POLI 1090: American Government in a Multicultural World This course examines political processes and institutions in the United States. The context for this analysis is: political and social diversity within the U.S., and the experiences of other nations in this regard. To the extent possible, current illustrations of political phenomena and relationships are highlighted. Course Objectives * to familiarize students with the processes and institutions of American national government * to examine these processes in the context of an extraordinarily broad and rich social diversity * to analyze the U.S. system in the context of processes and styles of governance in other nations * to assist students in thinking analytically about the fundamental issues of political freedom, governance, and conflict resolution in complex societies * to empower students as citizens by discerning the means and importance of participation in a democratic society * to use the internet as a complementary tool for learning about government and society Reading Fiorina, Morris P., and Paul E. Peterson. 2001. The New American Democracy, 2 nd ed. New York: Longman. Supplementary readings on e-reserves Grades 1) three exams, each comprising 25% of final grade 2) internet journal, comprising 25% of final grade Foundations of Government Course Outline I. The U.S. Constitution Cross-National Comparison: Constitutionalism in Comparative Perspective Fiorina and Peterson: Chaps. 2-3 1
E-reserves: * Declaration of Independence * Constitution of the United States of American * Federalist Papers, #10, 47, 51 On the Web * National Archives and Records Administration (www.nara.gov/exhall/charters/constitution/conmain.html) * National Conference of State Legislatures (www.ncsl.org) * U.S. Historical Documents (gopher://wiretap.spies.com/11/gov/us- History) II. The Contemporary Political Landscape: Unity Amidst Diversity in the American Political Community Cross-National Comparison: Ethnicity, Religion, Race, and Citizenship Around the World Fiorina and Peterson: Chaps. 1, 4 * United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census (www.census.gov) * Immigration and Naturalization Service (www.ins.usdoj.gov) III. Civil Liberties Cross-National Comparison: Crime in the U.S. and Other Nations; Political Dissent in China Fiorina and Peterson: Chap. 16 * American Civil Liberties Union (www.aclu.org) * National Rifle Association (www.nra.org) IV. Civil Rights Cross-National Comparison: Protection from Discrimination and Access to Political Power Around the World Fiorina and Peterson: Chap. 17 * U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (www.usccr.gov) * National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (www.naacp.org) * National Council of La Raza (www.nclr.org) * American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (www.us-israel.org) Political Behavior 2
V. Public Opinion Cross-National Comparison: Public Opinion Polling in Other Nations Fiorina and Peterson: Chap. 5 * The Gallup Polls (www.gallup.com) * The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research (www.ropercenter.uconn.edu) VI. Voting and Political Participation Cross-National Comparison: Voter Turnout and the Use of Referenda in Other Democracies Fiorina and Peterson: Chap. 6 * Teledemocracy Action News + Network (www.auburn.edu/tann) * League of Women Voters (www.lwv.org) * Project Vote Smart (www.vote-smart.org/) VII. Candidates, Campaigns, and Elections Cross-National Comparison: Women in Politics in Other Democracies; Campaigns in Comparative Perspective Fiorina and Peterson: Chaps. 10-11 * American National Elections Studies (www.umich.edu/~nes/) * Common Cause (www.commoncause.org/index.html) Quasi-Governmental Institutions VIII. The Media Cross-National Comparison: Television and the 2000 Russian Presidential Election Fiorina and Peterson: Chap. 9 * CNN and Time AllPolitics (www.cnn.com/allpolitics/) * The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press (www.peoplepress.org) IX. Political Parties Cross-National Comparison: Parliamentary Politics in Multi-Party Systems; Multi- Party Politics in Italy Fiorina and Peterson: Chap. 8 3
* The Republican Party (www.rnc.org) * The Democratic Party (www.democrats.org) * Directory of U.S. Political Parties (www.politics1.com) X. Interest Groups Cross-National Comparison: The Politics of Rich v. Poor in Other Democracies Fiorina and Peterson: Chap. 7 * National Political Index (www.politicalindex.com/index.htm) * National Lobbyist Directory (www.lobbyistdirectory.com) Institutions of Governance XI. Legislature Cross-National Comparison: Presidential Versus Parliamentary Systems of Government Fiorina and Peterson: Chap. 12 On the web: * United States Senate (www.senate.gov) * United States House of Representatives (www.house.gov) XII. XIII. Chief Executive Cross-National Comparison: U.S. Presidents and British Prime Ministers Fiorina and Peterson, Chap. 13 * The White House (www.whitehouse.gov) * Center for the Study of the Presidency (www.thepresidency.org) Executive Establishment Cross-National Comparison: Political Versus Professional Bureaucrats Fiorina and Peterson, Chap. 14 * FedWorld: Gateway to Agencies and Departments (www.fedworld.gov) * National Performance Review: Reinventing Government (www.npr.gov) XIV. Judiciary Cross-National Comparison: Statutory Interpretation in the United States and Britain 4
Conclusion Fiorina and Peterson, Chap. 15 * The Supreme Court of the United States (www.supremecourtus.gov) * Federal Judiciary (www.uscourts.gov) * Legal Information Institute (www.law.cornell.edu) XV. The United States in the Global Community Cross-National Comparison: NAFTA v. Euro E-reserves * NAFTA (www.ffas.usda.gov/info/factsheets/nafta.html) * European Union (www.europa.ed.int/comm/represent-en.htm) 5