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COURSESYLLABUS
PoliticalScience140:ModernPolitics
Fall20__
Instructor:
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Classtime:
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CourseDescription:
PoliticalScience140:ModernPoliticsisa3unitcoursedesignedtointroduceyoutothestudy
ofpoliticalscienceandcomparativepolitics.Thiscoursewillexplorethehistorical,culturaland
economiccontextofmodernpoliticsaroundtheworld.Thecoursewillexamineinstitutional
structuresandfunctions,especiallyintermsofthenationstateandtheinternationalnationstate
system.Thecoursewillalsoexplorebasicpoliticalideologies,andexaminethedomestic
politicalsystemsoftheUnitedStates,theUnitedKingdom,Russia,China,IranandMexico.In
addition,thecoursewilltouchuponindividualandgroupparticipationinthepoliticalprocess
andcurrentissues.

Objectives:
Thiscoursewillfocusonincreasingyourunderstandingofdomesticandinternationalpolitical
systemsintheirhistorical,cultural,andeconomiccontexts.Inaddition,thiscourseisalso
designedtoincreaseyourunderstandingofbasicconceptssuchasdemocracy,socialdemocracy,
authoritarianism,totalitarianism,socialism,fascism,federalism,andofsystemsincluding
presidentialandparliamentarysystems,etc.Thecoursewillalsoincreaseyourunderstandingof
currentissuesandofyourpositioninthegovernment,aswellasthepositionofothersintheir
respectivegovernments.

Prerequisites:
None.Thisisarequiredlowerdivisionpoliticalsciencecourseforpoliticalsciencemajors.
Note:Thiscoursesmustbecompletedbefore,orconcurrentlywith,enrollmentinthefirst6units
ofupperdivisionmajorcourses.

RequiredTextbooks:

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PatrickH.ONeil,EssentialsofComparativePolitics.Thirdedition(2010):W.W.Nortion&
Co.

PatrickH.ONeil,KarlFieldsandDonShare,CasesinComparativePolitics.Fourthedition
(2013):W.W.Nortion&Co.

Supplementaryreadingmaterialmayoccasionallybedistributedinclassorviaemail.

AttendancePolicy:
Youareexpectedtoattendallclassesandbeontime.Failuretodosowillreduceyour
participationgrade.

Theinstructorwillconductshortinclassassignmentsabout10timesoverthecourseofthe
semesterwhichwillbeusedinparttocalculateyourfinalparticipationgrade(seegradingrubric
belowformoreinformation).Ifyoudonotattendclassyoucannotparticipate,thusyouwillnot
receiveparticipationpointsforthatday.Therearenoexceptions.

Absenceswillonlybeexcusedinunavoidablecircumstanceswhenadvancenoticeisgiventothe
instructor.Therefore,ifyouknowyouwillbeabsentonaparticulardayyoushouldletmeknow
assoonaspossibletomakearrangementsforanyworkyouwillmissthatday.However,you
willprobablynotbeabletoreceivetheparticipationpointsthemselves.

Inaddition,bybeingabsentyouriskmissingaquiz,whichwouldfurtherharmyouroverall
grade.

Morebroadly,participationisdefinedasbeingpresentinclass,makingameaningfuland
knowledgeablecontributiontodiscussionsandbeingrespectfultoothersinclass.Ifyoudonot
meetthesecriteria,yourparticipationgrademaybereducedwithoutwarning.

GradingSystem
Yourgradewillbebasedonacombinationofparticipationpoints,currentevenquizzes,one
midtermexamination,onetermpaper,andonefinalexamination.Thegradingrubricbelow
outlineshowthepointswillbedistributedandcanbeusedtohelpyoucalculateyourgradeat
anygiventimethroughoutthecourse.

Feelfreetoaskmeaboutyouroverallgrade,orindividualassignmentgrades,atanytime.
GradeswillnotbepostedonBlackboardorgenerallydistributedbyemail.

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GradingRubric
Assignment

DueDate

PointsPossible

Participation

150(15%)

Currenteventsquizzes

Variousunannounceddates

4@50points(lowestdropped)
=150pointstotal
(15%)

MidtermExamination

Mon.,Oct14

200points(20%)

TermPaper

Mon.,Nov25

200points(20%)

FinalExamination

Wed.,Dec18,1:153:15p.m. 300points(30%)

TOTAL 1000pointspossible

GradingScale
9001000points:A
800899points:B
700799points:C
600699points:D
599pointsofbelow:F

Examinations(50%ofoverallgrade)
Thiscourseincludestwoexaminations:amidterm(20%ofoverallgrade)andacomprehensive
final(30%ofoverallgrade).Theseexamswillhaveashortansweridentificationsectionandan
essaysection.Therewillbenomultiplechoicesection.YouwillNOTneedaScantronforthese
examsandwillonlyneedawritinginstrumentandpaper.Youmaypurchaseabluebookifyou
preferbutitisnotnecessary.

Astudyguideindicatingthetypesofquestionsthatwillbeontheexamwillbedistributedat
somepointduringthesemester,butpleasenotethatIreservetherighttoincludequestionand
materialnotspecificallyreferencedinthestudyguide.

Aspreviouslymentioned,ifyouareabsentonanexamdayyouwillreceiveanautomaticzero
unlessyouaregrantedspecificpermissionfromyourinstructorinadvance.Thebestadviceis:
donotbeabsentonexamdays.Azeroonanyexamwillmakeithighlyunlikelythatyouwill
successfullycompletethecourseevenifyoucompleteallotherwork.

Quizzes(15%ofoverallgrade)

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Fourshortquizzesoncurrenteventsandmaterialcoveredinthecoursewillbegivenoverthe
courseofthesemester.Eachofthequizzesisworth50pointsandthelowestscorewillbe
dropped.Thedateofthequizzeswillnotbeannouncedinadvanceandmayoccuratanytime.

Quizzeswillcontainquestionsaboutmaterialpreviouslydiscussedinclassandalsocurrent
eventissuesfromaroundtheworld.Itisyourresponsibilitytokeepuponcurrenteventsbecause
itismostlikelythatwewillnothavediscussedtheseeventsorissuesinclasspriortothequiz.

Thecurrenteventsportionofthequizisorientedtowardgeneralinformationthatascholarof
international/modernpoliticswithaworkingknowledgeoftheworld,nationalandlocalaffairs
wouldbeexpectedtoknow.Theonlywaytoprepareforthesequestionistobeconstantly
readingaboutcurrenteventsfromreputablesourcessuchasBBCNews,TheNewYorkTimes,
andTheWallStreetJournalonadailybasisandTheEconomistweekly.Ifyouareattemptingto
predictthetypesofquestionsImightask,startbycheckingoutthesepublicationseveryday.
Thismaytaketimebutitisessentialtoyourdevelopmentasapoliticalsciencestudentand
scholar.

Youdonotneedtoreadeveryarticleandabsorbeverydetail,butyoudoneedtohaveageneral
ideaofwhatisgoingonintheworld,specificallyregardingpoliticalparties,elections,and
conflictsinforeigncountriesandmajornationalissues,aswell.Itismyadvicethatyoualso
makeanefforttolearnthenamesofmostforeignleaders.

Alsomaterialonthereadinglistforthedaybutnotyetdiscussedinclassisfairgame.

MakeupquizzeswillNOTbeallowedunderanycircumstances.Ifyouareabsentthedayofthe
quizorarrivelateyouwillreceiveazero.Ifthezeroisyourlowestscoreofthefourquizzesit
willbedroppedattheendofthesemester.

TermPaper(20%ofoverallgrade)
Thiscourseincludesatermpaperof2,000to2,500words.Thetopicwillultimatelybeofyour
choosing,withsomegeneralguidelines.Thepaperwillrequiresubstantialresearchoutsideof
classandyouwillwanttobeginplanningearlyinthesemester.Furtherinformationwillbe
giveninclass.

Paperswithspelling,grammarorcitationerrorswillreceiveareducedscore.

Itisalsoimportanttonotethatlatepaperswillnotbeaccepted.

ClassPolicies

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ClassroomConductTheclassroomisalearningenvironment,andstudentsareexpectedto
treatthematerialandtheirpeerswithrespect.Therewilloftenbetimesfordiscussionand
studentsareencouragedtovoicetheirthoughtsinarespectfulandscholarlywayduringthese
times.

Questionsareencouragedatanytime,butstudentsareaskedtoraisetheirhandsbefore
interruptingalectureoranotherstudent.Theinstructormayaskstudentstoholdtheirquestions
foraperiodoftime.However,therewillbesometimeforquestionsineveryclasssession.

Punctuality/classtimeLeavingearlyorarrivinglatetoclassisdisruptivetobothyouand
yourclassmates.Pleasedonotdosounlessyounotifyyourinstructorinadvance.

CellPhonesStudentsareaskedtoturnofftheirphones(mobiledevices)forthedurationof
theclass.Emergenciesrequiringtheuseofaphonemayoccasionallyhappen,inthisevent
studentsmustinformtheinstructorinadvanceandwillbeaskedtostepoutsidetomakeor
receiveacall.

Laptops/TabletsStudentsmayuselaptops/tabletstotakenotesintheclassroom,butare
askedtoturnoffanyfeaturethatmaymakesound.

Add/DropStudentsarefreetoaddordropaclassasstipulatedintheuniversityguidelines.
Failuretodroptheclasswithinthespecifiedtimeframedictatedbytheuniversitywillresultina
Wonyourtranscript.

Youshouldseemeimmediatelyifyoubelieveyouneedtodroptheclassatanytime.Afailing
gradeisusuallynotagoodenoughreasontodropthecourseaftertheinitialadd/dropperiod.
However,Iwillconsideryourrequestifyouareseekingtodrop.

Questionsaboutclassroompolicy?Anyquestionsshouldbedirectedtotheinstructor.If
confidentialityispreferredorrequired,studentsmayasktomeetwiththeinstructorafterclassor
submitquestionbyemail.

ChangesinSyllabusTheinstructorreservestherighttoamendorchangeaspectsofthe
syllabusandscheduleatanytimeandforanyreason.Studentswillbegivenduenoticeofany
changeseitherinwritingorinclass.

StudentswithDisabilitiesUponidentifyingthemselvestotheinstructorandtheuniveristy
studentswithdisabilitieswillreceivereasonableaccommodationforlearningandevaluation.For
moreinformation,contactServicestoStudentswithDisabilitiesintheLibraryRoom1202

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(2862811).

HonorCodeMembersoftheCSUFresnoacademiccommunityadheretoprinciplesof
academicintegrityandmutualrespectwhileengagedinuniversityworkandrelatedactivities.
Youshould:
understandorseekclarificationaboutexpectationsforacademicintegrityinthiscourse
(includingnocheating,plagiarismandinappropriatecollaboration)
neithergivenorreceiveunauthorizedaidonexaminationsorothercourseworkthatis
usedbytheinstructorasthebasisofgrading.
takeresponsibilitytomonitoracademicdishonestyinanyformandtoreportittothe
instructororotherappropriateofficialforaction.
Instructorsmayrequirestudentstosignastatementattheendofallexamsandassignmentsthat
Ihavedonemyownworkandhaveneithergivennorreceivedunauthorizedassistanceonthis
work.Ifyouaregoingtousethisstatement,includeithere.

CheatingandPlagiarism"Cheatingistheactualorattemptedpracticeoffraudulentor
deceptiveactsforthepurposeofimprovingone'sgradeorobtainingcoursecreditsuchactsalso
includeassistinganotherstudenttodoso.Typically,suchactsoccurinrelationtoexaminations.
However,itistheintentofthisdefinitionthattheterm'cheating'notbelimitedtoexamination
situationsonly,butthatitincludeanyandallactionsbyastudentthatareintendedtogainan
unearnedacademicadvantagebyfraudulentordeceptivemeans.Plagiarismisaspecificformof
cheatingwhichconsistsofthemisuseofthepublishedand/orunpublishedworksofothersby
misrepresentingthematerial(i.e.,theirintellectualproperty)sousedasone'sownwork."
Penaltiesforcheatingandplagiarismrangefroma0orFonaparticularassignment,throughan
Fforthecourse,toexpulsionfromtheuniversity.FormoreinformationontheUniversity's
policyregardingcheatingandplagiarism,refertotheClassSchedule(LegalNoticesonCheating
andPlagiarism)ortheUniversityCatalog(PoliciesandRegulations).

Computers"AtCaliforniaStateUniversity,Fresno,computersandcommunicationslinksto
remoteresourcesarerecognizedasbeingintegraltotheeducationandresearchexperience.
Everystudentisrequiredtohavehis/herowncomputerorhaveotherpersonalaccesstoa
workstation(includingamodemandaprinter)withalltherecommendedsoftware.The
minimumandrecommendedstandardsfortheworkstationsandsoftware,whichmayvaryby
academicmajor,areupdatedperiodicallyandareavailablefromInformationTechnology
Services(http://www.fresnostate.edu/adminserv/technology/)ortheUniversityBookstore.Inthe
curriculumandclassassignments,studentsarepresumedtohave24houraccesstoacomputer
workstationandthenecessarycommunicationlinkstotheUniversity'sinformationresources."

DisruptiveClassroomBehavior"Theclassroomisaspecialenvironmentinwhichstudents

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andfacultycometogethertopromotelearningandgrowth.Itisessentialtothislearning
environmentthatrespectfortherightsofothersseekingtolearn,respectfortheprofessionalism
oftheinstructor,andthegeneralgoalsofacademicfreedomaremaintained....Differencesof
viewpointorconcernsshouldbeexpressedintermswhicharesupportiveofthelearningprocess,
creatinganenvironmentinwhichstudentsandfacultymaylearntoreasonwithclarityand
compassion,toshareofthemselveswithoutlosingtheiridentities,andtodevelopand
understandingofthecommunityinwhichtheylive...Studentconductwhichdisruptsthe
learningprocessshallnotbetoleratedandmayleadtodisciplinaryactionand/orremovalfrom
class."

CopyrightPolicyCopyrightlawsandfairusepoliciesprotecttherightsofthosewhohave
producedthematerial.Thecopyinthiscoursehasbeenprovidedforprivatestudy,scholarship,
orresearch.Otherusesmayrequirepermissionfromthecopyrightholder.Theuserofthiswork
isresponsibleforadheringtocopyrightlawoftheU.S.(Title17,U.S.Code).Tohelpyou
familiarizeyourselfwithcopyrightandfairusepolicies,theUniversityencouragesyoutovisit
itsCopyrightWebPage(http://libguides.csufresno.edu/copyright).

TechnologyInnovationsforLearning&Teaching(TILT)coursewebsitescontainmaterial
protectedbycopyrightsheldbytheinstructor,otherindividualsorinstitutions.Suchmaterialis
usedforeducationalpurposesinaccordwithcopyrightlawand/orwithpermissiongivenbythe
ownersoftheoriginalmaterial.Youmaydownloadonecopyofthematerialsonanysingle
computerfornoncommercial,personal,oreducationalpurposesonly,providedthatyou(1)do
notmodifyit,(2)useitonlyforthedurationofthiscourse,and(3)includeboththisnoticeand
anycopyrightnoticeoriginallyincludedwiththematerial.Beyondthisuse,nomaterialfrom
thecoursewebsitemaybecopied,reproduced,republished,uploaded,posted,transmitted,or
distributedinanywaywithoutthepermissionoftheoriginalcopyrightholder.Theinstructor
assumesnoresponsibilityforindividualswhoimproperlyusecopyrightedmaterialplacedonthe
website.

TentativeCourseSchedule
Week1:Whatiscomparativepolitics?
Reading:EssentialsofComparativePolitics(Henceforth:EOCP)Ch.1
Week2:Typesofgovernment
Reading:CasesinComparativePolitics(Henceforth:CICP)Introduction
Week3:Definingthenationstateandtheinternationalnationstatesystem
Reading:EOCPpg.4758
Week4:Introductiontopoliticalideologies
ReadingEOCPpg.5975

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Week5:Democracy
Reading:EOCPpg.109140
Week67:PoliticsandgovernmentoftheUnitedStatesandtheUnitedKingdom(Discussionon
PresidentialandParliamentarysystems)
Reading:CICPChapterontheUnitedStates,ChapterontheUnitedKingdom
Week8:Typesofnondemocraticgovernments,
Readings:EOCPCh.6
**Midterm**
Week9:PoliticsandgovernmentofIranandRussia
Reading:CICPChapteronIran,ChapteronRussia
Week10:PoliticalEconomy
Reading:EOCPCh.3
Week11:PoliticsandgovernmentofChina
Reading:CICPChapteronChina
Week12:PoliticalParticipation
Reading:supplementaryreading
Week13:PoliticsandgovernmentofMexico
Reading:CICPChapteronMexico
Week14:InternationalIssues:ethnicidentitiesandnationalism
Reading:supplementaryreading
Week15:InternationalIssues:politicalviolence/terrorism,globalization
Reading:EOCPCh.10

**Wed,Dec11LastDayofInstruction

Final:Wed.,Dec18,1:153:15p.m