GOVERNMENT & POLITICS IN THE UNITED STATES
This course is an integrative, narrative contextual systems approach to understanding Government and Politics in The United States. The central point here is that all public activities and government in the United States must be viewed in the context of the values of democracy and the world views from which people come to their political beliefs. (click on class title for full syllabus and class calendar)
NOTE: THIS COURSE IS ONLINE VISIT THIS SITE - TO SIGN IN! "…jingoism, racism, fear, religious fundamentalism: these are the ways of appealing to people if you're trying to organize a mass base of support for policies that are really intended to crush them." -- Noam Chomsky |
REQUIRED READING (check for hyperlinks)
'"Most Americans have never seen the ignorance, degradation, hunger, sickness, and futility in which many other Americans live...They won't become involved in economic or political change until something brings the seriousness of the situation home to them." -- Shirley Chisholm "It demands great spiritual resilience not to hate the hater whose foot is on your neck, and an even greater miracle of perception and charity not to teach your child to hate." -- James Baldwin |
Course Information
REQUIRED
- Community Engagement Week (25)
- Final: Orwell Analysis of 1984 & Our World Today (100)
- (2) Movie Reviews and Historical Analysis (SEE ASSIGNMENT SHEET) (50 points each=100)
- Political Blog (100)
- Reflective journals (5/ 20= 100)
- Class Participation (75)
TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE: 500
Ideally, upon completing this course you should be better able to:
1. Understand the various meanings of the terms/concepts of politics, theory, philosophy and how these are relevant to you in your everyday life as a citizen in a 21st century democratic society.
2. Understand and be able to generally utilize the concepts and method of political thinking in looking at daily situations you may experience in your life, as well as social situations that effect your society as a whole. What citizenship means in practice.
3. Understand and be able to differentiate between modes of social order and forms of governance. Specifically, you will understand the difference between a democratic society and a republican form of government and how these relate American society in the context of the social orders of democracy, authoritarianism, and totalitarianism in the 21st century.
4. Understand the historical and philosophical roots of governance of the United States and how the notion of checks & balances — the public sector (government) and private sector (the market) and the social sector (non-profit sector) — work together to create American Social Order.
5. Understand the major institutions of the government of the American Republic (branches of government, departments, functions & roles of various political positions).
6. Understand the dynamics of American government in action — what it is designed to do, what it can do, what it can't do, and what it actually does in practice. Further, you will have an understanding of how this impacts your life directly...and you involved in shaping it.
Additional Information Late Policy: I will not accept late work unless there are extreme circumstances that prevent you from maintaining your schedule and turning in your assignments when they are due.
Contacting the instructor: You may email the instructor at [email protected].
- Community Engagement Week (25)
- Final: Orwell Analysis of 1984 & Our World Today (100)
- (2) Movie Reviews and Historical Analysis (SEE ASSIGNMENT SHEET) (50 points each=100)
- Political Blog (100)
- Reflective journals (5/ 20= 100)
- Class Participation (75)
TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE: 500
Ideally, upon completing this course you should be better able to:
1. Understand the various meanings of the terms/concepts of politics, theory, philosophy and how these are relevant to you in your everyday life as a citizen in a 21st century democratic society.
2. Understand and be able to generally utilize the concepts and method of political thinking in looking at daily situations you may experience in your life, as well as social situations that effect your society as a whole. What citizenship means in practice.
3. Understand and be able to differentiate between modes of social order and forms of governance. Specifically, you will understand the difference between a democratic society and a republican form of government and how these relate American society in the context of the social orders of democracy, authoritarianism, and totalitarianism in the 21st century.
4. Understand the historical and philosophical roots of governance of the United States and how the notion of checks & balances — the public sector (government) and private sector (the market) and the social sector (non-profit sector) — work together to create American Social Order.
5. Understand the major institutions of the government of the American Republic (branches of government, departments, functions & roles of various political positions).
6. Understand the dynamics of American government in action — what it is designed to do, what it can do, what it can't do, and what it actually does in practice. Further, you will have an understanding of how this impacts your life directly...and you involved in shaping it.
Additional Information Late Policy: I will not accept late work unless there are extreme circumstances that prevent you from maintaining your schedule and turning in your assignments when they are due.
Contacting the instructor: You may email the instructor at [email protected].
Optional Reading
Good Jobs, Safe Streets: How Economic Recovery Can Lead to Community Safety in Oakland. EBASE, 2009
Beinin, J. (2011) Egypt's Workers Rise Up. The Nation.
Kennedy, R. (2010) The Enduring Relevance of Affirmative Action. The American Prospect.
Peterson, L. (2010) The Forgotten Promise of Obama's Race Speech. The American Prospect.
Pollin, R. & Thompson, J. (2011) The Betrayal of Public Workers. The Nation.
Beinin, J. (2011) Egypt's Workers Rise Up. The Nation.
Kennedy, R. (2010) The Enduring Relevance of Affirmative Action. The American Prospect.
Peterson, L. (2010) The Forgotten Promise of Obama's Race Speech. The American Prospect.
Pollin, R. & Thompson, J. (2011) The Betrayal of Public Workers. The Nation.