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FYSE 131 Presidential Politics. Made. Here. Fall 2020

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FYSE 131 Presidential Politics. Made. Here. Fall 2020 Instructor: Dr. Jordan Ragusa Location: Robert Scott Small 103 Office: JC Long Building Meetings: MWF (9:00-9:50) Room: 206 Office Hours: By appointment (via Zoom) Email: [email protected] Website: www.jordanragusa.com/ Course Description What can we learn about presidential politics from Charleston's history? Quite a lot! From the arrival of enslaved Africans in the port of Charleston to the first ever Republican presidential candidate|a College of Charleston alum|our city was at the forefront of national politics in the early-to mid-1800s. A century and a half later the legacy of slavery is still relevant in national politics, as evidenced by the 2016 election, and Charleston continues to play an important part in presidential elections. For example, South Carolina has a critical role in contemporary presidential primaries, with dozens of presidential hopefuls stopping in Charleston|and on our campus|every four years. Consistent with the College's 250th theme, this class will focus on Charleston's unique role in presidential politics both past and present. Course Overview I have divided the course into four sections. Each section we will focus on two broad themes: (1) how Charleston had a direct effect on presidential politics and (2) what we can learn about presidential politics from Charleston's history. In the first section, we will focus on three political institutions and Charleston's role in their formation|slavery, the electoral college, and political parties. Second, we will examine four key political figures with ties to Charleston and our campus|Andrew Jackson, John C. Calhoun, John C. Fr´emont, and Robert Smalls|and discuss how they shaped presidential politics. In the third section, we will connect the past to the present, examining slavery's legacy as well as Charleston's role in recent presidential nomination contests. Fourth, and finally, we will review the basic elements of social science and conduct quantitative research on contemporary presidential politics. So, the section-by-section outline looks as follows: Institutions . 8/26 to 9/18 Individuals . 9/21 to 10/12 Past is Prologue. .10/14 to 11/6 Social Science . 11/9 to 12/4 Keep in mind that this class represents a very limited introduction to a number of complex and historically important topics. It is simply impossible in one semester to cover the above topics in the depth they deserve. Fortunately, there are a number of classes at the College of Charleston that go into greater detail on these items|taught by very talented faculty in the departments of political science, sociology, communication, English, and history. Key Dates Start Semester Online . 8/26 Exam #1 . 9/18 Switch to Face-to-Face . 9/21 Exam #2 . 10/12 Exam #3 . 11/6 Research Proposal Due . 11/23 End Semester Online . 12/1 Research Paper Due. .12/14 1 Course Format We are scheduled to meet in person|and as a whole class|this semester. According to the College, our classroom can hold every student and maintain six feet of social distance. As you know, however, face-to-face instruction is delayed until the week of September 14. Additionally, since our first exam is Friday the 18th, we will remain online for one additional week. When we are online, this course will be asynchronous. In other words, there will be no set meeting times and your learning will be self-paced. During this period I will record short lecture videos and post a range of online assignments with due dates. Check OAKS every few days and stay on top of deadlines. No matter what this semester brings|whether we are in person or online|this class will utilize broad range of assignments, activities, and learning strategies. Over the semester you will write a quantitative research paper, complete a mix of readings, write short reaction essays, take three exams, participate in in-class and online discussions, and even visit historic landmarks in the city. During lecture I make frequent use of video, charts and figures, and discussion. Students have diverse learning styles and my hope is that this course reflects this fact. Finally, this class will use OAKS throughout the semester, including the grade-book feature and as a repository for various class materials. Please check OAKS as directed. Note that this course, FYSE 131, is offered alongside FYSS 101, the corresponding synthesis seminar. Your FYSS peer facilitator is Caroline Reece and your section meets on Thursday in RSS 103 from 6:05-6:55pm. Caroline will offer you help with the course content as well as various items: time management, adjusting to college life, how to access library resources, etc. Please keep in mind that the synthesis seminar assignments count as 10% of your course grade. Caroline can be reached at: [email protected]. Continuity of Learning and Interruption of Instruction Before the drop/add deadline, students should decide whether the course plan on the syllabus matches their own circumstances. Although we are scheduled to meet in person and as a whole class, I reserve the right to amend the syllabus and move portions of the course online. Any changes in the course format or delivery will be communicated by email. Likewise, if in-person classes are suspended, I will announce a detailed plan for a change in modality to ensure the continuity of learning. All students must have access to a computer equipped with a web camera, microphone, and internet access. Resources are available to provide students with these essential tools. Recording of Classes Class sessions and office hours will not be recorded. As noted above, when we are online, the class will be conducted asynchronously. When we are scheduled to meet in-person students who are absent from class should do one or more of the following: obtain notes from a classmate, review the required readings, or meet with me via Zoom to discuss what was missed. As noted below, attendance will not be taken this semester. FYSE Objectives At the end of the semester, students should have the following skills and abilities: (1) To identify and use the appropriate academic resources and student support services at College of Charleston. These would include the Addlestone library, information technology, the Center for Student Learning, the Career Center, and other appropriate academic resources, student support services, and cultural resources. (2) To use appropriate tools and search strategies for identifying particular types of information specific to the dis- cipline; Evaluate the relevance, quality, and appropriateness of different sources of information; Recognize and classify the information contained within a bibliographic citation; Access and use information ethically and legally. (3) To use appropriate critical thinking skills and problem-solving techniques in appropriate disciplinary contexts and make connections across disciplines and/or relevant experiences. POLI Objectives In this class the primary objective is to provide students with a broad understanding of presidential politics, both past and present. After completing this course, students should: (1) possess a basic understanding of the process by which we elect presidents, (2) be able to explain and critically assess how political key 2 institutions shape presidential politics, (3) identify the central issues in landmark presidential elections, and (4) posses a basic understanding of social scientific inquiry. Additionally, this course seeks to develop your skill set, including: (1) reading comprehension, (2) effective oral and written communication, (3) critical thinking, and (4) basic data proficiency. Required Readings Each day's required reading(s) can be found below. Standalone texts such as journal articles, book chapters, and newspaper articles will be made available on OAKS. We will also read the following books. Please note that you only need to purchase the \Deep Roots" and \Life of the Parties" books. I will give you a free copy of \First in the South." • Acharya, Avidit, Blackwell, Matthew and Maya Sen. \Deep Roots: How Slavery Still Shapes Southern Politics" (2018, Princeton University Press). • Reichley, A. James. \The Life of the Parties: A History of American Political Parties" (1992, Roman & Littlefield). • Knotts, H. Gibbs and Jordan Ragusa \First in the South: Why South Carolina's Presiden- tial Primary Matters" (2020, University of South Carolina Press). Graded Items A plurality of your grade, 45% in total, will be determined by three examinations. Each exam will be given online in OAKS during our regular class meeting and will be a mix of multiple choice, true/false, and short answer. Exams will be open notes/readings and no proctoring service will be used. A quantitative research paper is due at the end of the semester and is worth 20% of your course grade. For this paper you are required to formulate a research question, propose a hypothesis, and analyze election data. Paper instructions will be provided later in the semester. A range of short assignments (reading responses, quizzes, online discussion posts, etc.) will be due throughout semester. As part of these assignments, you will be asked to visit two Charleston landmarks, take a selfie, and respond to a short discussion prompt. Given that many of the things we will discuss in this class occurred on or near our campus, it is worthwhile to have you do a little experiential learning and get outside the classroom. A list landmarks, and the response prompt, are in a separate folder in OAKS. Collectively, these short assignments comprise 20%. Rounding out your grade are 10% for the synthesis seminar (see above) and 5% for in-class participation (please do the required readings and be prepared to discuss the day's issues). Grade Distribution Research Paper 20% Exam #1 15% Exam #2 15% Exam #3 15% Assignments 20% Synthesis Seminar 10% Participation 5% Grade Policy >= 93 A 80 - 82.9 B- 67 - 69.9 D+ 90 - 92.9 A- 77 - 79.9 C+ 63 - 66.9 D 87 - 89.9 B+ 73 - 76.9 C 60 - 62.9 D- 83 - 86.9 B 70 - 72.9 C- <= 59.9 F Student Responsibilities Attendance will not be taken in this class or in the synthesis seminar.
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