PLSC 100 Introduction to Political Science

This course introduces the field of political science through a comparative, international survey of the major issues, questions, and ideas of politics. The class provides an overview of the discipline and its subfields. Key concepts and topics include:

• order
• power
• the state and the nation
• political change
• resistance
• violence
• human rights
• ideologies of
  • liberalism
  • conservatism
  • nationalism
  • feminism
  • environmentalism
• the organization of major political systems
• institutions of governance, including
  • executives
  • legislatures
  • courts
• the international dimensions of politics and economics

These themes provide frameworks to both interpret current events and describe domestic and international political systems.

Parallel goals of this course include developing effective research, analysis, critical thinking, and writing skills. The class also aims to foster a global understanding of cultural diversity and difference. Together, these objectives help form the basis for future coursework in and out of the discipline and should help students make informed judgments about the political world around them.

REQUIRED TEXTS:

Please purchase our textbook from the vendor of your choice:

• Ellen Grigsby, Analyzing Politics: An Introduction to Political Science, Cengage Advantage Books, 6th edition. You can find a used copy here or here for under $20. Make sure to get the 6th edition.

In addition, the following text must be purchased. (I have provided the Amazon.com link, but you should feel free to purchase from your preferred vendor.)

• Jan-Werner Müller, What Is Populism?

Additional readings can be found on Brightspace, as noted below in the schedule of course meetings and readings.

Students are also required to follow a source for current events, such as BBC World News, NPR News, The Washington Post, The New York Times, or The Economist. The University maintains a subscription for all students to the New York Times. Access yours here: http://laverne.libguides.com/nytimes.

Texts must be brought to class on the day they will be discussed. Students will be considered absent if they do not bring the reading to class on the day it is discussed.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Class meetings will be grounded in discussion of the assigned texts. Readings must be completed before the class meeting in which they will be discussed. This enables students to get the most out of the lectures and to participate effectively in discussion.

Discussion: Each student will be assigned study questions to prepare for class discussion. During these discussions, you will not be expected to have fully developed points of view about the course materials. However, you are expected to participate. No one will be penalized for being wrong or imprecise, for expressing uncertainty or frustration, or for changing their mind. But it should be clear that you are trying, that you have done the readings and are working toward a mastery of the material.

Questions: None of us, myself included, knows everything about the topics of this class. It is our responsibility to ask others who may know the answer, either in class, in office hours, or over dinner. I expect that you are learning the material, not that you know it. As much as possible, try not to be shy or embarrassed about what you don’t yet know. The biggest failure in learning any material, in college or in life, is to fail to ask questions about things you do not know.

Availability: I expect that all of you, either alone or in groups, will contact me throughout the semester. I am almost always available to discuss the course material, or other life issues. Because I maintain an “open-door” policy, you should not hesitate to stop by my office during office hours–or at other times. If you would prefer to schedule a time during non-office hours, simply contact me by phone or email and we will schedule an appropriate time.

Course Conduct: In order to build and maintain a supportive and productive learning community, students and instructors must treat one another with respect.

For students, this includes but is not limited to:

• Being prepared to discuss the assigned readings each day;
• Regular attendance;
• Notifying the instructor of any scheduling conflicts;
• On-time arrival to class;
• Minimizing trips in and out of the room during class;
• Minimizing side-conversations;
• Refraining from use of cell phones, tablets, and laptops. Neither laptops nor tablets may be used in class.  Cell phones must be turned off AND put away during class meetings.  Students who use laptops, tablets, or cell phones will be considered absent.

Failure to adhere to these expectations – especially if students are disrupting others’ learning or creating an unwelcoming environment – will result in disciplinary measures. For more on University policies on appropriate classroom conduct, see the “Rights and Responsibilities” section of the University of La Verne Catalog.

For instructors, responsibility for building and maintaining a supportive and productive learning community includes but is not limited to:

• Being accessible to students;
• Communicating clear expectations for student success;
• Addressing students respectfully, including use of preferred names and pronouns; 
• Returning graded work in a timely fashion;
• Creating a open exchange of ideas to which all students are encouraged to contribute;
• Facilitating the interrogation and critical analysis of ideas, including interrogation of the instructor’s views, biases, and values.

Students are encouraged to report violations of University policy, including sexual misconduct and social justice incidents here: https://laverne.edu/student-affairs/incident-report-wellness-referral-form/.

EVALUATION CRITERIA:

The value of our meetings will hinge on your advance preparation and on your willingness to engage the issues actively in class. When you are doing the readings, keep in mind that you will be expected to participate in the debates outlined in the readings, reject some positions, embrace others, and defend the choices you make.

Grades will be based on the following:

• In-class writing: 50%
• Midterm: 15%
• Final exam: 25%
• Attendance and participation: 10%

In-Class Writing: Once or twice during most class sessions I will ask you do do some in-class writing (5-10 minutes), typically at the beginning and at the end of class. At the beginning of class, I’ll ask you to answer one of the study questions that we have not yet discussed in class. At the end of class I’ll ask a question about the material we just discussed. You should write 2-4 sentences, answering the question as comprehensively as you can, demonstrating knowledge of the reading and incorporating critical analysis. Here are some examples of how you can incorporate critical analysis into your answer:

• Draw a connection or a distinction
• Identify objections or alternatives
• Identify assumptions or gaps in reasoning
• Provide intellectual or historical context
• Situate your answer in the context of the author’s larger argument
• Relate your answer to something in contemporary politics

These assignements will be assessed on a scale of 1-10. A grade of 7-8 indicates that the student has answered the question accurately. An “8-9” is indicative of an accurate answer with some critical reflection on the question. A “9-10” indicates critical reflection as well as specific reference to the text. A “6-7” indicates that the answer in some way misrepresents the text or does not answer the question.

Midterm: The midterm will ask you to answer a series of short-answer questions based on the course materials and lectures.

Final Exam: The final exam will be in two parts. The first part will be identical to the midterm but will only include questions on course materials addressed after the midterm. (Questions drawn from the midterm review may appear on the final exam.) The second part will ask you to choose one of a selection of topics and construct a research proposal incorporating the key elements of a political science research project.

Attendance and Participation:

• Attendance and punctuality are basic requirements for an effective discussion. Beyond that, each student’s frequency and quality of contribution to the class discussion will be assessed and reflected in the class participation score.
• At the beginning of most classes, I will break you up into small-groups to discuss either the reading or a topic in current events. After a few minutes of discussion, I will ask a member of the group to report out the group’s insights to the rest of the class.
• Students may miss up to four classes without penalty. Students who miss more than four classes will suffer a deduction of one-third of a grade (e.g. a B+ becomes a B). Students who miss more than six classes will suffer a full grade deduction (e.g. a B+ becomes a C+).
• Students who are in class but do not have the assigned reading will be considered absent.
• Multiple instances of tardiness may result in a deduction of one-third of a grade.

Disability Accommodations: If you need disability accommodations for an exam or other assignment, please see the instructor as soon as possible. Information regarding disabilities, including learning disabilities, will remain confidential. If you are not sure whether you need special accommodations, please contact the Accessibility Services Department. Information about location and contact numbers can be found here: https://sites.laverne.edu/disabled-student-services/.

SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS AND REQUIRED READING:

Aug. 19-21

• Introduction

Aug. 26-Aug. 28

• Political Science and Scientific Methods in Studying Politics
  • Reading: Grigsby, ch. 2
    • Question 1_________Vallerie, Jessica______
    • Question 2_______Valeria, Dominic_________
    • Question 3_______Abby___________
    • Question 4_________Grace____________
    • Question 5 ________Anthony______

Sept. 2-Sept. 4

• Key Concepts in Political Science

• • Reading: Grigsby, ch. 3
    • Question 1____Hailey, _ ________
    • Question 2_____Janelle________
    • Question 3____Amara, Ethan ___________
    • Question 4_____Hannah_ ________
    • Question 5____Moriah__ ________
    • Question 6____Jessica____ ________
    • Question 7____Grace, Anthony__ ________
    • Question 8_____Dominic, Vallerie_ ________
    • Question 9____Abby, Valeria___________

Sept. 9-11

• Political Theory: Examining the Ethical Foundations of Politics
  • Reading: Grigsby, ch. 4
    • Question 1____Hailey______________
    • Question 2___  Abby, Anthony ____
    • Question 3____Janelle__________
    • Question 4____Dominic_________________
    • Question 5____Amara____________
    • Question 6____Vallerie, Hannah___
    • Question 7____Ethan, Jessica_____
    • Question 8____Valeria________________
    • Question 9____Moriah_______________
    • Question 10___Grace________________

Sept. 16-18

• Political Ideologies I: Liberalism, Conservatism, and Socialism
  • Reading: Grigsby, ch. 5
    • Questions 1, 2______Hailey__________
    • Question 3_____Abby__________
    • Question 4_____Janelle_________
    • Question 5__ __Dominic_____________
    • Question 6____Amara_____________
    • Questions 7, 8

• Comparative Politics I: Governmental Systems: Democracy and Nondemocracy
  • Reading: Grigsby, ch. 8
  • • Question 1___Valeria_______________
    • Question 2_____Ysabel_____________
    • Questions 3, 4___Grace____________
    • Questions 5, 6___Anthony________________
    • Question 7____Hannah________________
    • Question 8_____Jessica_______________

Oct. 2 Yom Kippur, NO CLASS

Oct. 7-9

• Comparative Politics II: Interest Groups, Political Parties, and Elections
  • Reading: Grigsby, ch. 9, pp. 203-223
  • • Question 1____Hailey____________
    • Question 2_____Janelle__________
    • Question 3_____Abby________________
    • Question 4______Dominic___________
    • Question 5_____Amara, Hannah_______________
    • Question 6 ______Vallerie____________
    • Question 7______Ethan_____________

• Comparative Politics II (cont’d): Interest Groups, Political Parties, and Elections
  • Reading: Grigsby, ch. 9, pp. 223-241
    • Questions 8_____Valeria_______________
    • Question 9_____Ysabel_____________
    • Question 10______Grace, Jessica_________________
    • Question 11______Anthony________________

Oct. 14-16 FALL BREAK

Oct. 21-23

• Comparative Politics III: Governing Democracies: Executives, Legislatures, and Judiciaries
  • Reading: Grigsby, ch. 10
    • Questions 1, 2____Hailey__________
    • Question 3_____Abby____________
    • Question 4_____Janelle______________
    • Question 5_____Dominic______________
    • Question 6______Amara_____________
    • Question 7_______Vallerie_______________
    • Question 8_______Ethan_______________

Oct. 28-30

• International Relations II: Contemporary Issues
  • Grigsby, ch. 12
    • Questions 1, 2___Hailey, Anthony_____
    • Questions 3, 4___Abby, Hannah____
    • Questions 5, 6___Dominic, Jessica___

MIDTERM 

Nov. 4-6

• Readings in Political Ideology, Comparative Politics, and American Government
  • Jan-Werner Müller, What Is Populism, 1-41
    • Amara
      • What is populism?
      • Is populism a left-wing or right-wing phenomenon? Name a populist on the left and one on the right. What makes each one of them populists?
    • Valerie
      • What is pluralism? What is the relationship between populism and pluralism?
      • What is identity politics? How does it relate populism?
    • Grace
      • What is the relationship between populism and democracy?
      • What is the relationship between populism and liberalism?
    • Ethan
      • Why, according to Müller, is it wrong to understand populism as an expression of anger or frustration or resentment?
      • What is the relationship between the populist leader and the people?
    • Valeria
      • What is the “core claim” (p. 21) of populism?
      • What is producerism?
    • Ysabel
      • How do populist leaders characterize the institutions of democracy, such as elections, courts, separation of powers, parties, etc?
      • Explain the concept of direct representation.  

• • Jan-Werner Müller, What Is Populism, 41-103
    • Hailey, Abby
      • How do populists use conflict?
      • Describe the populist’s strategies of occupying or colonizing the state, mass clientelism, and discriminatory legalism.
      • What is illiberal democracy? Does populism in power equal illiberal democracy?
    • Janelle, Dominic
      • Why is Müller opposed to applying the concept of “illiberal democracy” to populists?
      • What is the relationship between populism and constitutionalism? Give one historical example to illustrate your answer.
      • When, if ever, is it possible to speak in the name of the people as a whole?
    • Amara, Vallerie
      • How does populism “solve” the broken promise of democracy?
      • How should defenders of liberal democracy respond to populists?
      • Who were the American Populists of the 19th century? What policies did they advocate?
    • Ethan, Valeria
      • Name some instances of populism in 20th-century America.
      • What is technocracy? What is its relationship to populism?

• Readings in Comparative Politics and American Government
  • Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, How Democracies Die (Brightspace, 1-52)
    • Ysabel, Grace
      • Why did Ziblatt and Levitsky believe the US was immune to democratic decline?
      • How did Hugo Chavez transform Venezuela from a democracy into an autocracy?
      • What are the guardrails of American democracy? How have they been weakened?
    • Anthony, Hannah
      • How did Mussolini and Hitler come to power?
      • What are the behavioral warning signs of an authoritarian ruler?
      • What should democratic politicians do to stop authoritarians?
    • Jessica 
      • How did Belgium stave off fascism in 1936? How about Austria in 2016?
      • What are America’s gatekeeping institutions?
      • How did gatekeepers keep Henry Ford from power?
      • How did the 1968 Democratic convention lead to changes in the parties’ gatekeeping function?

Nov. 18-20 

• Readings in Comparative Politics and American Government
  • Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, How Democracies Die (Brightspace, 52-71, 97-117)
    • Hailey, Janelle
      • What is the invisible primary?
      • Why are party gatekeepers “shells of what they once were?”
    • Abby, Dominic
      • How was Trump able to win the Republican nomination with no support from the establishment?
      • How does Trump perform on Linz’s four measures for autocrats?
    • Amara, Ethan
      • What should Republicans have done to stop Trump?
      • Why can’t well-designed constitutions guarantee democracy?
    • Vallerie, Valeria
      • Why did the Spanish Republic fall?
      • What is constitutional hardball? Give an example from a country outside the US.

• Readings in Comparative Politics and American Government
  • Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, How Democracies Die (Brightspace, 145-175)
    • Ysabel, Jessica
      • What role did Newt Gingrich play in norm breaking?
      • Which norms were broken under the Bush administration?
    • Anthony, Hannah
      • Why was 2008 a “watershed moment in partisan intolerance?”
      • What role did the Tea Party play in the erosion of norms?
      • What was birtherism?
    • Grace
      • How did the Democrats under Obama respond to Republican norm breaking?
      • What is polarization? How has it gotten worse in recent years?

Nov. 25-Dec. 2: ADVICE NOTES, What Is Your Political Philosophy Quiz, Part II

• Readings in American Government
  • Christopher Ellis and James A. Stimson, Ideology in America (Brightspace, 1-31)
    • Hailey, Dominic
      • What are the core components of liberalism?
      • What are the core components of conservatism?
    • Abby, Janelle
      • What are the historical origins of liberalism?
      • What are the historical origins of conservatism?
    • Amara, Valeria
      • What are symbolic and operational ideology?
      • How do Stimson and Ellis measure Americans’ policy preferences?
    • Vallerie, Ethan
      • Why are Americans operational liberals?
• Readings in American Government
  • Christopher Ellis and James A. Stimson, Ideology in America, (Backboard, 57-85)
    • Ysabel, Hannah
      • What percentage of Americans identify as liberal and conservative? Why don’t conservatives always win in a landslide?
      • What is self-identification? Why is it difficult to study prior to 1968?
    • Grace, Anthony, Jessica
      • What caused the dramatic reduction in self-identified liberals?
      • Who was the new clientele of liberalism?

• Readings in American Government
  • Christopher Ellis and James A. Stimson, Ideology in America (Brightspace, 155-174)
    • Hailey
      • What is framing?
      • What is the difference between symbolic frames and operational frames?
      • Why do liberals attempt to use operational frames while conservatives attempt to use symbolic frames?
    • Abby
      • How do Americans reconcile their symbolic conservatism with their operational liberalism?
      • In the media, how frequently are liberalism and conservatism given a positive or a negative valence?
      • Why does this happen?
    • Janelle
      • What is Ellis and Stimson’s hypothesis about the causes of conflicted conservatism?
      • What controls to Ellis and Stimson use?
      • What results did they report?

Dec. 4 Readings in International Relations 

• • Hedley Bull, The Anarchical Society: A Study of Order in World Politics (Brightspace, pp. 8-52)
    • Dominic
      • What is international order?
      • What is a state?
    • Jessica
      • What is a system of states?
      • What is a society of states (international society)?
    • Amara
      • What are the goals of an international system?
      • What is the world order? When and how did it originate?
    • Vallerie
      • Does order exist in world politics?
      • Describe the Hobbesian, Kantian, and Grotian traditions.
    • Ethan
      • What were the primary features of Christian International Society?
      • What were the primary features of European International Society?
    • Valeria
      • What were the primary features of World International Society?
      • How does Bull criticize the argument that the international system is anarchical?

Dec. 9 FINAL EXAM: Tuesday, 12:45 – 3:25pm

Readings in International Relations, ADVICE NOTES

• • Hedley Bull, The Anarchical Society: A Study of Order in World Politics (Brightspace, pp. 53-98)
    • Ysabel
      • How is order maintained in world politics?
      • What is the roll of common interests, rules, and institutions in the maintenance of world order?
    • Grace
      • What is the structural-functionalist explanation?
      • What is the relationship between international order and justice?
    • Hannah
      • What are the different forms of justice?
    • Anthony
      • What is cosmopolitan alternative of world justice? What are its limitations?
      • Which should be given priority, justice or international order?     
• Readings in International Relations
  • Hedley Bull, The Anarchical Society: A Study of Order in World Politics (Brightspace, pp. 127-161, 318-320)
  • BrianaJ, AniyahP
    • What is international law?
    • How are international laws different from domestic laws?
  • AraceliM, AmberC
    • What effect does international law have on the behavior of states?
    • Why do states obey international law when they do obey it?
    • What is the role of law in relation to the international order?
  • JackieK, JenniferR
    • What are the limitations of international law?
    • What contribution does international law make to internal order in the special circumstances of the “present” time? (Remember when this book was written.)

STYLE GUIDE:

The Department of History and Political Science mandates that all submitted work adhere to the Turabian/Chicago style delineated in Kate Turabian, et. al., A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, University of Chicago Press (available at the Wilson Library Reference Desk). Here you can access the online version of the Chicago Manual of Style.

Here are a couple of websites that will automatically format citations in Chicago style for you: https://www.citationmachine.net/ and http://www.citethisforme.com/.

EXAM PROCTORING GUIDELINES:

1. One seat space between students when possible.
2. No bathroom breaks except in the case of illness or emergency.  Student should discuss this circumstance with the proctor prior to the start of the exam.
3. No materials on the desk except for pens/pencils, bluebook or writing paper and exam.
4. Under no circumstances can students access electronic devices during the exam.
5. Exam proctors will note any violation of these rules and those will be considered in the final grade.

GRADING:

Your work will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

A— designates work of extraordinarily high quality; reflects unusually thorough and comprehensive understanding of issues at hand; presents a clearly identifiable thesis and argument that demonstrates cogent and creative development and support of ideas.

B— designates work of high quality; reflects clearly organized and comprehensive understanding of issues and hand; presents substantive thesis and argument with evident development and support of ideas.

C— designates work which minimally meets requirements set forward in assignment; reflects some organization and development of ideas, but develops argument in superficial or simplistic manner; may only address part of the assignment or be otherwise incomplete.

D— designates work of poor quality which does not meet minimum requirements set forward in assignment; demonstrates poor organization of ideas and/or inattention to development of ideas, grammar, and spelling; treatment of material is superficial and/or simplistic; may indicate that student has not done reading assignments thoroughly.

F— designates work that does not meet ANY of the standards set above or which is not handed in.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:

Integrity: Having integrity means being honest and principled and, perhaps most importantly, it means being honest and principled no matter what. It is one of the most important qualities a person can have. It is what allows other people to perceive your word as true. Having integrity confers trust, which is essential to a successful personal and professional life.

To demonstrate integrity in this class, it is essential that you present work as your own only when you have yourself produced that work.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a highly unethical practice which will result in the immediate failure of this course and disciplinary action which could lead to expulsion from the University. If you are having problems in the course please come and talk to me about it rather than doing something that could put your entire college career in jeopardy. You should also take advantage of the resources of the Academic Success Center.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to the following:

• The direct copying of any source, such as written and verbal material, computer files, audio disks, video programs or musical scores, whether published or unpublished, in whole or part, without proper acknowledgment that it is someone else’s.
• Copying of any source in whole or part with only minor changes in wording or syntax, even with acknowledgment.
• Submitting as one’s own work a report, examination paper, computer file, lab report or other assignment that has been prepared by someone else. This includes research papers purchased from any other person or agency.
• The paraphrasing of another’s work or ideas without proper acknowledgment.

Artificial Intelligence: The above sections on integrity and plagiarism apply to the use of artificial intelligence programs like Bard or GPT-4.

In this class, I ask that you complete your work without using AI-generated sources. If you do use AI, you should use it in the same way you would collaborate with another person. You should talk to AI in the same way you would talk about your ideas with me or anyone else. However, all work you submit must be your own. You should submit anything that was not written directly by you with proper citation (including quotation marks). Never copy and paste your conversation with an AI assistant.

Please do not use Grammerly, since it will appear in the Plagiarism/AI scanner as a type of AI. Use your own voice.

Faculty reserve the right to make use of Artificial Intelligence detection software to detect AI-generated writing in student assignments. Including anything you did not write in your assignment without proper citation will be treated as an instance of plagiarism and a violation of academic integrity.

ACADEMIC SUCCESS CENTER

The Academic Success Center provides free one-on-one peer tutoring to graduate and undergraduate students in a wide variety of courses and subjects. Please make liberal use of the ASC if you need assistance with any of the assignments for this course. To make an appointment, use the quick start guide, stop by ASC on the second floor of the Campus Center, or call (909) 448-4342. Answers to frequently asked questions are available here.