EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
Course
Number: POLS 1010
Course Title: NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
Semester: Fall, 2001, Tuesdays and
Thursdays 11:00-12:15
Professor: William R. Mangun Phone: 328-6156
Office Hours: Office:
A-134 Brewster
T-Th 3:30-5:30
Course
Description: This course provides students with an introduction to
American government institutions spreading across the federal, state, and local
government levels. Major emphases are
placed on the U.S. legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
Class Format: Lectures will be used to address theoretical considerations
in support of the assigned readings.
Course
Objectives: Students will be expected to obtain a reasonable
understanding of the theoretical principles upon which American political
institutions function. They should
acquire knowledge about the structures of the U.S. Congress, executive branch, and
federal courts. Students will also be
expected to know the nature of intergovernmental relations and how they affect
the implementation of public policy in the United States. Additional areas that the student should
become familiar with include the electoral process, the role of the media, and
a variety of current public policy issues such as the environment, civil
rights, poverty, and health.
Required
Textbooks: Karen O’Connor and Larry J. Sabato, American
Government: Continuity and Change.
New York: Longman, 2001.
Class
Evaluation: Grades will be based on: five midterm examinations (15%
each), a cumulative final examination (15%), and class participation
(10%). Note: if a student does not get
a grade of A in participation, it will be extremely difficult for that person
to get a grade of A for the course.
August 16 Introduction
August 21 The Political Landscape
Reading:
ch. 1.
August 23 The Constitution
Reading:
ch.2.
August 28 Federalism
Reading:
ch. 3.
August 30 State
and Local Government
Reading:
ch. 4.
September
4 Civil Liberties
Reading:
ch. 5.
September 6 Civil Rights
Reading:
ch. 6.
September 11 Examination One
September 13 Congress
Reading:
ch. 7.
September 18 The Congress II
Reading:
ch. 7.
September 20 The Presidency
Reading:
ch. 8.
September 25 Presidency II
Reading:
ch. 8.
September 27 Examination Two
October 2 The
Bureaucracy
Reading:
ch. 9.
October 4 The Bureaucracy II
Reading: Ch.9.
October 9 The
Judiciary
Reading: Ch. 10
October 11 The Judiciary II
Reading:
Ch. 10
October 16 Fall Break
October 18 Public Opinion and Political
Socialization
Reading: ch.11.
October 23 Political Parties
Reading: ch. 12
October 25 Examination Three
October 30 Political
Parties II
Reading: ch. 12
November 1 Voting and Elections
Reading: ch. 13.
November 6 The Campaign Process
Reading:
ch. 14.
November 8 The News Media
Reading:
ch. 15.
November 13 Interest Groups
Reading:
ch. 16.
November 15 Examination Four
November 20 Social Welfare Policy
Reading:
ch. 17.
November 22 Thanksgiving Day Break
November
27 Economic Policy
Reading:
ch. 18.
November 29 Foreign and Military Policy
Reading: ch. 19
December 1 Examination Five
Dec 11 Final Examination (11:00-1:00)
Have a nice Christmas season, but watch out for the heavy metals in the icicles!!