UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY AND GOVERNANCE FALL 2010 SPP 1000H GOVERNANCE AND INSTITUTIONS Thursdays 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. SECTION A: Canadiana Room 150 SECTION B: Canadiana Room 361 14 Queen’s Park Crescent West 14 Queen’s Park Crescent West Instructor: Prof. Phil Triadafilopoulos Instructor: Prof. Linda A. White Office: Canadiana Building Room 61B, Office: Canadiana Building Room 305, 14 14 Queen’s Park Crescent West Queen’s Park Crescent West Office Hours: Thursdays 10:00 a.m.-12:00 Office Hours: Thursdays 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon; or by appointment; I am also generally noon; or by appointment; I am also generally around on Wednesdays for those of you with around on Wednesdays for those of you with course conflicts course conflicts Telephone: 416-978-7035 Telephone: 416-978-2857 [email protected] [email protected] (NOTE: I generally do not use my UTOR account so please email me at CHASS.UTORONTO.CA) Course Synopsis and Objectives: This course explores how institutions – formal and informal rules which enable and constrain actors – shape policy-making in Canada. We consider the nature of institutions, distinguish governance from governing, and examine several key institutions in Canada, including responsible government, federalism and the courts. We then turn to questions of multi-level governance, focusing on federal-provincial relations, municipal governance, and indigenous self- government. We conclude with discussions of stake-holder governance and the interplay of global structures and domestic institutions in the policy process. The course aims to provide students with a solid understanding of Canada’s institutional context, the precise meaning of the term “governance” and its relation to “governing,” the complexity of multi-level governance in Canada, and the role of informal actors and global structures and processes. Required Readings: We suggest the following two books as background reading: Bakvis, Herman, Gerald Baier, and Douglas Brown. 2009. Contested Federalism: Certainty and Ambiguity in the Canadian Federation. Toronto: Oxford UP. Malcolmson, Patrick and Richard Myers. 2009. The Canadian Regime: An Introduction to Parliamentary Government in Canada. 4th ed. Toronto: UTP. 2 Copies of these texts have been ordered through the University of Toronto Bookstore, located at 214 College Street. If you are looking for more encyclopedic information on the Canadian constitution, see Peter W. Hogg. 2008. Constitutional Law of Canada. Toronto: Carswell. Some copies have been ordered at the bookstore as well. Most required readings are available online via the U of T Library’s E-Resources and have been indicated as such on the syllabus. PLEASE NOTE: these Ebrary readings can ONLY be accessed via Microsoft Explorer NOT Mozilla Firefox. There is a glitch in the library system that Robarts cannot resolve. Viewing and printing IS possible but only through Explorer. Required readings not available on E-Resources will be posted on Blackboard. Course Requirements: Grades for this course will be based on the following requirements: Short essay I: one essay must be completed before Week 6 as per due date specified 20 % Short essay II: must be completed by the end of term as per due date specified 20 % End of term essay: DUE THURSDAY 16 DECEMBER 2010 4:30 PM 40 % Participation: Cumulative throughout term 20 % Short Essays: You will find short essay questions on the syllabus interspersed throughout the term. Students must choose any TWO of the essay questions on which to write, BUT one essay must be submitted before the end of week six. The essays are due in class ONE WEEK after we have covered the topic in class. The essays should be succinct – 5 pages in length, double spaced with 12-point font – and be highly analytical, not descriptive. They should address the material covered in that week’s reading, class discussion, and speakers’ comments (if a speaker appears that week). End of Term Essay: Each student is required to answer the essay question found at the end of this syllabus. The essay should be 12-pages in length (double spaced, 12 point font). Research for the essay will be based on and expanded from required readings on the course syllabus. You are of course welcome to go beyond these readings. The essay is due two weeks after the end of term on Thursday, 16 December 2010 at 4:30 p.m. Please note that you are expected to turn in all assignments on time. No exceptions will be made except in the case of an adequately documented emergency. You must make a reasonable effort to contact Professor Triadafilopoulos/Professor White as soon as the problem arises to inform 3 your instructor of the problem, and present your written documentation to the instructor when you return. Professors Triadafilopoulos and White maintain discretion in determining whether to accept the late assignment and/or attach a lateness penalty. Participation: This course is an advanced, reading- and discussion-intensive seminar. Students are expected to complete each week’s required readings in advance, attend every class, and contribute actively to class discussions. In order to ensure all students contribute to the class, attendance will be taken. It is the students’ responsibility to account for any absences, as unexplained and unexcused absences will be taken into account in calculating the class participation grade. In addition to consistent attendance (one cannot participate if one does not attend) the participation grade will be based on consistent, constructive, high-quality interventions in seminar discussion. The breakdown of the seminar participation grade of 20 per cent will be as follows: one third for attendance, one third for the quantity of participation, and one third for the quality of participation. Factors to be taken into consideration in evaluating the quality of your participation include being prepared for class, being attentive to class discussion, raising thoughtful comments and questions in class, and providing insight and analysis to the readings and discussions. It might be helpful to keep the following questions in mind in preparing for class: 1. What are the central points or arguments being made in the readings? 2. How have the authors organized their arguments? 3. What evidence and methods have they used to support their arguments? 4. How does the week’s reading relate to other material examined in the course? 5. How do you evaluate the authors’ positions? You are expected to be an active participant in class discussions. Active participation entails: - initiating a topic or question - providing information and examples to clarify a point - trying to synthesize or summarize a part of the discussion - seeking clarification where one is unsure - adding to and amending what others have said - respectfully offering positive and negative reactions to others’ points Being an active participant also involves assisting members of the class by asking them to: - state what they believe the main points of the reading are - synthesize or summarize part of the discussion - provide examples - restate what they’ve said to ensure you understood give their positive and negative opinions 4 Class Schedule: Each class will start at 1:10 PM (unless noted otherwise) and finish at 4 PM. Each section will meet separately unless there is a guest speaker scheduled or it is noted on the syllabus that we are meeting in plenary. When there is a guest speaker, you will meet in Room 150 of the Canadiana Building. When there is a guest speaker, your instructors will begin with an introduction/ overview of the day’s topic. This will be followed by the guest speaker who will present and engage you in discussion for the first part of the class. After the break, you will reconvene in your assigned section. Academic Integrity: Please be aware of the importance of academic integrity and the seriousness of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism. The more obvious instances of plagiarism include copying material from another source (book, journal, another student, and so on) without acknowledging the source, presenting an argument as your own – whether or not it is a direct quotation – rather than fully acknowledging the true originator of the idea, having another person help you to write your essay, and buying an essay. Taking materials from the internet without acknowledging the source is plagiarism. Use of unauthorized materials during exams is cheating. All of these are instances of academic dishonesty, which the university takes very seriously and they will result in academic penalty. Those penalties can range from failing the assignment, failing the course, having a notation on your academic transcript, and/or suspension from the university. For further information on the University’s Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters, see: http://www.artsandscience.utoronto.ca/ofr/calendar/rules.htm#behaviour. To avoid problems in your assignments, please consult “How Not to Plagiarize,” by Margaret Procter, Coordinator of Writing Support, U of T: http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/using-sources/how-not-to- plagiarize Office Hours, Email Policy: You are encouraged to see us during office hours, or, if that is not possible, by appointment, to consult about the written assignments or class material or to talk about the course in general. We will do our best to respond to email within 48 hours of receiving messages (weekdays only). Email received during weekends and holidays may take longer to answer. Please do not submit course assignments via email. Accessibility Needs: The University of Toronto is committed to accessibility. If you require accommodations for a disability, or have any accessibility concerns about the course, the classroom, or course materials, please contact Accessibility Services as soon as possible: [email protected] or http://studentlife.utoronto.ca/accessibility. 5 Schedule of Seminar Topics and Readings Week 1 (16 September) – Introduction: Institutions, Governance, and Democracy Atkinson, Michael M.