Tuesday, Thursday
Allen 1002
Instructor: Dave
Peterson
Office: 2037
Bush Academic Building
Phone: 845-6783
Email:
dave@polisci.tamu.edu
Office
hours: Tuesday
and Thursday
The best way to
get a hold of me is through email.
Please keep in mind that I am unlikely to check my email much later than
8:00 PM on any given night. If you try
to contact me after that time, assume that I will not read my mail until the
next morning.
Description: We will study political behavior and
processes, governmental institutions, and public policies at the state and
local levels within a comparative framework. This course is concerned with the
similarities and differences among the 50 states and the nature of local
government. It is not a class on Texas
politics per se, but I will use Texas as an example throughout.
Objectives:
I have three main goals for this semester. The primary objective is to further your
understanding of American politics by recognizing the diversity of politics
across the fifty states and countless localities. That is, this class is structured around the
central themes in American politics (institutions, participation, elections,
policy) as they apply to the states. By
comparing these features of American politics across the states, I hope that
you will better understand how American politics, at all levels, work. The second goal is implied in the first. This is not a civics class. I hope to provide you something of an introduction
to political science (at least an introduction to the study of American
politics). I realize that many of you
are only beginning your studies at Texas A&M, and this class should serve
to give you an idea of what Political Science is like. Finally, and perhaps most important, I want
you to come out of this class understanding why politics matters, how it influences
your life, and how and why you can and should be involved.
Student Responsibilities: The class sessions will be lectures
with discussion of the readings. Students are expected to have completed all
assigned reading before coming to class and to be prepared to discuss
the reading. While some of the lectures
will reinforce points made in the readings, most will not. You will be responsible for all of the
material presented in this course—either in class or in the readings. The exams will test your understanding of
both. In other words, there will be
questions on the exams about things in the readings but not lecture, and in the
lectures but not the readings. There
will be three multiple choice exams (the dates are listed below), each worth 50
points. Your grade will be based on
these exams and your class participation.
Note on
attendance and participation: I expect that you will attend class and
participate in discussions. At the same
time, I am realistic. You are all
adults, and you are here to learn. If
you feel you need to miss a class for some reason that is your
prerogative. While I do not assign
points for participation, when it comes time to assign final grades, I will
keep the amount you participated in mind.
Those who demonstrate that they understand the material and have learned
something in this class may have their grades improved. Basically, I will not punish you for not
being involved in class, but I will reward you if you are prepared and
participate.
Books: Two books have been
ordered for the course.
·
Smith, Kevin Alan Greenblatt, and John Buntin. Governing States and Localities
·
Burns,
Nancy. The Formation of American Local Governments
Webpage: The course has a webpage on the WebCT system.
Course outline
(Note that this is the schedule I expect to
keep. It is subject to change).
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January 18 |
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Introduction |
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January 20 |
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Why study
State & Local politics? |
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Smith chapter
1 |
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January 25 |
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American
Federalism |
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Smith chapter
2 |
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January 27 |
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Federalism
continued |
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February 1 |
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State
Constitutions |
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Smith
chapter 3 |
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February 3 |
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Constitutions
continued |
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February
8 |
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Political
Culture |
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Smith
Chapter 4 |
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February 10 |
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Culture continued |
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February
15 |
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Parties
and Interest Groups |
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Smith Chapter
5 |
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February 17 |
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Parties
continued |
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February 22 |
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Exam Review |
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February 24 |
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Exam |
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March
1 |
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State
Legislatures |
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Smith Chapter 6 |
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February
25 |
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State
Legislatures continued |
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March 1 |
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Governors |
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Smith
Chapter 7 |
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March 3 |
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Governors
continued |
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March 8 |
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Courts |
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Smith
Chapter 8 |
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March 10 |
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Courts
continued |
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March 15-17 |
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Break |
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March 22 |
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Bureaucracy |
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Smith
Chapter 9 |
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March 24 |
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Bureaucracy
continued |
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March
29 |
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Exam Review |
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March
31 |
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Exam
Two |
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April 5 |
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Local
Governments |
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Smith
Chapter 8 |
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April 7 |
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Local
Government and Metropolitics continued |
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April 12 |
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Local
government creation |
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Burns
Chapter 1 |
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April 14 |
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Creation
continued |
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Burns
Chapter 2 |
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April 19 |
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Creation continued |
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Burns
Chapter 3 |
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April 21 |
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Creation
continued |
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Burns
Chapter 4 |
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April 26 |
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Creation
continued |
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Burns
Chapters 5 & 6 |
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April 28 |
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Exam review |
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Burns
Chapter 5 |
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May 11 |
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Final Exam 8:00 am. |
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I expect that
all students will conduct themselves in a manner that is consistent with the
Aggie Code. Any lying or cheating in
this class will be handled in accordance with Texas A&M policy.
ADA Statement:
The Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive
civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires
that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that
provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability
requiring an accommodation, please contact the Department of Student Life,
Services for Students with Disabilities in Room 126 of the Koldus Building, or
call 845-1637.
Course Materials/Copyright
Statements
The
handouts used in this course are copyrighted.
By “handouts,” I mean all materials generated for this class, which
include but are not limited to syllabi, quizzes, exams, lab problems, in-class
materials review sheets, and additional problem sets. Because these are copyrighted, you do not
have the right to copy the handouts, unless I expressly grant permission.
Plagiarism Statement
As
commonly defined, plagiarism consists of passing off as one’s own the ideas,
words, writings, etc., which belong to another.
In accordance with the definition, you are committing plagiarism if you
copy the work of another person and turn it in as your own, even if you should
have the permission of the person.
Plagiarism is one of the worst academic sins, for the plagiarist
destroys the trust among colleagues without which research cannot be safely
communicated. If you have any questions
regarding plagiarism, please consult the latest issue of the Texas A&M
University Student Rules, under the section “Scholastic Dishonesty.”