AMERICAN GOVERNMENT GVPT 170 Section 0101 Summer Session I 2006 1108 Tydings Hall 9am 12 20pm MW Instructor John T Bullock Office Hours by appointment Office Phone 301 405 0000 Office 5139 Tydings Hall Email jbullock gvpt umd edu GVPT 170 is an introduction to the foundations and workings of the American political system The main focus of the course is on the institutions and activities of the national government however references may be made to state local and foreign governments where appropriate Students from all professional and educational fields can make connections and find the importance of government and politics to their particular interests The course will be divided into four areas of substance and understanding Part I Foundations Constitutional framework the federal system civil liberties and civil rights will be detailed and explored in this part of the course How has economic power and influence become intertwined with political power in the United States What were the original intentions of the framers of the Constitution How is the American Federal System unique from any other system of democracy How have federalism civil liberties and civil rights changed and evolved over the years and how have the three branches of government contributed to these changes Part II Institutions The duties of the three branches of government will be examined in this part of the course Legislative Executive and Judicial The federal bureaucracy will also be examined as an essential institution What forces help to determine the balance of power among institutions How has the role of the presidency evolved and changed over the years Does the federal judiciary stay out of politics What does Congress actually do and how is it accomplished How does each institution shape policy and politics How did the foundations of the American system divide power and what are the realities of these institutions today Part III Politics The people influence the American government through various aspects of politics How do elections parties and interest groups affect American government Why have interest groups expanded their influence and what would the founding fathers think of this How has the rise of political action committees and interest groups changed American 1 politics How did the 2000 presidential election and the ensuing battle change the level of knowledge of American government and politics among the American people How is public opinion formulated and used in American politics What is the media s role in politics How do politics and campaigning differ in various communities Part IV Public Policy American public policy will be examined and divided into three parts economic policy social policy and foreign policy How are the different policies linked How do the different types of policies emerge and are the processes unique What is the American welfare state How have the recent changes and reforms altered the welfare state How has the end of the Cold War globalization and the information age influenced American policy How are domestic and foreign policy linked How are they different How do current events affect the various aspects of policy How does the American system of federalism affect the creation and implementation of public policy Themes and Questions There are certain themes and questions that will be consistent throughout the session How do the ideas of American government and politics differ from reality and implementation How do race socio economic status gender and other classifications factor into American politics Why are politics government and economics so closely related in the United States How are those relationships different than other countries Why do young Americans not vote Why should college students and other young Americans get interested and involved in politics and the workings of government TEXTS American Government 2006 Edition Lanahan Readings in the American Polity O Connor and Sabato Serow and Ladd The instructor may assign additional readings such as articles over the course of the session Grading Class meetings will focus attention on assigned readings as well as the ability of students to understand topics and make connections to real life issues Both attendance and meaningful participation are necessary for success in this course This is especially true due to the abbreviated nature of the summer session Students will be required to come to class with printouts of newspaper articles and discuss how they are related to the course material Participation and attendance will account for 10 of the final grade Students will also receive a total of 5 toward the final grade for bringing and discussing current event articles on the following dates Mon6 12 Mon6 19 Mon6 26 Mon7 3 Mon7 10 2 There will be two exams each covering half of the material Each exam will account for 25 of the final grade One exam will be a midterm and the other will be a final Each exam will consist of 50 multiple choice questions accounting for 50 of the exam grade The exams will also include an essay portion accounting for the additional 50 of the exam grade students will choose one of two essay questions A significant portion of the classes before exams will be dedicated to review and preparation students are encouraged to come in with extensive questions about the materials Exam 1 Wednesday June 21st Exam 2 Wednesday July 12th Students will need to write an opinion piece worth 10 of the grade This short paper will be in the style of an op ed article found in most newspapers Students must write a 23 page paper taking a position on a current issue relevant to American Government and Politics A one paragraph explanation of the topic is due for discussion in class on Monday June 26th The opinion piece is due on Wednesday June 28th Finally students will be expected to write a 10 12 page research report This will be worth 25 of the final grade Topics must relate to the course and must be approved by the instructor Select a topic narrow enough to expound on in no more than 10 pages Topics should also be broad enough to make for at least a complete seven page paper MLA endnotes will be expected and a works cited page will be required Plagiarism will not be tolerated see UMD s honor code The research papers will be due the second to last week of the session Precise paper guidelines will be distributed once the session begins Please inform the instructor of any special needs during the first