I.
Locator Information
Telephone:
486-1573 Alt.
Phone: 486-1247 (Ms. Smith)
Office hours: TR 9:30-11 a.m., MW 1 p.m.-3 p.m., TW 5:30-6 p.m.
class
website http://spacer.uncfsu.edu/f_dowdle/index.htm Email: adowdle@uncfsu.edu
II. Course Description:
Political Science 620 will examine the political and governmental structures, decision-making processes, cultural backgrounds, and ideological differences within several European nations. Special emphasis will be placed on comparisons of different political regions. This course 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. Textbooks:
Curtis, Michael et al. 1997. Western
European Government and Politics.
(Addison-Wesley, New
York).
Gallagher, Michael Michael Laver, and Peter Mair. 2001. Representative Government in Modern Europe. (McGraw Hill, Boston).
IV. Course Objectives:
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
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 four components. Students will have
an in-class midterm and final. The third assignment requires that students
research a subject approved by the instructor and write a typed research paper
(15-20 pages long). Fourth, students
will be required to lead either one or two class discussions.
VIII. Teaching Strategies
Student
presentations and class discussions will be the chief means of instruction.
IX: Course Schedule
(tentative):
WEEK
I: Introduction
WEEK
II: The Comparative Context
Curtis
et al. - Chp. One and Gallagher et al. – Chp. One
WEEK
III: The United Kingdom
Curtis
et al. - Chp. Two
WEEK
IV: France
Curtis
et al. - Chp. Three
WEEK
V: Germany
Curtis
et al. - Chp. Four
WEEK
VI: Italy
Read
Curtis et al. - Chp.Five
WEEK
VII: Midterm Examination
WEEK VIII: Constitutions, Court, and Executives
Gallagher
et al. – Chps. Two and Three
WEEK
IX: Spring Break
WEEK
XI: Parties
Gallagher
et al. – Chps Seven and Eight.
WEEK
XII: Parties (continued)
Gallagher et al. – Chp. Nine and Ten
WEEK
XIII: Elections
WEEK XIV: Coalition Formation and Interest Group Politics
Gallagher
et al. – Chps. Twelve
and Fourteen
WEEK
XV: The European Union
Gallagher
et al. – Chp. Six
WEEK
XVI: Review for Final and Papers Due
WEEK
XVII: Final Examination
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 : Analysing
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