The Pennsylvania State University Departments of Political Science and Sociology PLSC 497B Protest, Social Movements, and Public Policy: A Research Seminar Professors Frank Baumgartner and John McCarthy Spring 2008 M, W 6:30-7:45pm, 268 Willard Frank R. Baumgartner John D. McCarthy 227 Pond Building 912 Oswald Tower phone: 863 8978 phone: 863 8260 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] Office hours: M, W 3:00-4:00 and appt Office hours: by appt. Note: Baumgartner is the instructor of record in this class, but McCarthy will also participate as much as possible. This course is designed for students interested in exploring methods of research in the social sciences. We will explore particular aspects of how social movements emerge, why some issues become the objects of concern and action in public policy, and how public policies change over time in response to social forces of many kinds. Mostly, the focus will be on teaching you how to do hands-on, original research projects. In this sense the methods that you learn about how to do research will be just as important as the substance of what you learn about any particular areas of public policy. In fact, we will put more emphasis on teaching research skills. Given the hands-on focus of the class, participation and intellectual engagement are fundamental. While the assigned readings are not particularly onerous, we have high expectations about the time and effort each student will spend on their research projects. Compared to other courses, this will be relatively time consuming and we will expect your final projects to be highly professional. Of course, we’ll also teach you how to reach those standards, but be prepared for work. Consider the following public policy issues / social movements: Climate Change Nuclear Power Women’s Rights Drunk Driving Smoking Gambling Pornography / censorship Mandatory sentencing / 3 strikes laws Racial profiling Health Care / Insurance Availability Agricultural Subsidies Free Trade / Globalization Minimum wage Labor rights Social Security Contraception / Family Planning Underaged drinking / binge drinking Illegal / illicit drug use Gun controlBaumgartner and McCarthy Spring 08 Syllabus 2 Start thinking right away about what of those issues interest you particularly. Early in the semester, we will divide into of groups of 4 or 5 students each, and each group will do coordinated research into one of these issues. Don’t worry, this is not a standard group project. Rather, each of you will work on a separate part of the project, but you will coordinate your efforts. Over the semester you will each do original research into the history and development of social movements, organizations, media coverage, or public policy toward the issue you have chosen or been assigned. Together with others working on the same issue, you will make presentations in class. In addition, each of you will write a separate and independent term paper focusing on your part of the group project (say, just the media coverage part, for example) and comparing it to another public policy issue or issues. Thus, you’ll actually end up doing focused research on two different issues, not just one. You’ll also have other detailed assignments requiring you to get familiar with various resources for research on any public policy. Readings will focus on articles from the recent professional literature on the growth of interest groups and SMOs as well as on theories and indicators of policy change over time. In addition, we’ll read about research methods. We’ll also do overviews of a number of data resources including the Policy Agendas Project (www.policyagendas.org), the historical record of the New York Times available on-line, Associations Unlimited, Lexis-Nexis electronic bibliographic resources, and other data resources. Often, we’ll have assignments related to those projects. Since each student will be researching a different topic, but using similar methodologies during the term, there is a premium upon students helping one another. Class discussions will provide a time to explain your own research projects as well as to get feedback from others. By the same token, helping other students in their research projects, through constructive criticisms and suggestions is an integral part of the class. Accordingly, when one student makes a presentation to the class, the other students should be ready to give feedback and help. This is not a class in which to sit quietly. Assignments will be as follows: 20% Class participation 20% Small assignments / homework based on the different data sources 30% Your contribution to a group-based presentation about a given issue 30% Term Paper comparing the issue from your group project to another of your choice 100% total There are no required textbooks for purchase. The course web site, available through Baumgartner’s home page (http://www.personal.psu.edu/frb1/teachingmaterials.htm) will contain links to all the relevant articles, web sites, and data sources. Any papers not available on the web site will be distributed in class.Baumgartner and McCarthy Spring 08 Syllabus 3The following information comes from the Political Science Department. We encourage you to ask questions about any parts of it that are not clear. Academic Dishonesty1 The Departments of Political Science and Sociology, along with the College of the Liberal Arts and the University, take violations of academic dishonesty seriously. Observing basic honesty in one's work, words, ideas, and actions is a principle to which all members of the community are required to subscribe. All course work by students is to be done on an individual basis unless an instructor clearly states that an alternative is acceptable. Any reference materials used in the preparation of any assignment must be explicitly cited. In an examination setting, unless the instructor gives explicit prior instructions to the contrary, whether the examination is in-class or take-home, violations of academic integrity shall consist of any attempt to receive assistance from written or printed aids, or from any person or papers or electronic devices, or of any attempt to give assistance, whether the one so doing has completed his or her own work or not. Other violations include, but are not limited to, any attempt to gain an unfair advantage in regard to an examination, such as tampering with a graded