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POL 220: American Government and Politics Rasul Bakhsh Rais Spring 2012 Office: 239-E Social Sciences Old Wing E-mail: rasul@lums.edu.pk Office hours: T Th. 10:00-12:00 Course Description The American political system is unique in many respects, particularly for its ideological foundations and institutional innovation. Individualism since the American Revolution has been a defining characteristic and a foundation on which institutions and political process rest. Theory of separation of powers, a system of checks and balances, and federalism are some of the concepts that found practical expression for the first time in American political system. The issue of fundamental rights and freedoms has persistently shaped diverse social and political discourses and has been a subject of conflicting interpretations that divides American society on important social issues. The American political culture and value system accepts this diversity and provides institutional mechanism for resolving social and political conflicts or keeping them below the threshold of political confrontations that mark many political systems around the world. The course will start with a focus on the Declaration of Independence, its ideology, and the founding of the Constitution of the United States of America. Building on American constitutional thought and politics, we will move on to discussing governmental structures, political participation, and the political process. The course will cover both historical and current events that are related to American politics through textbook and current writings on American political thought and experience. Objectives of the Course 1. Introduce to students American political theory and practice of American Government and how it has taken a distinctive ideological and institutional form. 2. Explain students why American, as well as politics in other societies, is messy, complex, and often contentious. 3. Familiarize the students with the political actors, institutions, and social forces that have shaped American politics and continue to determine it today. 4. Help students develop a way of thinking about and analyzing politics

2 Required Text/materials Morris P., Fiorina, Paul E. Peterson, and D. Stephen, Americas New Democracy. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2nd Edition. On the Web Resource: Recommended, not required. New York Times, National Politics section. (Required; will discuss main political issues of the week by reading NYT stories). Short videos will be shown on different aspects of American political life.

Course Requirements Attendance Participation Presentation Quizzes Mid-term Final Exam 05% 05% 05% 15% 35% 35%

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Attendance and Participation: You are expected to attend all class meetings, complete assigned readings before class sessions. The class meetings will include a combination of lectures and discussions, and you are expected to contribute by participating in the discussions. Evaluation We will have two quizzes before the mid-term and two afterwards, four in all. Roughly after every three weeks, we will have a quiz. Mid-term and final may have short or objective type questions and essays. The final will include pre-mid-term readings with little heavier weight for the post-midterm. Honour Code You are required to attend all classes, come on time, and dont leave before we end the class. You must switch off your cell phones before you enter the classroom. You will not engage in conversation when the instructor is delivering his lecture. COURSE OUTLINE Week One: The founding On the Web: Declaration of Independence, www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/ Articles of Confederation (http://presspubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch1s7.html) Virginia Plan (http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch8s7.html) New Jersey Plan (http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch8s9.html) James Madison, Letter to Thomas Jefferson, Oct. 24, 1787 (http://presspubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch17s22.html)

3 The Constitution, in Levinson, Our Undemocratic Constitution, pp. 183-200 Centinel, No. 1 (http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch11s11.html) Brutus, No. 1 (http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch4s14.html) Federalist No. 10 (http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/federal/fed.htm) Week Two: The Constitution Americas New Democracy, Chapters, 1-2, pp. 2-55. Video: The History of the U.S. Government (23 Minutes) On the web: National Archives and Records Administration, www.nara.gov/exhall/charters/constitution/conmain.html Week Three: Federalism Americas New Democracy, Ch 3, 4, pp. 56-86. Video: The U.S. Federal System (23 Minutes) On the web: Federalism, www.min.net/-kala/fed/ Week Four: Political Culture and Values Americas New Democracy, Chapter 4, pp. 88-119. On the web: Diversity Inc, www.diversityinc.com Week Five: Civil Liberties Americas New Democracy, Chapter 13, pp. 430-464. On the web: American Civil Liberties Union, www.aclu.org Week Six: Civil Rights Americas New Democracy, Chapter 14, pp. 465-500. Video: Civil Rights Movement. On the web: Martin Luther King, Jr., Papers Project, www.stanford.edu.group/king National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP0, www.naacp.org National Organization for Women (NOW), www.now.org Week Seven: Public Opinion and the Media Americas New Democracy, Chapter 5, pp. 120-169. On the web: American Association for Public Opinion Research, www.aapor.org Week Eight: Political Parties and Interest Groups Americas New Democracy, Chapter 8, pp. 236-276. Video: Political Parties (30 Minutes) On the web: The two major parties, www.democrats.org www.republicans.org

Mid-term 13th March Week Nine: Individual Participation Americas New Democracy, Chapter 6, pp. 170 On the web: A History of the Suffrage Movement, www.rochester.edu/SBA/hisindx.html Week Ten: Elections Americas New Democracy, Chapter 7, pp. 195-234. Video: The Election Process in America (50 minutes) On the web: American National Elections Studies, www.umich.edu/-nes/ Week Eleven: The Congress Americas New Democracy, Chapter 9, pp. 278-310. Video: The Congress (30 Minutes) On the web: Roll Call Online, www.rollcall.com Week Twelve: The Presidency Americas New Democracy, Chapter 10, pp. 311-348. Video: The Presidency (30 minutes) On the web: The White House, www.whitehouse.gov Week Thirteen: Judiciary Americas New Democracy, Chapter 12, pp. 394-428. Video: The Judiciary I (30 minutes) On the web: Federal Judiciary, www.uscourts.gov Week Thirteen: Public Policy Americas New Democracy, Chapter 15, pp. 501-536. Video: United States Foreign Policy, February 31. On the web: The Social Security Administration, www.ssa.gov Week Fourteen: American Foreign Policy Readings will be assigned later during the course. On the web: Council on Foreign on Relations, www.cfr.org Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, www.senate.gov/-foreign/