Fall 2004

Dr. Daniel P. Franklin (dfrankli@gsu.edu)
1038 General Classroom Building
Office Hours: Wed 1:00 - 3:00 (Or By Appointment)
Ext. 1-4849

 Introduction to American Government (Honors Section)

Political Science 1101H

Democracy is the worst system of Government except for all others. Capitalism is the worst way to run an economy except for all others. Not only are these systems in some ways flawed, they are sometimes in conflict. In the United States, we face the constant struggle of integrating a free market system with a political democracy. In order to enjoy the best (or least worst) of all worlds, however, we have to live with the contradictions of living in a capitalist-democratic state. In this course we will discuss the source of and methods of resolution for this most deep-seated dispute in American politics. By the end of the course, students will be expected to analyze and understand the sources of, the contradictions in, and the system for conflict resolution associated with much of American political life.
 

READINGS
 

The following book will be available for purchase at the Park Place Book Store:
 

The Challenge of Democracy (Alternate Edition – Seventh Edition) by Janda, Berry and Goldman (The correct edition has a chapter on Georgia Politics included at the end of the book.)

http://college.hmco.com/polisci/janda/chall_dem/7e/students/index.html This is the website for the textbook with plenty of supplements, study aids and practice exams.

Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal (5th Edition) by Ball and Dagger

Students are also expected to read a good daily newspaper or weekly news magazine.
 

http://www.nytimes.com/ (The New York Times)
 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ (The Washington Post)
 

There are also several web sites of which you should be aware:

http://www.rvc.cc.il.us/faclink/pruckman/PSLinks.htm (This is a great political science resource list - very comprehensive and nicely designed!)
 

http://www.apsanet.org/ The American Political Science Association
 

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS


In this course there will be short (2-3 page) weekly papers and a final exam that may include at least one essay question. Grades will be assigned according to the following formula:

Weekly Papers - 60%

Participation -     10%

Final Exam -        30%

                           100%

Students will be allowed to drop their two lowest grades from the weekly paper assignment (or simply not turn in a paper without excuse one or two weeks during the semester).

Participation - Students will be asked to summarize one of the readings from the Shaw book at least twice during the semester.

CLASS SESSIONS
 

Class sessions will be roughly divided between lectures and class discussion. In particular, we will focus on a discussion of the assigned readings for the week. Students are expected to complete the reading assignment in advance of the class session for which those readings are assigned.
 

GENERAL POLICIES

- Students who do not attend class and do not drop the class through the registrar will be given an F for the course. 

- Students are required to log on to the home page of the class by the end of the first week of the semester.  Students who do not visit the home page are liable to be dropped from the course by the instructor.

- Be forewarned, late papers and make-up exams will not be given except in the most extenuating circumstances (nuclear attack, catastrophic earthquake, the second coming, etc.).   Sending papers via e-mail, however, is OK.

- Attendance is not required. However, students will have problems doing well in this course without attending class regularly.

- Academic dishonesty is defined as the unattributed use of someone else's ideas or writings.

- "If You Fly, You Flunk" If you have travel plans that conflict with the final exam, change your plans or take another course!
   

ACADEMIC DECORUM
 

It is unfortunate that I am forced to mention this on the syllabus but I have found lately that a small minority of students is engaging in behaviors that are disrespectful and disruptive. Therefore, I am about to list a set of behaviors that can get you flunked in this class. If you can't abide by these restrictions please find another class now.

-No Sleeping (Do your sleeping at home or outside)

-No Eating (No eating in class - drinks are OK)

-No Leaving in the Middle of Class (If you are here at the beginning of class you are here for the entire class - If you have to leave early, please inform the instructor at the beginning of class and leave quietly by the back exit.)

-Arrive on Time

-No reading in class (Do your studying or read the sports section outside of class.)

Notice: The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be necessary.

 

CLASS SESSIONS
 

 

AUGUST 24 - 26: The Study of Politics and Political Ideologies

Readings: The Challenge of Democracy: Chap. 1; Federalist #10

Political Ideologies: Chap. 1

 

AUGUST 31 – SEPTEMBER 2: The Meaning of Equality and American Constitutionalism

Readings: The Challenge of Democracy: Chaps. 2 and 3; Federalist #51

            Political Ideologies: Chap. 4 (Conservatism)

 

SEPTEMBER 7 - 9: Participation; Formal and Informal

Readings: The Challenge of Democracy:  Chaps. 5, 7 and 9

            Political Ideologies: Chap. 3 (Liberalism)

 

SEPTEMBER 14 - 21: Participation (Cont.) - Political Parties and Interest Groups

Readings: The Challenge of Democracy: Chaps. 8 and 10

SEPTEMBER 21 – MOVIE NIGHT: Lonely are the Brave

             

SEPTEMBER 23 - 28: Congress

Readings: The Challenge of Democracy: Chap. 11

            Political Ideologies: Chap. 2 (Democracy)


 

SEPTEMBER 30 – OCTOBER 7: The Presidency

Readings: The Challenge of Democracy: Chap. 12

            Political Ideologies: Chap. 5 (Socialism)
           
 

OCTOBER 21 - 23: The Bureaucracy

Readings:  The Challenge of Democracy: Chap. 13

            Political Ideologies: Chap. 6 (Socialism Cont.)

 

OCTOBER 12 - 14: The Bureaucracy (cont.)

Readings: Political Ideologies: Chap. 7 (Fascism)

OCTOBER 19 - 26: The Courts

Readings: The Challenge of Democracy: Chap. 14

OCTOBER 26 – Field Trip to the 11th Circuit

 

OCTOBER 28 – NOVEMBER 4: Federalism: State and Local Government (Georgia Politics)

Readings: The Challenge of Democracy: Chap. 4 and the Fleishman chapter on Georgia Politics at the end or your textbook. 

 

NOVEMBER 9 - 11: Implementation (What Government Does Well and What it Doesn’t)

Readings: The Challenge of Democracy: Chap. 15 and 16

Political Ideologies: Chap. 8 (The Politics of Identity)

 

NOVEMBER 16 – 18: Politics and the Media

Readings: The Challenge of Democracy: Chap. 6

NOVEMBER 18 – Movie Night – A Face in the Crowd

 

THANKSGIVING BREAK   NOVEMBER 23 – 27

 

NOVEMBER 30 – DECEMBER 2: CASE STUDY - Tax Policy in the U.S.

Reading: Political Ideologies: Chap. 9 (The Politics of Ecology)

 

DECEMBER 7: CASE STUDY – Making War

            Readings: Political Ideologies:  Chap. 10 (The Future)

 

FINAL EXAM: Thursday, December 9