ClassInfo - Spring 2019 Political Science Classes

Spring 2019 | POL 4461W Section 001: European Government and Politics (55514)

Instructor(s): Catherine Guisan
Ibrahim Oker (TA)
Class Component:: Lecture
Credits:: 3 Credits
Grading Basis:: Student Option
Instructor Consent:: No Special Consent Required
Instruction Mode:: In Person Term Based
Class Attributes:: UMNTC Liberal Education Requirement
Times and Locations:: Regular Academic Session

01/22/2019 - 05/06/2019

Tue, Thu 02:30PM - 03:45PM

UMTC, West Bank

Blegen Hall 317
Enrollment Status:: Open (53 of 55 seats filled)

Course Catalog Description:

This course will introduce you to three major topics that shape European social and political life today: 1) the struggle over what makes for a national/European identity: how contested national identities matter to European democratic politics and to the new populist movements, and the historical role of Islam in shaping European identities 2) the role of institutions in shaping popular representation and citizen agency; 3) European Union policies: dealing with immigration, the single currency and foreign and security policy especially in regard to Eastern/Central Europe and Russia. Each section will conclude with a comparative class debate, led by students, on the way contested historical interpretations and identities, institutions and policies matter also to US political and civic life. This is a writing intensive course and you will be asked to write a 12-15 page research essay on a European country of your choice. Several assignments, preceded by a writing workshop, will help you complete your final essay. The course will consist of lectures with PPTs, class discussions and group work, and at least one guest lecturer working in a local business connected with Europe. Indeed this course aims at preparing you to live and work in a deeply interconnected world, with special attention to the historical, social, political and economic ties between the US and Europe. Small changes will be made to the syllabus if current events or unexpected class needs require it, but the main themes, most readings and the assignments will remain as indicated in the syllabus. prereq: 1054 or 3051 or non-pol sci grad or instr consent

Class Notes:

http://classinfo.umn.edu/?guis0001+POL4461W+Spring2019

Class Description:

This course will introduce you to four major issues that shape European social and political life today: 1) the struggle over what makes for a national/European identity, and how contested national identities matter to European democratic politics; 2) the role of institutions in shaping popular representation; 3) dealing with immigration and the single currency; 4) foreign and security policy especially in regard to Eastern/Central Europe and Russia. Each section will conclude with a comparative class discussion on the way such issues matter also to US political and civic life.

This is an writing intensive course and you will be asked to write a 12-15 page research essay on a European country of your choice. Several assignments, preceded by a writing workshop, will help you complete your final essay. The course will consist of lectures with PPTs, class discussions and group work, and at least one guest lecturer working in a local business connected with Europe. Indeed this course aims at preparing you to live and work in a deeply interconnected world, with special attention to the historical, social, political and economic ties between the US and Europe.

Small changes will be made to the draft syllabus posted here, but the main themes, most readings and the assignments will remain as indicated in the draft syllabus.

Who Should Take This Class?:

Students interested in Europe and its 44 countries, its people, its role in the world and its relationship with the US.

Students interested in honing their research and writing skills and developing a paper, which could demonstrate to prospective employers/graduate programs their skills. As a 4000-level course, this course offers senior paper credit for Political Science majors (though the course is very much open to non-majors).

If you have not taken the course prerequisites, please get in touch with me. You can do well in this course even if you have not taken these courses.

Learning Objectives:

see draft syllabus posted below

Grading:

25%: Participation (attendance and engagement in class discussions, in-class quizzes)
10%: 2 posts on Canvas (one news story with comment, one post preparing one of the three class debates based on readings

5%: Final in-class short paper (reflections on the course, you show up, you write, you get your 5%)

60% research paper (divided in five assignments, which will help you choose your topic, find references, develop research question and write the paper, see draft syllabus for details).

Exam Format:

No mid-term or final exam

Class Format:

30% Lecture with PPT and occasional video clips on European current affairs
35% class and small group discussions

10% Guest lecturers

25% Other Style student presentations (see syllabus for details)

Workload:

70-90 Pages Reading Per Week
18 Pages Writing Per Term: 1 research paper, written in several stages, two posts on Canvas, for more details see draft syllabus.

Reading news posts of other students (about 4 a week).

Textbooks:

https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/55514/1193

Past Syllabi:

http://classinfo.umn.edu/syllabi/guis0001_POL4461W_Spring2020.pdf (Spring 2020)
http://classinfo.umn.edu/syllabi/guis0001_POL4461W_Spring2018.docx (Spring 2018)

Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:

7 December 2017

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