4.
bad, ugly spelling (sp)
5.
ridiculous punctuation (rp)
6.
run-on sentences (ros)
7.
unacceptable grammar (ug)
8.
too many lines (tml)
Some Suggestions for Your Critical Reviews of Assigned Articles:
1. what are the leading questions about human nature, politics, and violence raised and explored in this article?

2.
what are the most useful finding to be discussed in this article?
3.
what are the most important or the most useful concepts that the author employs in this article?
4.
does this article help us to understand a larger set of political science themes or questions?
5.
what research design and techniques are employed in this article?
6.
what is the strength of this article?
7.
what is the weakness of this article?
Some Suggestions for Your Film Review:
1. what are the leading questions about human nature, politics, and violence raised and explored in
this film?
2. what criteria should we employ to argue that this is indeed a film about human nature, politics,
and violence?
3. what are the dangers or problems associated with using film as a tool to describe, to explain, and
to interpret human nature, politics, and violence?
4. what makes fiction and appropriate vehicle for the study of human nature, politics, and violence?
Course Outline: (all readings are required unless I say otherwise)
Thinking about Human Nature
1.
Desmond Morris, The Naked Ape
2.
“Blade Runner” Video
3.
Mark Dowie, “The Apeman Cometh: Crossbreeding Humans and Animals May be Closer Than
You Think,” in Mother Jones, January/February, 2004, pp. 47-53 and 84.
4.
Herbert A. Simon, “Human Nature in Politics: The Dialogue of Psychology with Political
Science,” The American Political Science Review, Vol 79, No. 2 (June, 1985), pp. 293-304
From these readings and this video we will examine “Some Leading Questions about Human
Nature/Humanity.” These questions will provide us with a good foundation and take-off point for subsequent work in the course as we expose the connection of human nature to politics and to violence.
Essentially, we want to know which, if any of the leading questions about human nature/humanity are answered by the assigned readings and videos.
A book review of The Naked Ape is required and at the appropriate time, I will announce the due date, as well as the criteria and format for an acceptable book review.
Below is a list of some of the Leading Questions about Human Nature.
We will use these and others as well, as we examine this section of the course.
1.
Are there degrees of human nature:
2.
Is human nature an instinctive or a learned phenomenon?
3.
Can science and technology alter the meaning of human nature?
4.
Can human nature over time be altered and transformed?
5.
Under what circumstances does human nature exist?
6.
What are the defining characteristics of human nature?
7.
Can human behavior be random?
8.
What is consciousness?

9.
What states of consciousness exist among humans?
10.
What is “free” will?
11.
What is culture?
12.
Can non-humans possess culture?
13.
Does culture inhibit, reinforce, or exaggerate human nature?
14.
What is conscience?
15.
Is morality an adaptive behavior?
16.
Is there a biological basis for morality?
17.
Can non-humans possess morality?
18.
Is morality an entirely human construct?
19.
Is our behavior driven more by spiritualism (fallen angels) or more by survivalism (risen apes)?
20.
Are suicide and intra-species murder unique to humans?
21.
Are hatred, cruelty, and perversity unique to humans?
22.
Is evil a uniquely human characteristic?
23.
Is mental illness unique to humans?
24.
What status should we assign to entities (such as robots, chimeras and clones) which have the capacity to learn beyond that which is necessary for survival?
25.
Do we have the right not to be born?
26.
Is human nature gender-specific or sex-specific?
27.
What are the differences between sex, sexual orientation, and gender?
28.
What are the forms or the varieties of human language?
29.
Can aesthetics be only understood by humans?
30.
In what ways do the following images differ from one another: person, human, human being, being human?
31.
What is the greater error or the more persuasive position to defend: to argue for anthropomorphism or to argue for anthropocentrism?
32.
What common themes or heuristically useful ideas are associated with the following concepts: custom, instinct, practice, tradition, and learning?
33.
What do religion, myth, and superstition have in common?
34.
What are some of the most primal urges of driving forces which exist among humans?
Learning Outcomes A, B, C, D, E, and G
Thinking about Politics
1.
Frans de Waal, Chimpanzee Politics: Sex and Power Among the Apes
2.
William Golding, “Lord of the Flies” Video
3.
Charles Edward Merriam, “Hobbes’s’ Doctrine of the State of Nature,” Proceedings of the
American Political Science Association, Vol.3, Third Annual Meeting (1906), pp. 151-157
4.
Fred H. Willhoite Jr., “Primates and Political Authority: A Biobehavioral Perspective”, The
American Political Science Review, Vol. 70, No. 4 (December 1976), pp. 1110-1126
5.
John R. Alford and John R. Hibbing “The Origin of Politics: An Evolutionary Theory of Political
Behavior,” Perspectives on Politics, Vol 2 (December 2004) pp. 707-723
From these readings and this video we well explore “Some Leading Questions about Politics.” In part, politics can be understood as derivative of human nature and we want to know if politics is limited to humanity, if there are limitations to how politics is organized and practiced, and if there are alternatives to politics.
A book review of Chimpanzee Politics: Sex and Power Among Apes is required and at the appropriate time, I will announce the due date, as well as the criteria and format for an acceptable book review.

Below is a list of some of the Leading Questions about Politics. We will use these as well as others as we examine this section of the course.
1.
Is politics necessary?
2.
Are there alternatives to politics?
3.
Is there a biological basis for politics?
4.
What are the origins of politics?
5.
Is there a natural form of politics?
6.
Is politics a motivated behavior or is politics an instinctive behavior?
7.
Is politics a universal truth or is politics a useful invention?
8.
Is politics gender-specific?
9.
Can politics exist apart from humanity?
10.
Is politics a melioristic phenomenon?
11.
Can science and technology alter some of our assumptions about politics?
12.
Is conflict the only basis for politics?
13.
What is the relationship language to politics?
14.
What are some of the common themes found in art, religion, and politics?
15.
If conflict is the source of politics, what are some of the most prominent sources of conflict in our society?
16.
How and why does politics change?
17.
What are the minimal conditions necessary for politics to exist?
18.
Can political behavior ever be random?
19.
What makes politics such a difficult term to define?
20.
On what basis did Aristotle mean that “Man is a political animal”?
21.
In what ways is physicality related to politics?
22.
What are the three most important questions which all politics must week to answer?
23.
What does it mean for us to discover that both apes and humans engage in politics?
24.
Is violence a rejection of politics or is violence a cause for politics?
25.
Why does politics, among the myriad varieties of human behavior, have such a universally negative image and negative connotation?
26.
Why are there so many varieties of politics to govern only one species of humans?
27.
What are the criteria or elements of a heuristically universal definition of politics?
28.
How do paradise, the state of nature, utopia, dystopia and anarchy fit into discussions of politics?
29.
What is “anti” -politics?
30.
What assumptions about human nature (e.g., selfish, self-interested, or selfless) does politics require us to consider?
31.
What is a universal explanation for participation in politics?
Learning Outcomes A, B, C, D, E, F, and G
Thinking about Violence (November 7/9. 2006 – December 5/7, 2006)
1. Peter Wrangham and Dale Peterson, Demonic Males: Apes and the Origins of Human
Violence
2. Robert M. Sapolsky, “A Natural History of Peace,” Foreign Affairs, Vol. 85, No. 1,
January/February, 2006, pp. 104-120.
3. Anthony Burgess, “A Clockwork Orange” Video
4. Larry Arnhart, “Moral Strangers: The Ethics and Biology of Psychopaths”
(A paper prepared for presentation at the 1997 Annual Meeting of the American Political
Science Association , Washington DC, August 28-31)

5. Frans de Waal, “Good Natured-The Origins of Right and Wrong in Humans and Other
Animals (from his 1996 book, Harvard University Press), pp.1-13
From these reading and this video we will examine “Some of the Leading Questions About Violence” to clarify the place of violence in the epistemology and lexicon of the social sciences. We want to know if violence is an extension of politics or a rejection of politics, and we seek to examine the nexus of human nature to violence. A book review of Demonic Males: Apes and the Origins of Human Violence is due at the time your present and recite your poem on the scheduled date, day and time for your final examination.
Below is a list of some of the Leading Questions about Violence. We will use these and others as well as we examine this section of the course.
1.
Is violence instinctive?
2.
Can Violence be random?
3.
Is peace the absence of violence?
4.
Is nonviolence the same as peace?
5.
What is the difference between aggression and violence?
6.
Is violence a disease, a disorder, an abnormality, or an illness?
7.
Is violence and atavism, a dysfunction, a choice, a symptom or a trait?
8.
Is catharsis an important theme in discussions about violence?
9.
Is violence a rejection of politics?
10.
Is politics a rejection of violence?
11.
Is violence sex-and gender-specific?
12.
What is meant by the term, “a culture of violence”?
13.
How does cruelty relate to violence?
14.
Are humans the only species capable of cruelty?
15.
Is there a sexual dimension to violence?
16.
What role does hatred play in the analysis of violence?
17.
What are some common themes which can be associated with art, religion, and violence?
18.
Is wanton violence unique among humans?
19.
Under what circumstances is violence useful?
20.
Under what circumstances can violence be defended?
21.
Is intentionality in discussions about violence?
22.
Can violent intent be inferred from behavior?
23.
What are the defining characteristics of violence?
24.
What is the range of violence behavior among humans?
25.
What is “passive” violence?
26.
What are the defining elements or themes associated with personal, institutional, and structural violence?
27.
What is political violence?
28.
Are self-flagellation, suicide, and anorexia forms of interpersonal violence?
29.
Are verbal abuse, threats, and intimidation forms of interpersonal violence?
Learning Outcomes A, B, C, D, E, F, and G