| OBJECTIVE | GRADING | ATTENDANCE | JOURNALS |
| ASSIGNMENTS |
FACULTY: All faculty members of the Department of Political Science will participate. This includes Dr. Anne Hallum , Dr. T. Wayne Bailey, Dr. William Nylen, Dr. Gene Huskey and Dr. Gary Maris.
OBJECTIVE OF COURSE: The major objective is to provide a place for political science students to experience a collegial setting with faculty members and each other in order to better "connect" with the field of Political Science. To this end various aspects of the discipline will be illustrated throughout the course in the context of discussions of political studies. The course also seeks to foster a community-wide informal discussion of current events.
GRADING: Pass/Fail. Grades will be determined on the basis of the course journals (described above) and participation in the discussions.
ATTENDANCE: Attendance is required in order to pass the course. More than one class missed will have a significant impact on one's grade.
JOURNALS: There
are no exams in the course. A journal is required and should contain the
following:
1. You will not always have assigned readings. When you do, you should
come to class prepared to discuss the readings. To this end your journal
should contain a one-two page summary of key ideas from the
assigned reading and personal reactions/questions with regard to
some of these ideas.
2. You should include a page or two of summary of ideas and information presented during the discussion at the previous meeting of the class and your reactions/comments concerning these ideas.
ASSIGNMENTS:
The schedule is flexible to allow discussions of current events not now
foreseen, to include speakers who happen to be on campus and to react to
spontaneous notions of what might be a better discussion than one established
at the beginning of the course. Student interest and discussion may urge
us to engage in discussions not originally planned.
| Jan. 16 | Introduction to Course |
| Jan. 23 | American Community: Who Participates -- What
Is "Participation?" (Citizen Participants: From Aristotle through Rousseau
to Putnam) --Social Scientists Have To Define What They Are Talking About
: Facilitator: Dr. Maris
Reading: students with last names beginning with A-H = Putnam, Bowling Alone, chpts. 2-3 students with last names beginning with I-O = Putnam, Bowling Alone, chpts. 5-6 students with last names beginning with P-Z = Putnam, Bowling Alone, chpts. 7-9 |
| Jan. 30 | American Community: Social Science's Key Question--
Why Do Things Happen? Community Collapse Explained (Careful!! A mass of
statistics can be seductive in explaining.) --- Facilitator: Dr.
Maris
Reading: students with last names beginning with A-H = Putnam, Bowling Alone, chpts. 10-11 students with last names beginning with I-O = Putnam, Bowling Alone, chpts. 12-13 students with last names beginning with P-Z = Putnam, Bowling Alone, chpts. 14-15 |
| Feb. 6 | What Goes into Local Political Action? Guest
Presenter is Allen Watts. Mr. Watts is a local lawyer who has been involved
in numerous citizen actions including fighting the building of a new super
Wal Mart north of town. --- Facilitator: Dr. Huskey
Reading: Putnam, Bowling Alone, ch. 12. |
| Feb. 13 | American Community: So What If Community of the
"Good Old Days" Is Collapsing -- Hey, It's Your Future.--- Facilitator:
Dr. Nylen
Reading: students with last names beginning with A-H = Putnam, Bowling Alone, chpts. 17-18 students with last names beginning with I-O = Putnam, Bowling Alone, chpts. 19-20 students with last names beginning with P-Z = Putnam, Bowling Alone, chpts. 21-22 |
| Feb. 20 | Education -- The Hot Button Item of the Election and First Major Legislation in the New Congress: Guest Presenter is Dr. Chris Colwell who is Assistant Superintendant of Schools. Chris is a Stetson graduate who was principal at one of Volusia County's experimental high schools prior to his present responsibilities. Vouchers, parental choice, school financing, national assessment, federal funds, etc. will all be on the table for discussion. --- Facilitator: Dr. Maris |
| Feb. 27 | A Birdseye View: Parties and Partisanship in State Politics: Guest presenter is Rep. Joyce Cusack, newly elected representative to the Florida House of Representatives. ---Facilitator: Dr. Bailey |
| March 6 | Spring Break |
| March 13 | No Class -- You are required to attend the talk
by Senator Max Cleland, Friday evening 8-9 PM, March 23. Sen.
Cleland is a Stetson graduate.You should write a page or two summary/commentary
on the talk for your journal. (Maris will be at the event with a sign-in
sheet. Please be sure to sign in.)
---Facilitator: Dr. Bailey |
| March 20 | Germany Reunited: What has a Decade Brought?
Senior Research Papers: Dan Kenney, "The PDS Party" (former Communist Party of East Germany); Michael Walters, "The Radical Right;" Chris Donovan, "The German Question -- What Success in Developing a Democratic Political Culture." Guest Professor: Prof. Udo Kempf from the Paedagogische Hochschule, Freiburg, Germany. Readings: A-H students: Kenney's
paper on reserve
|
| March 29:
NOTE: This is a Thursday. |
The U.S. President: The Election Lessons of 2000: Dr. George Edwards will be the guest presenter. Dr. Edwards is a Stetson graduate and now is one of the top presidential scholars in the United States. He is also co-author of a textbook on American Politics widely used in universities throughout the U.S.---Facilitator: Dr. Maris. |
| April 3 | Promoting Civic Engagement in Latin America:
Dr. Bill Nylen
Reading: "Testing the Empowerment Thesis" by Bill Nylen (go to Web Page http://www.stetson.edu/~gmaris/Read.htm) |
| April 10 | Outside the U.S. --Mexico Turns a Corner and Heads for Enhanced Democracy. A New Politics After 71 Years of One-Party Rule? Hon.. Martin Torres will be the guest presenter. Mr. Torres is head of the Mexican Consulate in Orlando. Mark Ramos, Stetson senior will present some of his findings concerning the last Mexican election.--- Facilitator: Dr. Nylen |
| April 17 | The Middle East --Background to Conflict: Dr. Margaret Venzke will be the guest presenter. Dr. Venzke is an historian who specializes in the Middle East.---Facilitator: Dr. Maris |
| April 24 | Clash of Communities: Local Politics Meets
National Politics in Russia: Dr. Huskey
Reading: "Overcoming the Yeltsin Legacy" by Gene Huskey (on Web Page -- go to http://www.stetson.edu/~gmaris/Read.htm) |
| May 1 | American Community: What Is To Be Done? Will
You Do It? ---Facilitator: Dr. Huskey
Reading: students with last names beginning with A-H = Putnam, Bowling Alone, chp. 23 students with last names beginning with I-O = Putnam, Bowling Alone, chp. 23 students with last names beginning with P-Z = Putnam, Bowling Alone, chp. 24 |