Sample Syllabus: State and Local Politics
Dr. Morris
State
and Local Government:
Political
Science 300-01
Tuesday and
Thursday: 12:10-2:05 p.m.
Dr. Joseph
M. Morris
Prerequisites:
None Credit Hours: 3
Office and Phone:
Preston 112/(814) 824-2154/jmorris@mercyhurst.edu
Office Hours:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10:00-11:00
a.m.; Tuesday, Thursday 2:05-3:05 p.m.; or by appointment.
These are my official
office hours, but my door is always open. I enjoy teaching, and
I enjoy talking to you, so if you have questions that we did not
answer in class, or if you want to explore an idea, come by. The
best time to catch me is in the morning. If I am not in my office,
leave a note on/under my door and I will get back to you.
About the Course
Catalogue Description:
A general overview of and introduction to
the structure and policy making process of state and local government.
It also includes some analysis of federalism–how state and local
government fits into the American constitutional framework. The
course addresses budget issues, political participation, and direct
democracy.
Course Objectives:
In 1835 Alexis de Tocqueville, a French aristocrat,
published the first volume of Democracy in America .
This two-volume commentary on American political institutions,
political culture and society provided an unrivaled analysis of
how state and local government helped to sustain liberty, or self-government.
Although he is considered a critic of the American political tradition,
the slow destruction of the Framers’ constitution makes his insight
more important than ever. In an age where “the people’s” influence
on American politics is more direct, extensive and immediate than
it has ever been on the nation’s politics, the need for citizens
with the skill, knowledge and virtue necessary for self-government
is undeniable.
This term we will explore
the “four pillars” that Tocqueville said sustained self-government.
These pillars are either directly or indirectly related to state
and local government, and each was essential for developing public-spirited
citizens. Understanding how these pillars functioned in the early
years of the republic and assessing their strength today is the
primary purpose of this course.
It is important to note
that this IS NOT a course on Pennsylvania government and
politics. Rather, it is a course that will help you to make sense
of all state and local governments and politics in the United
States.
Required Course
Materials
Books: Dennis
L. Dresang and James J. Gosling, Politics and Policy in American
States and Communities . Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2005.
Supplemental Readings:
Over the course of the term you will be required
to read a number of short academic articles, selections from books
and commentaries relevant to the course. These readings are listed
below and have been placed on traditional and/or electronic reserve
in the library.
_____, “Introduction.”
The Four Pillars of Democracy: State and Local Government in
Context . Unpublished manuscript.
Crevecoeur, Hector St.
John de., “What Is An American.” Letters From an American
Farmer . New York : E.P.
Dutton & Co., Inc. 1912. pp. 39-86.
Dionne, EJ. “In Search
of George W.” Washington Post Magazine . September 19,
1999. pp. 217-227.
Elazar, Daniel J. The American
Mosaic: The Impact of Space, Time and Culture on
American Politics . Boulder
, CO : Westview Press. pp. 229-257.
Garreau, Joel. Edge City
: Life on the New Frontier . New York : Doubleday. 1991. pp.
xviii-xxiii and 261-302.
Garreau, Joel. Nine Nations
of North America . New York : Houghton-Mifflin. 1981.
pp.1-12.
Gerston, Larry N. and Terry
Christensen. Recall: California ’s Political Earthquake .
New York : ME Sharpe, Inc.
2004. pp. 3-25.
Gillham, Oliver. The Limtless
City : A Primer on the Urban Sprawl Debate. Washington ,
DC: Island Press. 2002.
pp. 143-152.
Holbrook, Thomas M. and
Emily Van Dunk. “Electoral Competition in the American
States.” The Lanahan Readings
in State and Local Government: Diversity, Innovation and Rejuvenation
. Baltimore , MD : Lanahan Publishers,
Inc. 2001. pp. 170-85.
Kincaid, John. “The Devolution
Tortoise and Centralization Hare.” New England Economic
Review . Boston , MA : Federal Reserve Bank of Boston . (May/June
2002) . Pp. 13-29.
Lynd, Robert S. and Helen
Merrell Lynd. Middletown : A Study in American Culture.
New York : Harcourt, Brace
and Company. 1929. pp. 413-34.
Kunstler, James Howard.
Geography of Nowhere: Rise and Decline of America’s Man-
Made Landscape . New York
: Free Press. 1994. pp. 85-112.
Mahtesian, Charles. “The
Sick Legislature Syndrome.” Governing . February, 1997. pp.
16-20.
Plunkitt, George Washington.
“Honest and Dishonest Graft.” Plunkitt of Tammany Hall:
A Series of Very Plain
Talks on Very Practical Politics . New York : Penguin Putnam,
Inc. 1995. 3-6.
Putman, Robert D. Bowling
Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community .
New York : Simon and Schuster.
2000. pp. 108-17.
Rice, Tom W. and Alexander
F. Sumberg. “Civic Culture and Government Performance
In the American States.”
The Lanahan Readings in State and Local Government:
Diversity, Innovation and
Rejuvenation . Baltimore , MD : Lanahan Publishers,
Inc. 2001. pp. 112-127.
Tocqueville, Alexis de.
Democracy in America . Richard D. Heffner, Ed. New York :
Penguin Books. 1956. pp.
39-48 and 58-72.
Thomas, Clive and Ronald
J. Hrebenar. “Interest Group Power in the Fifty States: Trends
Trends Since the Late 1970s.”
Comparative State Politics . August 1999. pp. 3-
16.
Expectations, Assignments
and Grading
Teaching Methods:
This course is an interesting mixture–a
lecture course in which participation and discussion is not only
encouraged but is expected. I look forward to intelligent questions
and lively debates. Be sure to complete the assigned reading before
each class otherwise you will be unable to take effective notes
and to enter into the discussions. While lectures will cover the
general topics specified in the “schedule” they are meant complement–not
repeat–the assigned readings. Therefore, attendance is critical.
Attendance: Class
attendance is required. Learning is an active process, and it
is simply impossible for you to participate if you are not here.
I am not sympathetic to those who complain that the parking lots
were full. You are allowed two absences this semester–your third
will result in a reduction in total points for the course.
Tardiness: When
you make an appointment with a friend, you expect him or her to
be on time. Your employer, too, depends on you to arrive promptly
each day. Likewise, I plan to start class on time and expect that
you will be there. Occasionally you may find it necessary to be
late. In that case, I would certainly prefer that you come after
class begins rather than miss the entire hour. However, tardiness
should never develop into a pattern.
Exams: This
term you will be required to take two examinations. The exams
will be comprised of short answer and essay questions. They will
be administered on the dates specified in the “schedule” section
of the syllabus. There will be no make-up examinations
except under extraordinary, documented circumstances.
Mapping Exercise:
This term you will be required to complete
mapping assignment. This entails creating a sociological map of
the greater Erie area, where you will be required to pay particular
attention to urban development and decline, the socio-economic status
of neighborhoods and a variety of other important characteristics
of urban life. The assignment will be distributed at a later date
(Due October 4) .
Paper: This
term you will be required to write a term paper. The paper’s format
and other details will be provided in a term paper supplement administered
in the coming weeks. The due dates for the various stages of your
papers are as follows:
Sept. 29: Topic,
Outline and Bibliography
Oct. 25: Rough
Draft (not required, but strongly suggested)
Nov. 10: Final
Draft
Grading: There
are 425 points possible in this class. The exams are worth a maximum
of 300 points (150 points each). The term paper is worth a maximum
of 100 points. The mapping exercise is worth a maximum of 25 points.
A: 100-90% B+:
89-87% B: 86-80% C+: 79-77%
C: 76-70% D+:
69-67% D: 66-60% F: 59 and below
Academic Honesty
Page 19 of the 2005-06 catalog states: “Students
are expected to contribute actively to the development of an atmosphere
of academic integrity. Mercyhurst College assumes, therefore, that
students will not resort to plagiarism or any other form of academic
dishonesty. Students found guilty of willful academic dishonesty
will automatically receive a grade of F in the course. Students
may be referred to the Dean and are subject to possible disciplinary
action in unusually serious cases. Any Student found to be in collaboration
with another student involved in academic dishonesty is also subject
to disciplinary action. Disciplinary action may be appealed to the
Academic Policies Committee for final disposition.” This policy
will be strictly enforced.
Schedule*
Date
PILLAR 1: PLACE
AND PEOPLE
Sept. 1 Introduction:
Citizenship in the United States
Sept. 6 Alexis
de Tocqueville and Democracy in America
Reading: Dresang
and Gosling, Chapter 1
The Four Pillars of
Democracy: State and Local Government in Context
Sept. 8 The
Place in Which We Live
Reading: J.
Hector St. John de Crevecoeur, Letters from an American Farmer
Joel Garreau, Nine
Nations of North America
Sept. 13 The
Place in Which We Live
Reading: Joel
Garreau, Edge City
Gillham, Oliver. The
Limtless City: A Primer on the Urban Sprawl Debate
James Howard Kuntsler,
Geography of Nowhere
Sept. 15 Erie
Mapping Exercise
Sept. 20 The
People of the United States
Reading : Alexis
de Tocqueville, The Origins of the Anglo Americans
Daniel J. Elazar,
Political Subcultures of the United StatesTom W. Rice and
Alexander F. Sumberg, Civic Culture and Government Performance in
the American States
PILLAR 2: INDEPENDENCE
AND CENTRALIZATION
Sept. 22 Federalism
and the Independence - Centralization Dilemma
Reading Dresang
and Gosling, Chapter 2
Federalist 39
John Kincaid, The Devolution
Tortoise and Centralization Hare
Sept. 27 State
Constitutions
Reading: Dresang
and Gosling, Chapter 4
Sept. 29 Governors
Reading: Dresang
and Gosling, Chapter 9
E.J. Dionne, Jr., In
Search of George W.
Oct. 4 Legislatures
Reading: Dresang
and Gosling, Chapter 10
Charles
Mahtesian, The Sick Legislature Syndrome
Oct. 6 Exam
I
PILLAR 3: FREE
GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS
Oct. 11 Local
Government: Charters and Structure
Reading: Dresang
and Gosling, Chapter 11
Alexis de Tocqueville
Oct. 18 The
Machines and Progressivism
Reading: George
Washington Plunkitt, Honest and Dishonest Graft
Oct. 20 Direct
Democracy
Reading: Larry
N. Gerston and Terry Christensen, Recall
Oct. 25 Community
Power
Reading: Peter
Bachrach and Morton Baratz, Two Faces of Power
Robert and Helen Lynd,
Middletown
PILLAR 4: ASSOCIATION
Oct. 27 Film:
Store Wars (assignment to be announced)
Nov. 1 Non-Political
Association
Reading: Dresang
and Gosling, Chapter 6
Robert D. Putnam, Thinking
about Social Change in America
Nov. 3 Interest
Groups
Reading: Dresang
and Gosling, Chapter 7
Clive S. Thomas and
Ronald J. Hrebenar, Interest Group Power in the Fifty States: Trends
Since the Late 1970s
Nov. 8 Political
Parties
Reading: Dresang
and Gosling, Chapter 8
Thomas M. Holbroook
and Emily Van Dunk, Electoral Competition in the American States
DESPOTISM IN THE
UNITED STATES
Nov. 10 The
Condition of State and Local Governments Today
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