POL 1101 E
Introduction to
Political Science
Today
1. What is politics?
2. Organization of the course &
requirements
What is politics?
Politics, politicians
& public opinion
• Associated with bickering, lying, cheating,
waste, uselessness, arrogance, egotism,
corruption, [insert favourite word here]
• Keeping one’s distance with it
• “I don’t do politics!”
• “I deal with the real issues!”
• “I’m not political, but…”
• Politicians are scapegoats
& foils
The necessity of
politics
• Large groups → complexity &
diversity of views → conflict
• Resolving/reducing conflict
• shared rules (justice, fairness)
• decision-making procedures
• Politicians: no worse than the rest
of us
• high stakes, high drama
• visibility
• uniquely tough job
So what is politics?
Narrow definition
Broader & better definition
• What politicians do
• Anything about governing,
rulers, exercising power
• Conflicts between the people
involved in the above
• Separation from other aspects
of life
• Separation between
politicians & the rest
• Anything having to do with
collective life
• Any discussion about the
common good
• Any discussion about
mechanisms for making
decisions
• Interactions & debates
• between politicians
• between politicians & the rest
• between the rest of us
Making sense of politics
• Societies are complex
• many actors
• many views
• many phenomena
• Need for organizing our ideas
• creating categories and
classifications
• grouping things into concepts
What are these?
• murder
• theft
• rape
• Perjury
And these?
• Fairness
• Justice
• Peace
• Compassion
• Freedom
How about these?
• democracy
• dictatorship
• theocracy
And these?
• liberalism
• conservatism
• social democracy
• fascism
• feminism
• environmentalism
• Organizing concepts into theories
Sub-fields of political studies
• POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY (political theory, political thought): the
study of political ideologies
• POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS: the study of political regimes, the
functioning of the state, the selection of rulers
• POLITICAL CULTURE, BEHAVIOUR & SOCIALIZATION: the study of
how people think and act politically, incl. how they vote & why
• INTERNATIONAL/GLOBAL POLITICS: the study of actors’ relations
and decisions with respect to actors and issues external to their
country
• PUBLIC POLICY: the study of the processes and the content of
government decisions
• PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION: the study of state bureaucracy, its
workings and impact on public policy
• POLITICAL ECONOMY: the relationship between politics &
economics
The objectives of the course
are to…
• familiarize yourselves with the topic
• understand it when you live it &
when others talk about it
• analyze it
• write/speak about it in a more
informed way
Course organization
Prof’s contact information
Last name: Pierre-Antoine
First name: Daniel
Office: FSS 7043
Office hours: Monday 13:30-14:30
Website: Virtual Campus (not up yet)
Organisation of the course
• A small class (50 students)
• Focus on methodology
• how to study & work well
• 6 methodological topics
• corresponding assignments
• Political studies themes
• one lecture, one theme*
• an overview
Readings
• Compulsory & all equally important
• Complement the lectures
• Textbook at the Agora bookstore (145
Besserer St): George MacLean and
Duncan Wood, Politics: An Introduction
• Coursepack at Enviro Copies/Rytec
Printing (404 Dalhousie St)
• Web readings indicated on syllabus
Assignments
• 1 summary
• 1 research essay outline & bibliography
• 1 research essay
• 1 oral presentation
• 1 final exam
Summary (15%)
• Due 3 Oct.
• Methodology: week 3
• 500 words (+/- 10%)
• Choice of text from short list
• Mention # of words used on cover page
Research essay outline
& bibliography (15%)
• Due 24 Oct.
• Methodology: week 4
• Includes:
Compulsory meetings with prof for:
• Topic (week 3-4)
• Outline & bibliography (weeks 5-6)
There will be a sign-up sheet
• clear topic
• research question(s)
• sections of the paper (tentative)
• key sources used (books, etc.)
• Good planning is essential
Research essay (30%)
• Due 7 Nov.
• Methodology: weeks 6-7
• 2,500 words (9-10pp., double-space)
• Extra research required
• Properly referenced
Oral presentation (15%)
• Weeks 10-12 (alphabetical order)
• Methodology: week 8
• 10 min. (no time for more)
• Attendance compulsory
• With prof or with TA
Final exam (25%)
• Cumulative
• No documentation allowed
• Date & location set by the University
• Format announced in November
Late assignments, etc.
• 10% per calendar day late (weekend = 2
days, holiday = 1 day)
• Print copy = official copy
• No assignments under prof’s door or by fax
or email
• Assignments submitted at the School of
Political Studies are date-stamped
• All assignments & the exam required to pass
Methodology 1
How to do readings
How to take class notes
How to do readings:
A 4-step method
• Suggested steps
• Adapt to personal style
Survey
Read
Take notes/recite
Revise
• Title & subtitle
• Skim first
• Write down key
• Reread notes
• Table of contents
• Then read actively
(book)
• Sections (chapter or
article)
• Abstract (acad.
article)
• Backcover summary
− with pen, etc.
− underline/highlight
− comment in margin
• Jot down notes
ideas, arguments, etc. • Add notes,
• Quote if necessary
(note the page if it’s
for an assignment)
• Reorganize info
based on need (for
exam, research, etc.)
clarifications,
examples, etc.
• Reread text (before
exam)
• Make connections
with lecture(s)
How to take class notes
Listen actively
Be efficient
Revise
• Avoid distractions
• Note date & topic
• Reread notes
• Focus on lecture/talk
• Develop symbols &
• Rewrite ambiguous
• Use only note-taking
app
• Look at slides
abbreviations
• Write what’s not in the
slides
• If stg is unclear, flag it
passages
• Look up flagged items
• Write clarifications
• Add examples
& come back to it/look • Write long-hand
it up later
• Keep notes organized
• Flag what’s still unclear
& see prof during office
hours
Some ground rules
• Email & office hours etiquette
• Grades
• Role of university
• Workload & time management
Conclusion
• Do the readings regularly
• Consult the course website regularly
• Consult the assignment advice
• Read the etiquette webpage
Questions?
Next week: Key Concepts