| American Politics - 89194 - POLS 385 - 002 |
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Associated Term: Spring 2018
University of Hawaii at Manoa Campus Lecture Schedule Type Learning Objectives: This course will explore American political institutions and political processes through an environment lens, ranging from social structures related to political process, Congressional and Executive branch regulation, judicial practice, legitimacy, and aspects of public participation in political decision-making, including electoral politics. Political analysis of the current political regime will be central to this exploration. A case-study orientation with a combination of lecture and class room discussion anchored on topical readings and media. The course will have four themes related to environmental politics in the United States that will cover the range of topics typically explored in undergraduate courses on American politics. Students will be required to choose topics from one of these themes to be integrated across their assignments. Focus on environmental issues is not required. o Political and socio-economic structures, interests and ideologies (including environmental policies & outcomes) o Regulation (including conservation and management of the environment) o Justice & legitimacy (including climate change and environmental justice) o Public participation (including elections, advocacy and sustainability) Required Materials: Two written assignments, two group presentation assignments (may be submitted as video, podcast, or social media). No exams. No textbook. Technical Requirements: Preliminary Class Schedule (Spring 2018) and due dates for assignments January 9th First Class January 30: Review note (W1) due February 27-29: Panel Discussions (P1) held March 5: Presentation (P1) Comments due March 22: Prospectus for Group presentations (P2) due March 26-30: Spring Break April 5: Prospectus for Policy brief (W2) due April 10-12: Group presentations (P2) held April 24: Presentation (P2) Comments due April 17: Drafts for Policy brief (W2) / optional May 1: Policy Brief (W2) due May 1st Last Class A week by week syllabus and reading list is available on request (spooley@hawaii.edu) Reading (journal and topical articles) will be available through the courses Laulima site. Detailed Information on Oral presentations and Writing assignments: The writing and presentation assignments can be integrated, i.e., students can choose to focus on a topic and present it in various formats throughout the course. Two oral presentations: Politics and public policy work involves working with others and with the public. It also involves integrating written and oral work, from venues such as legislative bodies to public meetings to in-house briefings to courtrooms to professional meetings. Thus, group work and oral presentations are a common aspect of the work. This part of the course is intended to help you be prepared. Students will work in 3-5-person groups to focus on one of the courses themes and make two oral presentations related to that theme. Students (both as individuals and within their groups) are required to be concise with their oral and written work. Assignments will have maximum lengths (written and oral), with deductions for failing to edit accordingly. Students are encouraged to consider cultural approaches and perspectives not always included in many contemporary public policy settings, including topics not emphasized by the instructor. The class will be asked to provide feedback on oral presentations (structured through feedback rubrics). Comments from the instructor (oral and/or written) will be provided to students following each assignment. Comments are expected to be utilized to improve subsequent assignments. Panel discussion (P1): Each member of a group will participate in a 20-minute panel discussion on their groups chosen topic. The purpose of the panel discussion, which should be moderated by one person within the group, is to describe and critique key aspects of the topic. The panel discussion could be presented off-class through video or podcast, uploaded to Laulima (technology allowing). Group presentation (P2): Each group will make a 20-minute presentation on their chosen topic, in which each participant will have a defined role. These presentations should include either an integrated PowerPoint-type presentation or a structured hard copy hand out (or both). The group presentation could be presented off-class through video or podcast uploaded to Laulima (technology allowing). Prospectus for the group presentation: Each group is expected to contribute to a 2-3-page prospectus for their groups oral presentation. The intent is to identify the topic and why it is important to environmental policy and reflective of American politics and how they intend to present the information (including their role in the group). Presentation Comments: Each student is expected to evaluate their own oral presentation in writing (self-examination) and then provide helpful oral comments with the group on their own and the groups presentation, focusing on the positive aspects of the presentation and areas that could merit improvement. A rubric for organizing this feedback will be provided, and advice will be offered in terms of offering (and receiving) feedback. The completion of presentation comments will contribute to the P1 and P2 evaluation, but the comments themselves (helpful or not, positive or negative) will not affect P1 and P2 evaluations as long as comments are provided. Two writing assignments: Political analysis and public policy also represent an inherently written field, ranging from electoral stump speeches to policy briefs for decision-makers to journal papers. Increasingly politics uses forms of social media (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and podcasts) but those should be anchored in well-constructed written work. Students are expected to demonstrate a critical and systematic analysis of the topics in these written assignments. Additional information on writing assignments, including formats, will be provided during the class. Written comments will be provided by the instructor within two weeks following each assignment. Comments are expected to be utilized to improve subsequent assignments. Review note (W1): Each person is expected to write a concise 2-3-page review of an assigned topical article or media piece. The primary intent of the review is to use basic political science approaches to analyze a contemporary and relevant environmental issue. A second intent is to show basic writing skills, and, the ability to edit ones own work. Any review note exceeding three pages will face reduced scoring! Policy brief (W2): An 8-10-page paper using the policy brief format on any topic relevant to the course providing analysis and a public policy perspective. Students will be expected to utilize professional journal articles or supplementary papers or briefs to inform their analysis. The policy brief may be informed by the group presentation topic. The policy brief may be submitted in draft at least three weeks prior to its deadline for feedback from the instructor. Instructor comments on the draft will be provided within ten days. Providing a draft will contribute up to an extra 5% in course credit (proportional to the completeness of the draft). Prospectus for the Policy brief: A 1-2 page note to identify the topic of the policy brief and why it is important to environmental policy and reflective of American politics is expected.
University of Hawai'i
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