Political Science 873: American Political Parties Barry C. Burden University of Wisconsin Spring Semester 2016 Tuesdays 3:30-5:30pm 7121 Helen C. White Hall Email: bcburden@wisc.edu Office hours: Mondays 2-3:30pm and by appointment This graduate seminar provides an examination of political parties in the United States. The literature on parties is vast and is connected to almost every subfield. Our goal is survey what the best and most visible scholarship has to say about parties as they relate to representation, the policy making process, and the connection of citizens to the political process. The readings emphasize topics that are of interest to researchers today, so the material tends to be contemporary rather than classic. Responsibilities I expect that students will do all of the required reading and come to class prepared to discuss it in a thoughtful fashion. (The recommended reading is not required but may be helpful preparation for your final paper.) The number of pages required each week is kept at manageable level. Careful reading and participation in class discussion are the keys to making the class productive for everyone involved. You might not immediately understand everything in the readings. In particular, the methodologies deployed in the readings will be difficult to grasp if you have not yet taken courses in research design and statistics. That is fine. I ask that you give it a serious try and then bring your insights as well as your questions to class. Each student will write three reaction papers during the semester. These should be uploaded to the Learn@UW site by Monday at 4pm for each of the three weeks you select. The papers should assess, critique, and synthesize that week s readings. Each paper should be no longer than three double-spaced pages. I will work these into class discussion. You should be prepared to discuss the materials covered in each class, whether or not you wrote a reaction paper for that session. A final paper is due in hard copy on Friday, May 13 at 4pm. The paper may be either a literature review or research paper. A literature review should survey in a comprehensive fashion the state of literature on a topic related to parties and identify promising areas for future research. A research paper should focus on a more specific question with original research and only a limited review of relevant literature. Most papers will be 20-30 pages long (with standard one-inch margins and double-spacing). To facilitate development of the paper, a tentative paper proposal of about one single-spaced paged submitted in hard copy on Friday March 11 at 4pm for feedback. The proposal should indicate what question you are planning to investigate and what literature and/or data you will draw upon. 1
We should discuss your paper projects sometime in the middle of the semester before you get too deep into them. Be aware of the IRB requirements and act early if you decide to collect original data. With my permission you may co-author the paper with a fellow student. All co-authored projects should be research papers rather than literature reviews. Reaction papers and class participation account for half of the overall course grade. The final paper accounts for the other half. Readings The seminar revolves around the readings. Many of the course readings are from recent journal articles or isolated book chapters. They will be posted to Learn@UW. Several books recommended for purchase because of the amount of reading: Aldrich, Why Parties? A Second Look (2011 University of Chicago Press) Carmines & Stimson, Issue Evolution (1989 Princeton University Press) Cohen, The Party Decides (2008 University of Chicago Press) Hajnal and Lee, Why Americans Don t Join the Party (2011 Princeton University Press) Karol, Party Position Change in American Politics (2009 Cambridge University Press) Levendusky, The Partisan Sort (2009 University of Chicago Press) Schlozman, When Movements Anchor Parties (2015 Princeton University Press) These books are on reserve at the library, but should be purchased if possible. Interlibrary loan is also possible. Note that the Hajnal and Lee and Karol books are available as an e-book through the library s web site. Although not required, students might find edited volumes that provide a survey of the field helpful. In particular, I recommend Hershey, Burden, and Wolbrecht, ed., CQ Guide to U.S. Political Parties (2014 CQ Press) and Stonecash, ed., New Directions in American Political Parties (2010 Routledge). Other Considerations Your success in this class is important to me. All students are strongly encouraged to visit office hours not only to discuss you paper but also to let me know how the course is working for you. If you have a disability or circumstance that could affect your performance, please contact me early in the semester so that we can consider accommodations. The McBurney Center for Disability Services can provide official documentation of disabilities. If you must miss class due to illness or another valid, unavoidable conflict, please contact me in advance. I reserve the right to modify the syllabus timeline or specific readings as needed. 2
Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. This includes using someone else s words or ideas without proper attribution. I will report any cases of academic dishonesty to the appropriate dean s office. Please only use electronic devices in class for referencing course materials, taking notes, and occasionally tracking down online items that are necessary for our discussions. Everything else should be quieted and stowed away for later use. Syllabus January 19: A Brief Introduction January 26: No Class February 2: What is a Party? Aldrich, Why Parties? [chapters 1-5 & 8] Cohen et al., The Party Decides [chapters 2-3] Downs, An Economic Theory of Democracy (1957 Harper and Row) [chapters 2 & 7] Bawn et al., A Theory of Political Parties: Groups, Policy Demands, and Nominations in American Politics (2012 Perspectives on Politics) Epstein, Political Parties in the American Mold (1986 University of Wisconsin Press) Gunther and Diamond, Species of Political Parties: A New Typology (2003 Party Politics) Schattschneider, Party Government (1942 Holt, Rinehart, and Winston) Schlesinger, The New American Party (1985 American Political Science Review) February 9: Party Dynamics Carmines and Stimson, Issue Evolution [chapters 2, 3, & 5-8] Noel, The Coalition Merchants: The Ideological Roots of the Civil Rights Realignment (2012 Journal of Politics) Carsey and Layman, Changing Sides or Changing Minds? Party Identification and Policy Preferences in the American Electorate (2006 American Journal of Political Science) Gerring, Party Ideologies in America, 1828-1996 (1998 Cambridge University Press) 3
February 16: Partisanship in the Public Mind Hajnal and Lee, Why Americans Don t Join The Party [chapters TBD] Iyengar and Westwood, Fear and Loathing across Party Lines: New Evidence on Group Polarization (2015 American Journal of Political Science) Lelkes and Sniderman, The Ideological Asymmetry of the American Party System (forthcoming British Journal of Political Science) Green, Palmquist, and Schickler, Partisan Hearts and Minds (2002 Yale University Press) Sniderman and Stigliz, The Reputational Premium (2012 Princeton University Press) Stoker and Jennings, Of Time and the Development of Partisan Polarization (2008 American Journal of Political Science) February 23: Partisanship and Ideology Levendusky, The Partisan Sort [chapters TBD] Abramowitz and Saunders, Ideological Realignment in the US Electorate. (1998 Journal of Politics) Baldassarri and Gelman, Partisans without Constraint: Political Polarization and Trends in American Public Opinion (2008 American Journal of Sociology) Bafumi and Shapiro, A New Partisan Voter (2009 Journal of Politics) Bartels, Partisanship and Voting Behavior, 1952-1996 (2000 American Journal of Political Science) March 1: Party Brands Egan, Partisan Priorities (2013 Cambridge University Press) [chapters TBD] Petrocik, Benoit, and Hansen, Issue Ownership and Presidential Campaigning, 1952-2000 (2003-4 Political Science Quarterly) Pope and Woon, Measuring Changes in American Party Reputations, 1939-2004 (2009 Political Research Quarterly) Grynaviski, Partisan Bonds (2013 Cambridge University Press) Lupu, Party Brands and Partisanship: Theory with Evidence from a Survey Experiment in Argentina (2013 American Journal of Political Science) Philpot, Race, Republicans, and the Return of the Party of Lincoln (2007 University of Michigan Press) Snyder and Ting, An Informational Rationale for Political Parties (2002 American Journal of Political Science) 4
March 8: Parties and Groups Bartels, Unequal Democracy (2008 Princeton University Press available as e-book) [chapter 3] Schlozman, When Movements Anchor Parties [chapters TBD] Frymer, Uneasy Alliances (2010 Princeton University Press) Grossman and Dominguez, Party Coalitions and Interest Group Networks (2009 American Politics Research) March 15: Geographic Polarization : Bishop and Cushing, The Big Sort: Migration, Community, and Politics in the United States of Those People (2008 chapter in Red, Blue, and Purple America, ed. Ruy Teixeira available as e-book) Chen and Rodden, Unintentional Gerrymandering: Political Geography and Electoral Bias in Legislatures (2013 Quarterly Journal of Political Science) Gelman et al, Rich State, Poor State, Red State, Blue State: What s the Matter with Connecticut? (2007 Quarterly Journal of Political Science) Nall, The Political Consequences of Spatial Policies: How Interstate Highways Facilitated Geographic Polarization (2015 Journal of Politics) : McCarty, Poole, and Rosenthal, Does Gerrymandering Cause Polarization? (2009 American Journal of Political Science) March 22: No Class Spring Break March 29: Issue Alignments and Policies Karol, Party Position Change in American Politics [chapters 1-3 & 5] [Also review Carmines & Stimson, Issue Evolution] Bartels, Unequal Democracy (2008 Princeton University Press) [chapter 2] Mayhew, Electoral Realignments (2002 Yale University Press) Shafer and Claggett, The Two Majorities Shafer and Spady, The American Political Landscape (2014 Harvard University Press) Smith, The Right Talk (2009 Princeton University Press) Wolbrecht, The Politics of Women s Rights (2000 Princeton University Press) 5
April 5: Presidential Nominations Cohen et al., The Party Decides [chapters 4-9] Galvin, Presidential Party Building (2009 Princeton University Press) Ware, The American Direct Primary. (2002 Cambridge University Press) April 12: Sub-Presidential Nominations Ansolabehere et al., More Democracy: The Direct Primary and Competition in U.S. Elections (2010 Studies in American Political Development) Boatright, Getting Primaried (2013 University of Michigan Press) [chapters 2 & 4] Hall, What Happens When Extremists Win Primaries? (2015 American Political Science Review) McGhee et al. A Primary Cause of Partisanship? Nomination Systems and Legislator Ideology. (2014 American Journal of Political Science) Adams and Merrill, Candidate and Party Strategies in Two-Stage Elections Beginning with a Primary (2008 American Journal of Political Science) Burden, Jones, and Kang, Sore Loser Laws and Congressional Polarization (2014 Legislative Studies Quarterly) Herrnson, The Roles of Party Organizations, Party-Connected Committees, and Party Allies in Elections (2009 Journal of Politics) Hill, Institution of Nomination and the Policy Ideology of Primary Electorates (2015 Quarterly Journal of Political Science) Masket, No Middle Ground (2009 University of Michigan Press) April 19: Activists Aldrich, Why Parties? [chapter 6] Carmines and Stimson, Issue Evolution [chapter 4] Grossman and Hopkins, Ideological Republicans and Group Interest Democrats: The Asymmetry of American Party Politics (2015 Perspectives on Politics) Layman et al., Activists and Conflict Extension in American Party Politics (2010 American Political Science Review) La Raja and Wiltse, Don t Blame Donors for Ideological Polarization of Political Parties: Ideological Change and Stability among Political Contributors, 1972-2008 (2011 American Politics Research) Miller and Schofield, Activists and Partisan Realignment in the United States (2003 American Political Science Review) Wilson, The Amateur Democrat (1962 University of Chicago Press) 6
April 26: Parties in Government Aldrich, Why Parties? [chapter 7] Cox and McCubbins, Setting the Agenda (2005 Cambridge University Press) [chapters 1 & 2] Rohde, Reflections on the Practice of Theorizing: Conditional Party Government in the Twenty- First Century (2013 Journal of Politics) Wright and Schaffner, The Influence of Party: Evidence from State Legislatures (2002 American Political Science Review) Cox and Katz, Gerrymandering Roll Calls in Congress, 1879-2000 (2007 American Journal of Political Science) Harbridge, Is Bipartisanship Dead? (2015 Cambridge University Press) Krehbiel, Where s the Party? (1993 British Journal of Political Science) Lebo, McGlynn, and Koger, Strategic Party Government: Party Influence in Congress, 1789-2000 (2007 American Journal of Political Science) McCarty, Poole, and Rosenthal, The Hunt for Party Discipline in Congress (2001 American Political Science Review) McCarty, Poole, and Rosenthal, Polarized America (2006 MIT Press) Roberts and Smith, Procedural Contexts, Party Strategy, and Conditional Party Voting in the U.S. House of Representatives, 1971-2000 (2013 American Journal of Political Science) Theriault, Party Polarization in Congress (2008 Cambridge University Press) May 3: Factions and Minor Parties DiSalvo, Engines of Change (2010 Oxford University Press) [chapters TBD] Hirano and Snyder, The Decline of Third-Party Voting in the United States (2007 Journal of Politics) Parker and Barreto, Change They Can t Believe In (2013 Princeton University Press available as e- book) [chapters TBD] Williamson, Skocpol, and Coggin, The Tea Party and the Remaking of Republican Conservatism (2011 Perspectives on Politics) : Adams and Merrill, Why Small, Centrist, Third Parties Motivate Policy Divergence by Major Parties (2006 American Political Science Review) Disch, The Tyranny of the Two-Party System (2002 Columbia University Press) Lacy and Burden, The Vote-Stealing and Turnout Effects of Ross Perot in the 1992 U.S. Presidential Election (1999 American Journal of Political Science) Rapoport and Stone, Three s a Crowd (2008 University of Michigan Press) Rosenstone, Behr, and Lazarus, Third Parties in America, 2nd ed. (1996 Princeton University Press) May 13: Final Paper Due 7