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Parties and Government in the U.S.A.

This course provides an in-depth study of political processes and dynamics in the U.S.A., focusing on electoral processes and the role of political parties. Students will develop critical thinking skills through readings, discussions, and a final paper.

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Parties and Government in the U.S.A.

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  1. POLI-D-537 Parties and Government in the U.S.A. 5 ects Emilie van Haute Week 1

  2. Organizational Meeting • Course outline • Practical Information • Course Description • Expectations, Assignments and Grading • Course Medium and Readings • Overview

  3. Practical Information webctapp.ulb.ac.be • Course Schedule • Schedule: Tuesday 10:00-12:00 • Room: K3.401 • Starts: 20/09; Ends: 13/12 • Information: Université virtuelle (UV): webctapp.ulb.ac.be (POLID537) • Blog: http://ulb-poli-d-537.over-blog.com/ • Office Hours • Thursdays 16:00-18:00 • Starts:  29/09; Ends: 15/12 (after: by appointment) • S Building – Office S.11.125 • Phone: 02/650.48.82 • Email : evhaute@ulb.ac.be

  4. Course Description (1) • Prerequisite • POLI-D-437 : Le système politique des Etats-Unis, • Or any class covering the following subjects: • The origins of American political principles • The revolution and the constitution • Federalism & Federal institutions (President, Congress, Court) • - If not: Jillson Cal, American Government. Political Development and Institutional Change, London, Routledge, 5th edition, 2009. • And Jillson Cal, Robertson David (eds), Perspectives on American Government. Readings in Political Development and Institutional Change, London, Routledge, 2009. • Class Format: Triple Equilibrium • Accumulation of knowledge and critical thinking • Theoretical background and empirical studies (case studies, documentaries, etc.) • Class seminar (2 ects) and regular work (3 ects)

  5. Course Description (2) • Intended Student Learning Outcome • - Develop an in-depth knowledge of the political processes and dynamics in the U.S.A. (electoral process and the role of the political parties in it) • Via readings and literature reviews • Via documentaries and class discussions • Via a final paper • Develop a critical mind via individual reflection and collective discussions • Organize work on the short term / long term • Write an original essay • not reproduction of knowledge but rather application of knowledge • Course Outline • - Part I: Parties and Politics in the U.S.: Party Eras, Party System, Party Organization, and Ideology, Issues and Polarization • - Part II: Political Campaigns and Elections in the U.S.: Presidential and Congressional Elections, Participation and Voting Behavior, Campaign Finance, Strategy and Interest Groups

  6. Course & Assignments Overview

  7. Course Expectation, Assignments, and Grading(1) • Student performances assessed as follows: • Participation: 10% • Literature Review: 30% • Written comments on reviews / documentaries: 30% • Final Paper: 30% • Participation (10%) • Attending class regularly • Participating in class discussion • Quantity / Quality of the comments • Unexcused absences will negatively affect the grade, as well as repeatedly arriving mate or leaving early.

  8. Course Expectation, Assignments, and Grading(2) • Literature Review (30%) • A literature review for one week of the class • Readings assigned after Week 1 (UV) • Reviews to be posted on the class blog by Friday evening (5pm) • Reviews should not exceed 5 pages (TNR, 1.5 spaced) • Written Comments on reviews / documentaries (30%) • 1 Comment/question on each literature review (6 weeks) • 1 Comment/question on each documentary (3 weeks) • Comments and questions to be posted on the class blog by Monday evening (before 5 pm) • Answers during class or on the blog by the end of the week (Friday 5 pm) • Final Research Paper (30%) • Topic: U.S. Presidential elections (Topics chosen for Week 2) • Practical information: UV • Deadline: Monday, January 09, 2012 before 5 pm – no exception

  9. Course Expectation, Assignments, and Grading(3) • Retake session (August/September) • Participation: students keep their mark • Students decide at their own risk whether they want to retake the literature review, the final research paper, or both • Literature Review & comments: students are expected to review twice more reading material to compensate for the written comments mark – readings assigned in June • Final research paper: same as 1st session (individual paper) • Both assignments are due for Monday, August 13 before 5 pm – no exception • Academic Honesty • Dishonesty / Plagiarism treated as a serious matter • Instructions against plagiarism and declaration to be joined to all papers on http://dev.ulb.ac.be/sciencespo/en/memoires-tfe.html

  10. Course Expectation, Assignments, and Grading(4) • Format & deadlines matter • No delays tolerated • Fixed format for papers • Standard front sheet (www.sciencespo-ulb.be) • Table of contents • Standard layout (TNR 12, 1.5 spaced, 2.5cm margins) • Pay extra attention to style & references

  11. Course media & readings • Course • PowerPoint presentations: UV • Textbook: Bibby J.F., Schaffner B.F., Politics, Parties and Elections in America, Thompson Wadsworth, 2008, 6th edition. • Instructions & Registration • Literature review & Final research paper: forms on UV • Instructions for each assignment: UV • Readings • Collection of articles/book chapters available at the university library + on the UV • Documentaries • Available on the UV • Blog - http://ulb-poli-d-537.over-blog.com

  12. Literature Review (30%) • Topic • Thematic week (Weeks 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, and 13) • Readings assigned after Week 1 (on UV) • Content • Critical & comparative analysis of a group of articles • Emphasize: question, theoretical approach, hypothesis, method of data collection & analysis • Integrated analysis > collection of individual article reviews • Practical Information • To be posted on class blog at the end of the week preceding the class (Friday evening at 17:00 at the latest) • Should not exceed 5 pages • Instructions and example on the UV

  13. Literature Review (cntd) Instructions = the state and progress of current literature on a given topic or problem = critical evaluation of material Define & clarify topic Summarizes state of knowledge Identify relations, contradictions, gaps, inconsistencies  Make suggestions on steps to address the problem Checklist Context of the work reviewed Theories referred to most often? Debates over theories? Concepts used? Definitions? Basic assumptions? Methods/Data used for demonstration? Patterns in the results? Galvan, J.L. Writing literature reviews: A guide for students of the social and behavioral sciences.

  14. Comments on Literature Review (30%) • Content • 1 Comment/question on each literature review (6 weeks) except the week assigned for your own review • 1 Comment/question on each documentary (3 weeks) • Content: clarify specific aspects of the readings, explain a concept, explain a method/demonstration, compare with other findings/authors, etc. • Practical information • Comments and questions to be posted on the class blog by Monday evening (5 pm) • Answers during class or on the blog by the end of the week

  15. Final Research Paper (30%) • Topic • US Presidential elections • Content • The paper should address the following question: ‘How can we explain the outcome of the xxxx Presidential elections in the USA?’ • Expected structure • Pre-Campaign: preparation of primaries • Primaries: selection of candidate within each party • Presidential election campaign • Results (detailed) • Analysis: using between 2 and 4 hypotheses grounded in the theoretical frameworks developed in class, analyze the electoral results • Practical information • Topics have to be chosen for Week 3 (see form on UV) • Deadline: Monday, January 09, 2012 • Length: 15 pages (TNR 12, 1.5 spaced, 2.5cm margins) • Language: English

  16. Part IParties and Politics in the U.S. Main goal: answer 4 focus questions: 1. How has the role of political parties changed during the past 2 centuries? 2. What role have minor parties played in American history? 3. Are American parties in decline? 4. Do American parties really differ in terms of platform? Outline: 4 weeks: I.1. Party Eras I.2. Party System I.3. Party Organization I.4. Party Ideology, Issues and Polarization

  17. I.1. Party Eras • The Place of Parties in U.S. Politics • Party Realignments in American History • Party Eras

  18. 1. The Place of Parties in U.S. Politics • Founding generation skeptical of ‘factions’ or parties • Constitution: did not envision a president nominated by party conventions, partisan slates of presidential electors, or a Congress organized on the basis of partisanship – tried to make parties difficult to form • Washington, Hamilton & Madison: Public interest & public good >< divisions & disagreements: • « [The Spirit of party] serves always to distract the Public Councils and enfeeble the Public administration. It agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles animosity of one party against another, foments occasional riot and insurrection. » (Washington’s Farewell Address in 1796) – see also Federalist n°10 • Electoral rules favored a strong two-party system: the Constitution does not specify how national elections are to be conducted (state legislators free to choose how to designate presidential electors, rules for congressional elections, etc.) • Early 20th century: institutionalization of parties • Apprehension concerning the role of parties still flourishing / hostility • 40% of the population would like to have candidates run without party labels • Majority of Americans preferred to have the presidency and Congress controlled by different parties • Cities adopted non-partisan city elections: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York (Bloomberg case)

  19. 2. Party Realignments in American History (1) • Old & continuously operating party system • Since 1852: every president elected as a R or a D • Since 1849: both houses of Congress have been controlled either by the Rs or the Ds • Major changes in partisan balance every 35 years • 15 years of party dominance followed by • 15-20 years of competitive politics (alternation, rise of 3rd parties, divided governments) • Realignment: 5 attributes (Abramson, Aldrich & Rohde, 2003) 1. The regional support for the parties changes 2. The social groups supporting the parties change 3. New groups of citizens are mobilized and become part of the electorate 4. Voters change not just which party they vote for, but also the party that they identify with 5. Realignments are typically caused by new issues that divide citizens • Realignments in the U.S.: • Debate: 4 or 5 (1828, 1860, 1896, 1932, and perhaps 1968) • Caused by divisive issues

  20. 2. Party Realignments in American History (2)

  21. 3. Party Eras • The First Party System (1800-1824): Federalists vs. Jeffersonian Republicans • The Second Party System (1828-1856): Whigs vs. Jacksonian Democrats • The Third Party System (1856-1896): Ascendant Republicans vs. Democrats • The Fourth Party System (1896-1928): Republican Dominance Renewed • The Fifth Party System (1932-1968): The Democratic New Deal Era • The Sixth Party System (1968-2008): The Era of Dealignment and Divided government

  22. Source: Jillson C., American Government, London, Routledge, 2009, p.187.

  23. 3.0. Preparty Period • Under Washington’s first term: factions formed in Congress • Hamilton & Adams (&Washington): Federalists: Powerful government, strong economic program oriented towards the northern interests vs. • Madison & Jefferson (Virginia): Southern agrarian interests, fear of concentration of power, against Washington’s pro-British tilt, pro-French revolution • Parties emerged out of national divisions > State politics, and out of congressional tensions > electoral divisions • Federalist ascendancy until Washington’s 2nd term but reluctant to organize • First to organize: Madison & Jefferson(vice-president under John Adams 1797-1801) • Coordination of the opposition to the Jay Treaty 1794 (solve disputes with the British on debts)

  24. 3.1. First Party System (1800-1824)Federalists vs. Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicans • Extension of the divisions from Congress to the electorate • One-party dominance • Jeffersonian Republicans (modern-day Ds): Support from less elite elements of society Support from small farmers (90% of the nation) Coordination in various states: electors as agents of the party Stresses party unity & party discipline but view it as a ‘party to end a party’ (would be done when the Federalists would be defeated – but not the case) • Advantage: won 3x2 presidential elections in a row: Jefferson (1801-1809); Madison (1809-1817); Monroe (1817-1825) • Federalists: Rely on old wealth, respectable occupations, established leadership strata, elitism => Uncompetitive

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