Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2026 - POL 121 D100

Political Engagement: From the Streets to the Ballot Box (3)

Class Number: 2707

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 5 – Jan 23, 2026: Thu, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

    Jan 26 – Apr 10, 2026: Thu, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

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.

There will be a 2‐hour lecture per week and a 1‐hour tutorial starting in week 2. Tutorial attendance is a major component of this course as assignments and quizzes will be worked on and/or completed during tutorials.

Grading

  • Tutorial participation 10%
  • Short assignments (3x) 15%
  • Group assignment and presentation 25%
  • Quizzes (2x) 20%
  • Final paper (drafts + final version) 30%

NOTES:

* Note: Students are required to submit their final paper to Turnitin.com in order to get credit for the assignment.

The written work submitted via Turnitin is collected by SFU under the authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RSBC 1996, c.165), the University Act (RSBC 1996, c.468), and the University’s Academic Honesty and Student Conduct Policies. It is related directly to and needed by the University to determine originality, possible use of AI, and detect plagiarism in submitted written work.

Students will be required to create an account with Turnitin, and to submit their work via that account, on the terms stipulated in the agreement between the student and Turnitin. This agreement includes the retention of your submitted work as part of the Turnitin database. Any student with a concern about using the Turnitin service may opt to use an anonymous identity in their interactions with Turnitin. Students who do not intend to use Turnitin in the standard manner must notify the instructor at least two weeks in advance of any submission deadline. In particular, it is the responsibility of any student using the anonymous option (i.e., false name and temporary email address created for the purpose) to inform the instructor such that the instructor can match up the anonymous identity with the student.

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:

The Department of Political Science strictly enforces a policy on plagiarism.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.