PSC 2310-01 Parties, Politics & Campaigning (3 units)
Fall 2020 -- Online
Class website: http://NDNUppc.blogspot.com
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.
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