Request for Designation as a Community Interest (CI) Course in Explorations
Name___Bob Slagter and Mary-Kate Lizotte_____________________________
Course number and title___ PS 101 Intro to American Govt & Pol ________________________
Departmental endorsement___________YES___________________________________
Has this course been submitted for any other Explorations designation? __YES_________
If so, which one? ____SM__________
Please list which of your course assignments or activities addresses each of the guidelines, state
briefly how this is accomplished, and attach a syllabus or a preliminary redesign plan for the
course.
The criterion for a global perspectives CI course is a primary focus on interests in competing
ethical, moral, or community interests.
Slagter: The two unifying themes of the course are conflict over the allocation of
resources, both material and social/cultural, and the exercise of power in politics to
affect these allocations. The course explicitly addresses conflict from the community,
ethical and moral perspectives in that order. In class discussion, writing assignments
and exams student are required to demonstrate their understanding of conflict in
American politics. Students write a short paper on material inequality and the
differing perspectives on whether it is beneficial or detrimental to society. They are
required to articulate the values at the core of the positive and negative perspectives
on inequality using a current issue as an example.
Lizotte: Throughout the class we discuss minority versus majority rights and elite
versus non-elite interests. Students grapple with these issues when they write a short
paper on one of the compromises made during the constitutional convention. This
assignment requires that students discuss the interests of the founding fathers, elites,
versus the interests of the majority, non-elites. In another short paper later in the
semester, students brainstorm various causes of poverty from the liberal and
conservative perspective as well as develop a policy proposal to deal with poverty
from each perspective. This assignment requires students to think about the structural
and individual level causes of poverty as well as the place of government in dealing
with poverty.
Return this form as one electronic file with a syllabus appended to shagen@bsc.edu by 30 May 2011.
PS101 A Introduction to American Government and Politics, Spring 2011
Class meetings: 9:30 AM, Harbert 328, Lab: as announced at normal class time, Harbert 301
Professor: Bob Slagter. Office: Harbert 321, Phone: ext. 4839, E-mail: rslagter@bsc.edu
Office Hours: TTH 9:30-12:00, MW 3:00-5:00 or by appointment. I am on campus almost all day every day. If I’m not in my
office and the door is open I may be in the computer lab. You can find me if you need me! I have quite a few meetings, so if I
miss office hours just keep checking.
Important: While this syllabus lays out a plan for the course it may be amended at any time. Any change will be fair to
the students with regard to the objectives of the course and grading.
Class Objectives:
1. Foundations-Disciplinary. PS101 often serves to satisfy requirements and goals in the general education experience of
students. The goal of the social sciences (Disciplinary Foundations) requirement in general education is “to develop an
understanding of individuals, groups, and institutions as revealed by the scientific analyses of human behavior.” So our emphasis
here is on the “science” of understanding human beings in politics. Students are expected to become familiar with the scientific
way of thinking, be able to apply and use it, and develop an appreciation for the type of understanding science produces in
comparison to other approaches to knowledge. So, our emphasis is on the scientific understanding of human social
behavior with the American political system as the focus of inquiry.
2. Foundations-Skills. There is a skill building element to the course. Course activities will enhance writing and analysis skills
that are relevant in all of your academic work. The course will also increase your ability in use of computers, logical and statistical
analysis, and basic hypothesis testing. You may find that this course helps you begin to fulfill the technology aspect of the
integrated studies curriculum.
3. Political Science Major. PS101 is required in the political science major and serves as an introduction to the discipline.
Students learn the basic concepts and methods of political science. Students will develop skills useful in the PS204-304 research
sequence and obtain the necessary background for upper level courses such as Constitutional Law, American Political Behavior
and Southern Politics.
Honor Code
The class is conducted under the provisions of the BSC Honor Code. It is assumed that all students know and understand the
provisions of the code. If at any time you are uncertain regarding the application of the code or adherence to it, contact me
before proceeding. Do know what is meant by the verb “to plagiarize.”
See http://www.turnitin.com/research_site/e_what_is_plagiarism.html if you have questions.
Evaluation:
Students will be evaluated by the following criteria.
1. Exam1
15%
2. Exam 2
15%
2. Final Exam (A little bit Comprehensive)
15%
3. Writing Assignments
20%
4. Lab exercises
20%
5. Participation
15%
Participation: Attendance at all regularly scheduled classes is mandatory. Students are expected to be active learners
participating in class discussion. In class students should find a way to demonstrate the completion and comprehension assigned
readings. There will assigned group work in some class meetings. You need to be present to receive credit for this assigned
work. Regular attendance and active participation lead to full credit in this category. Less than regular attendance, low levels of
engagement with class material and the inability or unwillingness to participate in class could lead to no credit in this category.
Lab Exercises: The lab exercises are the means by which the skills of quantitative analysis of social science data, hypothesis
testing, and use of the computer are attained. The lab exercises will be related to our research monograph on Authoritarianism
and Polarization in American Politics.. Labs will combine both group and individual work. Lab Exercises are due on the
assigned date. No credit will be given if labs are not turned in at the assigned time. Labs are graded in the usual manner,
F thru A, based on correct technique as well as clarity of writing. Students should strive to do their very best on each assignment
and turn the assignments in on time.
Exams This exam will have a combination of multiple choice, identification and essay questions. It will be impossible to do well
on the exams without having mastered the assigned reading as well as being an active participant in the class. The final exam is
comprehensive in that later course material presumes mastery of that presented previously.
Writing Assignments: Students will be assigned a series of short reaction papers. These may either require you to analyze an
article in the press in terms of the class material or write up in one page the results of a lab exercise.
Research Participation Credit Students in introductory classes in the social and behavioral sciences may have the opportunity
to be subjects in research sponsored by faculty and students. Students who participate in approved research projects will earn
five points on their lowest exam grade. Students may participate in one or two projects to earn extra credit. Students who do not
have the opportunity or desire or who are unable to participate in these offerings will have the opportunity to do equivalent
activity to earn this extra credit.
Policy on Missed Exams and Due Dates Generally speaking there are no reasons for missed exams or late work. Family
vacations and/or other social events do not qualify as valid reasons for missing class or for late work. If you must be absent from
class for valid reasons discuss those reasons with me ahead of time and arrangements will be agreed upon. Only in extreme
emergencies will violations of the prior notice requirement be accepted. Make up opportunities are entirely at the discretion of the
instructor.
Texts and Reading Schedule:
Required: (2)
Katznelson, Kesselman & Draper. The Politics of Power: A Critical Introduction to American Government. (6th Ed.)
W.W. Norton & Co. 2011. PP
Hetherington and Weiler. Authoritarianism and Polarization in American Politics. McGraw Hill. 2009 AP
Additional readings: from time to time articles will be posted on Moodle. These articles will be considered as required
readings and be covered on exams.
Note on lectures: Class sessions will not merely review the assigned reading but greatly expand and amplify based on the
material in the texts. New material will be presented consistently in the lectures and PowerPoint’s and students are responsible
for mastering that material as well. Occasional additional readings will be posted on Moodle and students are responsible for
those readings. It is very important that reading is done ahead of time. Class sessions also provide an opportunity to ask
questions. This opportunity can only be utilized if you are willing to confront the material and obtain additional explanation by
asking questions in class. Website readings are also included in the schedule below. These are also assigned readings which
can provide the basis for class discussion and exam questions. The reading schedule will be updated periodically and you will be
notified by e-mail and in class.
Class Schedule
Tuesday
February 1 Introduction to the course
and course requirements
Power point lecture1
Thursday
3 On politics and power
AP Chapter 1, 3, 4
PP Chapter 1
http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorul
esamerica/theory/four_networks
.html
8 Social Structure and Society
10 American Political Economy
PP Chapter 3
AP Chapter 2
http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesameric Power Point Elite_plural
a/change/left_and_right.html
PP Chapter 1
http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorul
esamerica/power/wealth.html
15
American Political Economy
17 LAB 1
PP Chapter 3
Interlocking Directorates in the
Corporate Community
http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesameric
a/power/corporate_community.html
22 17 The Constitution
Federalist # 10
How Democratic?
24
March 1 Public Opinion-Measurement
3 LAB 2
Exam 1
Measuring Public Opinion PowerPoint
PP Chapters 4
8 Voting Behavior PowerPoint
10 Party Alignment PowerPoint
AP Chapter 2
15
Spring Break
22 Parties and Interest Groups
17 Spring Break
24 Lab 3
Collective Action PowerPoint
Parties in the Political System Powerpoint
29 Parties and Interest Groups
Parties in the Political System Powerpoint
31 Exam 2
April 5 Authoritarianism
7 Authoritarianism
AP 4,5
AP 6,7
12 Authoritarianism
14 Continue Authoritarianism
AP 8, 9, 10
19 Courts
21 Congress
PP 8
PP 7
26 Presidency
28
Honors Day-No Class
PP 6
May 3 Policy
Final Exam: Tuesday, May 10 2:00 (TTh 9:30 classes) 9:0012:00 AM
PS101A Introduction to American Government and Politics, Spring 2010
Dr. M. Lizotte
E-mail:
Office Hours:
mlizotte@bsc.edu
Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 2:00-3:00 or by appointment
Important: While this syllabus lays out a plan for the course it may be amended at any time. Any
change will be fair to the students with regard to the objectives of the course and grading.
COURSE OVERVIEW
This course is an introduction to the American system of government. At the conclusion of the
course, you will have a basic understanding of how the federal government works and how it developed
into the system it is today. Broadly, we will cover topics ranging from the philosophy behind the
founding of our system of government, the three branches of the federal government, the role of
citizens through elections, and the impact political groups have on the government.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Three Exams [15% each ] The exams will consist of multiple choice, short answer and essays. Questions
on the exams will be drawn from the required readings and my lectures, thus it is imperative that you
attend every class and read all assigned readings.
Lecture Participation [10%] You are expected to come to class having completed the assigned readings
and to participate in class discussions. Students are expected to actively engage in class discussions
during the entire class period, every class period. Students should demonstrate in class that they have
read by making comments and asking questions during the discussion. Students who do not participate
actively in class discussions will be unable to earn full participation credit.
Assignments [25%] There are a total of 5 assignments, each assignment is worth 5% of your total grade.
Further details about each assignment will be provided as the semester progresses. Assignments are
due on the assigned date. Assignments are graded in the usual manner, F thru A, based on content and
clarity of writing. Students should strive to do their very best on each assignment and turn the
assignments in on time.
Class Activities [20%] There are a total of 5 in class activities. Activities are graded in the usual manner, F
thru A, based active and informed participation. This component of the grade will be based on the
average score for each student’s top four activity scores, each activity is worth 5% of your total grade.
The nature of the class activities makes it impossible to make up a missed activity.
Research Participation Credit Students in introductory classes in the social and behavioral sciences may
have the opportunity to be subjects in research sponsored by faculty and students. Students who
participate in approved research projects will earn five points on their lowest exam grade. Students may
participate in one or two projects to earn extra credit. Students who do not have the opportunity or
desire or who are unable to participate in these offerings will have the opportunity to do equivalent
activity to earn this extra credit.
COURSE POLICIES
Attendance Policy: Up to three unexcused absences throughout the semester will be tolerated without
affecting your grade. Your final grade will be reduced by 10% for each subsequent absence. There are
no exceptions to this policy; it is not my role to evaluate whether your absence from class is “legitimate”
or not.
Honor Code: The class is conducted under the provisions of the BSC Honor Code. It is assumed that all
students know and understand the provisions of the code. If at any time you are uncertain regarding the
application of the code or adherence to it, contact me before proceeding. For more information about
what plagiarism is see http://www.turnitin.com/research_site/e_what_is_plagiarism.html.
Incompletes: Incompletes will not be granted without prior approval from the instructor.
Academic Accommodations: A student may request academic accommodation for a learning disability
or challenge by submitting a “Request for Academic Accommodation” form along with appropriate
documentation from a certified professional in the field of learning disabilities. The Director of Personal
Counseling reviews the materials and passes along relevant information to the student’s advisor and
each instructor at the beginning of each term. The student is responsible for discussing his or her needs
with each instructor at the beginning of each term. Birmingham-Southern will make accommodations,
within reason, to aid in a student’s academic success, but general education requirements will not be
waived.
Policy on Missed Exams and Due Dates: Generally speaking there are no reasons for missed exams or
late work. Family vacations and/or other social events do not qualify as valid reasons for missing class or
for late work. Only in extreme emergencies will violations of the prior notice requirement be accepted.
All missed exams will be made up with an oral exam. Late assignments will be docked 10% for each day
they are late. Showing up late to an exam will result in a docked score of 10 points for lateness less than
1 hour, 20pts for lateness between 1 hour and 2 hours, and 50pts for lateness over 2 hrs.
COURSE FORMAT
As this is an introductory course, it will consist to a large degree of interactive lectures. Of
course, some lecture material will substantially overlap with what is in the text, but sometimes the
lectures will not overlap the text much at all. For example, if the text clearly discusses a topic like the
structure of the bureaucracy, I may decide that there is no reason to use limited class time to repeat this
information. We may wind up covering some other aspects of the general topic in class. In general, your
participation and questions are very useful, so students should not hesitate to contribute and to raise
questions. Students will get the maximum benefit from class time if they are familiar with the material
to be covered by the lectures. Students are expected to read the relevant chapter of the text before
each topic is discussed in class.
REQUIRED TEXTS
We the People: An Introduction to American Politics 7th Edition by Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir, and
Spitzer; Norton Press: ISBN 978-0-393-93266
The book is available for purchase in the Bookstore.
COURSE OUTLINE: Listed below are the reading assignments for each class. Please complete these
assignments before the class in which they will be discussed.
February 2: Introduction

Overview of course themes and requirements
FOUNDATIONS
February 7: Understanding American Politics

Chapter 1
February 9: Constitution

Chapter 2
February 14: Activity 1: Constitutional Convention

Assignment 1 DUE
February 16: Federalism

Chapter 3
February 21: Activity 2: Federalists versus the Anti-Federalists Debate
February 23: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

Chapter 4
February 28: Midterm I: FOUNDATIONS
INSTITUTIONS
March 2: Congress

Chapter 9
March 7: Activity 3: Mock Congress

Assignment 2 DUE
March 9: Presidency

Chapter 10
Spring Break No Class 3-14, 3-16
March 21: Bureaucracy

Chapter 11
March 23: Federal Courts

Chapter 12
March 28: Midterm II: INSTITUTIONS
POLITICS
March 30: Public Opinion

Chapter 5
April 4: Public Opinion

Assignment 3 DUE
April 6: Public Opinion

MEET IN LAB
April 11: Public Opinion

MEET IN LAB
April 13: Media


Chapter 6
Assignment 4 DUE
April 18: Political Parties

Chapter 7
April 20: Voting, Campaigns, and Elections

Chapter 7
April 25: Activity 4: Elections
April 27: Interest Groups

Chapter 8
POLICY
Mary 2: Domestic Policy Activity 5: The Welfare State

Chapter 13
May 4: Foreign Policy


Chapter 14
Assignment 5 Due
Partially Cumulative Final Exam:
Friday May 6th
9:00 am-12:00 noon