Module 1

Module One

 

Welcome to fall and to your Parties, Politics & Campaigning class. A couple of general tips and guidelines for success in this online class:

 

* Please be sure to check your NDNU email frequently so you don’t miss important communications.

 

* All assignments and course activities will be contained in weekly Modules, beginning with this one, and these will be sent to you via email and also posted on the class website, located at:

 

https://ndnuPPC.blogspot.com

 

* Unless otherwise stated, all Modules will be posted on or before Mondays, and assignments will be due on the following Sunday at 11pm. For this first week, for example, Module 1 is being posted no later than Monday, August 31, and Module 1 assignments are due by 11pm on Sunday, September 6. Please plan your study time accordingly so you don’t get behind.

 

1) Your first assignment for this week is to create your own blog,which is where you will post your assignments and where we will all have opportunities to interact together. Instructions for creating your own blog site are below. Yes, you must create a new blog for this class even if you already have one from a previous class. 

 

How to Set Up Your Online Reading Journal – aka Your Blog!

 

 

1) Go to www.blogger.com.

 

2) If you already have a Google account, use it to log in. If you do not, follow the on-screen instructions to create one. Make sure you write down your Google account name and password for later use.

 

3) Once you’ve logged in to blogger.com, follow the on-screen instructions to create a “new blog.”

 

            The title of your blog can be anything you want

            The unique part of your address should be something simple like gregsworldhistoryblog

            Your full blog address will be:

                        http://__________.blogspot.com

                        example: http://gregsworldhistoryblog.blogspot.com

 

            If you are asked whether you want to register or monetize your blog, etc., just say no.

 

4) Now that your blog exists, open up your email account and email the blog’s address to me. Remember, your address begins with http:// and ends with .blogspot.com, just like the blog address of the class website. My email address is pandrews@ndnu.edu.

 

5) Log out of your blog and log back in again to make sure it all works OK. Then click on the pencil to make your first post as described later in this Module.

 

6) You’re done!

 

2) Your second assignment for this week is to introduce yourself to each other, and to me.This introduction will be your first post in your new blog. Share a little about yourself… your academic interests, personal interests, background, what you’re looking forward to in this class, what you’re not looking forward to about this class… whatever you want to share about yourself. Say something also about your interest in our subject – political parties and how they campaign, politics, the 2020 election… how do you hope the knowledge and skills you gain this semester will help you develop as a political animal and as a member of civil society? What are your hopes for the class in terms of how we will engage with one another given the explosive nature of political commentary and debate? You don’t need to answer all those questions; they are just suggestions to get you started.

 

I’ll post my own introduction on the class website.

 

3) Finally,let’s jump right in by taking a look at the Classical roots of thinking about democracy. Please read this chapter from Plato’s Republic, in which a dialogue unfolds about the various kinds of governments, including democracy. (

 

http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/republic.9.viii.html

 

Also read this short article about Aristotle’s thoughts on democracy.

 

https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/philosophy/aristotles-thinking-on-democracy-has-more-relevance-than-ever

 

After doing these readings,write a blog post reflecting on them… how would you summarize Plato’s and Aristotle’s thoughts on democracy as expressed in these readings? Does anything you read have relevance for the democracy we live in today? How might the trends described in these readings impact how a candidate runs his or her campaign?

 

 

That’s it for this week. I wish you a good start to the semester. And please don’t hesitate to shoot me an email if you have questions about this class.

Syllabus

PSC 2310-01 Parties, Politics & Campaigning (3 units)                      

Fall 2020 -- Online                                                               

Class website: http://NDNUppc.blogspot.com                                      

 Instructor: Patti Andrews

 Office hours by Zoom by arrangement

Email: pandrews@ndnu.edu

Course Summary

This course, which is offered during the election seasons, focuses on the issues that affect elections and their outcomes. For this reason, we will keep elections, particularly presidential elections, in the center of our work in this semester. While focusing on the elections, this course provides a history of the development of political parties and presidential elections in the United States. It examines party politics along such dimensions as parties as organizations, parties in government, and parties in the electorate. It examines the role of campaigns in elections, local to presidential. In view of the far-reaching implications of campaign financing for democracy and social justice, especially in the US, we will explore a variety of perspectives about this issue. To provide a perspective on party, politics and campaigning in the US, we will also explore party systems, political campaign and party finance in comparable western democracies. 

 

Texts

All readings will be available online and assigned in weekly Modules.

 

Learning Objectives(GE Thematic Curriculum “The Individual, Society, and the Environment”; Critical Thinking; PSC PLO #1, #4)

Students who successfully pass this course shall be able to

§  understand basic determinants of party politics

§  understand basic factors that shape electoral processes

§  understand factors that affect voter participation

§  critically evaluate the effects of financing of campaigns on politics

§  employ historical perspectives to critically evaluate the procedures and results of political campaigns.

 

Requirements

This is a participatory class. You can participate in a number of ways – reading, thinking and engaging in online class discussions, both written and verbal, are the most obvious. Engagement in out-of-class activities relating to the current election cycle will enhance your participation points. Midterm and final exams will assess your retention of the material as well as your ability to apply that material to real-world scenarios. Presentation Modules will facilitate sharing of insights and experiences.

 

Evaluation

               Exams                                             2 @ 100 points = 200           20%

               Short Papers                                    2 @ 100 points = 200           20%

               Weekly Modules                                                           200           20%

               Research Project                                                           200           20%

               Online Presence & Participation                                    200           20%

Students are encouraged to keep track of their performance throughout the semester.

 

 

 

Student Success Center  

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Student Success Center (SSC) remains dedicated to supporting students’ academic success at NDNU and has transitioned its services online. The SSC continues to provide online writing and subject tutoring.  Please contact Laura Mizuha, Assistant Director of Writing at lmizuha@ndnu.edu for additional information in both areas.

 

The goal of the Student Success Center is to promote student learning and academic innovation. Professional staff members, academic advisors, and faculty members work together to promote a supportive educational environment, which now includes professional online subject and writing tutoring support.

 

Disability Resource Center

Students with disabilities, whether physical, learning, or psychological, who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Disability Resource Center as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.   Students who are experiencing conditions that are temporarily disabling (i.e. scheduled surgeries, hospitalizations, injuries, etc.) are strongly encouraged to contact the DRC.  Our desire is to assist you with managing the impact of these circumstances.    

 

Please meet with the DRC staff through a virtual meeting in order to: verify your eligibility for any classroom accommodations; and, for academic assistance related to your disability.   Accommodations are not provided retroactively.  The DRC can be reached by email at DRC@ndnu.edu.  

 

Counseling Services  Counselingservices@ndnu.edu       

The mission of Counseling Services is to promote and enhance the overall wellbeing of students so that they may reach their potential for personal growth and academic success. If you are a currently enrolled student and would like to discuss your mental health needs, please feel free to email Counselingservices@ndnu.edu to schedule an appointment. We are currently offering telemental health services only with the following hours: Monday - Wednesday 10am-6pm and Thursday from 10am-4pm.

 

Academic Honesty

NDNU’s core values include learning, integrity, and honesty, values we live out in all areas of our learning community. Academic honesty means you are able to demonstrate your own knowledge and skills and receive feedback on your learning that can help you improve. By taking responsibility for your own work and avoiding actions that could give you an unfair advantage over others, you are contributing to the NDNU learning community and developing professional skills and values that will serve you well into the future. Academic honesty is one of the most important values of a university community, and breaches of this trust have serious consequences. Please see the Student Handbook for a detailed discussion of Academic Conduct expectations.

 

Course Evaluations/Teaching Effectiveness Surveys: Term 2 and Full-Semester Courses

Teaching Effectiveness Surveys (course evaluations) will be available online through Campus Portal from December 7 - 23, 2020.   Your feedback regarding courses and faculty is very important to Notre Dame de Namur University, to your faculty, and to me as the instructor for this course.  Your feedback helps us review and improve their teaching, helps departments/programs review and improve program content, and is used by the university in making decisions about tenure, promotion, and hiring decisions for part-time faculty.

 

Directions: To access, please enable pop-ups in your browser (uncheck pop-up blocker), then in Campus Portal look for the "You have an active survey" link in the left sidebar. Click that link to open the Course Evaluation Surveys page, which has a link to a survey for each course in which you're enrolled.  Your feedback is very important!  Please complete your evaluations for all your courses promptly.  Remember: Your responses are anonymous.