Fall 2020 - POL 232 D100
US Politics (3)
Class Number: 7172
Delivery Method: Remote
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
Sep 9 – Dec 8, 2020: Wed, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
Burnaby -
Exam Times + Location:
Dec 19, 2020
Sat, 12:00–12:00 p.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Stewart Prest
stewartp@sfu.ca
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Prerequisites:
POL 100 or 101W or permission of the department.
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
An examination of the American political system, including the presidency, the congress, the courts, the bureaucracy and the party system. Students with credit for POL 332 may not complete this course for further credit. Breadth-Social Sciences.
COURSE DETAILS:
All course learning will take place synchronously online during scheduled class times.
This course will to help students to achieve a comprehensive and critical understanding of American politics in the contemporary era.
Discussion will cover the theoretical and historical underpinnings of American democracy, significant elements of its evolution over time, the functioning of its modern institutions, and the most serious challenges in American politics today. Major topics include American political concepts and culture; the role of parties; the institutions of the presidency, congress, and the courts, and the relationship between them; federalism; and the bureaucracy. It will also consider contemporary issues including the rise of populism, the debate around immigration, the role of money in politics, democracy and security, US international relations, and the evolving role of media and the internet on politics.
The three-hour class will include a mixture of lecture, group discussions, in-class assignments, and audio-visual content. At the conclusion of the course, students will understand the origins and subsequent evolution of politics in the American republic, and be able to describe and analyze the major challenges it faces today.
Grading
- Participation 10%
- Critical essay 15%
- Synchronous Midterm 20%
- Major paper outline 5%
- Major paper 25%
- Synchronous Final exam 25%
Materials
REQUIRED READING:
The course has one required textbook. Other readings available online.
Patterson, Thomas. 2018. We the People. McGraw Hill Higher Learning.
ISBN: 9781259912405
Department Undergraduate Notes:
Registrar Notes:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS
SFU’s Academic Integrity web site 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
TEACHING AT SFU IN FALL 2020
Teaching at SFU in fall 2020 will be conducted primarily through remote methods. There will be in-person course components in a few exceptional cases where this is fundamental to the educational goals of the course. Such course components will be clearly identified at registration, as will course components that will be “live” (synchronous) vs. at your own pace (asynchronous). Enrollment acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes. To ensure you can access all course materials, we recommend you have access to a computer with a microphone and camera, and the internet. In some cases your instructor may use Zoom or other means requiring a camera and microphone to invigilate exams. If proctoring software will be used, this will be confirmed in the first week of class.
Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112).