Southern Politics: Race, Parties, and Democracy in American History Professor Paul Herron Brandeis University, Spring 2015

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1 Southern Politics: Race, Parties, and Democracy in American History Professor Paul Herron Brandeis University, Spring 2015 Office: Olin Sang 122 Office hours: TBD and by appt. While the South lost the Civil War, it seems to be winning American politics through the rise of conservative political ideals. The eleven states called Dixie (with reverence by some and scorn by others) have played a formative and ongoing role our national political development particularly in the struggle with slavery and its legacies. The course examines this fascinating, often frustrating, and sometimes infuriating region and its shifting place in American politics. We will consider southern political development from the perspective of national actors and white and black southerners, beginning with the Founding and then moving through slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, disfranchisement, the Progressive and New Deal Eras, the Civil Rights Movement, the rise of the Republican Party, and on to current events, including the recent Confederate flag debate and the presidential election of Race will be an ever-present element in our readings and discussions, as it relates to democratic and anti-democratic movements and ideas. Together we will address the following questions: (1) Has the South exercised disproportionate influence on American politics? Does it today? (2) How does the history and legacies of racial subjugation affect southern politics today? (3) Is the South exceptional relative to American politics as a whole? (4) What were the effects of secession, the Civil War, and Reconstruction on development? Our goals this semester include: thinking critically about arguments, based on the evaluation of evidence; articulating reasoned arguments clearly, both orally and in writing; and improving your ability to use the concepts of political science to conduct research and analysis. This class will give you a better understanding of the distinctive features of the American political system as it appears in a distinctive region comprised of distinctive states, and how democratic and nondemocratic political forces have employed and altered America s foundational ideals. Requirements: Class Attendance (5%) and Participation (15% of final grade) You must arrive to class on time and turn off all cell phones. You may use computers or tablets to display readings, but not for notes. I expect everyone to come prepared for an active discussion. Quality participation includes engaging with the readings, expressing your opinions on relevant issues (while respecting other students opinions), and asking questions when you need additional clarification. I am interested in what you have to say, so speak up! Three Short Quizzes (15% of final grade) You will have three short quizzes on the readings. I will announce the quiz the class before it will be given. If you do not attend class, you could miss the announcement or the quiz. Midterm Exam (25% of final grade) The midterm exam will require you to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and readings we cover in class. It will consist of short answer and essay question. Final Research Paper (40% of final grade) Everyone will complete a research paper that analyzes a contemporary actor, organization, or state in a historical perspective. The paper will be pages double-spaced with one-inch 1

2 margins in Times New Roman 12 point font. Topics are due by February 13. You will need to make use of both primary and secondary sources. We will discuss research strategies and expectations in class. **Four-Credit Course (with three hours of class-time per week) Success in this 4 credit hour course is based on the expectation that students will spend a minimum of 9 hours of study time per week in preparation for class (readings, papers, discussion sections, preparation for exams, etc.). Grading: Participation is important. Active, informed contributions will improve your grade. Remember that participation is about quality, not quantity. Attendance is 5% of your grade and participation 15%. If you are nervous about speaking up in class, please talk to me during office hours so we can figure something out. I do not want to penalize shy students who attend regularly and complete the readings. Three or more unexcused absences will lower your participation grade by one letter grade. Students who miss five or more classes without valid reasons will receive an F for class participation and attendance. I expect you to complete the paper on time. Extensions will be given only in extreme cases. Grading scale: 0-59% (F); 60-66% (D), 67-69% (D+), 70-72% (C-), 73-76% (C), 77-79% (C+), 80-82% (B-), 83-86% (B), 87-89% (B+), 90-93% (A-), % (A) Grades are not negotiable. If you think I made a genuine error in my calculations, please let me know immediately. Disabilities: If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see me immediately. Academic Integrity: Do not plagiarize under any circumstances. If you are unsure of whether to cite something, err on the side of caution. You can find university resources here: Please do not put me in the position where I have to report a case of academic dishonesty. Meetings: My goal is to be an accessible and approachable teacher. I hope you will all take advantage of my office hours at some point during the semester. If you have a scheduling conflict, please let me know, and we can meet at another time. I m happy to talk about the class, but I also want you to feel free to come by if you want advice about graduate school, law school, or just want to discuss politics, history, writing, or anything at all. My door is always open. Book to purchase (and on reserve): (1) V.O. Key, Jr., Southern Politics in State and Nation (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1949) (new printing in 1984). (Available online at a deep discount) (2) Charles S. Bullock III and Mark J. Rozell, eds., The New Politics of the Old South, An Introduction to Southern Politics 5 th edition (New York: Rowan & Littlefield, 2013). ***Additional readings will be available on Latte. 2

3 Important dates: February 23 (Tuesday) Paper topics due by March 1 (Tuesday) In-class midterm May 10 (Tuesday) Research papers due WEEK 1 January 14 Course overview and introduction. Cal Jillson and David Brian Robertson, eds., American Government: Perspectives on American Government: Readings in Political Development and Institutional Change, second edition (New York: Routledge, 2014), introduction. (Latte). WEEK 2 January 19 Southern Politics, Yesterday and Today V.O. Key, Jr., Southern Politics in State and Nation (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1949), preface and chapter 1 Of the South, pp (Latte) Nell Irvin Painter, Southern History Across the Color Line (Chapel Hill: UNC Press, 2002), introduction. (Latte) Peter Applebome, Dixie Rising: How the South Is Shaping American Values, Politics, and Culture (New York: Mariner Books, 1997), ch. 1, The Southernization of America. (Latte) January 21 The Mind of the South W.J. Cash, The Mind of the South (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1941), ch. 1 and 3. (Latte) Nell Irvin Painter, Sexuality and Power in The Mind of the South, in Southern History Across the Color Line, ch. 6. (Latte) WEEK 3 January 26 The National Constitutional Politics of Slavery Mark A. Graber, Dred Scott and the Problem of Constitutional Evil, (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006), pp (Latte) January 28 The Constitutional Politics of Slavery in the States Robin Einhorn, American Taxation, American Slavery (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2006), introduction and pp (Latte) WEEK 4 February 2 The Lives of the Enslaved Steven Hahn, A Nation Under Our Feet: Black Political Struggles in the Rural South from Slavery to the Great Migration (Cambridge: Belknap Press, 2005), prologue and ch. 1. (Latte) Frederick Douglass, The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro, (Latte) February 4 Secession Richard F. Bensel, Yankee Leviathan: The Origins of Central State Authority in America, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990), ch. 2. (Latte) 3

4 Howell Cobb, Letter to the People of Georgia, in John Wakelyn, ed., Southern Pamphlets on Secession, November 1860-April 1861 (Chapel Hill: UNC Press, 1996). (Latte) WEEK 5 February 9 Reconstruction Eric Foner, Reconstruction: America s Unfinished Revolution, (New York: Perennial, 1989), chs (Latte) February 11 Redemption and Disfranchisement C. Vann Woodward, Origins of the New South, (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1971), chs. 1, 3, 12. (Latte) Booker T. Washington, Atlanta Exposition Speech, September 18, (Latte) WEEK 6 February 16 and 18: No class WEEK 7 February 23 Constructing the One-Party South (Paper topics due by ) V. O. Key, Jr., Southern Politics in State and Nation, Introduction to Part One (15-18), A Note on the Republican Party ( ), Nature and Consequences of One-Party Factionalism ( , ), Party Organization ( ). February 25 Reform during the Progressive Era Kimberly Johnson, Reforming Jim Crow: Southern Politics and the State in the Age Before Brown (New York: Oxford University Press, 2010), intro and chs (Latte) WEEK 8 March 1 (In-class midterm) March 3 The New Deal Johnson, Reforming Jim Crow, ch. 3. Ira Katznelson, Kim Geiger, and Daniel Kryder, Limiting Liberalism: The Southern Veto in Congress, , Political Science Quarterly 108:2 (1993), WEEK 9 March 8 The Civil Rights Movement James C. Cobb, The Most Southern Place on Earth: The Mississippi Delta and the Roots of Regional Identity (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992), chs (Latte) March 10 The Civil Rights Movement Doug McAdam, Political Process and the Development of Black Insurgency, second edition (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1999), chs. 6 and 7. (Latte) Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from Birmingham City Jail, April 16, 1963, and I Have a Dream, Speech at March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, August 28, (Latte) 4

5 WEEK 10 March 15 George Wallace *In-class screening of American Experience, George Wallace: Setting the Woods on Fire. Dan T. Carter, The Politics of Rage: George Wallace, the Origins of the New Conservatism, and the Transformation of American Politics (Shreveport: LSU Press, 2000), preface, chs. 1, 11, and epilogue. (Latte) March 17 Red States, Blue States, and the Southern Strategy Earl Black and Merle Black, The Rise of the Southern Republicans (Cambridge: Belknap, Harvard University Press, 2003), ch. 1. (Latte) Thomas Edsall, Building Red America: The New Conservative Coalition and the Drive for Permanent Power (New York: Basic Books, 2007), ch. 1. (Latte) WEEK 11 March 22 The South Today; Virginia Charles S. Bullock and Mark J. Rozell, eds., The New Politics of the Old South, An Introduction to Southern Politics 5 th edition (New York: Rowan & Littlefield, 2013), intro and ch. 6. Key, Southern Politics in State and Nation, ch. 2. March 24 Florida and Texas Key, Southern Politics in State and Nation, chs. 5 and 12. Bullock and Rozell, eds., The New Politics of the Old South, chs. 11 and 12. WEEK 12 March 29 Mississippi and South Carolina Key, Southern Politics in State and Nation, chs. 7 and 11. Bullock and Rozell, eds., The New Politics of the Old South, chs. 1 and 4. March 31 Religion and Southern Politics Bullock and Rozell, eds., The New Politics of the Old South, ch. 13. WEEK 13 April 5 Civil Rights, African Americans, and Presidential Politics Today Steven F. Lawson, Running for Freedom: Civil Rights and Black Politics in America since 1941, fourth edition (New York: Wiley-Blackwell, 2014), chs. 18 and 19. (Latte) April 7 The 2016 Election Selection of articles on southern Republican presidential hopefuls (and perhaps nominee) Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Mike Huckabee, and Jeb Bush. WEEK 14 April 12 The End of the Voting Rights Act? Excerpt from Shelby County v. Holder 570 U.S (Latte) Selection of articles from the 2015 Berkeley Journal of African-American Law & Policy Symposium on Shelby County v. Holder: The End of Voting Rights. (Latte) 5

6 April 14 Race and the Struggle for Power in Contemporary Southern Politics Alan GreenBlatt, The New Black South, Governing the States and Localities, June Thomas Edsall, The Decline of Black Power in the South, New York Times, July 20, Ari Berman, "How the GOP is Resegregating the South," The Nation, January 31, Selection of readings on the Tea Party and the Freedom Caucus. WEEK 15 April 19 The New Politics of the Confederate Flag Selection of articles on the Confederate Flag controversy. (Latte) April 21 (No class, Brandeis Friday) WEEK 16 April 26 The Tea Party and the Freedom Caucus Theda Skocpol and Vanessa Williamson, The Tea Party and the Remaking of Republican Conservatism (New York: Oxford University Press, 2013), intro and chs. 1 and 6. (Latte) April 28 C. Vann Woodward, The Burden of Southern History (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1960), The Irony of Southern History. (Latte) Final Thoughts Research Papers due Tuesday, May 10 6