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.