COURSE OUTLINE AND SCHEDULE OF READINGS
Aug. 31 Introduction and Overview
Sept. 7 Theoretical Perspectives: American Politics and
Political Power
Required Readings: READER, Alford & Friedland, "Theoretical
Perspectives as Modes of Inquiry"; King, et.al., " The Science in Social
Science"; Gabriel A. Almond, "The History of the Discipline".
Supplementary Readings: Robert Alford and Roger Friedland, POWERS OF THEORY;
Sheldon Wolin, THE PRESENCE OF THE PAST; Robert E. Goodin, et.al, A New Handbook
of Political Science
Sept. 14 Political Culture and Traditions
Required Readings: THE DEMOCRATIC WISH, Intro.,
Ch.1; WOLL, # 1,2,3,4.
Supplementary Reading: de Tocqueville, DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA; G. Wood, THE RADICALISM
OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION; Robert Bellah, et.al., THE GOOD SOCIETY. Stan
Greenberg, MIDDLE CLASS DREAMS
Sept. 21 Federalism
Required Readings: DEMOCRATIC WISH, Ch.6, Reader, Tabb, "The Myth of
Local Democracy and the Actualities of Power"; WOLL, CH. 2.
Supplementary Reading: Nicholas Lemann, THE PROMISED LAND; Paul Peterson, MAKING
FEDERAL- ISM WORK; David Osborne & Ted Gaebler, REINVENTING GOVERNMENT
Sept. 28 Elections, Voting Behavior and Electoral Decay
Required Readings: Ginsberg and Shefter, Politics by Other Means, pp. 15-82;
Finifter, Dalton and Wattenberg, "The Not So Simple Act of Voting.; WOLL, #26,28,29,34.
Supplementary Reading: Warren E. Miller and J. Merrill Shanks, THE NEW AMERICAN
VOTER; Gerald Pomper, ed., THE ELECTION OF 1996; Herbert Asher, PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTIONS AND AMERICAN POLITICS (5TH ED.); Martin Wattenberg, THE RISE OF
CAND-IDATE-CENTERED POLITICS; S. Popkin, THE RATIONAL VOTER; NES Guide to Public Opinion and
Electorral Behavior:The Guide provides social scientists with immediate access to
tables and graphs that display the ebb and flow of public opinion and electoral behavior
and choice in American politics since 1948. The Guide presents responses to a small
portion of the questions that have been asked in the 1948-1998 National Election Studies.
The data displays are organized into nine topics:
Oct. 5 Political Parties
Required Readings: DEMOCRATIC WISH, Ch.2,3 & 4, pp. 74-142; Ginsberg and
Shefter, Ch. 3, 4. ; WOLL, 24,25
Supplementary Readings: E.J. Dionne, THEY ONLY LOOK DEAD; Balz & Brownstein,
STORMING THE GATES, Martin Wattenberg, THE DECLINE OF AMERICAN PARTIES, 1952-1988;
Ginsberg & Shefter, POLITICS BY OTHER MEANS
Oct. 12 Public Opinion
Required Readings: Finifter, Ch. 9, Paul Sniderman, "The New Look in Public
Opinion Research" and Ch. 12.
Supplementary Readings: Public Opinion: Daniel Yankelovich, COMING TO
PUBLIC JUDGEMENT; J.Stimson, PUBLIC OPINION ; Benjamin Page, THE RATIONAL
PUBLIC; John Zaller, The Nature and Origins of Mass Opinion; S.
Ansolabehere and Shanto Iyengar, Going Negative; T. Patterson, Out of Order
Oct. 19 Media
Required Readings: In Finifter, Doris Graber, " Political
Communication"; Zaller, "Monica Lewinsky's Contribution to Political
Science" ®
Oct. 26 Interest Groups
Required Readings: Ginsberg and Shefter, Ch. 5 and 6; THE DEMOCRATIC WISH, Ch.5,
7.; WOLL, #31,32,33,34
Supplementary Reading: T. Lowi, END OF LIBERAL- ISM; Jeffrey Birnbaum, THE
LOBBYISTS; David Ricci, THE TRANSFORMATION OF AMERICAN POLI- TICS: THE NEW
WASHINGTON AND THE RISE OF THINK TANKS.
Nov. 2 Congress
Required Reading: WOLL, Ch.8; Finifer,Mezey,"Legislatures:..."
Ch. 13.
Supplementary Reading: J. Birnbaum & A. Murray, SHOWDOWN AT GUCCI GULCH:
LAWMAKERS,LOBBYISTS, AND THE UNLIKELY TRIUMPH OF TAX REFORM; Ross Baker, The House
and Senate
Nov. 9 Presidency and Bureaucracy
Required Readings: Finifter, Ch. 15 & 16.; WOLL, Ch. 6 and 7.
Supplementary Readings: Lou Cannon, PRESIDENT REAGAN, THE ROLE OF A LIFETIME;
Richard Neustadt, PRESIDENTIAL POWER (1990 edition);Doris Kearns Goodwin, NO
ORDINARY TIME; Stephen Skowronek, THE POLITICS PRESIDENTS MAKE:LEADERSHIP FROM JOHN
ADAMS TO GEORGE BUSH
Nov. 16 Women and Politics
Required Readings:
Nov. 23 Race and Urban Politics
Required Reading: Finifter, Chap. 10; READER, R. Smith, "Politics is Not
Enough: The Institutionalization of the African American Freedom Movement"; R.
Browning & D. Tabb, "Protest vs. Poli- tics". Browning, Marshall and Tabb,
"Taken In Or Just Taken? Political Incorporation of African Americans in Cities"
Supplementary Reading: Browning Marshall and Tabb, PROTEST IS NOT ENOUGH;
RACIAL POLITICS IN AMERICAN CITIES, 2nd ed.; Robert Smith, WE HAVE NO
LEADERS
Nov.30 Economic Policy in a "Global Society"
Required Reading: Thomas Friedman, The Lexis and the Olive Tree. (entire book)
Supplementary Reading: Robert Reich, THE WORK OF NATIONS; Paul Kennedy, THE 21st
CENTURY; Margaret Weir, POLITICS AND JOBS; William Greider, One World, Ready or Not.
Dec. 7 The Future of American Politics
Required Reading:
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