GOVERNMENT 336
POLITICAL PARTIES
Fall, 2008

Dr. Donald N. Schroeder
Office: D. Rich #107
Office Hours: 3-4 MW, 2-3 TTh, or by appointment
Phone: 893-1486

E-Mail:   schroeder@campbell.edu

Course Objectives

This course will cover a variety of topics regarding the structure and functioning of American political parties. The purposes of the course will include acquainting you with how political parties are organized, the role of political parties in the electoral process, the ways political parties change and adapt to changes in the political environment, and their role in government. In addition, you will be encouraged to critically evaluate the contribution our party system makes to a successful republican government. These purposes are consistent with the purpose & mission of Campbell University which is committed to helping students develop an integrated Christian personality characterized by a wholeness that includes: a method of critical judgment; an appreciation of our intellectual, cultural, and religious heritage; and a sensitive awareness of the world and society in which they live and work.

Course Requirements

Your grade will be based on three exams, including the final, & a term paper.

Essay Exams: Your questions will come from a list of possible questions distributed in advance. On exam dates, you will write one essay from the advance list chosen by chance (tossed die). However, the final will require two essays, one from the last segment of the course and another from a comprehensive list.

Term paper: You are required to write a formal 10 to 15 page term paper, typed. Students are allowed to go beyond the maximum, but there will be a severe penalty for papers below the minimum. Your topic must be chosen only after consultation with me. On the due-date, you must turn in the (1) finished paper, (2) an electronic copy on disk in Word or WordPerfect format (PC, not MacIntosh), and (3) your research notes. The paper researched and written for this course must be done exclusively for this course. Papers written for other courses are not to be used to fulfill this requirement. In addition, the paper written for this course is not to be used to fulfill similar requirements in other courses. Any attempt to use this paper in more than one course will be treated as an Honor Code violation. Your paper is due on November 21st.

You must submit your paper to turnitin.com for analysis. turnitin.com is an on-line service that matches student-written work against a huge data-base of published and other student-written material to determine whether portions of an assignment were improperly copied. Additional information about “turnitin.com@ can be found on its web-site, www.turnitin.com.

Grades: Each regular exam counts as 1/6 of your grade, the Final 1/3 & the term paper 1/3.

Absence Policy

Consistent with the recommendation of the Dean of Arts and Sciences, you must attend at least 90% of the classes scheduled. If athletics or some other University sponsored activity makes this impossible, discuss it with me within the next two weeks.

Academic Integrity

All students are subject to the academic integrity and behavioral expectations of the University.

Learning Disabilities

Students with documented disabilities who desire modifications or accommodations should contact Laura Rich, director of Student Support Services in the Hight House at 814-4364 or richl@campbell.edu.

Required Texts

Marjorie Randon Hershey,  Party Politics in America, Thirteenth Edition.
Paul R. Abramson, John H. Aldrich and David W. Rohde, Change and Continuity in the 2004 & 2006 Elections. (AAR)
Thomas Patterson, Out of Order.
Selected professional studies to be determined later and placed on reserve.
A Guide for Written Work, by the Faculty of the Department of Government and History.

Course Outline & Reading Assignments

I. The American Party System
    A. Introduction
    Hershey, Chapter I
        1. The Basic Model
        2. The Party Environment
    B. Characteristics of American Parties
    Hershey, Chap. 2

II. Party Organization
    A. State & Local Organization
    Hershey, Chap. 3
    B. National Organization
    Hershey, Chap. 4; National Organization Charts
    C. Party Activists
    Hershey, Chap. 5

III. Parties & the Electoral Process
    A. Nominating Candidates
        1. State & Local Nominations
        Hershey, Chap. 9
        2. Presidential Nominations
        Hershey, Chap. 10; AAR, Chap. 1

FIRST EXAM

    B. General Election Campaigns
    Hershey, Chap. 11; AAR, Chaps. 2-3
    C. Campaign Financing
    Hershey, Chap. 12
    D. Mass Media and Elections
    Patterson, Entire Book

IV. Political Parties and the Electoral System
    A. Voter Turnout
    Hershey, Chap. 8; AAR, Chap. 4
    B. Party Identification & Realignments
    Hershey, Chap. 6; AAR, Chaps. 5, 9-12
    C. Candidate and Issue Orientation
    AAR, Chap. 6; Article: "Ideological Identification" (PDF document)
    D. Retrospective and Prospective Influences on the Vote
    AAR, Chap. 7
    E. Party Identification and Issue Voting
    Hershey, Chap. 7; AAR, Chap. 8

SECOND EXAM

V. The Party-in-Government

    A. The Legislative Parties
    Hershey, Chap. 13
    B. Parties in the Executive & Judiciary
    Hershey, Chap. 14
    B. Reform and Party Government
    Hershey, Chap. 15

VI. The Future of Political Parties
Hershey, Chap. 16; AAR, Chap. 12

FINAL