POL3235W: Democracy & Citizenship
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DRAFT SYLLABUS—EDITS MAY BE MADE BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF CLASS Instructor: Christopher Stone SSB 737 [email protected] Office Hours: Mon. 4:15-5:15, and by appointment POL3235W: Democracy & Citizenship Key Dates Paper 1 Draft 1: June 28 Paper 2 Draft 1: July 12 Final Drafts Paper 1 & 2: August 2 Final Presentation: August 2 Course Description Democracy seems to be an intuitively simple concept to many Americans. Americans know what democracy, and the corresponding values of freedom and equality mean because they live under a democratic system of government that guarantees liberty and justice for all, and equality regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, or sex. Likewise, Americans know that being a citizen means we have certain rights. (and duties?) When we delve a little deeper into what these concepts mean, however, we discover that this apparent certainty papers over a host of disagreements, divisions, and uncertainties. These complexities have bubbled up to the surface today, as they have historically, through a number of contemporary concerns espoused by the Occupy Movement, the Tea Party Movement, Black Lives Matter, anti-establishment politics, etc. This class helps students to engage in the contemporary problems of democracy by grounding the conversation in the historical debates of democratic theory. Rather than suggesting any simple answers, our class will instead pose questions with which we, together, must wrestle. What is the democracy? How should we understand basic concepts of democracy like freedom, equality, and solidarity? How should we respond when these concepts come into conflict? Is capitalism inherently in conflict with democracy? Working through these questions, we will tack back and forth between theoretical debates and contemporary and historical political problems, gaining a more nuanced understanding of the political stakes behind these questions, as well as a more critical perspective from which to understand the political challenges of this moment in history. 1 DRAFT SYLLABUS—EDITS MAY BE MADE BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF CLASS Course Resources: Moodle: www.z.umn.edu/pol3235 Course Google Calendar: www.z.umn.edu/pol3235cal (must be signed into university google- apps to access, also available for subscription) Course Shared Google Drive: www.z.umn.edu/DemTheory (must be signed into university google-apps to access, also available for subscription) PowerPoints & Collective Notes: the instructor will share a temporary URL at the beginning of each class, giving access to the day’s PowerPoint or collective notes to those in attendance. The URL will be available until the beginning of the next class period. Course Requirements: Students are expected to come to class having completed their assigned reading and ready to contribute to in-class discussions. This class will make important use of group work to cover class material and engage with that material. Preparation for these activities is accordingly important for your colleagues as well as for you. In order to be fully prepared to participate in class you should be sure to: Come to class with paper and a pen or pencil. A computer is not sufficient—I may ask to collect in-class work. Come to class with your readings. We will refer to them in class. You may use a computer to refer to digital versions or use a printed version of the readings. A cellphone is not an acceptable substitute. Arrive on time. In addition to our work in class there are four components to your course grade: attendance, two 5-6 page papers, and a final presentation. Your papers will deal with analyzing and applying the texts we study in class. Your presentation will address a contemporary issue of your choice through the various lenses of democratic theory we discuss over the course of the semester. To track attendance there will be 6 pop quizzes over the course of the semester. In the case of a documented, excused absence students’ grades will be calculated according to an average excluding these absences. Students must submit both a hard copy and a digital copy of their papers in order to receive a grade. Student papers will also be submitted to turnitin.com Students are strongly encouraged to be proactive in addressing any conflicts or issues with completing their assignments. Please reach out early to the instructor and teaching assistant to work out reasonable accommodations. 2 DRAFT SYLLABUS—EDITS MAY BE MADE BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF CLASS Grading: Course grades will be calculated with the following percentages. For papers 1 & 2, your grade will be calculated using the higher to the 2 grades. Final grades may be higher than mathematically calculated— active participation in class will be used to raise the grades of students who are on the borderline between two grades. Attendance: 10% Paper 1: 35% Paper 2: 35% Final Presentation: 20% Course Overview & Assignments: What is democracy? Week 1 Monday, June 12, 2017: Introduction & Rousseau The Square. 2015. Directed by Jehane Noujaim. City Drive Films. DVD 12 Angry Men. 1957. Directed by Sidney Lumet. MGM. “Kid Politics” This American Life. 2011 (Jan 14). Producers Sarah Koenig, Alex Blumberg, Ben Calhoun, Jane Feltes, Lisa Pollak, Jonathan Menjivar, Robyn Semien, Alissa Shipp, Nancy Updike. Minneapolis, MN: PRI. “Dyden i midten” Borgen 2014. Adam Prince. Lumière Home Entertainment. DVD. Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. [1762] (1987). On the Social Contract. Trans. Donald A. Cress. Indianapolis: Hackett. 17-38; 49-63 Wednesday, June 14, 2017: Schumpeter Schumpeter, Joseph A. 1950. Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy. New York: Harper. Chapters 21-22 Week 2 Monday, June 19, 2017: Pateman Pateman, Carole. 1970. Participation and Democratic Theory. New York: Cambridge University Press. Chapter 1 & 2 Recommended: Pateman, Participation & Democratic Theory, conclusion 3 DRAFT SYLLABUS—EDITS MAY BE MADE BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF CLASS Wednesday, June 21, 2017: Applying our conceptions of Democracy & Deliberative Democracy How to Survive a Plague. 2012. Dir. David France. Young, Iris Marion. 2000. Inclusion and Democracy. New York: Oxford University Press. 52-80 Week 4 Monday, June 26, 2017: Deliberative Democracy Theory & Practice Gutmann, Amy & Dennis Thompson. 2004. Why Deliberative Democracy. Princeton: Princeton University Press.1-26, 31-36 Jigsaw Groups: Walsh, K. C. (2007). Talking About Race: Community Dialogues and the Politics of Difference. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Chapter 4 Ryfe, D. M. (2006). Narrative and Deliberation in Small Group Forums. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 34(1), 72–93. Jungkunz, Vincent. 2013. “Deliberate Silences” Journal of Public Deliberation. 9.1: art. 12 Citizenship Wednesday, June 28, 2017: Theories of Citizenship Aristotle Politics Book III chapters 1-6 Marshall, T.H. 1950. “Citizenship & Social Class.” in Citizenship and Social Class and Other Essays. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Week 5 Monday, July 3, 2017: Citizenship in a historical and contemporary perspective Kerber, Linda K. 1997. “The Meanings of Citizenship,” Journal of American History 84.3: 833-854. Salgado, Julio. 2012. “I am UndocuQueer!” http://juliosalgadoart.com/ Salgado, Julio. 2015-2016. “Coming Out Of The Shadows.” http://juliosalgadoart.com/ 4 DRAFT SYLLABUS—EDITS MAY BE MADE BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF CLASS Democratic Values: Freedom, Equality, & Solidarity Wednesday, July 5, 2017: Freedom Constant, Benjamin. [1816]. The Liberty of the Ancients Compared with that of the Moderns. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund. Pettit, Phillip. 1997. Republicanism: A Theory of Freedom and Government. New York: Oxford University Press. Chapter 1 Case-studies: Puerto Rico & the Promesa Bill and Poverty Goodman, Amy & Juan González. 2016. “Puerto Rico Is Being Left Voiceless: San Juan Mayor Condemns Bill to Create ‘Colonial Control Board.’” Democracy Now 15 June. http://www.democracynow.org/2016/6/15/puerto_rico_is_being_left_voiceless Tirado, Linda. 2013. “Why I Make Terrible Decisions or Poverty Thoughts.” Killer Martinis http://killermartinis.kinja.com/why-i-make-terrible-decisions-or- poverty-thoughts-1450123558 Goldberg, Carey. 2000. “For These Trailblazers, Wheelchairs Matter.” The New York Times. 17 August. Week 6 Monday, July 10, 2017: Equality de Tocqueville, Alexis. 2000 [1835]. Democracy in America. trans. & ed. Harvey Mansfield & Delba Winthrop. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Introduction, chapter 3 “Social State of Anglo Americans”, chapter 4 “On the Principles of the Sovereignty of the People of America” Shapiro, Ian. 2002. “Why the Poor Don’t Soak the Rich.” Daedalus 131.1: 118–28. Wednesday, July 12, 2017: Equality Continued van Gelder, Sarah, ed. 2011. This Changes Everything: Occupy Wall Street and the 99% Movement. San Francisco: Berrett-Kohler Publishers; essay by van Gelder (1-13) Gilens, Martin, and Benjamin Page. 2014. “Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens.” Perspectives on Politics 12.3: 564–81. Campaign Zero, The Problem: https://www.joincampaignzero.org/problem/ Campaign Zero, Solutions: https://www.joincampaignzero.org/solutions/#oversight 5 DRAFT SYLLABUS—EDITS MAY BE MADE BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF CLASS Week 7 Monday, July 17, 2017: Solidarity Hancock, Ange-Marie. 2011. Solidarity Politics for Millennials: A Guide to Ending the Oppression Olympics. New York: Palgrave MacMillan 63-93 Read at least 1 of the following journal articles. The New York Times piece pairs with Siebers Jungkunz, Vincent and Julie White. 2013. “Ignorance, Innocence,