Spring 2024 - POL 121 D100
Political Engagement: From the Streets to the Ballot Box (3)
Class Number: 5278
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
Jan 8 – Apr 12, 2024: Mon, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Eline de Rooij
eline_de_rooij@sfu.ca
1 778 782-5858
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
An introduction to political action and behaviour. Politics involves the struggle for power and influence. Nowhere is this more evident than when individuals mobilize and engage in political action, whether in a revolution to overthrow an authoritarian regime, protesting on the street against the government, or voting on Election Day. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences.
COURSE DETAILS:
This course aims to give you the tools to be an engaged citizen and to encourage others to engage. We discuss who, why and when people engage. We focus on the Canadian political system but draw on examples from other countries to provide a comparative perspective. We will ask what drives voter turnout and how to judge the quality of representation delivered by politicians. We will also investigate ways that citizens get involved between elections, for instance through volunteering, activism, and political parties. Finally, we will be working on a group project around the Fall BC 2024 Provincial General Election.
There will be a 2‐hour lecture per week and a 1‐hour tutorial starting in week 2.
Grading
- Tutorial participation 15%
- Canvas assignments (3x) 15%
- Group assignment 20%
- Midterm exam 20%
- Final paper (outline + final version) 30%
NOTES:
* Note: Students are required to submit their written work to Turnitin.com in order to get credit for the assignment.
Materials
REQUIRED READING:
Materials for this course will be made available through Canvas or the SFU library.
REQUIRED READING NOTES:
Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.
Department Undergraduate Notes:
Registrar Notes:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS
SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.
Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html