Politics 326 American Political Thought:
Tracing the American Dream
Fall 2009
Course Description:
Unlike many political philosophy courses, which focus on the genius of individual
thinkers, this course is organized around a theme that recurs throughout American history and
shapes American identity—namely, the American Dream. We examine both the continuous
nature of the American Dream as well as how our understanding of the American Dream
changes and is changed by people and events. We will also focus on the virtues and defects
of organizing a society in accord with such an ideology, propose alternatives, and discuss the
American Dream has been perceived by Americans of various persuasions at different periods
of history. By contrasting different visions of the Dream, this course highlights various
tensions in American political ideas. This course is designed to help students think through
how Americans have defined success, help view the United States through different
perspectives, and to develop clear and concise writing skills.
When: MWF 2-2:50
Where: CHVEZ 105
Webpage: http://d2l.arizona.edu
Instructor:
Professor Suzanne Dovi
325 Social Sciences
Office phone: 621-7094
Email: sdovi@u.arizona.edu
Office Hours: Fridays 12-1 or by appointment
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REQUIREMENTS:
Response Questions
20 percent of grade
Midterm Exam
25 percent of grade
Manifesto
10 percent of grade
Final Paper
35 percent of grade
Participation
10 percent of grade
Course grades will be assigned as follows:
A: 90%–100% B: 80%–89.99% C: 70%–79.99% D: 60%–69.99% F: below 60%
The Professor reserves the right to consider the student’s overall performance and progress
in assessing grades. For this reason, student’s grades can go up as well as down based on
his or her overall performance in the class.
Required Texts:

American Political Thought A Norton Anthology. Eds Isaac Kramnick and
Theodore Lowi. Norton & Company New York ISBN 9780393928860 (APT)

Henry David Thoreau, Walden and Civil Disobedience.

Additional Readings will be available on D2L
Expectations for Assignments
Participation (10 percent of grade): Students are required to attend all classes, complete all
reading assignments by the date assigned, and participate in discussion in an informed and
engaged way. Students should come prepared to class and be able to summarize the main
argument of the readings as well as be able to state how you agree and/or disagree with the
position taken by the author. Students who do not participate, e.g. do not speak during most
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classes, cannot get higher than a “C” grade for participation. Students will also be asked to
summarize the discussion from the previous class.
Note that it is the QUALITY not the QUANTITY of your participation that counts most.
Please turn your pagers and cellphones off while you are in class. Conversations on the
cellphone are absolutely forbidden during the class. Due to the nature of this class material, I
expect and hope that students will disagree with each other. In fact, disagreements are likely
to be lively and intense, but students must at all times be respectful to each other and to the
Professor. No interruptions and no name-calling. Students should listen attentively and be
prepared to be challenged on their views. Threats to the Professor or other students are
strictly forbidden. To see the University Policy towards threatening behavior, see
http://policy.web.arizona.edu/~policy/threaten.shtml.
Failure to obey by these rules can result in the
student being dropped from the class.
Students are responsible for all material presented in class, including announcements about
course procedures and due dates. The Participation grade will be based on in-class debates,
the quality of the student’s participation, and occasional quizzes.
Midterm Exam (25 percent of grade): This exam will consist of short answer, multiple choice
as well as short essay questions. It will cover all required reading material, films, and class
lectures. There will be no make-up tests for the exam. Students who have a Deanapproved absence will be required to write a 15-page paper in lieu of the exam.
Response Questions (20 percent of grade): Throughout the course, students will be asked
to discuss questions among their group members on D2L. The purpose of these assignments
is to provide an opportunity to think and write about your own reactions to the readings.
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These assignments will be graded Pass/Fail. Failure will occur in circumstances such as
when 1) the student does not submit the assignment by the approved time or due date; 2)
the student does not in the opinion of the Professor demonstrate a minimal level of
thoughtfulness, deep thinking, or willingness to engage the material; e.g. one word answers or
incomplete sentences; 3) the answer is poorly written or grammatically incorrect or 4) the
student does not follow the instructions, e.g. exceeds the word limit.
Final Paper (35% of grade): The Final paper asks the student to demonstrate their overall or
cumulative thinking about the American Dream in the course. c
The final paper will be graded by three criteria: Style, Substance, and Spark. Style is based
on whether the assignment is well-written and grammatically correct. The failure to adopt
gender inclusive language, e.g. using “man” instead of “person,” will be penalized. Substance
will be assessed according to two criteria. The first examines whether the student
demonstrates his or her knowledge of the text. The second criterion examines the student’s
argument. In particular, it assesses whether the student has captured the subtleties of the
author’s thinking and recognizes the strongest counter argument and refutes that position. A
good paper addresses perspectives that disagree with its conclusions. Papers are not graded
on whether or not the student shares positions with the Professor. Spark is comprised of the
thoughtfulness and originality of the student’s paper. If the student just parrots back what the
Professor says, it lacks spark.
Students are strongly encouraged to submit drafts to the Writing Center in order to improve
the grammar and the mechanics of their papers. In addition, I strongly recommend that
students submit drafts of their work to their other group members.
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All writing assignments must be submitted to the dropbox of D2L by 2pm on the due date of
the assignment. These submissions should be double-spaced, with 1’’ margins and a
reasonable, e.g. 12 size, font.
Manifesto (10 percent of grade): This assignment is designed to provide students with the
opportunity to articulate in a creative way their “political” vision of the American Dream.
Students will submit a 3-5 minute video of their manifesto to the dropbox by 2 pm on
November 23rd. Students will be graded largely based on their assignments’ spark or
creativity, not the content of the vision!
There will be a Video Workshop held on November 13 and 16 in ECE 229 for the free
program Movie Maker. MacUsers should sign up for an IMOVIE workshop with UITS.
Course Policies:
GRADE APPEAL PROCESS: Students who disagree with a grade for an assignment must
follow the following process. First, they must submit a one-page, grammatically correct
appeal letter within one week of the assignment being turned back. In the appeal letter,
the student should explain why he or she substantively disagrees with the grade.
Unacceptable reasons for appealing an assignment’s or final grade include “because I worked
hard” and “because I need a certain grade to go to graduate school.” Second, the student
must arrange a time to meet with Professor to discuss their appeal letter. Note that it is
against University policy to discuss grades over email.
ABSENTEE POLICY: All holidays or special events observed by organized religions will be
honored for those students who show affiliation with that particular religion. Absences preapproved by the UA Dean of Students (or Dean's designee) will be honored.
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LATE POLICY: All assignments must be submitted to D2L by 2pm on the due date. Late
assignments will be penalized one grade per day that the assignment is due. The new “day”
starts at 2:01 pm. So if the assignment is turned in at 2:01pm on the date due, it will be
penalized one full letter grade. If it is turned in on 2:01pm on the following day, it will be
penalized two full letter grades. The Professor will use the time that D2L records as the time
of submission. Please note that the Professor does not accept “computer problems” as a
legitimate reason for lateness. You need to back up constantly your assignments. You should
not be writing these assignments at the last minute so it is not a valid excuse that you were
unable to submit your paper because your hard drive crashed, etc, etc. Students unfamiliar
with D2L should make sure that they leave enough time to learn how to submit papers in the
dropbox.
Contacting the Professor: Students are strongly encouraged to come to office hours. Note
that the professor does not discuss grades over email (it is against University policy).
Students with substantive questions should come to my office hours. If you are unable to
make this time, you should contact the professor to make alternative arrangements. Note that
Professor Dovi does not check her email on the weekend, holidays, or after 5pm.
Course Policies:
GRADE APPEAL PROCESS: Students who disagree with a grade for an assignment must
follow the following process. First, they must submit a one-page, grammatically correct
paper, explaining why they substantively disagree with their grade. Unacceptable reasons for
appealing an assignment’s or final grade include “because I worked hard” and “because I
need a certain grade to go to graduate school.” After meeting with the grader to discuss the
grade and the student is still unsatisfied, then the student should submit that paper to the
professor, the professor will arrange another meeting in which they will discuss the grade.
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ABSENTEE POLICY: All holidays or special events observed by organized religions will be
honored for those students who show affiliation with that particular religion. Absences preapproved by the UA Dean of Students (or Dean's designee) will be honored.
PLAGIARISM: One of the most common forms of vice in the University is plagiarism. This
vice will not be tolerated by the professor. Students who are caught plagiarizing will receive a
zero for that assignment and will not be able to receive a grade higher than a D for the class.
For the University’s policies towards plagiarism, see
http://studpubs.web.arizona.edu/policies/cacaint.htm
SPECIAL NEEDS: Students with special needs who are registered with the S.A.L.T. Center
or the Disability Resource Center must submit appropriate documentation to the instructor if
they are requesting special accommodations.
COURSE CHANGES: The information contained in the course syllabus, other than the grade
and absence policies, may be subject to change with reasonable advance notice, as deemed
appropriate by the instructor.
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CLASS ASSIGNMENTS
August 24: Introduction
August 26: What does it mean to be American?
Reading Assignment:
Michael Walzer, “What does it mean to be an American?” APT
Pat Robertson, “A Portrait of America” APT
Louis Hartz, “The Concept of a Liberal Society” APT
Langston Hughes, “Let American Be America Again” APT
***Response question submitted by 2pm on August 26: Please submit your answers to
your Group Discussion on D2L AS WELL AS bring a hard copy to class. QUESTION: In
150 words or less, describe what it means to be American to you?
*** TAKE THE SYLLABUS QUIZZ
August 28 and August 31 Defining the American Dream
Reading Assignment:
Jennifer Hochschild. From Facing Up to the American Dream, Princeton University Press,
1995. pp. 15-51. D2l
***Response question submitted by 2pm on August 28: Each person should provide a 150word description of what is your understanding of the American Dream. In addition, I want
you to discuss among your Group members what you think is right and wrong with each
other's posts.
*** TAKE THE SYLLABUS QUIZZ
September 2: Obstacles to the Dream
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Reading assignment:
Barbara Ehrenreich, “Nickel and Dimed” Introduction and Chapter 2 D2L
Monica Sanford, “New Poor” need to buck up, face facts D2L
David Shipler, Excerpts from “The Working Poor” D2L
Barbara Ehrenreich “Too Poor to make the News” NYTIMES Editorial June 14, 2009 p. 10.
D2L
***LAST DAY TO TAKE THE SYLLABUS QUIZ
**Response question submitted by 2pm on September 2: Is there any evidence from
today's readings that the American Dream is false? Discuss why or why not the experiences
of the working poor disprove the American Dream?
September 4: A Puritans' Vision of the Dream.
Reading Assignment:
John Winthrop, "A Modell of Christian Charity" and “A Little Speech on Liberty” APT
Mary Rowlandson, “A Narrative of the Captivity” Early American Writings, D2l
John Wise, A Vindication of the government of New England Churches APT
Response question submitted by 2pm on September 4: How do each of the readings
understand the proper relationship between "being free or liberty" and a belief in god?
Discuss among your group members whose view you agree with most.
September 7: NO CLASS LABOR DAY
September 9: Work and Dream
Reading Assignment
Cotton Mather “A Christian at His Calling” APT
Benjamin Franklin “The Way to Wealth” APT
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Benjamin Franklin “The Art of Virtue” APT
Benjamin Franklin “Information to Those who Would Remove to American” APT
Response question submitted by 2pm on September 9 Please submit your answers to the
Discussion on D2L AS WELL AS a hard copy to class. Ben Franklin claims that there are
certain virtues of an orderly life. Discuss among your group members what three virtues are
necessary for a successful life in contemporary US? Be sure to describe each virtue in one
or two sentences.
September 11: Revolutionary Dreams
Reading Assignment:
James Otis, “The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved” APT
Thomas Paine, “Common Sense” APT
Thomas Paine, “The American Crisis I” APT
Jonathan Boucher,”On Civil Liberty, Passive Obedience and Non-Resistance” APT
September 14: Founding Documents
Reading Assignment:
Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence APT
The Articles of Confederation APT
The Constitution of the United States APT
Response question submitted by 2pm on September 14: Discuss which founding document
best captures in your opinion what it means to be an American?
September 16: James Madison’s Federalist Vision
Reading Assignment:
James Madison Federalist 10, 39, 48, 51 APT
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September 18: Hamilton’s Federalist Vision
Reading Assignment:
Alexander Hamilton, Federalist 1, 9, 23, 70, 84
September 21: The Anti-Federalist Vision
Reading Assignment:
Brutus, Nos. I-III P From the Anti-Federalist, 1985. Pp. 23, 32-65, 103, 108-127, APT
Thomas Jefferson Letters on the Constitution To James Madison APT
Richard Henry Lee(?)"The Federal Farmer" Observations, Nos. I-V APT
Patrick Henry “Debate in the Virginia Ratifying Convention” APT
The Bill of Rights APT
September 23: Class Debate on whether to pass the Constitution.
September 25: Thomas Jefferson’s Dreams
Reading Assignment:
Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia APT
Thomas Jefferson, First Inaugural Address
Second Inaugural Address A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom
September 28: Early Dreams on Slavery
Reading Assignment:
Benjamin Rush, “An Address Upon Slave Keeping” APT
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Thomas Paine, African Slavery in America APT
Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia APT
September 30 and October 2 Women’s Dreams
Reading Assignment
Abigail Adams “Letter to John Addams” APT
Sarah Grimke, “Letters on the Equality of the Sexes and the Condition of Women” APT
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, “The Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments” APT
Susan B. Anthony Speech about her Indictment APT
In Class Film: Not For Ourselves Alone
October 5: Midterm Review
October 7: Midterm (No Make ups)
October 9: The Transcendentalists' Dream
Reading Assignment:
Emerson, “Self-Reliance” APT
Emerson, “Politics” APT
Walt Whitman, “Democratic Vistas” APT
In class Film: Walt Whitman PBS Film
October 12: Natural Dreams
Henry David Thoreau, Walden (chapters 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 11, 18) W
Henry David Thoreau “Civil Disobedience”
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**Response question submitted by 2pm on October 12. What is the relationship between
wealth and virtue according to Thoreau? Discuss whether you agree or not.
October 14: Slavery and The American Dream
Reading Assignment:
Harriet Beecher Stowe, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin or Life Among the Lowly” APT
William Lloyd Garrison, “The Liberator” APT
William Lloyd Garrison, “Declarations of Sentiments of the American Anti-Slavery Convention”
D2L
William Channing, “Slavery” APT
George Fitzhugh “Cannibals All! Or, Slaves Without Masters” D2L
Frederick Douglass What are the Colored People Doing For Themselves?”APT
John Calhoun Speeches on Slavery APT
Frederick Douglass “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” APT
October 16 and October 19: Dreams of Wealth and Greed
Reading Assignment:
Russell Conwell, “Acres of Diamonds.” APT
Andrew Carnegie, “The Gospel of Wealth” APT
Finley Dunne. D2L
**Response question submitted by 2pm on October 16: What is the relationship, if any,
between money and virtue?
October 21: Social Darwinism
Reading Assignment:
William Graham Sumner, “What Social Classes Owe to Each Other?” APT
William Graham Sumner The Challenge of Facts APT
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William Graham Sumner Consolidation of Wealth Economic Aspects APT
**Response question submitted by 2pm on October 21: What do you think the social
classes owe to each other?
October 23:The Dream of the Frontier
Reading Assignment:
Frederick Jackson Turner, "The Significance of the Frontier in American History" From
Frontier in American History, 1994, pp. 1-38. D2L
Theodore Roosevelt The Winning of the West APT
October 26: Native American Dreams
Reading Assignment:
Chief Joseph An Indian’s View of Indian Affairs APT
Chief Joseph Crazy Horse and Smohalla, “On Work and Property” APT
Standing Bear, 'The Land Was Owned by our Tribe." from Source Readings for American
government. Ed. Bennett 1995,pp. 106-108. Harcourt Brace and C. D2L
Vine Deloria, We Talk, You Listen (excerpt) from American Political Thinking, ed. Robert
Isaak, Harcourt Brace, 1994. D2L
Learned Hand A Plea for the Freedom of Dissent APT
John (Fire) Lame Dear and Richard Erdoes, “The Green Frog Skin” From race, Class,
Gender and Sexuality” 1998. Pp. 596-603 Blackwell Publishers D2L
October 28 African-American Dreams?
Reading Assignment:
W.E.B. Dubois, “The Souls of Black Folk” APT
W.E.B. Dubois, “The Talented Tenth” APT
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W.E.B. Dubois, “The immediate Program of the American Negro” APT
October 30: African-American Dream
Booker T. Washington, Up From Slavery D2L
Marcus Garvey, “The True Solution of the Negro Problem” APT
Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendment APT
November 2 Washington/Dubois Class Debate
November 4: Women’s Dreams of the Equality
Reading Assignment:
Orestes Brownson, The Woman Question APT
Victoria Woodhull, “On Constitutional Equality” APT
Jane Addams, If men were seeking the Franchise? APT
Equal Rights Amendment D2L
November 6 Democratic Dreams
Reading Assignment:
John Dewey, The Public and Its Problems APT
Walter Lippmann, Public Opinion, APT
November 9 Democratic Dreams
Reading Assignment:
Herbert Croly, The American Promise APT
November 11: No CLASS Veteran’s Day
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November 13: MANIFESTO WORKSHOP (Moviemaker for PCs) at ECE 229
November 16: MANIFESTO WORKSHOP (Moviemaker for PCs) at ECE 229
November 18 Violence and the American Dream
Reading Assignment:
Malcolm X, “The Ballot or the Bullet” in Political Thought in the United States New York
University Press, 1997. Pp. 392-395. D2L
Robert Kennedy, On the Death of Martin Luther King, Jr. The American Reader 1997, pp.
347-348. D2L
Martin Luther King
Stokely Carmichael Toward a Black Liberation
Class Debate: Martin vs. Malcolm
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November 20: Class Dreams
Reading Assignment:
Charles Beard. “The Economic Basis of Politics” APT
“The Myth of Rugged American Individualism” APT
Thorstein Veblen, “ The Theory of the Leisure Class” APT
Upton Sinclair, “The Jungle” APT
November 23: Housework and the American Dream
Reading Assignment:
Betty Friedan, The Feminine Mystique, APT
Phyllis Schlafy, The Power of the Positive Woman APT
Catharine Beecher. A Treatise on Domestic Economy” APT
November 25: Radical Dreams and Manifestos
Reading Assignment:
Young Americans for Freedom, The Sharon Statement APT
Red stocking Manifesto APT
SDS Port Huron Statement APT
Jerry Rubin, A Yippie Manifesto APT
NOW, Bill of Rights APT
Manifesto Assignment due 2pm on November 25: Submit a video/print version of your
manifesto.
November 27th NO CLASS THANKSGIVING
November 30 Liberal Dreams
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Reading Assignment:
John Rawls, “A Theory of Justice’ APT
Bell Hooks, “Feminist Theory from Margin to Center” APT
Michael Sandel’s The Public Philosophy of Contemporary Liberalism
December 2 and December 4 Abortion and the American Dream
Reading Assignment:
Fredrick Clarkson, Anti-Abortion extremism: Extremists, Patriots and Racists Converge
(1998) D2L
Sarah Palin’s Pro-Life Manifesto D2L
Liz Welch, “The Serious Health Decision These Women are Ready to Talk about” D2L
In CLASS Film: Army of Soldiers of God
December 7 Is the American Dream True?
Reading Assignment:
William James, Pragmaticism: A New Name for Old Ways of Thinking, APT
Ursula Le Guin, A Left-Handed Commencement Speech, D2L
December 9: Review
December 11: Final Paper DUE at 2pm.
This course has examined the ideology of the American Dream from a variety of perspectives.
Some see the ideology of the American Dream as a source of inspiration and progress while
others understand the ideology of the Dream as supporting materialist values, economic
inequalities, and unjustified violence. In your essay, I want you to draw on at least 4 different
thinkers from the course and assess the virtues and defects of the ideology of the American
Dream. Your essay should be cohesive—focusing on one or two themes discussed
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throughout the course. The final paper should demonstrate how much you have learned from
the course and identify complexities and/or ambiguities within the ideology of the American
Dream. Remember that “good” arguments address the strongest argument against their
position. A word of caution: choose your authors carefully. This assignment is designed for
you to demonstrate the depth of your knowledge. If you select authors because of their
length as opposed to how their arguments play off of each other, your grade will reflect so.
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