Syllabus: Honors 100, section 48, Fall 2010

Congressional Elections: Democracy in Action?

Instructor: Craig Curtis, Dept. of Political Science, Bradley Hall, room 486,
Phone: 677-2492,
E-mail:  rcc@bradley.edu
Home Page:  http://hilltop.bradley.edu/~rcc/

Text: Crick, Bernard. 2002. Democracy: A Very Short Introduction.  New York: Oxford University Press.

Meeting Information: Monday, 2:00 to 3:15 (until the Monday after Election Day, 10 total meetings – see course outline below), in Bradley Hall 135.

Instructor Office Hours: Mon. 10 to 11 am, 12:30 to 2:00 pm, Tues 1:30 to 2:30 pm, Wed. 9 to 11 am, Fri. 10 to 11 am

Course Description:  This course is designed to allow us, as a group, to explore what democracy means in America. This election has the potential to significantly alter the course of our nation over the next two years since there is the potential for the Republicans to take control of one or both of the Houses of Congress. The election will also be seen as a referendum on the first two years of the Obama Presidency, and whenever significant policy changes are made, as has been the case over the last two years, there is the potential for a backlash. In a representative democracy that is working as it should, elections do have consequences and we are going to explore the election from that point of view. If the Republicans make significant inroads in the Democrat’s ability to force legislation through Congress, the entire dynamic of the Obama agenda will have to change.

There are numerous web sites devoted to coverage of the fall elections. The two that I like the best are Congressional Quarterly’s site and the Washington Post’s site. This does not mean that you shouldn’t visit other sites. CNN’s Election Center site is serviceable as well. In addition, dedicated Republicans should visit the Republican National Congressional Committee web site or the Peoria County Republican web site. Dedicated Democrats should visit the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee web site or the Peoria County Democrats web site. The three media sites all have interactive maps, as does the DCCC.

Grading: 1) Class attendance and participation -- 20%
  2) A prediction of the outcome of the election, with explanation of why it will go the way you say, to be turned in on Monday, November 1 -- 30%
  3) An analysis of the outcome, due December 1, -- 50%

Class schedule: We will only meet for 10 formal class sessions. Each class will include an update on the latest developments in the election as well as a discussion of the readings and topic for the day. I will assume that you are keeping up with the news and suggest that you read a newspaper every day. I like newspapers because you have an editor who chooses the stories that he or she thinks are newsworthy, and who attempts to be politically neutral in doing so, which you do not have with far too many online or broadcast news sources. Additionally, online news sources allow you to browse only those things that interest you in a narrow way. You miss too much that way.

Because class participation is such a large portion of the grade, I will take attendance at each class session. Attendance at the election night dinner at my house is not compulsory, but all are invited to come, even for just a little while.

Day I (8-30-10) Introduction, administrative matters, and the nature of this election, Crick, Introduction and Chapter 1.

Day II (9-6-10) The history of democracy as a concept, Crick, Chapter 2

Day III (9-13-10) Distinguishing Republicans and republicans, Crick, Chapter 3.

Day IV (9-20-10) Distinguishing the strains of liberalism and conservatism in America

Day V (9-27-10) Why America is different, Crick, Chapter 4.

Day VI (10-4-10) Distinguishing Republicans and Democrats. 

FALL BREAK

Day VII (10-18-10) How elections work – populism in America, Crick, Chapter 5

Day VIII (10-25-08) How Congress works – the party structure in Congress, cloture, and the Rules Committee

Day IX (11-1-08) The conditions of modern democracy, Crick, Chapters 6 and 7 – Prediction paper due.

Election Day (11-2-10) – All are invited to dinner at the Curtis’s at 6, watching election returns to follow.

Day X (11-8-08) Final meeting – debrief the election

Final election analysis due on December 1 by 5 pm.

Guidelines for Written Work to be Turned In

The Prediction Paper

On November 1, you are expected to turn in a 3 to 5 page paper containing predictions for who will win control of Congress, what races are the key races, and why you think the outcome will be as you predict. You should cite your sources of information using some standard citation format. MLA is okay, but I prefer APA or APSA style. As always, I expect that you will take the time to produce a polished document. I will reduce the grade on those papers containing numerous errors of usage and punctuation.

I will gladly consult with you about these papers and will read rough drafts if they are turned in to me with enough time to read them (By Friday, October 22). No partial papers will be read, and I will not function as your proofreader for errors of usage and grammar. I would prefer that all papers be turned in as a single Microsoft word file (Please do not turn in a separate file with the references). 

The Final Analysis Paper

By December 1, I expect to receive a 5 to 10 page analysis of the outcome of the election. Not only will these essays include an analysis of why the winner won, but also an explanation of why this is democracy in action, or not, depending on your conclusion. You should also include some predictions for what kinds of policy changes that we can expect from the last two years of the Obama first term. As before, I expect a polished essay, free from obvious errors of usage and punctuation. I will gladly consult with you about these essays and will read rough drafts if they are relatively complete and polished and if they are turned to me no later than November 19.

Once again, I want all papers to be turned in as a single Word file.