COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT

Political Science 150,

Line # 35105

Syllabus: Spring 2005

 

Class Meets:                 TTH 10:40 a.m. – 11:55 a.m., Coor 174

 

Instructor:                     Professor Youngblood

                  Office Hours: 12 Noon – 1:00 .p.m. Tuesday & Thursday; and by appointment.  My office is 6684 Lattie F. Coor Hall.  Phone: (480) 965-2912; Email: Bob.Y@asu.edu

 

Teaching Assistants:      Rafael Jimeno, Office is 6775 Coor Hall.  Phone: (480) 965-6554;

                                    Office Hours: 10 a.m. – 12 Noon, Wednesdays and by appointment.

                                    Kai He, Office is 6779 Coor Hall.  Phone: (480) 965-6551

                                    Office Hours: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Thursday  and by appointment

                                     Email:  Rafael.Jimeno@asu.edu and Kai.He@asu.edu

 

Introduction:

 

Comparative government is the systematic study of similar and different political systems with the twofold aim of increasing our substantive knowledge of several countries and using this knowledge to generate theory for a better understanding of all systems, both individually and collectively.  A major objective of the course will be to examine different types of political systems in the modern world (Great Britain, France, Germany, Japan, and China) in terms of their structures and political processes.  Following an introductory lecture on the history of post-war comparative politics, and a discussion of Roskin's approach, the political institutions of each country will be described and analyzed with respect to how members are socialized politically, how they participate in the political process, and how they formulate and implement public policies.  The focus allows for comparisons with our own political system and others, yet does not overlook the uniqueness of each political system by itself.

 

In addition to studying the political institutions, processes, culture, etc. of Britain, France, Germany, Japan, and China, students will also be exposed to several key political issues facing societies around the globe. 

 

To increase interest in the study of comparative governments, class time will be devoted to lectures and class discussion.  Because I believe the information contained in the lectures is an important supplement to your reading, the course lectures are available online in Blackboard.  This allows you to read them at your own pace prior to class sessions. 

 

Course Objectives:

 

            Upon completion of the course, successful students should be knowledgeable about several countries in the international system and a number of key global issues facing societies around the world.   Further, successful students should develop critical thinking skills regarding comparative politics.  I also hope that this course will generate enthusiasm for pursuing additional studies in comparative and international politics, and political science more generally.

 

Required Texts:

 

            There are two required books for the course that are available at the Student Book Center.  Selected readings for the course are taken from on-line sources, and in these cases, links are provided on the syllabus.  Whether the assigned reading is from one of the texts or an on-line source, students are responsible for completing all assigned readings.     

 

*Roskin, Michael G., Countries and Concepts: Politics, Geography, Culture. 8th Ed., Englewood Cliffs, NJ.: Prentice Hall, 2003.

 

*Soe, Christian, (ed.), Annual Editions, Comparative Politics 04/05.  22nd Ed., Guilford, CN, McGraw-Hill/Dushkin, 2005.

 

GETTING STARTED WITH PINE, 5 January 1995 and PINE USER'S GUIDE, 1 September 2000.   (Pine Version 4.21)  Download at: http://cgi.asu.edu/it/fyi/cgi/document.cgi?page=quicklook

Look under ELECTRONIC MESSAGING

 

*Available at the Student Book Center, 704 S. College Ave., Tempe.

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

 

  1. Blackboard Enrollment

 

All students enrolled in the course must have an active ASURITE I.D. and password (if you have an ASU email address, then you should already know ID and password) in order to access this course via myASU at: http://my.asu.edu.  If you do not already have an ASURITE I.D. and password  and an ASU email address, you can acquire one by going to the Computer Commons Building (or another remote site) and using a self-subscription computer to sign up.  Assistance is available at the Computer Commons, and instructions are available at: http://www.asu.edu/it/fyi/accounts/ under “Creating an ASURITE account.”    

 

Once you have an ASURITE I.D. and password, go to http://my.asu.edu and enter your ASURITE I.D and password.   When the myASU screen appears, select the “Courses” tab and find POS 150 Comparative Politics for the Spring Semester 2005.  (If you have paid your registration fees, you are automatically enrolled for the course in Blackboard and it should appear automatically when you access Blackboard.)  Follow the instructions in Blackboard to access the course.  Essential course materials such as lectures, examination study guides, and discussion questions are (or will be made) available online.  You will also find a copy of the course syllabus in Blackboard.  If you have any difficulties accessing the course contact Dr. Youngblood or Kai He or Jason Jimeno immediately. 

 

IMPORTANT:  myASU and Blackboard assume you are using your ASU email address for all communications.  (Unless you are using an alias – as I am with Bob.Y@asu.edu – your email should be your firstname.lastname@asu.edu.)  However, if you are using a commercial email provider, such as hotmail or yahoo, YOU MUST REDIRECT YOUR EMAIL MESSAGES TO BOUNCE FROM ASU TO THE EMAIL ACCOUNT YOU REGULARLY USE.  To change your ASU account to have your email (from me, Rafael Jimeno, and Jason Rudloff) forwarded to your other address, you MUST make the appropriate change in your ASU account.  Instructions on redirecting ASU email are located at http://is.asu.edu/islab/faq/forwardemail.htm.  ANY PROBLEMS WITH EMAIL TRANSMISSION USING A NON-ASU EMAIL ACCOUNT ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.  The deadline for redirecting your email, if you are not using your ASU account, is February 1, 2005.  Failing to redirect may result in missing important messages, etc. that could adversely effect your grade.  Here are some instructions that should help you set up your email account properly:

Text Box: To subscribe to ASU email- • Go to http://www.asu.edu/asurite • Type in either your ASUrite ID, ASU ID number or Affiliate Number • On the next screen type in your ASUrite password o If you are unsure of either your ID or password, contact computer accounts at 480-965-6500 • A screen will appear that shows your current ASU subscriptions • To subscribe to email, scroll to the bottom of the page and select “Student E-mail Service (EMMA/Pine)” • Click “Subscribe” (A prompt may appear asking you to change your EPO information, Click YES) You are now subscribed to the ASU email system; however it can take 30 minutes for the account to become active. To setup forwarding to an external account (yahoo, hotmail, etc)- • You can check your ASU email by going to http://webmail.asu.edu and clicking on “IMAP e-mail” • Alternatively, you can forward your email to an external account such as Yahoo, Hotmail or a Cox address. • To do so log into http://webmail.asu.edu and click on “IMAP forward” located on the menu on the left side. • Select the “Other:” option at the bottom, type in your desired email account (ie. john@yahoo.com) • Click “Set Forwarding” Your ASU email will now forward to the address which you just entered; however it will take up to 30 minutes for this forward to become active. **If IMAP Forward or IMAP E-mail options are not shown, you are not currently subscribed to an ASU e-mail service**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. The Use of Blackboard

You should check your email daily for messages about the course as well as click on Blackboard’s "Announcements" button for information from Dr. Youngblood and/ or his TAs, Rafael Jimeno and Kai He.  Clicking on the "Staff Information" button accesses our office location, phone numbers, and email addresses.

The syllabus, lectures and assignments are available on Blackboard by clicking on the various tabs to the left of your screen and then on the folders for the information you desire.  READING THE LECTURE PRIOR TO ATTENDING CLASS WILL ASSIST YOU IN REMEMBERING MATERIAL AND IN ASKING QUESTIONS.

You can check your grades and access an online Blackboard manual by clicking on the "Tools" button.  You are responsible for taking the time to learn Blackboard.  If you have any difficulty, please contact Dr. Youngblood or a TA.

 

3.      Class Attendance/Participation (10%)

 

Regular attendance and participation will significantly aid in learning course material and completing course objectives; therefore, students’ attendance and participation will count as 10% of their final course grade.  While attendance is a necessary condition for participation, it may not be sufficient for a good participation grade (i.e., you must attend class and be prepared to participate in order to receive a high participation grade).  Students should be prepare for class by 1) reading the assigned lecture and readings, and 2) thinking about the discussion questions (posted in Blackboard under the Assignments tab).

 

Should long-term illness or any other legitimate reason result in excessive absences, the student should notify the teaching assistant and instructor immediately and should be prepared to provide authoritative documentation.  Any student who will be missing class because of participation in a university-sponsored activity (e.g., softball, track, debate, etc.) should notify Dr. Youngblood in a timely fashion before the activity.  These students will be required to provide documentation regarding their participation in the activity and a schedule of the classes that they will miss due to the activity.  (Students participating in such activities will need to submit written assignments to receive credit for missed discussions or to take make-up examinations.)

 

In order to aid in our ability to keep track of attendance and participation, 1) roll will be taken, and 2) students will be required to use a name plate (the 1st will be provided by the instructor) during each class period.  Students should be punctual, attentive, prepared, and respectful while in class.  Should a student leave class before its completion (without the instructor’s approval), or forget his or her nameplate, the student will be counted ‘absent’ from that class period.  All assigned class readings are to be completed before class so that students will be prepared to discuss them.

 

  1. Map/Leader Quiz (10%)

 

Students are expected to familiarize themselves with geographic, social, political, and cultural characteristics of the five countries covered in this course—Great Britain, France, Germany, Japan, China/Taiwan.  In addition, students are expected to know key political figures of these states that currently hold the following positions: Great Britain (Prime Minister), France (President and Premier), Germany (Chancellor and President), Japan (Prime Minister), and China (Party Chairman, President, and Premier).  The map/leader quiz will test students over this information.  In preparing for the map/leader quiz, please complete the map familiarity study sheet posted in Blackboard under the Assignments tab.  It is  strongly recommend that students complete the study sheet using standard atlas, which is available in the Noble Science Library map room.  A good place to begin looking for the names of the leaders is in the CIA’s Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments book on the CIA web page: http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/.   

 

The map/leader quiz will be given 2 times during the semester.  Students unsatisfied with their grade on the first quiz may re-take the quiz one time.  If a student takes both quizzes, the better of the two scores will count towards the final grade. 

 

  1. Country Quizzes (20%)

 

5 quizzes will be given over the course of the semester, 4 of which will count toward your final grade.  In other words, this part of your grade will be calculated by taking the average of your 4 best quiz scores.  The quizzes will cover class readings and lectures.  The format of the quizzes will vary somewhat, but in general the quizzes will contain a mix of approximately 15-20 multiple choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blank, and short answer questions.

 

  1. Mid-term and Final Exams (70%)

 

The mid-term exam will be taken in class on March 10, 2005 (barring any changes in the class schedule).  The format of the exam will be announced a week in advance, but may consist of a combination of multiple choice, true/false, short answer, and essay questions and will cover class readings and lectures that I have completed up to the exam date.  The mid-term counts as 30% of your final grade in the course.

 

The “final” exam is scheduled for the last day of class and will cover material from the midterm to the end of the course.  An optional final examination for students unhappy with their grade on either the midterm or the “final” will be given during finals week.  The formats of both the “final” and optional final will be announce toward the end of the semester.  The “final” exam counts as 30% of your final grade.

 

All exams are closed book.     

 

Note:  Keep in mind that the scheduled day of an examination may be changed depending on how rapidly or slowly material is covered in class.  Exam schedule changes will be announced in class and/or via email and/or via Blackboard.  Making sure you know about announced changes in exams and other course information is why it is important to daily check your email and Blackboard.

 

Discussion Questions: 

           

            In an effort to aid students in class preparation, I have posted discussion questions that go along with the assigned readings for each class period in Blackboard under the “Assignments” tab.  I recommend that students read the questions before completing the assigned reading and think about the questions before coming to class.  Students should be prepared to discuss these questions during class. 

 

Make-ups and Incompletes:

 

            Make-up exams/quizzes, and incompletes will not be given except in the case of an authoritatively documented emergency or bereavement.  Furthermore, you must notify the instructor or the teaching assistant in advance, and you should arrange to take any make-up exam/quiz promptly.  In the event that a make-up exam/quiz is given, it will, as a general rule, be more difficult than the regular exam/quiz.  Finally, no early final examinations will be given!!   

              

Grading:

 

Attendance/Participation                       10%

Map/Leader Quiz                                 10%

Quizzes                                                20%

Mid-term Exam                                    30%

“Final” Exam                                        30%

Total                                                    100%

 

A = 90 - 100%

B = 80 - 89.5%

C = 70 - 79.5%

D = 60 - 69.5%

E =   0 - 59.5%                                                           

 

Class Etiquette and Academic Honesty:

 

All students are expected to be on time and attend class, not disrupt class by talking or leaving in the middle of the lecture or discussion or reading the newspaper or doing other work while in class, and are expected to be prepared for discussion sessions and test/examination reviews.  If you must leave class early, select a seat as near as possible to the door.  Students are not to consume food or drink in class.  In addition, students are to adhere to ASU’s policies on academic honesty.  The academic honesty policy of the university is available online at: http://www.asu.edu/studentlife/judicial/integrity.html.  The academic honesty policy of the Department of Political Science is posted at the end of the syllabus.

 

Course Outline and Schedule:

 

Week 1, Jan 18 & 20:  Class Session: Introduction

                              Presentation of the syllabus, assignments, and quizzes.

                              Introduction into the subject field        

                              Great Britain I

                              The Monarchy, the Executive, and the Legislature; Political Parties,     Interest Groups, & Political Communication.

                             Reading: Roskin, Chaps. 2, 3, 5.

 

Week 2, Jan 25 & 27:  Great Britain II

                              Videos on Great Britain.  “Democracy in the United Kingdom”

JC423 .D46x 1992 VIDEO, #1; “The British Parliament” by Bob Beatty, Washburn University.

                              Readings: 

·        “A Constitutional Revolution in Britain?” In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 16-21.

·        “Coming Out Smiling: Blair Survives His Biggest Test as Prime Minister and Promises No Wavering on Bold Policies.”  In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 28-30.

 

Week 3, Feb 1 & 3:  Great Britain III

                             Public Authority, Political Culture & Socialization. 

Reading: Roskin Chaps. 4,6

                              Readings:

·        “The Blair Moment.”  In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 22-27

·        “Tories, Even With a New Leader, See Little to Hope For.” In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 31-32.

·        Online Quiz #1: Great Britain

 

Week 4, Feb 8 & 10:  France I

The Executive and the Legislature, Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Public Policy

Roskin, Chaps. 7, 8, 10.

·        Video on French Politics (JC423.D46x 1992 VIDEO #2)

Readings:

·        “A Divided Self: A Survey of France.”  In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 33-42.

 

Week 5, Feb 15 & 17:  France II

Public Authority, Political Culture, and Socialization

Roskin, Chaps. 9, 11.

·        Map/Leader Quiz #1

Readings:

·        “French Secularism Unwraps Far More than Headscarves in the Classroom.”  In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 43-44

·        “Iraq Aside, French View the U.S. With a Mixture of Attraction and Repulsion.”  In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 45-46.

·        Online Quiz #2: France

 

Week 6, Feb 22 & 24:  Germany I

From Authoritarianism to Democracy, the Executive, the Legislature, and the Courts, Political Parties, and the Electoral System

Roskin, Chaps. 12-13.

·        Video on German Politics  (JC423 .D46x 1992 VIDEO  v.5 )

Readings:

·        “Gerhard Schroder Clings On.”  In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 47-49

·        “Schroder’s Unfinished Business: Why the Reforms Agreed for Germany’s Ailing Economy Leave the Job Half-done.”  In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 52-54

·        “The Vices and Virtues of Old Germany’s ‘Model’ Economy.” In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 55-56

 

Week 7, Mar 1 & 3:  Germany II

Public Authority, Political Culture, Socialization, and the Economy.

Roskin, Chaps. 14-16

Readings:

Democracy and Equal Representation: Women and Politics

·        Norris, P., & Inglehart, R. (July 2001). “Cultural Obstacles to Equal Representation,” Journal of Democracy, 12.3, 111-125.  Available: http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_democracy/v012/12.3norris.html  However, you must be in ASU’s library to access this article electronically. 

·        “Women in National Parliaments.” In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 81-86.

·        “Europe Crawls Ahead…” In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 87-89

·        Online Quiz #3: Germany

 

Week 8, Mar 8:  Globalization: Democracy and Culture

·        “The Global State of Democracy.”  In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 210-214

·        “Cultural Explanations: The Man in the Baghdad Café.” In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 222-226

·        “Jihad vs. McWorld.” In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 27-231

·        Map/Leader Quiz #2

 

Wee 8, Mar 10:  Midterm Examination

 

Week 9, Mar 15 17:                          SPRING BREAK!!!

 

 

Week 10, Mar 22 & 24: Japan I

Feudalism and Modernization, Society, Political Institutions, and the Economy

·        Roskin, Chaps. 22-24.

·        Video on Japanese Politics (JC423 .D46x 1992 VIDEO  v. 4) 

·        Video: Japan at the time of Commodore Perry

                        Readings:

·        “Japanese Sprit, Western Things.”  In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 57-59.

 

Week 11, Mar 29 & 31:  Japan II

Attitudes, Interactions, Quarrels, and WWII in the Pacific

·        Roskin, Chaps. 25-26.

·        Film: “In the Fog of War”

·        Online Quiz #4 Japan

 

Week 12, Apr 5 & 7:  Film: "Shall We Dance”

 

Week 13, Apr 12 & 14:  China I

History, Conflict, and Communism

·        Roskin, Chaps. 27.

Readings:

·        “China: The Quiet Revolution.”  In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 175-179

·        “The Emperor is Far Away.” In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 180-183

·        “In March Toward Capitalism, China Has Avoided Russia’s Path.” In Comparative Politics: Annual Editions, pp. 184-186

 

Week 14, Apr 19 & 21:  China II

Institutions, Political Attitudes, Interactions, Quarrels, and a Look to the Future

·        Roskin, Chaps. 27.

·        Online Quiz #5 China

 

 

Week 15, Apr 26 & 28:  Film: “To Live”

 

Week 16, May 3: In-class Final Examination

 

Optional Final, Friday, May 6, 2005, at 10:00-11:50 AM in Coor 174

 

To check other final examination days in other courses go to: http://www.asu.edu/registrar/registration/finals.html 

Text Box: ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE POLICY ON ACADEMIC HONESTY Preamble: Academic honesty is the foundation and cornerstone of scholarship and education. Faculty and students alike are under an obligation to be honest themselves and to encourage honesty in others. The following policy statement is meant to specify and clarify what this means in practice. Academic Honesty: Academic honesty includes, but is not confined to: doing one's own work, accurately quoting and citing all sources, acknowledging any help received from others, and taking care to claim credit only for one's own work. Academic Dishonesty: Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to: fabrication or falsification of sources and/or quotations, cheating on examinations or other assignments, plagiarizing, forging or altering academic documents, and claiming or taking credit for work that is not one's own. Examples include but are not limited to: altering grades on a transcript (forgery), making up quotations (fabrication), falsely representing others' work as your own (plagiarism), referring to books or notes during a closed-book exam (cheating), taking a paper off the Internet or some other source and falsely claiming it as one's own (plagiarism), or submitting the same paper for two courses without first obtaining permission from instructors in both courses (cheating). Plagiarism is defined as the taking of ideas and/or words from another person and passing them off as one's own. All direct quotations must be enclosed within quotation marks (") or indented and single-spaced, and the source and page number(s) cited in parentheses or in a footnote. Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism, a very serious academic offense. Ignorance is no excuse. See also: http://www.asu.edu/studentlife/judicial/integrity.html