POLI 410 Political Parties and Ideology in (Winter 2018) Instructor: Kelly Gordon Email: kelly.gordon2@mcgill.ca Phone: (514) 398-4800, ext. 4676 Course Overview and Objectives What is political ideology? How does ideology structure political parties and partisanship? And, in turn, how do parties influence larger Canadian politics and ideology? This course will attempt to help students answer these and other questions through an examination of a variety of key thinkers and debates around parties and ideology in Canadian politics. The aim of this course is to give students the critical tools to examine the complexity of Canadian political society. Students should complete the course with a firm grasp on both the limits and possibilities of analyzing ideology as it intersects and interlocks with other facets of Canadian politics including party politics, voter behaviour, candidate selection, electoral outcomes, and ultimately, political governance. Learning Objectives The course aims to help you develop the ability to: Identify the ideological underpinnings, history, and structures of the main political parties in Understand a wide variety of perspectives on Canadian political ideology and party politics Understand the main debates and key assumptions made around voter behaviour, electoral systems, partisanship, and political campaigning Required Texts All of the course readings can be found in a single course pack available for purchase from LeJames McGill University Bookstore. There will also be a copy placed on reserve in the Humanities and Social Science Library. Evaluation Attendance and Participation 10% Midterm exam 20% Paper Proposal 10% Research paper 30% Final Exam 30% Class Schedule 1
Week/Topics Date Assignments and/or Readings Due (CP = Course Pack) 1.1: What is ideology? 1.2 Political Ideology in, Part I 2.1 Political Ideology in, Part II 3.1 What is a Political Party? 3.2 Political Parties in J 9 J 11 J 16 J 18 J 23 J 25 Course introduction Terry Eagleton, What is ideology?, (1991), CP Peter Smith, The Ideological Origins of Confederation (1987), CP Gad Horowitz, Conservatism, liberalism, and socialism in : An interpretation (1966), CP Seymour Lipset, Historical Traditions and National Characteristics: A Comparative Analysis of and the United States (1986), CP Nelson Wiseman, Pathways to Canadian Political Culture, in In Search of Canadian Political Culture, (2011), CP Christopher Cochrane, Left/Right Ideology and Canadian Politics (2010), CP John Kenneth White, What is a Political Party, (2006), CP Steven B. Wolinetz, Party Systems and Party Types, (2006), CP Steve Patten, The Evolution of the Canadian Party System: From Brokerage to Marketing-Orienting Politics, CP Royce Kopp and Amanda Bittner, Introduction: Change and Continuity in Canadian Parties and Elections, (2013), CP 4.1 Liberalism 4.2 The Liberal Party J 30 F 1 Charles Taylor, Shared and Divergent Values, (1993), CP Susan Wendell, A (qualified) defence of liberal feminism, (1987), CP Wilfred Laurier, Sunny Ways Speech, (1895), CP Kenneth Carty, Chapter 1: An Unnatural Party in Big Tent Politics: The Liberal Party s Long Mastery of s Public, (2015), CP 5.1 Conservatism 5.2 Conservative Parties in F 6 F 8 Fredrich Hayek, Why I am not a conservative, (1960) Mike Harris and Preston Manning, Caring for Canadians in a Strong and Free (2005), CP Paper proposals due at the beginning of class Steve Patten, The Reform Party s re-imagining of the Canadian nation, (1999), CP Paul Saurette and Shane Gunster, s Conservative Ideological Infrastructure: Brewing a Cup of Cappuccino Conservatism in Tax is not a Four-Letter Word, (2013), CP 2
6.1 Socialism in 6.2 The CCF/NDP F 13 F 15 Seymour Lipset, The Background of Agrarian Radicalism (1967) Meg Luxton, Feminism as a Class Act: Working-Class Feminism and the Women s Movement in (2001), CP Fournier et al. Riding the Orange Wave: leadership, clause, issues, and the 2011 Canadian election (2013), CP David Laycock, Conceptual Foundations of Continuity and Change in NDP Ideology, in Reviving Social Democracy: The Near Death and Surprising Rise of the Federal NDP, (2015), CP The Leap Manifesto, can be accessed at, https://leapmanifesto.org/en/the-leapmanifesto/#manifesto-content 7.1 Party Types and Structures 7.2 Elections and Political Parties, Part I F 20 F 22 Alan Cairns, "The Electoral Systems and the Party System, 1921-1965," (1968), CP Brian Gaines, Duverger s Law and the Meaning of Canadian Exceptionalism, (1999), CP Christopher Garner and Natalia Letki, Party Structure and Backbench Dissent in the Canadian and British Parliaments (2005), CP Royce Koop and Amanda Bittner, Parties and Elections after 2011: The Fifth Canadian Party System (2013), CP (will be posted on mycourses) 8.1 MIDTERM 8.2 Voting Behaviour, Part I F 27 M 1 In-class, closed book midterm (20%) covers all reading and course material from the first 6 weeks of class (from Jan. 9 th Feb 15 th ) Andrea Perrella, Overview of Voting Behaviour Theories, (2009), CP Lawrence LeDuc and Jon Pammett, Voter Turnout, (2010), CP READING BREAK 9.1 Voting Behaviour II 9.2 Parties and Partisanship READING BREAK M 13 M 15 READING BREAK READINGS FOR THIS WEEK WILL BE POSTED ON MYCOURSES Brenda O Neil and Melanie Thomas, Because it s 2015 : Gender and the 2015 Election (2016) Éric Bélanger and Laura B. Stephenson, Parties and Partisan: the Influence of Ideology and Brokerage on the Durability of Partisanship in, (2010) Richard Johnston, The Structural Bases of Canadian Party Preference: Evolution and Cross-National Comparison, (2012) 10.1 Minority M 20 Éric Bélanger, Third Parties in : Variety and Success (2016), CP 3
Political Parties and Fringe Politics 10.2 Political Persuasion and Campaigning M 22 Cara Camcastle, The Green Party of in political space and the new middle class thesis, (2007), CP Tom Flanagan, Tom, The Ten Commandments of Conservative Campaigning, in Harper s Team: Behind the Scenes in the Conservative Rise to Power (2007), can be accessed as ebook through McGill library Tamara Small, Two Decades of Digital Party Politics, (2016), CP 11.1 Gender and Political Parties 11.2 Parties and Social Movements 12.1 Origins of the Party System 12.2 Immigration and Political Parties M 27 M 29 A 3 A 5 Joanna Everitt, Where are the Women in Canadian Political Parties, CP Linda Trimble et al., Politicizing Bodies: Hegemonic Masculinity, Heteronormativity, and Racism in News Representations of Canadian Political Party Leadership Candidates (2015), CP Janine Brodie, We are all equal now, (2008) CP James Farney, The personal is not political: The progressive conservative response to social issues (2009), CP Joanne Everitt and Michael Camp, In versus Out: LGBT Politicians in (2014), CP Guest Lecture Xavier Bériault Origins of the Party System, Reading to be emailed out and posted on MyCourses Final Research Papers due at the beginning of class Nelson Wiseman, Five Immigrant Wave: Their Ideological Orientations and Partisan Reverberations, (2007), CP Jerome Black, Immigrant and Minority Incorporation in : A Review with some reflection on Canadian-American comparison possibilities (2011), CP 13.1 13.2 A 10 A 12 In class debate (attendance is mandatory) Exam Review Description of Assignments and Grading I. Regular Attendance and Participation (10%) Attendance of lectures and active participation is central in ensuring that students understand and retain knowledge. To this end, students will be expected to attend and participate in lectures throughout the semester and attendance will be taken periodically throughout the semester. Grades will be determined by the professor based on the following criteria: Has the student consistently attended and voluntarily participated in class discussion (i.e. asking questions, suggesting themes for discussion during class, giving examples)? 4
Has the student enhanced the learning environment by participating respectfully in classroom discussion with their colleagues? Has the student demonstrated significant preparation for class? II. Paper proposal (10%) Paper Proposal Due at the start of class on February 8, 2018 Students will submit a three page (double-spaced) overview of their essay, including the research question, thesis, a description of the major arguments, and a list of at least five supporting academic sources. Further details about the assignment will be given in class. III. Midterm Exam (20%) A closed-book midterm exam will take place in-class on February 27, 2018. Its goal is to ensure that students are familiar with all the course material and can apply major concepts raised in class to broader political analysis. The midterm exam will cover all reading and class material covered from January 9- February 15. Both the midterm and final exams will include: A short answer section graded on the degree to which the answers offered correctly identify and discuss the meaning and importance of chosen concepts, ideas, and issues; A long answer section graded on the student s ability to demonstrate a strong understanding of the concepts/ideas/authors discussed, a clear thesis, compelling evidence, and a thoughtful consideration of key elements and perspectives. IV. Research Paper (30%) Students will submit a ten double-spaced pages in length (excluding the title page and bibliography) on April 5 th, 2018. They must be original papers, meaning that revised papers previously or concurrently written for another class are not acceptable. The papers have to quote at least five academic sources, be properly referenced, and include a bibliography listing all the sources cited. Graded proposal must be stapled to the end of your final paper. Papers with missing proposals will be penalized 10%. V. Final Exam (30%) A cumulative three-hour final exam will take place during the official exam period. Other Key Issues to Note In a class context, we all depend on a climate of mutual respect and engagement to make this a productive and exciting intellectual environment. Please respect these basic guidelines: Deadlines: Exceptions are only made for illness or other serious situations deemed as such by the professor. No extensions will be granted after the assignment is due. Each day of late submission will result in a penalty of 5% per day (weekends included). University regulations require all absences from exams and all late submissions due to illness be supported by a medical certificate. No assignments will be accepted via email or under the professor s door. Late assignments can be submitted in person to the professor or to the main political science office on the 4 th floor of Leacock. 5
Email policy: Email will be answered during normal business hours of the University. While an effort will be made to respond in a timely manner, please allow 1-2 days for a reply. No extensions will be granted via email unless documentation can be provided. Electronic devices: As per McGill s courtesy policy, cell phone use, texting, emailing, and surfing the Internet are prohibited during class time. If you need your cell phone on because you have children or need to remain in contact with someone because of a medical emergency, please inform the professor at the beginning of the class and please leave you cell phone on vibrate. Class discussion: Please respect your fellow students by listening attentively during classroom discussions and lectures. Students talking repeatedly during lectures will be asked to leave. Racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, or other discriminatory remarks will not be tolerated. Class time: Students who come late to class or leave early disrupt both the flow of discussions and the lectures. Please respect class time. If you have to leave early due to extraneous circumstances, please inform the professor prior to class. McGill Policy Statements Language of Submission: In accord with McGill University s Charter of Students Rights, students in this course have the right to submit in English or in French any written work that is to be graded. This does not apply to courses in which acquiring proficiency in a language is one of the objectives. «Conformément à la Charte des droits de l étudiant de l Université McGill, chaque étudiant a le droit de soumettre en français ou en anglais tout travail écrit devant être noté (sauf dans le cas des cours dont l un des objets est la maîtrise d une langue).» Academic Integrity: McGill University values academic integrity. Therefore, all students must understand the meaning and consequences of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offences under the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures (see www.mcgill.ca/students/srr/honest/ for more information Text-matching Software: Text-matching software is used in this course. Item 2 of the text-matching policy states, in part: 2. Students shall also be informed in writing before the end of the drop/add period that they are free, without penalty of grade, to choose an alternative way of attesting to the authenticity of their work. Instructors shall provide students with at least two possible alternatives that are not unduly onerous and that are appropriate for the type of written work. If you prefer that an alternative way of attesting to your work s authenticity be used, you may choose from these alternatives: a) submitting copies of multiple drafts; b) submitting an annotated bibliography; c) submitting photocopies of sources; 6
d) taking an oral examination directed at issues of originality; e) responding in writing to a quiz or questions directed at issues of originality; f) providing a written report regarding the process of completing the work; other alternatives devised by the instruction, provided that they are not unduly onerous, that they are meant to attest for authenticity of the written work, and that they meet the approval of the Dean or Disciplinary Officer in the faculty in which the course is offered. 7