Introduction to Politics
and Political Analysis
Professor Braunwarth

This course will introduce you to the world of politics. Essentially, what you will learn in this course is how to "see politically". Politics is much more than the competition for office or what we see on the news. While these are of course important, they only represent the tip of the political iceberg. While you may find very few advertisements for political scientists in the want ads, the study of political science helps us to understand the deeper forces and structures that shape the world in which we live. This course will help you to make sense of how we arrived at where we are now, and where we might be or even should be going in the future. Indeed, this course assumes that there are alternative ways of looking at and dealing with fundamental sociopolitical issues and problems and will examine contemporary society in this context.

·         Three Exams                                                                                                              100 points each.
·         Final exam                                                                                                                  100 points.
      (best three out of four exams)                                                                        Total:  300 points.

Your final grade is not curved and will be assigned according to the following table:

Requirements:

Exams:

Exams will consist of a combination of short answer, essay, multiple choice, and word identification.  We will take four exams and your lowest score will be dropped.  There will be no opportunity to make-up exams without prior approval from the instructor.

Political Economy Week

Each semester the political economy department at Grossmont College suspends regularly scheduled class for one week and, in their place, offers a number of lecture “events” on topics of economic or political interest.  You are required to attend two of these events.  The next class you must turn in a write up for each event you attended and include the following information:

Name and time of the event and name of the presenter:
Identify three things you learned from this presentation:
What is something you liked about this presentation:
What is something you disliked about this presentation:

You will not receive a passing grade for the course without turning in two college-level write-ups.

Academic Expectations:

·         Plagiarism or cheating results in bad karma and will not be tolerated.  Academic dishonesty will be reported to administration and will result in an automatic F on the assignment and usually in the class.
·         Be on time, let me know if you will have to leave early, turn off your cell phone.
·         You will get much more out of the class and find it much more interesting if you participate in class discussions.
·         Do the readings before the class.  You will be tested on this information.
·         Take notes.
·         Students with disabilities who may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to notify the instructor and contact Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSP&S) early in the semester so that reasonable accommodations may be implemented as soon as possible. Students may contact DSP&S in person in room 110 or by phone at 619-644-7112 (voice) or 619-644-7119 (TTY for deaf).

An Optimistic Course Outline and Readings:

Writing Guidelines

Writing Resources

How not to do well in this class