Fall 2000
MWF 12:00 pm—12:50 pm
SB 216
Milan J. Dluhy, Professor and Chair, Department of Political Science
214 a Social and Behavioral Science Building
962-7686
office hours 10:00 am—noon, MWF or by appointment
Course Description: An examination of important political issues and their relationship to the overall American political process. Topics include among other things, the public policy process and decision making, education and health policy, federal economic policy, the social welfare safety net, environmental regulation, and minorities and political participation.
Course Organization and Goals: Students are expected to gain an understanding of how the public policy process works in the American political system. It is also expected that students will become familiar with the major issues of the day and understand how these issues get framed, how they get on the agenda, and how public policy is developed to deal with these issues.
The course will be organized around modules. Each module will include a lecture, some discussion sessions, and a short written assignment. Students are required to turn these assignments in on time. Late assignments will be penalized.
Course Grades:
Short written assignments for each module…..60
Final Exam…..30
Class Participation…..10
Extra Credit…..10
Total points: 100
Analysis of Contemporary Issues: During the course we will be focusing on the following issues. Those students wishing extra credit should submit a journal (notebook) including at least thirty items pertaining to the following issues. Key points in the articles should be highlighted. The journal is due December 6 th.
Required reading:
Mark Rushefsky, Public Policy in the United States, 2 nd edition, Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing, 1996.
Other Resources: Students should read a good newspaper every day and use other media including the internet to stay abreast of contemporary issues.
Topics and Course Assignments:
August 16—Introduction and course objectives and
requirements
August 18--No class, go to library and work on first assignment. Read Text, pp. 1-20.
August 21—No class. Finish first written assignment
August 23—Lecture on Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations. Read Text, pp. 21-33.
FIRST ASSIGNMENT DUE: INDICATE IN NO MORE THAN TWO PAGES (DOUBLE SPACED) THREE SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES THAT ARE LIKELY TO DOMINATE THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN THIS FALL. REVIEW RECENT NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, POPULAR JOURNALS AND MAGAZINES. GIVE A BRIEF RATIONALE FOR THE SELECTION OF EACH ISSUE. DO NOT FOCUS ON CHARACTER, INTEGRITY, OR PERSONALITY. YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES. FOR EXAMPLE, DO NOT JUST SAY EDUCATION, EXPLAIN WHAT THE ISSUE IS AND WHAT THE CONFLICT OR DIFFERENCES ARE BETWEEN THE CANDIDATES AND PARTIES.
August 28—Economic Policy and Globalization . Read Text Chapter 2.
August 30—Economic Policy, Continued.
September 1—Discussion of trends and concepts
SECOND ASSIGNMENT DUE: USING THE INTERNET AND OTHER LIBRARY RESOURCES, IDENTIFY THE TEN LARGEST CORPORATIONS IN THE WORLD, INDICATE THEIR GROSS SALES AND FINANCIAL NET WORTH AND ILLUSTRATE THE TYPES OF PRODUCTS OR SERVICES DELIVERED. THEN LIST THE FIVE LARGEST CORPORATIONS IN NORTH CAROLINA. THIS ASSIGNMENT CAN BE DONE IN TABLE FORM IF YOU LIKE. FOR EXAMPLE, FORTUNE MAGAZINE PUBLISHES AN ANNUAL FORTUNE 500.
September 6—The New World Order. Read Text, Chapter 3.
September 8—Discussion of international conflicts
THIRD ASSIGNMENT DUE: USING INTERNET AND LIBRARY RESOURCES SELECT TWO INTERNATIONAL CRISES IN THE LAST 25 YEARS—ONE YOU THINK THE U.S. SHOULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN AND ONE THAT THE U.S. SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN. GIVE REASONS FOR YOUR ANSWER. LIMIT 2 PAGES.
September 11—The Decline of the Social Welfare State. Read Text, Chapter 4
September 13—The Decline of the Social Welfare State, Continued.
September 15—Discussion of fourth assignment
FOURTH ASSIGNMENT IS DUE: USING THE INTERNET AND WELFARE REFORM AS A TOPIC AREA, READ ENOUGH SO THAT YOU CAN WRITE A TWO PAGE PAPER WHICH INDICATES THE SUCCESSES AND FALIURES OF THE CLINTON PROGRAM. CITE EVIDENCE WHERE AVAILABLE.
September 18—Health Care Costs, Access, and Quality. Read, Text, Chapter 5
September 20—topic continued
September 22 –Discussion of fifth assignment
FIFTH ASSIGNMENT IS DUE: USING THE INTERNET AND LIBRARY RESOURCES, IDENTIFY THE FIVE MAJOR GROUPS IN AMERICAN SOCIETY WHO HAVE PROBLEMS ACCESSING THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, IE., SLIP THROUGH CRACKS. GIVE INTELLIGENT REASONS FOR WHY THESE GROUPS HAVE HAD ACCESS PROBLEMS.
SIXTH ASSIGNMENT IS DUE: USING THE INTERNET AND LIBRARY RESOURCES, IDENTIFY THE FIVE MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN NORTH CAROLINA. GIVE REASONS FOR WHY YOU THINK THESE ARE THE MOST CRITICAL. USE STATISTICS WHEREVER YOU CAN. TWO PAGE LIMIT.
October 2—The Privatization of Education. Read, Text, Chapter 8
October 9—Discussion of seventh assignment
SEVENTH ASSIGNMENT IS DUE: USING INTERNET AND LIBRARY RESOURCES, DESCRIBE IN TWO PAGES WHAT THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA IS DOING TO EQUALIZE SPENDING ACROSS SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND INDICATE THE DISPARITIES THAT EXIST. TWO PAGE LIMIT.
October 11—Law and Order and Over-investment in Crime Fighting. Read, Text, Chapter 7
October 13—Discussion of eighth assignment
EIGHTH ASSIGNMENT IS DUE: USING THE INTERNET AND LIBRARY RESOURCES, INDICATE IN TWO PAGES WHAT ARE THE FIVE MOST COST EFFECTIVE CRIME FIGHTING PROGRAMS. WHAT WORKS? MAKE SURE YOU INDICATE WHETHER THERE IS ANY EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE SUCCESS OF THESE PROGRAMS.
October 16—Affirmative Action and other Programs to
Level the Playing Field. Read, Text, Chapter 9
October 20—Discussion of ninth assignment
NINTH ASSIGNMENT IS DUE: USING THE INTERNET AND LIBRARY RESOURCES, WRITE A TWO PAGE ESSAY WHICH IDENTIFIES ALTERNATIVES TO AFFIRMATIVE ACTION. INDICATE THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF EACH PROPOSAL.
October 23—Urbanization and Suburbanization in the
U.S.
October 25—topic continued
TENTH ASSIGNMENT IS DUE: PICK ONE URBAN AREA IN NORTH CAROLINA AND DEVELOP A TABLE, WHICH LOOKS AT FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AREA SINCE 1970. FOR EXAMPLE, SIZE, INCOME, RACE AND ETHNICITY. MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT THE TRENDS.
November 1—topic continued
November 3—Discussion of eleventh assignment
ELEVENTH ASSIGNMENT IS DUE: PREPARE A TABLE COMPARING THE GROWTH OF THE AGED POPULATION SINCE 1970 IN FIVE STATES OF YOUR CHOICE. MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT THE TRENDS.
November 6—Do we need to fix the social security system?
November 8—Topic continued
November 10—Discussion of twelfth assignment
TWELFTH ASSIGNMENT IS DUE: EVALUATE THREE PROPOSALS TO FIX THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS. TWO PAGE LIMIT.
November 13—Technology and the Information Age. Read any article or skim and any book by Alvin Toeffler
November 15—Topic continued
November 17—Discussion of thirteenth assignment
THIRTEENTH ASSIGNMENT IS DUE: USING THE INTERNET AND THE LIBRARY, IDENTIFY AND DESCRIBE THREE NEW INNOVATIONS IN TECHNOLOGY WHICH HAVE COME ON THE MARKET IN THE LAST TWO YEARS OR ARE ABOUT TO BE MARKETED. WILL THESE TECHNOLOGIES DISPLACE WORKERS? WHAT KINDS?
November 20—What is the American Dream?
November 27—Is the American Dream possible for all major groups in society?
November 29—Discussion of fourteenth assignment
FOURTEENTH ASSIGNMENT IS DUE: USING THE INTERNET AND LIBRARY RESOURCES, IDENTIFY FIVE ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF THE AMERICAN DREAM AND DISCUSS THE FEASIBILITY OF MAKING THEM PART OF AMERICAN SOCIETY. WHAT POLITICAL FORCES WOULD SUPPORT THAT DREAM AND WHICH WOULD OPPOSE? TWO PAGE LIMIT.
December 4—Ranking and prioritization of emerging
issues and discussion of political forces that will affect the development of
solutions to these issues/problems.
December 6—Review for Final