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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "PL 101"
COURSE NAME: "Introduction to Political Science"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Fall 2022
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SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR:
Eszter Salgo
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS:
TTH 11:30 AM 12:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS:
45
CREDITS:
3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course introduces students to basic concepts, methods, and theories of the scientific study of politics. In so doing, the class provides a systematic understanding of the foundations of government, political systems, and political behavior. The course familiarizes students with the functioning of political institutions and political power, constitutional frameworks and procedures to obtain public legitimacy, and approaches to different fields, problems and issues of—domestic, comparative, and global—politics in the 21st century.
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SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end, those students who complete the course successfully will be able to understand and think critically about the core topics (political regimes, the social bases of politics, public policies and administration, political communication, political participation, political parties, interests groups, global politics, etc.), the methodological foundations of and the current issues in political science.
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TEXTBOOK:
| Book Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN number | Library Call Number | Comments | Format | Local Bookstore | Online Purchase |
| Political Science: A Global Perspective | Morlino | Sage | 1412962137 | | | | | |
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
| Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
| Class participation | Students should participate actively in the discussions that will take place both in the classroom and online. | 10% |
| Oral presentation | Students will conduct a research project in pairs and present their case studies on a political dilemma in an 8-minute-long (and video-recorded) presentation on November 8 and 10. | 15% |
| Term paper | Each student will submit individually a 1000-word (plus bibliography) research paper about the same topic on Moodle by November 23. | 25 % |
| Midterm exam | The midterm exam (October 20) will consist of two essay questions. Students are graded on accuracy, depth of analysis, logical content, creative thinking, on their ability to formulate a sophisticated argument, provide evidence for their statements, discuss and show understanding of alternative explanations. | 15% |
| Final exam | The final exam is cumulative; it will consist of three essay questions. | 35% |
-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed.
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ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic
dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred.
In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment,
may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of
academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student
who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from
the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation
to the President, who will make the final decision.
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STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap.
Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning
of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
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SCHEDULE
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Week I
Class 1: Introduction
Class 2: Issues in political science. Analysis of verbal sources
Individual research
Week II
Class 3: Issues in political science. Analysis of visual sources
Individual research
Class 4: Origins and definitions
Reading: Textbook, Introduction
Class 5: Epistemological and methodological foundations and approaches
Reading: Textbook, pp. 15-20 and L. Raeder (2007) Voegelin on Gnosticism, Modernity and the Balance of Consciousness, The Political Science Reviewer
Week III
Class 6: Relationship with neighboring disciplines
Reading: Textbook, Chapter 3
Class 7: Visual culture studies and political science
Reading: Bleiker (2019) Visual Global Politics, Introduction
Week IV
Class 8: The social basis of politics
Reading: Textbook, Chapter 4
Class 9: History of the Discipline: Positivism and Its Critique
Reading: 21st Century Political Science: A Reference Handbook
Week V
Class 10: Democracies
Reading: Textbook Chapter 5
Class 11: Democratization
Reading: Textbook Chapter 6
Week VI
Class 12: Non-democratic regimes
Reading: Textbook Chapter 7
Class 13: visit to the Museum of Trastevere
Class 14: Government, parliament, judiciary
Textbook Chapter 8
Week VII
Class 15: Review
Class 16: Midterm
October 21 Make-up for Tuesday, November 1 (anticipated to Oct 14!)
Week VIII
Class 17: Public policies and public administration
Reading: Textbook Chapter 9
Class 18: Political parties
Reading: Textbook Chapter 13
Week IX
No class on Tuesday (Nov 1)
Class 19: Political communication and media
Reading: Textbook Chapter 11
Week X
Class 20: Oral presentations
Class 21: Oral Presentations
Week XI
Class 22: Political participation, social movements, protests revolutions
Reading: Textbook Chapter 10
Class 23: The globalization of international politics
Reading: Textbook Chapter 15
Week XII
Class 24: International organizations and regionalism
Reading: Textbook Chapter 16
No class on Thursday
Week XIII
Class 25: The EU, Russia and world politics
Reading: Richard Sakwa (2022) The Ukraine Syndrome and Europe: between norms and space and A. Cordesman (2022) The Longer-Term Impact of the Ukraine Conflict and the Growing Importance of the Civil Side of War
Class 26: Rethinking IR theory?
Reading: Bertrand Badie (2020) Rethinking International Relations, Introduction; William Callahan (2020) Sensible Politics: Expanding from Visual IR to Multisensory Politics and Amitav Acharya, Barry Buzan (2017)
Why is there no Non-Western International Relations Theory? Ten years on International Relations of the Asia-Pacific, Volume 17, Issue 3, September 2017, Pages 341–370
Class 27 (Make-up class for Dec. 8): Need for a new renaissance?
Reading, Arpad Szakolczai (2006), Sociology, Religion and Grace, Part I
Week XIV
Class 28: Review
Thursday: Holiday
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