University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

 

Political Science 84-225

State and Local Government

SYLLABUS

(Spring 2006; 11:30 am-1:00 pm; Nursing Ed 206)


Course Description

 

This course will focus on the roles of state and local governments in the American politics. It will also examine the degree to which various interests in American society are represented through organized groups at the sub-federal levels. More specifically, the course will discuss the structural element of the political system, it will provide a through scrutiny of the American federalism, the cultural influences of states, the functions of interest groups and political parties among states, the checks and balances in state governments, and finally city politics in the new political era. Through taking this course, students are expected to grasp the general knowledge of contemporary American political system at the state and local levels, and more importantly, develop the skills necessary to critically think political problems.

 

Instructor

 

Dr. Baodong Liu           Office: 420 Clow; Office Hours: T/Th 3:00-4:00 pm; Tel: 424 7162; liu@uwosh.edu; Course Homepage: http://www.uwosh.edu/faculty_staff/liu

Dr. Liu has a terminal degree in political science. His main research fields include urban and minority politics, state and local government, elections and research methods. Dr. Liu has adopted both quantitative and qualitative approaches in his research. He has published articles in professional journals such as the Social Science Quarterly, American Politics Research, Urban Affairs Review, American Review of Politics, Journal of Urban Affairs, Journal of Political Science, Political Behavior, and the Southeastern Political Review. His research has won several research awards from the American Political Science Association and the Southwestern Political Science Association.

 

Statement about Liberal Arts and Political Learning

 

This course is a political science course which should be taught and learned in the context of liberal arts education. The linkage between a democracy, which this course will spend most of the time to deal with, and liberal arts education is well-documented. In order to function as a democracy, the political institutions must have government officials that value fundamental values of freedoms and liberties, the citizenry must be equipped with critical minds and fair judgments. These are all based on a solid liberal arts educational system and tradition. At UWO, we, the faculty of liberal arts education, all share these fundamental beliefs. At the Department of Political Science, we emphasize these basic principles. This course, hence, will bring you once again these general ideas, moreover, it will challenge you in a unique way to embrace and enrich the well-being of democracy through liberal arts education.

 

Texts


Dye, Thomas R. and Susan A. MacManus. (2003). Politics in States and Communities. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

 

In addition to the reading assignments in the above cited texts, students will also be required to check the web pages of major interest groups, such as NOW, NAACP, NRA, Christian Coalition, on a regular basis.

 

Grade Policy

 

Students will have the access to the review questions in order to prepare for their exams, though no answer keys to review questions will be given out automatically through emails. (To encourage careful reading and class attendance, I reserve the right to ask some questions in the tests that are not included in the set of review questions.) To receive attendance scores for the absence beyond personal control, students need to provide documents from the appropriate authority.


During the semester, there will be four examinations that will be evaluated based on students' understandings of the texts and lectures.

 

Exam    1                                                          20%
Exam    2                                                          20%
Exam    3                                                          20%

Exam   4                                                           30%
Class Attendance/participation/quizzes              10%
Total:                                                                100%

A: (92, 100 pts); A/B: (89, 91 pts); B: (82, 88 pts); B/C: (79, 81 pts); C: (72, 78 pts); C/D: (69, 71 pts); D: (60, 68 pts); F: <60

 

Topics/Required Readings/Calendar

 

1/31                 Introduction

 

2/2                   Overview: Chapter 1

 

2/7                   Chp. 1 and 2

 

2/9                   Constitutionalism and Federalism

Chp. 2 and 3

 

2/14                 Federalism

Chp.3

 
2/16                 Exam 1

 

2/21                 Political Participation

Chp.4

 

2/23                 Political Participation

Chp.4

 

2/28                 Parties and Campaigns

Chp.5

 

3/2                   Parties and Campaigns

Chp.5, 6

 

3/7                   Legislators

Chp.6

 

3/9                   Exam 2

 

3/12-3/19         Spring Break

 

3/21                 Governors and Bureaucrats

Chp. 7, 8

 

3/23                 Governors and Bureaucrats

Chp. 7, 8

 

3/28                 Governors and Bureaucrats

Chp. 7, 8

 

3/30                 Courts

Chp. 8, 9

 

4/4                   Community Political Systems

Chp. 10

 

4/6                   Community Political Systems

Chp. 10

 

4/11                 Exam 3

 

4/13                 Community Politics and Metropolitics

                        Chp. 11, 12

 

4/18                 Community Politics and Metropolitics

                        Chp. 11, 12

 

4/20                 Community Power and Land Use

Chp. 13

 

4/25                 Community Power and Land Use

Chp. 13

 

4/27                 Civil Rights

Chp. 14

 

5/2                   Civil Rights

Chp. 14

 

5/4                   Policy-Making

Chp. 15, 16

 

5/9                   Policy-Making

Chp. 15, 16

 

5/11                 Exam 4