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PS 240: Voting and Elections Fall Trimester 2006 Instructor: Randall D. Smith Office: GDH 211B E-mail: rdsmith@knox.edu Office Phone: (309) 341-7380 Webpage: http://www.oocities.org/randall_d_smith Description: This course seeks to provide an understanding of the American electoral process and will familiarize students with the theories, issues and related underpinnings of voting and elections in the United States. We will utilize ideas from seminal works in the field to explore the current electoral climate. PS 240 contains a two-fold purpose. First, it serves as a foundation to understanding how American politicians attain national office. Second, it provides students with an opportunity to utilize what they have learned in predicting the outcome of a current Senatorial race. After examining requisite candidate qualifications, the “whos, hows and whys” of voting, we will then analyze the congressional and presidential electoral process. The course begins with an introduction to theoretical conceptions of candidates and voters. This includes institutions governing entry, and the behavior of players within the game. Then, this course explores the electoral restraints and behavior of politicians during congressional and presidential campaigns and elections. Finally, the principal project allows students to apply what they have learned by predicting the outcome of a contemporary Senate campaign. A better understanding of the American electoral process emerges through student application of the theoretical conceptions learned in the attempt not only to name the winner, but to explain why the Senator won. Texts: Jacobson, Gary C.. 2004. The Politics of Congressional Elections (6th Edition). Longman. New York. ISBN: 0-321-10040-9. Polsby, Nelson W. and Aaron Wildavsky. 2004. Presidential Elections: Strategies and Structures of American Politics (11th Edition). Rowman & Littlefield. Lanham, MD. ISBN: 0-7425-3015-9. Various items placed on reserve in the Seymour (Knox College) Library and/or available via the web at JSTOR (available free through the Library). Objectives and Outcomes: 1. To acquaint students with the major theoretical conceptions concerning American national campaigns and elections. 2. To increase understanding of American candidates for national office and voters. 3. To provide both general and office specific knowledge of the role played by institutions and behavior in the American electoral process. 4. To impart to students the background necessary for making informed judgments about current political campaigns. 5. To offer students the opportunity to apply this knowledge. 6. To encourage students to participate actively as global citizens. 7. To teach students about the impact of campaigning on personal decision mechanisms. 8. To familiarize students with classic and contemporary research in the field. 9. To provide students an historical background of American campaigns and elections. 10. To offer knowledge of how our government differs from, or appears similar to that of other countries. Course Methodology: This course utilizes several different teaching techniques to explain the substantive material: 1. Lecture Session – The instructor shares his knowledge, thoughts, and ideas with you on the various topics, books, and articles. He welcomes your input on this material. 2. Discussion Session – This portion of the course provides students a chance to voice their opinion about international relations in a free and open manner, which comprises the participation portion of the students’ grades. 3. Audio-Visual Aids – The instructor utilizes items such as the overhead projector, maps, films, videotapes, computers, musical recordings and other items where appropriate. Examinations and Grading: Your performance determines your course grade in the following manner: 100 points possible = Exam I 100 points possible = Exam II 100 points possible = Exam III 500 points possible = Papers 100 points possible = Final Exam 100 points possible = Participation 1000 points possible = Total Exam Grades: This course involves a total of three (3) non-cumulative examinations and one (1) cumulative final exam. Each exam covers the textbook readings, the classroom lectures, and class discussions. All exams are closed book, closed note. Papers Grade: This class also requires students to write papers. These are essentially different aspects of the same assignment. You will find further information regarding these papers attached to this syllabus. The 500 points for papers are further sub-divided in this manner: 100 points = Background Paper, 100 points = Rough Draft, 200 points = Final Paper, 100 points = In-Class Presentation. Participation Grade: The determination of the participation portion of your grade first involves attendance. The necessity of attending every class session thus reflects in this portion of your grade. This participation portion also involves your active contribution to class discussions. Class participation provides the opportunity of receiving an “A” in this course. Therefore, I establish some guidelines for discussion. Concern your comments with the topics of voting and elections. An open manner conducts this discussion. Feel free to disagree with me, the readings, the institutions and campaigns discussed, and with your classmates. However, this discussion reflects the collegiate atmosphere in that it unfolds in an intelligent manner and you must support your opinion with facts (that may mean research). Interruption, use of slurs and making fun of other students encounters strict prohibition. |
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PS 240: Voting and Elections Fall Trimester 2006 |
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| All work requires standard grammatical English and prompt attention to due dates. I cannot grade what I cannot read. If I cannot read an assignment I ask you once to rewrite it, and after that first warning you either receive a reduced grade or no credit. Cheating and plagiarism also encounter strict prohibition and require that I deal with them according to Knox College policy and procedure. |
| Course and Topic Outline:
PART I: CANDIDATES AND VOTERS Thursday 9/07/06 First day of classes (Introduction) Monday 9/11/06 The Game and Drafting Players (Politics that is…) Read: Graber, Doris A.. 1997. Mass Media and American Politics. CQ Press. Washington, DC. Chapter 8 (pp 228-268). ON RESERVE Wednesday 9/13/06 Hey Good Lookin’, What You Got Cookin’?: Appearance and Getting the Message Out Read: Wittman, Donald. 1995. The Myth of Democratic Failure: Why Political Institutions Are Efficient. University of Chicago Press. Chicago. Chapter 2 (pp 9-19). ON RESERVE. And, Rosenstone. Steven J. and John Mark Hansen. 2003. Mobilization, Participation, and Democracy in America. Longman. New York. Chapter 2 (pp. 10-37). ON RESERVE. Friday 9/15/06 Who Shows up and Why?: Turnout Read: Rosenstone. Steven J. and John Mark Hansen. 2003. Mobilization, Participation, and Democracy in America. Longman. New York. Chapters 7 & 8 (pp. 211-248). ON RESERVE. Monday 9/18/06 Who Shows up and Why?: Turnout Continued Research: Who will you choose for your paper? Wednesday 9/20/06 Homo Economicus & The Thickness of a Voter’s Billfold Read: Lewis-Beck, Michael S. 2006. Does Economics Still Matter? Econometrics and the Vote. The Journal of Politics. 68:1. pp 208-212. JSTOR and ON RESERVE. Friday 9/22/06 Opinions Are Like … Read: Key, V.O. Jr.. 1960. Interrelations of Opinions. In Raymond E. Wolfinger (ed.). 1966. Readings in American Political Behavior. Prentice-Hall. Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Chapter 18 (pp. 287-309). ON RESERVE. Monday 9/25/06 Is it All Just About Big Parties? (Politics, not college) Read: Aldrich, John H.. 1995. Why Parties: The Origin and Transformation of Political Parties in America. University of Chicago Press. Chicago. Chapter 6 (pp. 163-193). ON RESERVE. BACKGROUND PAPER DUE Wednesday 9/27/06 Questioning What We’ve Learned? Read: Parenti, Michael. 1988. Democracy for the Few. St. Martin’s Press. New York. Chapter 10 (pp. 172-195). ON RESERVE . Friday 9/29/06 EXAM I PART II: THE CONGRESS Monday 10/2/06 Rules of The Game: SMDP and the Whole Ball of Wax Read: Jacobson, Chapters 1 & 2. Wednesday 10/4/06 The Players: Runnin’ for Congress Read: Jacobson, Chapter 3. Friday 10/6/06 Campaigns and Money Read: Jacobson, Chapter 4, AND Rundquist, Barry, et. al.. 2001. The Illinois Tenth Congressional District: The Role of Soft Money. In David B. Magleby (ed.). Election Advocacy: Soft Money and Issue Advocacy in the 2000 Congressional Elections. Center for the Study of Eelections and Democracy at Brigham Young University. Provo, UT. (pp. 161-172). ON RESERVE. Monday 10/9/06 I Know The President Isn’t Up For Election, But We’d Still Like to See You At the Polls! Read: Jacobson, Chapter 5. Wednesday 10/11/06 Offend Few, Please Many: Product Placement Read: Jacobson, Chapter 6. Friday 10/13/06 Get ‘R Done: The Importance of Swine for Congress Read: Jacobson, Chapter 7. Monday 10/16/06 EXAM II Wednesday 10/18/06 Fall Institute = No Class PART III: THE PRESIDENT Friday 10/20/06 Rules of the Game: A College Unlike Any Other Read: Polsby and Wildavsky, Chapter 3. Monday 10/23/06 The Players: So You Want To Be Leader of the Free World, Huh? Read: Polsby and Wildavsky, Chapter 4. Wednesday 10/25/06 Of Course I’m Going to the Polls, the President is Up For Election! Read: Polsby and Wildavsky, Chapter 1. Friday 10/27/06 What Are Your Interests?: Not a Dating Question, But the Possibility of Pluralism. Read: Polsby and Wildavsky, Chapter 2. AND, Campbell, David E.. 2006. Religious “Threat” in Contemporary Presidential Elections. The Journal of Politics. 68:1. pp 104-115. JSTOR and ON RESERVE. ROUGH DRAFT DUE Monday 10/30/06 Offend No One, Please Everyone: The Rush for the Middle Read: Polsby and Wildavsky, Chapter 5. Wednesday 11/1/06 An Indictment: Debating Change of the System Read: Polsby and Wildavsky, Chapter 6. Friday 11/3/06 Looking for a New Party?: Putting the Presidency into a Democratic Perspective Read: Polsby and Wildavsky, Chapter 7. Monday 11/6/06 EXAM III & “Scenes from a Hat” PART IV: HARD CORE SCIENCE vs. MAGIC EIGHT-BALL Tuesday 11/7/06 (Election Day) FINAL PAPER DUE Wednesday 11/8/06 (Day after Election Day) IN-CLASS PRESENTATIONS Friday 11/10/06 IN-CLASS PRESENTATIONS Monday 11/13/06 (Last Day of Class) IN-CLASS PRESENTATIONS Wednesday 11/15/06 Reading Day = No Class Thursday 11/16/06 – Saturday 11/18/06 (Final Examination Period) |
| Preparation for the Final:
During PART IV of the class you should also be considering what we have learned this semester. Can you place it into a larger political context? How can this help you understand politics? What happens next? Will we see any big changes in the future? The following readings will help you prepare for the Final Exam: Goddard, Taegan D. and Christopher Riback. 1998. You Won – Now What?: How Americans Can Make Democracy Work from City Hall to the White House. Simon and Schuster. New York. Chapter 1 (pp. 21-32). ON RESERVE. Kleppner, Paul. Critical Realignments and Electoral Systems. In Paul Kleppner (et. al.). 1981. The Evolution of American Electoral Systems. Greenwood Press. Westport, CT. Chapter 1 (pp. 2-32). ON RESERVE. |
| This syllabus remains subject to change at the instructor’s discretion, without prior notice.
Students with disabilities who require accommodations for access and participation in this course must be registered with the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). Please contact CTL at (309) 341-7151. Please also inform the instructor so that appropriate accommodations may be made. |