I.
Locator Information
Telephone:
672-1247 Alt.
Phone: 672-1573
Office hours: TR 9:30-11 a.m., MW 1 p.m.-3 p.m., MW 5:30-6 p.m.
class
website http://spacer.uncfsu.edu/f_dowdle/index.htm Email: adowdle@uncfsu.edu
II. Course Description:
A comparative analysis of the organization, functioning, and process of governments and politics in the Soviet Union and selected European countries. This course is designed to introduce students to the theories and methods of political analysis by applying them to the principal case of various European political systems. This class should prepare students not only for their role as political consumers but also as politically active citizens and leaders.
Political Science 351 is also intended to introduce
students to comparative political analysis by examining the ways politics is
conducted in other societies and cultures. Students should not only learn the
"facts" about a particular political system but also develop the
basic skills (empirical and normative, quantitative and qualitative) of
political inquiry. They should also learn to appreciate the complexity and
contextual boundedness of political issues and how to engage with seriousness
and civility in dialogues and debates. In sum, the course has the objectives of
informing students about the natures, functions, formation and change of
political beliefs, behavior, institutions, and policies; of engaging students
in systematic analysis and discussion of political events; and of interesting
in their political world as active citizens and potential leaders.
III. Textbook:
Mark
Kesselman et al. European Politics in
Transition, third edition. (Boston:Houghton Miflin, 1997). Website:
http://college.hmco.com/polisci/kesselman_et_al/euro_pol/4e/students/
IV. Course Objectives:
In accordance with the University's Teacher Education
Conceptual Framework (which is an accord with INCATE standards), upon
completion of this course, the prospective facilitator of learning will:
Knowledge
- demonstrate an
understanding of the subject matter, how it
relates to other disciplines,
and to their lives.
- demonstrate in-depth
knowledge of the social studies content that they plan to teach.
Technology
- apply new
technologies to teaching, learning, and research.
Reflection
- reflect
upon his/her political science knowledge and usage, and make improvements
as needed,
and will demonstrate a commitment to
ongoing professional
Additionally on completion of this course students
should be able to demonstrate their knowledge of the principles of American
democracy by their ability to:
1. Students should be able
to define the nation-state and identify its importance in European politics.
2. Students should be able to define what a democracy is and measure how
well nations live up to democratic ideals .
3. Students should be able
to compare and contrast governmental structures of major European states.
4. Students should be able
to compare and contrast the various political actors and institutions in the
major European states.
5. Students should be able
to compare and contrast economic policies of major European states.
6. Students should be able
to compare and contrast pre-1945 and post-1945 European politics. Student
should be able to explain how international organizations are having a
significant impact in European politics.
7. Students should have an
understanding of the history of European integration and the controversies
involved in the process.
8. Students should be able to identify major European Union institutions and discuss their basic functions.
V. Competencies Related to
Accreditation
This
course addresses the following competencies specified by the North Carolina Department
of Public Instruction:
6.1
Describe current issues in historical perspective.
8.1
Understand the structure and functions of political systems.
8.2
Compare and contrast different forms of government.
8.3
Evaluate the effectiveness of different political systems in dealing with
economic and
social issues.
This
course also addresses the following INSTAC standards as they relate to the teaching
of political science:
Standard
1: Content Knowledge
This
course also addresses the following National Council for the Social Studies Standards:
Students
should be able to:
ask
learners to identify and describe significant historical periods and patterns
of change within and across cultures, such as the development of ancient
cultures and civilizations, the rise of nation-states, and social, economic,
and political revolutions (NCSS 1.2.3);
guide
learners as they examine the interactions of ethnic, national, or cultural
influences in specific situations or events (NCSS, 1.4.5);
ask learners to describe and examine belief systems basic to specific traditions and laws in contemporary and historical movements (NCSS, 1.5.2);
help
students to explain the purpose of government and how its powers are acquired,
used, and justified (NCSS, 1.6.2);
ask
learners to describe the way nations and organizations respond to forces of
unity and diversity affecting order and security (NCSS, 1.6.4);
help
learners to explain conditions and motivations that contribute to conflict,
cooperation, and
interdependence
among groups, societies, and nations (NCSS, 1.9.2);
guide
learner analysis of the relationships and tensions between national sovereignty
and global interests in such matters as territorial disputes, economic development,
nuclear and other weapons deployment, use of natural resources, and human
rights concerns (NCSS, 1.9.5):
help
learners to describe and evaluate the role of international and multinational
organizations in the global arena; (NCSS, 1.9.7);
Assist
learners in developing an understanding of civic life, politics, and
government, so that the learners can explore the origins of governmental
authority, recognize the need for government, identify the crucial functions of
government, including laws and rules (NCSS, 2.3.1);
Evaluate
rules and laws; differentiate between limited and unlimited government; and
appreciate the importance of limitations on governmental power (NCSS, 2.3.2);
VI. Evaluation Criteria:
Midterm
35%
Final
35%
Research
Paper 20%
Class
Presentation 10%
A
92-100
B
83-91
C
73-82
D
64-72
F
63 or less
VII. Course Requirements
The
final grade for this class will be based on three components. Students will
have an inclass midterm and final. The third assignment requires that students
research a subject approved by the instructor, write a typed research paper
(8-10 pages long), and present their research to the class at the end of the
semester. The presentation should be ten-fifteen minutes in length.
VIII: Course Schedule
(tentative):
WEEK
I: Introduction
Read
Introduction.
WEEK
II: The United Kingdom
Read
Chapters 6-7
WEEK
III: The U.K. (continued)
Read
Chapters 8-9
WEEK
IV: The U.K. (continued)
Read
Chapter 10
WEEK
V: France
Read
Chapters 11-12
WEEK
VI: France (continued)
Read
Chapters 13-14
WEEK
VII: France (continued)
Read
Chapter 15
Thursday-
Midterm Examination
WEEK
VIII: Germany
Read
Chapters 16-17
WEEK
IX: Spring Break
WEEK
X: Germany (continued)
Read
Chapters 18-20
WEEK
XI: Italy
Read
Chapters 21-22
WEEK
XII: Italy (continued)
Read
Chapters 23-25
WEEK
XIII and XIV: European Union
Read
Chapter 1-5
WEEK
XV: Presentations
Papers
due Monday
WEEK
XVI: Presentations and Review for Final Examination
WEEK
XVII: Final Examination
IX. Teaching Strategies
The
instructor will lecture weeks I through XIV, and student presentations will be
used in weeks XV and XVI.
X. Bibliography
Books
Budge,
Ian. Parties and Democracy: Coalition
Formation and Government Functioning in Twenty States. (Oxford University:
Oxford, 1990).
Carpenter,
Ted Galen. Nato's Empty Victory.
(Cato Institute: Washington, D.C., 2000).
Cook,
Malcolm and Grace Davie. Modern France:
Society in Transition. (Routledge, London, 1999).
Dawisha,
Karen and Bruce Parrott. The
Consolidation of Democracy in East-Central Europe. (Cambridge University: Cambridge, UK, 1997).
Hewlett,
Nick. Modern French Politics : Analyzing
Conflict and Consensus Since 1945. (Polity Press: Cambridge, U.K., 1998).
Hoffman,
John. Beyond the State. (Polity Press:
Cambridge, U.K., 1995).
Kavanagh,
Dennis. The Reordering of British
Politics: Politics after Thatcher. (Oxford University Press: Oxford, 1997).
Kramer,
Mark. The Collapse of the Soviet Union.
(Westview Press: Boulder, Co, 2000).
Merkl,
Peter H. The Federal Republic of Germany
at Fifty: The End of a Century of Turmoil. (NewYork University Press: New
York, 1999).
Partridge,
Hilary. Italian Politics Today. (St.
Martin's Press: New York, 1998).
Redmond,
John and Glenda G. Rosenthal The Expanding European Union: Past, Present,
Future. (Lynne Rienner Publishers, Boulder, CO.1998).
Rose,
Richard et al. How Russia Votes.
(Chatham House, Chatham, NJ, 1997).
Rubin,
Barnett and Jack Snyder. Post-Soviet
Political Order. (Routledge: London, 1998).
Shelley,
Louise. Policing Soviet Society.
(Routledge: London, 1996).
Shleifer,
Andrei and Daniel Treisman. Without a
Map: Political and Tactics and Economic Reform in Russia. (MIT Press,
Boston, 2000).
Solnick,
Steven. Stealing the State. (Harvard
University: Cambridge, MA, 1998).
Sperling,
Valerie. Building the Russian State. (Westview
Press: Bolder, Co., 2000).
Yeltsin,
Boris. The Struggle for Russia.
(Times Books: New York, 1995).
Periodicals
and Newspapers
Comparative Politics
The Economist
European Economic Review
The Journal of Common Market
Studies
Post-Soviet Affairs
Problems of Communism
Soviet Studies
Western European Studies