PS 1 – Introduction to American Politics

1. PS 1 – Introduction to American Politics Monday, July 1, 2006

2. Today • Logistics • Goals and Constraints of the Course • Requirements • Course Overview and Schedule • A Central Theme: Public Disinterest • Empirical and Normative Perspectives • Scope of the Course • Readings for next time • Study Skills • Questions/Comments

3. Course Information • Matt Grossmann, Instructor Email: matthewg@berkeley.edu • Michael Salamone, Graduate Student Instructor Email: salamone@berkeley.edu • Course: Mon-Thurs 2-4pm in 60 Evans Hall Discussion Sections: Friday 12-2pm and 2-4pm in 54 Barrows Hall • Office Hours: Mon-Thurs directly after class • Web site: http://www.mattg.org/ps1

4. Logistics • Enrollment: Make sure you are officially enrolled in lecture and one of the sections. You must come to the first week of class and section to stay in the class. • Readings: We the People by Ginsberg, Lowi, and Weir Purchase at ASUC bookstore Course Reader (all other readings) Purchase at Copy Central (2560 Bancroft Way)

5. Goals of the Course 1. General Knowledge: To enable you to follow political controversies and understand the significance of the political events 2. Civic Education: To enable you to participate in political decision-making • Introduction to Political Science: To familiarize you with how we study politics and the current state of our knowledge

6. Why You Should Care • You are often asked to form political opinions, make political decisions, and take political actions. Each task would benefit from knowledge of the political system. • Government will play a major role in your life, whether or not you recognize it as important. • Your curiosity will lead you to a political question; your knowledge will help you answer it. • We can open a new field of knowledge to you; we hope that it will stimulate new questions. • Even “Why do I have to take this class?” is a political question: who made the decision, for what reason, and how did it lead me to sign up?

7. Our Constraints • Summer course: Lots of material in less time, easy to get behind • Survey course: All American political institutions and public behavior • Assumed base of knowledge: Learn basic facts of government before pursuing political science • Students with different motivations: There are lots of reasons for being here

8. Requirements: Readings • Same amount of reading as for a semester course: It is easier to get far behind on the readings in the summer • Not same amount everyday: Catch up when you have the opportunity • Different kinds of readings: Main textbook, boutique readings, optional readings • You are responsible for everything: It is better to skim and understand everything than to stop half way

9. Requirements: Assignments • Two Short Tests: To help you keep up – mostly factual information and readings • Two Short Essays: Pursue your own interests – follow your favorite figure and policy • Simulations and Group Work: Learn by doing; Congressional simulation next week • Presentations: For those who are willing to share • Final: Large part of grade - pulling it all together

10. Course Overview • Foundations: Introduction and structure • American Political Institutions: Congress, Presidency, administration, courts, state/local • Intermediation: Political parties, interest groups, social movements, the media • The American Public: Public opinion, campaigns and elections, voting and participation • Policy Debates and Outcomes • Approaches to the Study of American Politics

11. Calendar

12. Calendar

13. A Recurring Theme: “In liberal societies, politics is a sideshow in the great circus of life.” Robert Dahl, 1961

14. Table 1.1 This key insight corresponds to the low level of information about politics in the American public:

15. POP and the lack of importance attributed to political involvement by people your age:

16. Starting in Washington • For the class, we’ll spend a lot of time talking about the activities of the political elites that do pay attention to and influence government • We’ll outline the features of political institutions, then discuss the intermediaries that often stand between the public and political elites, and then investigate the political behavior of the public • This is the reverse of the way the textbook is organized but reflects most policymaking today

17. Washington: Inside the Beltway

18. Washington: Inside the Beltway

19. An Empirical Focus • We will focus on what political leaders do, rather than what they should do, and how political institutions function in practice, rather than how they function in theory • Wednesday is our opportunity to think about the ideas behind the structure of American government but we will not be venerating the founders or assuming ill motives • But… all attempts to package knowledge about American politics have some normative assumptions

20. Our Normative Perspective: “Many forms of government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” - Winston Churchill, 1947

21. The Scope: What is Politics? • Governance: “the activities of government, members of law making organizations, or people who try to influence the way a country is governed.” - Cambridge International Dictionary of English • Competition over Power: “conflict over the leadership, structure, and policies of governments.” - We the People

22. What is Political Science? • The Study of Governance: • An effort to understand how nations produce rules and programs • An analysis of government and the politics behind its actions • The Study of Competition over Power: • The study of “who gets what, when, and how?” (Lasswell) or “who governs?” (Dahl)

23. Empirical Approaches • Historical/Institutional: Study how political institutions and policies developed over time Draws from Sociology/History, Focuses on national institutions • Behavioral: Study the beliefs, attitudes, and actions of the public and elites Draws from Psychology, Focuses on the public • Theoretical: Develop models of politics based on assumptions about individuals Draws from Economics, Focuses on decision-making • Comparative: Study differences between U.S. politics and politics in other nations Draws from Area Studies, Focuses on culture and institutions

24. Civics Before Political Science • We will be using each of these perspectives to study American politics • Yet for most of the course we will be identifying major aspects of American politics, learning basic facts, and developing a sense of how things work in practice • You need this background in order to understand how political scientists study American politics • For those that want to pursue their own interests in political science further, we will help you understand where to go from here.

25. Readings for Wednesday I will always leave some time at the end to prepare you for the readings for next time Wednesday: • We The People - Textbook - do not have to read the pull-boxes or do interactive exercises • Overview of forms of government; control and limits • Agreement and disagreement over core democratic values • Overview of American Constitution • Text of the Declaration of Independence • Text of the American Constitution • The Federalist Papers • Federalist 10: The problem of factions • Federalist 51: Republican government, the separation of powers, checks and balances

26. Study Skills • Use the slides; take notes where you have difficulty or need additional explanation • Use your instructors; we are available via email and in office hours • Pursue your interests but note what seems important even if it is uninteresting • Pay attention to detail but keep the big picture in mind

27. Study Skills: Speed Reading • When you dedicate time to reading, concentrate and give yourself goals • Skim at about 2 seconds per page before staring to read; note the purpose of each text; notice headings • Read every paragraph like it is on the SAT: What is the main idea? What is the argument? What is the evidence? How does this author compare to others? • It takes longer to sound out the words than to view them and comprehend them • Follow along in the text with your finger or a pen; underline or circle if it helps • Write a few words about what you have learned and move on to the next text

28. Box 1.1 top

29. Review • Logistics: enroll, textbook, reader, website • Goals: general education, civics, Intro to poli sci • Assignments: short tests and essays, simulations and group work, final • Course Outline: institutions, intermediation, public behavior, policy, approaches to poli sci • A Central Theme: public disinterest and understanding life inside the beltway • Empirical focus with normative skepticism • Scope: politics as governance or competition over power; multiple approaches to poli sci • Readings for next time and study skills

30. Questions or Comments? We will always leave some time open for whatever is on your mind You can ask questions or comment about: • The readings • Logistics • Relevant current events • Announcements

31. Happy 4th of July See you Wednesday