American Government: Processes and Policies

Summer II, 2014 MTWR 8a-9.50a

PSCI 1050.001

AMERICAN GOVERNMENT: PROCESSES AND POLICIES

Classroom: Wooten Hall 122 Instructor: Timothy Haglund Office: Wooten Hall 127 : MTWR, 10a-11a : 940.369.7380 : [email protected]

Department of Political Science University of North Texas "In this and like communities, public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed. Consequently he who molds public sentiment goes deeper than he who enacts statutes or pronounces decisions. He makes statutes and decisions possible or impossible to be executed."  Abraham Lincoln, The Lincoln–Douglas Debates: Debate #1 [Mr. Lincoln’s Reply]

Course Outline Our course aims for civic education through the study of the purposes of government in America. This semester, we will focus on American political culture, public opinion, participation, elections, and policymaking. We Americans value public opinion. But how do we translate opinion into law? Our fourth president and the main author of the Federalist Papers, James Madison, felt confident that America’s institutional design would “refine and enlarge the public views.” This is certainly a beautiful turn of phrase, but what did Madison mean by it? Was he right? And what about Lincoln’s words in the class epigraph above? Is the idea of someone—a leader?—who “molds” public opinion consistent or compatible with democratic governance? We’ll take up these and other equally important questions in our class discussions.

Teaching Assistant The teaching assistant (TA) is your main resource in this course. All TAs are graduate students in the political science department at UNT. If you have questions or concerns about this class, contact the TA either in person, by email, or by phone. In person meetings should be planned, if possible, around the TA’s office hours. These hours are listed below. TAs are also able to meet with you by appointment if schedules conflict. Name: : Office: :

Ben Xi [email protected] Wooten 337 MTWR, 10a-11a

I reserve the right to make reasonable changes to this syllabus as needed.

Purchased Readings Patterson, Thomas E., Sherri Mora, William Ruger, and Edward Mihalkanin, We the People, 10th edition. Custom PSCI 1050 Univ. of North Texas edition (McGraw-Hill) ISBN: 9781259147494 Cost: $97.50 new, $73.15 used (if available).

**Listed on “Scheduled Readings and Assignments” below as ‘We the People’** Alternative purchasing options: - Connect access: access to LearnSmart quizzes only. [Not recommended but allowed] Cost: $35.50 - Connect Plus access: Access to online We the People textbook and LearnSmart quizzes. Cost: $70.75 **See McGraw-Hill registration instructions on Blackboard for more about purchasing options.

Recommended Readings for Further Study Charnwood, Lord. Abraham Lincoln: A Biography (Madison Books) ISBN: 1568330677 Lawler, Peter A. Modern and American Dignity: Who We Are as Persons, and What That Means for Our Future (ISI Books) ISBN: 1935191896 Mansfield, Harvey C. America’s Constitutional Soul (Johns Hopkins) ISBN: 080184634X de Tocqueville, Alexis. Democracy in America. Trans. Harvey C. Mansfield and Delba Winthrop (Univ. of Chicago) ISBN: 0226805360 Zuckert, Michael. The Natural Rights Republic: Studies in the Foundation of the American Political Tradition (Univ. of Notre Dame) ISBN: 0268014876

Blackboard Online components of this course will be housed by Blackboard at https://learn.unt.edu/. Students should frequently check Blackboard for assignments and important messages. You will submit assignments through Blackboard and will subsequently find your grades posted there. Technical problems: Refer difficulties with Blackboard to the UIT Helpdesk at www.unt.edu/helpdesk/hours.htm. If you contact my TAs or me with technical issues, we may not be able to help. If the Helpdesk cannot solve your problem, please visit me.

Office Hours Feel free (not to say obliged) to visit my TAs or me during our office hours. No appointment is necessary for visits within those timeframes; we are at your service then. Otherwise, arrange an appointment with one of us at a mutually convenient hour. During my office hours I will also be available online through the Blackboard IM service.

I reserve the right to make reasonable changes to this syllabus as needed.

Communication Etiquette Use politeness and grammar in email communications with the instructor and teaching assistant. This rule does not merely “prepare” you for the so-called “real world.” The “world” we are in right now is the academy, and etiquette is simply part of being a cultured and thoughtful person in this world. Send email messages from your UNT account. We may not respond to messages from private addresses.

Useful Resources http://www.unt.edu/features/2013_studentsuccess/index.htm?homepage=1 www.teachingamericanhistory.org/ thomas.loc.gov/ www.texas.gov

-UNT Student Success homepage with helpful tips for new college students -Important American politics documents -Online Library of Congress -State of Texas website

Grading Policies Large classes like ours have students with varied learning styles. Because you know how you learn best, you may opt in to either an Exam Only Track or an Exams+ Track. The Exam Only Track calculates your grade solely on the basis of your three in-class exams. The Exams+ Track also calculates your grade based on your three exams, but includes LearnSmart quizzes and attendance. I recommend that you begin the class on the Exams+ Track, and switch to Exams Only Track if you are happy with your first few exam performances. You do not need to inform me or the TA of which Track you select. At the end of the semester, we will calculate your grade with a formula for BOTH Tracks and you will receive the grade under the Track you performed best in. *Claims related to grades must be raised within one week of their posting on Bb.

Grading Scale: A= 90-100 B=80-89 C=70-79 D=60-69 F=