ClassInfo - Spring 2020 Political Science Classes

Spring 2020 | POL 4461W Section 001: European Government and Politics (65824)

Instructor(s): Catherine Guisan
Baruch Malewich (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

01/21/2020 - 05/04/2020

Mon, Wed 04:00PM - 05:15PM

UMTC, West Bank

Blegen Hall 317
Enrollment Status:: Open (33 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+Spring2020

Class Description:

This intensive writing course on European politics will prepare you to thrive in a deeply interconnected world; and help you hone the writing and research skills crucial to success in any profession. The course is organized around four major themes: 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; 4) foreign and security policy especially in regard to Eastern/Central Europe and Russia. We will study and debate together topical questions such as:

Is "peace" as important to young Europeans as it was to their parents? Can we compare the memory work done in Europe about war and domination with the ongoing confrontation of the past in the US?

How "European" will the United Kingdom remain if it leaves the European Union? Will Ireland return to its old divisions?

Europe has a much larger Muslim population population than the US. How do different European countries deal with immigrants of different cultures and religions from the native population?

Why are Europeans less willing to spend on military defense and more on welfare policies than the US? What are the consequences for national security?

How can citizens be empowered to change policies? The cases of direct democracy and popular assemblies in Switzerland and the Republic of Ireland.

The course consists of lectures with PPT, class discussions and group work. You will be asked to write a 12-15-page research essay on a European country of your choice (out of 47). Several assignments, preceded by a writing workshop, will train you to complete this essay.

Who Should Take This Class?:

Students interested in Europe and its 47 countries, its relationship with the US, and in current political challenges such as: How to attain social and economic equality within a capitalistic system? How to guarantee people's representation with an efficient decision-making process? How to get countries which warred against one another for centuries to cooperate and turn to non-violent conflict-resolution?

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:

This course meets five of the seven Student Learning Outcomes by helping you to:

Master a body of knowledge and a mode of inquiry through the readings assigned, lectures, course materials and in-class exercises and discussions.

Locate and and critically evaluate information through your final research essay.

Understand diverse philosophies and cultures within and across societies by studying the formation of collective identities, institutions and policies across 21^st century Europe.

Communicate effectively through class discussions, online discussion forums, short class presentations, and the writing of the final research essay.

Acquire through the comparative study of European identities, institutions, and policies, and three class debates putting that knowledge in dialogue with contemporary social and political realities in the US.

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
45% class and small group discussions

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

Workload:

60-80 Pages Reading Per Week
16 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/65824/1203

Syllabus:

http://classinfo.umn.edu/syllabi/guis0001_POL4461W_Spring2020.pdf

Past Syllabi:

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

Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:

12 December 2019

ClassInfo Links - Spring 2020 Political Science Classes

To link directly to this ClassInfo page from your website or to save it as a bookmark, use:: http://classinfo.umn.edu/?subject=POL&catalog_nbr=4461W&term=1203
To see a URL-only list for use in the Faculty Center URL fields, use:: http://classinfo.umn.edu/?subject=POL&catalog_nbr=4461W&term=1203&url=1
To see this page output as XML, use:: http://classinfo.umn.edu/?subject=POL&catalog_nbr=4461W&term=1203&xml=1
To see this page output as JSON, use:: http://classinfo.umn.edu/?subject=POL&catalog_nbr=4461W&term=1203&json=1
To see this page output as CSV, use:: http://classinfo.umn.edu/?subject=POL&catalog_nbr=4461W&term=1203&csv=1

ClassInfo created and maintained by the Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

If you have questions about specific courses, we strongly encourage you to contact the department where the course resides.