Course Syllabus for "Introduction to Politics"

This is an elective course, and it explores the different ways in which political
scientists study the phenomena of politics and will deepen your understanding of
political life as both a thinker and a citizen. The goal of this course is to introduce
you to the discipline’s concepts, terminology, and methods and to explore instances of
applied political science through real world examples. As an introductory course, it
will focus on the basic principles of political science by combining historical study of
the discipline’s greatest thinkers with analysis of contemporary issues. We will also
identify and discuss the questions that perennially drive the field of political science,
including (among many others): “How do we define the changing nature of power?,”
“How do we differentiate between legitimate and illegitimate governance?,” “What
are the differences between political institutions and political behavior?,” and “How
do leaders define who gets to be heard and counted in a political community?” By the
end of this course, you will be familiar with these issues and capable of discussing
them within the context of contemporary politics.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

 describe and evaluate the concepts of power, legitimacy, and authority;

 discuss the origins and developments of the nation-state;
 distinguish between traditional and behavioral approaches to the study of
politics;
 discuss general approaches to the study of politics, such as political philosophy,
political systems theory, and political economy;
 describe and discuss the political socialization process;
 examine the nature of political participation from a comparative perspective;
 discuss the nature of public opinion from a comparative perspective;
 identify the different types of electoral systems and be able to assess the
implications of those systems;
 identify the role and functions of political parties;
 identify the different types of party systems from a comparative perspective;
 describe and evaluate the general principles of presidential and parliamentary
political systems;
 describe and compare the essential features of at least three governments of
Western Europe;
 identify and evaluate the principles of authoritarian and totalitarian
governments;
  discuss the concepts of political development and problems facing developing
nations;
 discuss and explain the origins and principles of Democratic Capitalism,
Democratic Socialism, Marxist Socialism, National Socialism, Fascism, and
third world ideologies;
 describe the origins, development, and principles of international law;
 identify and assess the influence of major international organizations;
 describe and analyze the causes of international conflict; and
 analyze current critical issues in international relationships.

Course Overview

 Unit 1: Politics: Foundational Concepts

Our study of politics will begin with a review of the basic principles of politics
and various perspectives on how we define politics and its domain. We will
discuss the changing notion of politics over time and across cultures as we
work towards a definition.

This unit will lay the framework for the remaining five units in this course. A
confident and solid grasp of the principles presented in this unit is therefore
crucial to your progression through the remainder of the course. You will find,
for example, that each of the five subsequent units will conclude with a
discussion of how the principles you have learned and the issues you have
identified apply to a contemporary, real-life situation. You will need to draw
from the foundational material you have learned in this unit in order to
respond to these applied situations.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

o Understand the history and main tenets of political science as an

academic discipline.

o Describe and evaluate the concepts of power, legitimacy, and authority.

 o Discuss how economy theory and methods influence politics.

o Analyze the debate over political science as a “scientific” discipline.

o Describe the various orientations of political theory.

o Explain the concepts of constitutionalism and political representation.

o Understand the history and main tenets of political science as an

academic discipline.
 1.1 What Is Political Science?
o Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Introduction to Political
Science”

Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Introduction to Political Science” (PDF)

Instructions: Please read this article, which provides a comprehensive

overview of the field of political science, its cross-disciplinary
connections, and the various fields and sub-fields of study within the
discipline.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on
the webpage above.

 1.1.1 Definition and Importance of Political Science as a Discipline

Note: This sub-subunit is covered by the reading assigned beneath subunit 1.1.
Read the introduction for a definition of political science in addition to the
subheading: “Why is the Study of Political Science Important?.”

 1.1.2 Political Science Research and Other Disciplines

 Note: This sub-subunit is covered by the reading assigned beneath subunit 1.1.
See the subheading “Cross-Disciplinary Connections.”

 1.2.1 Concepts of Power, Legitimacy, and Authority

o Reading: Legitimacy and Politics: Jean-Marc Coicaud’s
 1.2.2 Political Economy
 1.2.2.1 It Is All about Economics
 1.2.2.2 Who Gets What, When, and How?
o Reading: Harold D. Lasswell’s Politics: Who Gets What, When,
How?: “Chapter 1: Elite” and “Chapter 4: Goods”
 1.3 Is Political Science a Science?
o Reading: The Guardian: David Wearing’s “How Scientific Is
Political Science?”
 1.4 Political Theory
o Lecture: University of Jyvaskyla: Professor Alan Finlayson’s
“Rhetoric, Political Theory, and the Analysis of Political Ideologies”
 1.4.1 Constitutionalism
o Reading: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Wil Waluchow’s
“Constitutionalism”
 1.4.2 Representation
o Reading: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Suzanne Dovi’s
“Political Representation”
 1.5 What Are the Subfields of Political Science?
 Unit 2: Participation

In this unit, we will look at the participation of citizens in their governments.

We are all born into a political culture, and our political socialization begins
as young as age 3, when we first learn our attitudes toward police officers:
think back, did you hear your mom or dad say, “If you ever get lost, find a
police officer, and they will bring you home,” or did you hear from your car
seat in the back, “Oh no! Slow down! It’s the cops!” One gives you a good
feeling toward police, and authority in general, while the other instills fear.

Our environment continues to shape our political opinions as we grow, and

when we become eligible to vote, we also decide whether to join parties or
interest groups or even whether or not to participate in political marches or
other forms of protest. Some of us may grow up in a political void and feel
alienated, while others try to use the government to promote racist and hate-
filled agendas; when their voices are rejected, or even “silenced,” they feel
disenfranchised and resort to violence. In a democracy, hearing everyone’s
voice is the goal, even if we do not like what our fellow citizens are saying.
Unit2 Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

o Analyze the concept of political culture.

o Understand the debate between traditional and rational approaches to

analyzing political culture.

o Describe and discuss the political socialization process.

o Discuss the role and importance of public opinion in political life.

o Assess the role of the mass media in politics.

o Explain the influence of interest groups within the political process.

o Examine the various factors involved in public policy development and

change.

o Identify the role and functions of political parties.

o Identify and analyze the different types of party systems.

o Describe the basic framework of the U.S. electoral system.

 o Analyze global trends in voter turnout and political participation.
 2.1 Political Culture

Note: This subunit is also covered by the reading assigned beneath subunit 1.1.
See the subheading “Political Culture.”

o Reading: USHistory.org: “American Political Culture”

 2.2 Political Socialization and Public Opinion
o Reading: The New Atlantis: Thomas Fitzgerald’s “Rethinking.
 2.3 Media
o Lecture: National Union of Journalists: Tony Benn’s “The Media
o Reading: College of the Redwoods: Kathleen Lee’s “Mass Media
and Politics”
 2.4 Interest Groups
o Reading: College of the Redwoods: Kathleen Lee’s “Interest
Groups”
 2.4.2 Iron Triangle
o Reading: Southern Illinois University, Carbondale: Matt
Grossman’s “Policy Change Networks, 1945-2008”

Link: Southern Illinois University, Carbondale: Matt

Grossman’s “Policy Change Networks, 1945-2008” (PDF)

Instructions: Please click the link above, and then click on “Policy
Change Networks, 1945-2008” to download the PDF, and read the entire
document. While you read, be aware of Grossman’s methodology; it is
typical of research done at the doctoral level. The theory of Iron
Triangles, which Grossman refers to, was developed during the
Eisenhower administration to explain the enviable success of the
military-industrial complex in attaining their policy goals. The theory
says; if you coordinate the appropriate interest groups (defense
contractors like Boeing and Lockheed-Martin) with the appropriate
Congressional committees (Senate and House Armed Services
Committees) and the appropriate Executive agencies (Department of
Defense), they will act as one in successfully promoting policies.
Grossman’s theory of Policy Change Networks challenges whether the
Iron Triangle theory was ever applied beyond the military-industrial
complex. And finally, all tables and figures are at the back of the article;
tables are explanations for the figures, but it is the figures that will give
you the visual understanding of how Policy Change Networks interact.
 Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on
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o Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Interest Group Influence”

Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Interest Group Influence” (PDF)

Instructions: Please complete the linked assessment in which you will

conduct research on a series of questions related to the goals, issues, and
financial contribution trends of a prominent interest group.

When you are done, please check your work against the Saylor
Foundation’s “Guide to Responding: Interest Group Influence
Assessment” (PDF).

 2.5 Political Parties

o Reading: American Government and Politics in the Information Age:
“Chapter 10: Political Parties”

Link: American Government and Politics in the Information

Age: “Chapter 10: Political Parties” (PDF)

Instructions: Read this chapter, which begins on page 354. Though most
political scholars agree that today’s major political parties do not play
the central role that they did in the past, they still provide important
functions. While reading the chapter, think about the influence and
relevance of political parties in today’s political landscape.

Reading this chapter should take approximately 1 hour.

Terms of Use: This text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under
a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
License without attribution as requested by the work’s original creator or
licensee.

o Reading: College of the Redwoods: Kathleen Lee’s “Political

Parties”

Link: College of the Redwoods: Kathleen Lee’s “Political

Parties” (HTML)
 Instructions: Please click on the link above and read this outline on the
key characteristics of interest groups.

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the webpage above.

 2.5.1 Two-Party vs. Multiparty Systems

o Reading: Duke University: “The US System: Winner-Take-All”
 2.5.2 Comparing Parties and Interest Groups
 2.6 Elections
 2.7 Non-Traditional Types of Participation

 Unit 3: Ideologies

In this unit, we will be looking at the ideologies of the state and its citizens.
Some of these ideologies reflect more on the state, others on the people and
their political parties, and others overlap the two. Some of these ideologies
have only come into existence in the twentieth century, while others go back
hundreds of years. Some ideologies mean one thing in the United States and
something different to the rest of the world – for example, “liberalism.” The
following subunit covers many of the traditional and best known ideologies,
however, the list is not all-inclusive.

Historically, the political spectrum was seen as one-dimensional, left and right,
representing the government’s position on the economic and defense issues of
the day. But in the twentieth century, the New Deal and other social issues led
to the creation of another dimension, confusing many who were trying to
understand where they stood on both the economic/defense issues and social
issues. At the end of this unit you will be able to take a test and see where your
political views fall on the multidimensional political spectrum.

Unit3 Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

o Compare and contrast the various forms of democracy.

 o Analyze the main ideological themes found in socialism, Marxism, and
communism.

o Discuss the ideology of fascism as a totalitarian political system.

o Describe the different strands of conservatism and liberalism.

o Examine the growing role of Islamism as a political ideology.

o Define feminism and analyze its various permutations over time.

o Analyze the roots of environmentalism and the contemporary issues

facing the movement.

o Determine where individuals fall on the political spectrum based on

personal ideology.
 3.1 State Ideology
 3.1.1 Democracy
o Reading: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Tom Christiano’s
“Democracy”

Link: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Tom

Christiano’s “Democracy” (HTML)

Instructions: Please read this encyclopedia entry. Christiano provides a

comprehensive analysis of “normative” democratic theories, which
examines whether the claim of a state to a right to rule can be justified.
He also discusses some of the frustrating tensions between democratic
ideals and their practice.
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 3.1.1.1 Democratic Socialism or Social Democrats?

o Reading: Encyclopedia of Activism and Social Justice: David
Schweickart’s “Democratic Socialism”

Link: Encyclopedia of Activism and Social Justice: David

Schweickart’s “Democratic Socialism” (HTML)

Instructions: Please read this article. The author points to the fact that
democracy and socialism are often at odds with one another. While both
emphasize “equality” (political for the former and material for the latter),
the fulfillment of one often comes at the expense of the other. Do you
agree with this assessment? Why or why not?

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 3.1.1.2 Democratic Capitalism

o Lecture: Carey Center’s “Democratic Capitalism: MWCC
Interview with Ray Carey”

Link: Carey Center’s “Democratic Capitalism: MWCC Interview with

Ray Carey” (YouTube)

Instructions: Please click on the link above and watch each part (1-16) of
the video interview series.

Watching this interview should take approximately 2 hours.

Note: Generally speaking, democratic capitalism supports a free market

economy subject to control by a democratic political system that is
supported by the majority. It stands in contrast to authoritarian
capitalism by limiting the influence of special interest groups, including
corporate lobbyists, on politics.

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 3.1.1.3 Representative Democracy

 o Lecture: YouTube: The Open Academy: Ian Shapiro’s The Moral
Foundations of Politics: “Democracy and Majority Rule (I)” and
“Democracy and Majority Rule (II)”

Link: YouTube: The Open Academy: Ian Shapiro’s The Moral

Foundations of Politics: “Democracy and Majority Rule (I)” (YouTube)
and “Democracy and Majority Rule (II)” (YouTube)

Instructions: Watch both lectures by Yale University Professor Ian

Shapiro on Democracy and Majority Rule. Shapiro’s focus in these two
lectures is majority rule, democratic competition, and representation.
Providing both historical and contemporary examples, Shapiro shows
how majority rule lends legitimacy to collective decisions. He also
explores concerns about the tyranny of the majority.

Watching these videos and taking notes should take approximately 2

hours.

Terms of Use: These resources are licensed under a Creative Commons

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. They are
attributed to The Open Academy and the original versions can be
found here.

 3.1.2 Socialism
 3.1.2.1 Marxist Socialism/Communism
o Lecture: Torgianomania’s “Karl Marx Documentary”

Link: Torgianomania’s “Karl Marx Documentary” (YouTube)

Instructions: Please watch this video. No discussion of political

ideology is complete without a thorough examination of the life and
work of Karl Marx, the most influential socialist thinker to emerge in the
nineteenth century. Marx’s treatise, The Communist Manifesto (1848),
set down the principles on which communism was to evolve and laid the
foundation for many communist regimes in the twentieth century.

Watching this video should take approximately 15 minutes.

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the webpage above.
 o Reading: Dialectical Marxism: Bertell Ollman’s “What is Political
Science? What Should it Be?”

Link: Dialectical Marxism: Bertell Ollman’s “What is Political Science?

What Should it Be?” (HTML)

Instructions: Please read this essay, in which Ollman delves deeper into a
Marxist interpretation of political science: what it is, what it does, and
the “myths” that exist about the discipline.

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the webpage above.

 3.1.2.2 National Socialism

o Reading: Murphy, Stevens, Trivers, and Roland’s “National
Socialism”

Link: Murphy, Stevens, Trivers, and Roland’s “National

Socialism” (PDF)

Instructions: Please click the link above and scroll down to the section
called “National Socialism,” and read the first section. In its intense
nationalism, mass appeal, and dictatorial rule, National Socialism shared
many elements with Italian fascism. However, Nazism was far more
extreme both in its ideas and in its practice. In almost every respect, it
was an anti-intellectual and a theoretical movement, emphasizing the
will of the charismatic dictator as the sole source of inspiration of a
people and a nation, as well as a vision of annihilation of all enemies of
the Aryan race.

Terms of Use: This material is in the public domain. The Project

Gutenberg version of this text can be found here.

o Lecture: Yale University: Professor John Merriman’s “Fascists”

Link: Yale University: Professor John Merriman’s “Fascists” (YouTube)

Also available in:

HTML, Flash, MP3, or QuickTime

Instructions: Please read, listen, or watch the above lecture on the life of
Adolph Hitler and how Nazism took hold in pre-World War II Germany.
 The beginning of the lecture references Triumph of the Will – an
infamous film of the 1934 Nazi Party rally in Nuremberg, Germany.
Triumph is one of the best-known examples of propaganda in film
history. Also remember that while the Nazi regime has its roots in
fascism, National Socialism is the more accurate term used to describe
the fully developed Nazi regime.

Watching this lecture and pausing to take notes should take

approximately 1 hour.

Terms of Use: This video is released under a Creative Commons

Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. It is
attributed to Yale University and John Merriman and the original can be
found here.

o Reading: schoolnet.co.uk: Spartacus Educational’s “Nazi Party

(NSDAP)”

Link: schoolnet.co.uk: Spartacus Educational’s “Nazi Party

(NSDAP)” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click the link above and read this article, which
discusses the history of the Nazi Party. The party wielded its greatest
power under its founder Adolph Hitler. Although it formally dissolved
in 1945, various imitators of the party still exist in the United States and
around the world, most notably in the Neo-Nazi movement.

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the webpage above.

 3.1.3 Fascism
o Reading: Benito Mussolini’s “The Doctrine of Fascism”

Link: Benito Mussolini’s “The Doctrine of Fascism” (PDF)

Instructions: Please click the link above and read the first section on
fascism.

Terms of Use: This material is in the public domain. The Project

Gutenberg version of this material can be found here.

o Lecture: Liberty in Our Time: John T. Flynn’s “What is Fascism?”

 Link: Liberty in Our Time: John T. Flynn’s “What is
Fascism?” (YouTube)

Instructions: Please click the link above and watch this lecture.

Watching this lecture should take approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.

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the webpage above.

 3.1.4 Islamism
o Lecture: James Piscatori’s Islam and Politics in a Globalizing
World: “Part 2 (Iraq and the Future of Political Islam)”, “Part 3
(Why Does Islam Become Politicized?)”, and “Part 4 (Islam, Human
Rights, and Democracy)”

Links: James Piscatori’s Islam and Politics in a Globalizing World: “Part

2 (Iraq and the Future of Political Islam)”, “Part 3 (Why Does Islam
Become Politicized?)”, and “Part 4 (Islam, Human Rights, and
Democracy)” (YouTube)

Instructions: Please click the links above, and watch this lecture; you do
not need to view the Q&A portions. Islamism is Islam reformulated as a
modern ideology. Whereas Islam was traditionally conceived as being
in a class with Judaism and Christianity, Islamism is a response to
ideologies that emerged in the modern West – communism, socialism, or
capitalism. With the revival of radical Islam and its ties to terrorist
activity (i.e., the 9/11 attacks), much attention has been focused among
Western leaders on both the resurgence and the future of Islamism.

Watching these videos should take approximately 5 hours.

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 3.2 Individual Ideology

 3.2.1 Liberalism
 3.2.1.1 Classic Liberalism
o Lecture: LearnLiberty’s “The Decline and Triumph of Classical
Liberalism:” “Part I” and “Part II”
 Link: LearnLiberty’s The Decline and Triumph of Classical
Liberalism: “Part I” and “Part II” (YouTube)

Instructions: Please click on the links above and watch Dr. Davies’
videos, which trace the decline of classical liberal ideas from the mid-
nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century. He describes how
the case for classical liberal ideas grew stale and fell prey to the
competing ideologies of socialism, fascism, and modern liberalism.

Watching these lectures should take approximately 2 hours.

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 3.2.1.2 Modern Liberalism

o Lecture: The Hoover Institute’s “Charles Kesler on the Grand
Liberal Project”

Link: The Hoover Institute’s “Charles Kesler on the Grand Liberal

Project” (YouTube)

Instructions: Please watch this video, in which Charles Kesler provides a

historical overview on the philosophy and development of modern
liberalism. He asserts that liberalism has expressed itself in three distinct
waves over the past century: political, economic, and cultural.

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 3.2.1.3 Libertarianism
o Lecture: The Hoover Institution: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter
Robinson: “Take it to the Limits: Milton Friedman on
Libertarianism”

Links: The Hoover Institution: Uncommon Knowledge with Peter

Robinson: “Take it to the Limits: Milton Friedman on
Libertarianism” (Flash)

Instructions: Please click the link above and watch Milton Friedman’s
interview about libertarianism. The central tenet of libertarianism is that
individual “liberty” is the basic moral principle of society and that there
should be strict limits to government involvement in people’s lives.
 After viewing Friedman’s interview, critique his pro-libertarian
argument, considering the strengths and weaknesses of libertarianism as
a political philosophy.

Watching this video should take approximately 30 minutes.

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the webpage above.

 3.2.2 Conservatism
 3.2.2.1 Classic Conservatism
o Reading: Wikipedia: “Conservativism”

Link: Wikipedia: “Conservativism” (HTML)

Instructions: Click on the link above and read the sectiona entitled
"Development of Western conservativism" and "Forms of
conservatism." Note that this reading will cover the material you need to
know for subunit 3.2.2.2.

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 3.2.2.2 Modern Conservatism

Note: This subunit is also covered by the presentation assigned beneath subunit
3.2.2.1. Discussion on modern conservatism begins on slide #15.

o Lecture: C-SPAN: “Q&A with Mark Levin”

Link: C-SPAN: “Q&A with Mark Levin” (YouTube)

Instructions: Please click the link and watch this interview with the
conservative commentator Mark Levin.

Watching this interview should take approximately 1 hour.

Terms of Use: The video above is used with the kind permission of C-
SPAN. The original video can be found here (Flash).

 3.2.2.3 Neo-Conservatism
o Lecture: C-SPAN: “Neoconservatism”
 Links: C-SPAN: “Neoconservatism” (YouTube)

Instructions: Please click on the link above and watch this entire video,
which features a panel discussion on the evolution of
“Neoconservatism,” from intellectuals who opposed 1960s
counterculture to those in the 1970s and 1980s (who were hawkishly
anticommunist and socially liberal) to the neocons of today.

Watching this video should take approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Terms of Use: The above video is used with the kind permission of C-
SPAN. The original video can be found here (Flash).

 3.2.3 Feminism
o Reading: Wikipedia: “History of Feminism”

Link: Wikipedia: “History of Feminism” (PDF)

Instructions: Please read this article, which traces the history of modern
feminist movements throughout the world.

Terms of Use: The article above is released under a Creative Commons

Attribution-Share Alike License. You can find the original Wikipedia
version of this article here.

o Reading: Earlham Sociology Pages: Russell Haggar’s “Varieties of

Feminism”

Link: Earlham Sociology Pages: Russell Haggar’s “Varieties of

Feminism” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click the link above and read this webpage, which
discusses the feminist movement in the United Kingdom. Although it is
similar to that in the United States, there are differences. For example,
the “second wave” in the UK was in the 1970’s, while the box on Betty
Friedan shows a similar discussion going on in the US during the 1960’s.
Optionally, you may wish to watch the HBO film “Iron Jawed
Angels” for an interesting look at the fight for women’s suffrage.

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the webpage above.
 3.2.4 Environmentalism
o Reading: Sonoma State University: David Walls’ “Environmental
Movement”

Link: Sonoma State University: David Walls’ “Environmental

Movement” (HTML)

Instructions: Please read this article, which discusses the roots of

environmentalism and contemporary issues within the movement.

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the webpage above.

o Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Primer on Political

Ideologies”

Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Primer on Political Ideologies” (PDF)

Instructions: Please complete the linked fill in the blank assessment on

the various types of political ideologies discussed in this unit.

When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor
Foundation’s “Answer Key: Primer on Political Ideologies Assessment”.

 3.3 Take the Test

o Activity: Political Compass: “Take the Test”

Link: Political Compass: “Take the Test” (HTML)

Instructions: After completing this unit, please click on “Take the Test”
above, and answer the questions to see where you fall on this multi-
dimensional political scale. Note that this scale is only an
approximation, and applies primarily to those living in the United States.

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 Unit 4: The State

In this unit, we will look at the state, a relatively new creation. What is a state?
What is the difference between a nation and a state? Are states sovereign?
 Who controls the state? What is the role of the state? Do states have a future?
These are the types of questions that will be explored in this unit.

Unit4 Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

o Describe the origins of the nation state.

o Analyze the various approaches toward defining and classifying the

state.

o Summarize key perspectives in the development and future of the state.

 4.1 State Classifications
o Reading: HumanitiesWeb: Francis D. Wormuth’s “The Origins of
Constitutionalism: Classification of States”

Link: HumanitiesWeb: Francis D. Wormuth’s “The Origins of

Constitutionalism: Classification of States” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click the link above and read this article. As a
theory toward defining a key characteristic of the state, constitutionalism
posits that government can and should be legally limited in its powers
and that its authority depends on its observing these limitations.
Wormuth provides an analysis of ancient political thinkers’
classifications of various types of constitutional governments. As a
companion to the reading, it may be helpful to view this diagram of
Aristotle’s classification system.

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 4.2 The Origins of the State: Two Views

o Lecture: Yale University: Professor Steven Smith’s "Constitutional
Government: Locke’s Second Treatise”

Links: Yale University: Professor Steven Smith’s "Constitutional

Government: Locke’s Second Treatise”: (1-5), (7-12), and (13-
 19) (YouTube)

Also available in (1-5):

HTML, Adobe Flash, MP3, or QuickTime

Also available in (7-12):

HTML, Adobe Flash, MP3, or QuickTime

Also available in (13-19):

HTML, Adobe Flash, MP3, or QuickTime

Instructions: Please click on the links above; you may read, listen, or
watch these lectures, in which Smith discusses Enlightenment thinker
John Locke’s Second Treatise of Civil Government, which was an
extremely influential work that shaped political philosophy and provided
a basis for later political doctrines, such as those set forth in the
Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Terms of Use: These videos are released under a Creative Commons

Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. They are
attributed to Yale University, and the originals can be found here.

o Reading: Foundation for Economic Education: Wendy McElroy’s

“Defining State and Society”

Link: Foundation for Economic Education: Wendy McElroy’s “Defining

State and Society” (HTML)

Instructions: Please read this article, which examines the various

approaches to defining the “state” and “society,” most notably that of
German sociologist Franz Oppenheimer, who spearheaded an analysis of
these key terms in his treatise The State (1914).

Note: As optional reading, consider browsing through The State.

Although 290 pages, it is a relatively “easy read.” Click on
this link and download the PDF at the top of the page too access the
book.

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the webpage above.
 o Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Locke and the Founding
Fathers”

Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Locke and the Founding Fathers” (PDF)

Instructions: Please complete this assessment, in which you will compare

the principles of Locke’s Second Treatise to those found in the
Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution.

When you are done, please check your work against the Saylor
Foundation’s “Guide to Responding: Locke and the Founding
Fathers” (PDF)

 4.3 The Future of the State

o Reading: University of California, Santa Cruz: Jamus Jerome Lim’s
“On the Role of the State in an Increasingly Borderless World”

Link: University of California, Santa Cruz: Jamus Jerome Lim’s “On the
Role of the State in an Increasingly Borderless World” (HTML)

Instructions: Please read this article, which argues that the state must
adapt to the internal and external forces of a globalized world in order to
stay relevant.

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the webpage above.

 Unit 5: Political Institutions

This unit looks at the various forms of government a country can adopt and
how government forms the foundations of the institutions that countries build.
Although this course tries to give a global perspective on government, a lot of
the specifics we will look at will be from the perspective of the United States.

The Max Planck Manual has a global perspective and was written for the
people of the Sudan as they contemplate and hope for a future of democracy
and stability. If you were from the Sudan, which would you chose: federal or
unitary relationships between the central government and the local
governments; a president or a prime minister to lead; legislature or a
parliament to make laws? And what difference does it make, anyway? This
unit will explore these types of questions.
Unit5 Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

o Explain the concept of decentralization as it relates to governmental

systems.

o Describe how power is employed within political institutions.

o Compare and contrast federal and unitary government systems.

o Analyze the various forms of representative institutions.

o Explain the different executive power structures within government.

o Identify the main features of administrative and bureaucratic systems.

o Discuss the structure and organization of judicial institutions.

o Reading: Columbia University Center for International Earth
Science Network: “What is Decentralization?”

Link: Columbia University Center for International Earth Science

Network: “What is Decentralization?” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click on the link above and read the full page.
Please note that this reading also covers the topics outlined in subunits
5.1 - 5.3 and 5.5.

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the webpage above.
 o Reading: Yale University: Professor Terry M. Moe’s “Power and
Political Institutions”

Link: Yale University: Professor Terry M. Moe’s “Power and Political

Institutions” (DOC)

Instructions: Please click the link above and then click "Papers" on the
left. Scroll down until you find Terry M. Moe's “Power and Political
Institutions.” Read the article, which examines the interplay of power
and cooperation within political institutions.

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the webpage above.

 5.1 Federalism or Unitary Form of Government?

Note: This subunit is covered by the Max Planck Society reading under unit 5.
Pages 3–8 of the manual discuss the key features of each type of government.
Consider the pros and cons of a both a centralized (unitary) and decentralized
(federal) system. You may want to conduct an Internet search on those
countries that fall into either category.

 5.2 Legislature or Parliament?

Note: This subunit is covered by the Max Planck Society reading under unit 5.
Pages 22–25 discuss the dimensions of power sharing between the legislative
and executive branches.

o Reading: College of the Redwoods: Kathleen Lee’s “Congress”

Link: College of the Redwoods: Kathleen Lee’s “Congress” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click the link above and read this outline. The U.S.
Congress is one of the world’s greatest democratic institutions.
However, it is also one of the most criticized. Public approval ratings
for Congress typically hover around 30 percent, and sometimes much
lower. Based on the Lee reading, what about Congress’ institutional
design makes it such a target for criticism?

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the webpage above.
 o Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Parliament”

Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Parliament” (PDF)

Instructions: Please click the link above and read this article.

o Reading: Inter-Parliamentary Council’s “Governing Systems and

Executive-Legislative Relations (Presidential, Parliamentary and
Hybrid Systems)”

Link: Inter-Parliamentary Council: “Governing Systems and Executive-

Legislative Relations (Presidential, Parliamentary and Hybrid
Systems)” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click the link above and click on the title of the
article to read it. This article examines three different aspects of
executive-legislative relations: separation of powers, removal from
office, and the structure of legislative parties and leadership.

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the webpage above.

o Reading: Congressional Research Service: R. Eric Petersen and

Paul S. Rundquist’s “Parliament and Congress: A Brief Comparison
of the British House of Commons and the U.S. House of
Representatives”

Link: Congressional Research Service: R. Eric Petersen and Paul S.

Rundquist’s “Parliament and Congress: A Brief Comparison of the
British House of Commons and the U.S. House of
Representatives” (PDF)

Instructions: Almost every country has a legislature or parliament that is

unique to that country. Read this report, which discusses some of the
most common differences between the two systems, using the United
States’ legislature and Great Britain’s parliament as examples.

Terms of Use: This material is in the public domain. To original

Congressional Research Service version of this report can be found here.

 5.3 President or Prime Minister?

Note: This subunit is covered by the Max Planck Society reading under unit 5.
Pages 2–25 discuss parliamentary systems.

o Reading: College of the Redwoods: Kathleen Lee’s “The

Presidency”

Link: College of the Redwoods: Kathleen Lee’s “The

Presidency” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click the link above and read this outline. The
United States was the first nation to create the office of president as the
head of state in a modern republic. Today, the presidential system of
government is used in many countries throughout the world.

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the webpage above.

o Reading: History & Policy: Andrew Blick and George Jones’ “The
Power of the Prime Minister”

Link: History & Policy: Andrew Blick and George Jones’ “The Power of
the Prime Minister” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click the link above and read this article. Compare
the roles of the United States president with that of the British prime
minister. Which executive wields more power within the governmental
system?

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the webpage above.

o Lecture: Downing Street: “The Queen and the Prime Minister”

Link: Downing Street: “The Queen and the Prime Minister” (YouTube)

Instructions: Please click the link above and watch this video. The
queen has a special relationship with the prime minister, regardless of his
or her political party. Although she is a constitutional monarch who
remains politically neutral, the queen retains the ability to give a regular
audience to a prime minister during his or her term of office and plays a
role in the mechanics of calling a general election. To date, there have
been twelve prime ministers during the reign of the current British
 monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.

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the webpage above.

o Reading: Boston University: John Gerring, Carola Moreno, and

Strom Thacker’s “Are Parliamentary Systems Better?”

Link: Boston University: John Gerring, Carola Moreno, and Strom

Thacker’s “Are Parliamentary Systems Better?” (PDF)

Instructions: Please click the link above and then click on the title of the
paper to open the PDF. What do the authors view as the advantages of
parliamentary systems over presidential systems of democratic rule?

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the webpage above.

 5.4 Bureaucracy and Public Administration

o Reading: College of the Redwoods: Kathleen Lee’s “Bureaucracy”

Link: College of the Redwoods: Kathleen Lee’s “Bureaucracy” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click the link above and read this outline.
Bureaucracy is a defining feature of all modern governments. It
performs three primary tasks in government – implementation,
administration, and regulation – and thus plays a critical role in the
policymaking process.

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the webpage above.

o Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Checks and Balances in the

U.S. Governmental System”

Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Checks and Balances in the U.S.

Governmental System” (PDF)

Instructions: Please complete this assessment, in which you will

illustrate how the checks and balances system works in the modern
United States democratic system.
 When you are finished, please check your work against The Saylor
Foundation’s “Answer Key: Checks and Balances in the U.S.
Governmental System” (PDF).

 5.5 Law and the Courts

Note: This subunit is covered by the Max Planck reading under unit 5. Pages
25–27 discuss the role and organization of the judicial branch.

o Reading: College of the Redwoods: Kathleen Lee’s “The Judiciary”

Link: College of the Redwoods: Kathleen Lee’s “The

Judiciary” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click the link above and read this outline, which
focuses on the establishment, organization, and jurisdiction of the United
States judicial system. While the legislature makes the laws, the
executive branch enforces the laws, and the judiciary is responsible for
interpreting the law. By design, the judicial branch is intended to
function independently; thus, federal judges are appointed, not elected,
and can serve for life.

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the webpage above.

 Unit 6: World Politics and Globalization

This unit traces the emergence of a world system of states from the Treaty of
Westphalia (1648), which first standardized the conditions for peace among
states, through the colonial period and into contemporary globalization. We
will see that global governance has its roots both in the economic interests of
states and a general aversion to war. For instance, you will learn how
economic interests led European powers to expand their political control
over – and ultimately establish formal colonies (countries or areas under the
political control of another, distant country) in – Africa, the Americas, and
Asia. European powers used their colonies both to extract raw materials for the
industrial revolution in Europe and the United States and to export excess
segments of their own populations. From an economic perspective, European
colonization was exchanging excess Europeans for raw materials like lumber,
steel, tea, and crops. This pattern of exchange has led to complex political
dynamics across state borders, the implications of which continue to be felt
today.
This unit will also consider how both trade and a series of 18th and 19th century
European colonial mandates eventually led to two world wars and the
emergence of what we call the Third World, those countries not included in the
Soviet or United States spheres of influence during the Cold War. Subunit 6.2
introduces security studies, which includes the political voices of indigenous
peoples in response to the drive toward globalization. Subunits 6.3 and 6.4
will focus on some of the emerging issues in global governance, such as the
burgeoning influence of nonstate actors and human rights.

Unit6 Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

o Explain the historical basis of international law.

o Analyze the feature of key peacemaking institutions, including the

League of Nations and the United Nations.

o Discuss the defining features of diplomacy and its main actors.

o Evaluate the main principles of treaty law.

o Explain the historical and theoretical basis of just war theory.

o Assess the ethical and legal debate over humanitarian intervention.

o Examine the nature, conduct, and purpose of war.

 o Assess the role of conflict resolution and mediation between state actors
and institutions.

o Explain the impact of transformation and revolution on military

institutions and decision making.

o Analyze the debate over the “clash of civilizations” theory in global

politics.

o Define and explain liberal internationalism as a foreign policy doctrine.

o Discuss the role and impact of nonstate actors in world politics.

o Explain the doctrine and international practice of human rights.

 6.1 Origins of the International System
o Reading: Wikipedia's “History of Public International Law”

Link: Wikipedia's “History of Public International Law” (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article about the history of public international

law.

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the webpage above.

 6.1.1 The Treaty of Westphalia

o Reading: New World Encyclopedia: “Peace of Westphalia”

Link: New World Encyclopedia: “Peace of Westphalia” (PDF)

Instructions: Please read this article. The peace, as a whole, is often used
 by historians to mark the beginning of the modern era. Each ruler would
have the right to determine their state's religion – thus, in law,
Protestantism and Catholicism were equal. The Peace of Westphalia
continues to be of importance today, with many academics asserting that
the international system that exists today began at Westphalia.

Terms of Use: The article above is released under a Creative Commons

Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License. You can find the original
New World Encyclopedia version of this article here.

 6.1.2 The League of Nations and the United Nations

o Reading: BBC History: Charles Townshend’s “History: The League
of Nations and the United Nations”

Link: BBC History: Charles Townshend’s “History - The League of

Nations and the United Nations” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click on the link above and read this article. Since
the creation of the United Nations, it has drawn controversy and
criticism, directed mainly at the UN’s purported inability to handle
international conflicts, even on a small scale. Some have even
questioned whether the UN might be relevant in the 21st century,
pointing to the fact that the requirement for unanimous consent on the
authorization of UN enforcement actions has not always been reached in
time to prevent the outbreak of international wars. Do you agree or
disagree with these assessments? Why or why not?

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the webpage above.

 6.1.3 Diplomacy
o Lecture: U.S. Department of State: “Diplomacy Is...”

Link: U.S. Department of State: “Diplomacy Is...” (YouTube)

Instructions: Please watch each of these ten short videos. The videos
should cycle automatically within the playlist. You can navigate the
playlist on the right had side of the video screen. Each video is
comprised of a short interview with a U.S. foreign diplomat describing
his or her work and perspective on diplomacy.
 Terms of Use: These videos are in the public domain. The original U.S.
Department of State videos may be seen here.

o Reading: RAND Corporation: Charles Wolfe, Jr., and Brian

Rosen’s “Public Diplomacy: How to Think About and Improve It”

RAND Corporation: Charles Wolfe, Jr., and Brian Rosen’s “Public

Diplomacy: How to Think About and Improve It” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click the link above and then click “Read Online” to
view the PDF. This report proffers a strategy in the realm of “public
diplomacy,” the process of explaining and advocating America’s values
to the world.

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the webpage above.

 6.1.4 Treaties and International Law

o Reading: Walter Gehr’s “The International Law of Treaties”

Link: Walter Gehr’s “The International Law of Treaties” (HTML)

Instructions: Read this essay up to the section “100 Ways International

Laws Shape Our Lives” under “Further Reading.” The Vienna
Convention on the Law of Treaties was drafted by the International Law
Commission (ILC) of the United Nations in 1969. It is widely
recognized as the authoritative guide on the definition, formation and
effects of treaties. The VCLT has been ratified by 111 countries. Some
countries, including the United States, that have not ratified the
convention recognize it as a restatement of customary law and binding
upon them as such.

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the webpage above.

 6.2 War and Peace

 6.2.1 National Security and Thomas Hobbes’ State of Nature
o Reading: Formulations: Gordon Neal Diem’s “Locke, Hobbes and
the Free Nation”

Link: Formulations: Gordon Neal Diem’s “Locke, Hobbes and the Free
Nation” (HTML)
 Instructions: Please click the link above and read this article. Diem
reflects on the seemingly incompatible views of Locke and Hobbes on
the nature of man and asserts that both are possible within a free society.

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the webpage above.

o Reading: Defense Technical Information Center: Colonel Nico W.

Tak’s “Hobbes vs. Locke – Redefining the War on Terror”

Link: Defense Technical Information Center: Colonel Nico W.

Tak’s “Hobbes vs. Locke – Redefining the War on Terror” (PDF)

Instructions: Please click the link above and then click on the title of the
paper (listed first), which will direct you to the PDF. Like the previous
article, Colonel Tak compares the philosophical viewpoints of Locke and
Hobbes; in this instance, however, they are examined through the lens of
national security and, specifically, the War on Terror.

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the webpage above.

 6.2.2 Just War Theory and Humanitarian Intervention

o Reading: The University of Tennessee, Martin: Internet
Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Alexander Moseley’s “Just War
Theory”

Link: The University of Tennessee, Martin: Internet Encyclopedia of

Philosophy: Alexander Moseley’s “Just War Theory” (HTML)

Instructions: Please read this article. Once you have a firm

understanding of this theory, consider what factors might make a war
“just” or “unjust.”

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the webpage above.

o Reading: J. L. Holzgrefe and Robert Owen Keohane: Humanitarian

Intervention: Ethical, Legal, and Political Dilemmas: “Chapter 1:
The Humanitarian Intervention Debate”
 Link: J. L. Holzgrefe and Robert Owen Keohane: Humanitarian
Intervention: Ethical, Legal, and Political Dilemmas: “Chapter 1: The
Humanitarian Intervention Debate” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click on the above link to the Google Books website
and read the first chapter of the book (Pages 15–52). In this chapter,
Holzgrefe analyzes the debate on the ethics (and legality) of
humanitarian intervention.

 6.2.3 Clausewitz’s Fog of War

o Reading: Airpower Journal: Col. Larry D. New's “Clausewitz’s
Theory: On War and Its Application Today”

Link: Airpower Journal: Col. Larry D. New’s “Clausewitz’s Theory: On

War and Its Application Today” (HTML)

Instructions: Read this article. Carl von Clausewitz was a professional

soldier who was involved in numerous military campaigns in the late
eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, but he is famous primarily as a
military theorist interested in the examination of war. He wrote a careful,
systematic, philosophical examination of war in all its aspects. The result
was his principal work,On War, the West’s premier work on the
philosophy of war.

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the webpage above.

o Reading: Air University: Military Review: Eugenia C. Kiesling’s

“On War without the Fog”

Link: Air University: Military Review: Eugenia C Kiesling’s “On War

without the Fog” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click on the link to “On War without the Fog” to
open the PDF; read this article.

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the webpage above.

 6.2.4 Conflict Mediation and Resolution

o Reading: Beyond Intractability: Jacob Bercovitch’s “International
Mediation and Intractable Conflict”
 Link: Beyond Intractability: Jacob Bercovitch’s “International Mediation
and Intractable Conflict” (HTML)

Instructions: Please read this article.

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the webpage above.

o Reading: Building a Future on Peace and Justice: Chandra Lekha

Sriram’s “Conflict Mediation and the ICC: Challenges and Options
for Pursuing Peace with Justice at the Regional Level”

Link: Building a Future on Peace and Justice: Chandra Lekha

Sriram’s “Conflict Mediation and the ICC: Challenges and Options for
Pursuing Peace with Justice at the Regional Level” (PDF)

Instructions: Please click on the link above and then click the “Conflict
Mediation and the ICC: Challenges and Options for Pursuing Peace and
Justice at the Regional Level” link to download the PDF. Read this
article.

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the webpage above.

 6.2.5 Network Warfare and the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA)

o Reading: Joint Force Quarterly: Williamson Murray’s “Thinking
About Revolutions in Military Affairs”

Link: Joint Force Quarterly: Williamson Murray’s “Thinking About

Revolutions in Military Affairs” (PDF)

Instructions: Read this article, which suggests how one might think
about RMAs of the past and the implications of the historical record for
the future.

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the webpage above.

o Reading: Joint Force Quarterly: Stephen J. Cimbala’s

“Transformation in Concept and Policy”
 Link: Joint Force Quarterly: Stephen J. Cimbala’s “Transformation in
Concept and Policy” (HTML)

Instructions: Click the link above and scroll down to JFQ 38. Read the
article entitled "Transformation in Concept and Policy" on page 28. This
article asks pertinent questions about what military transformation means
and explores its implications for policy and strategy issues that have both
immediate and longer-term importance.

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the webpage above.

 6.2.6 Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations

o Reading: Foreign Affairs: Samuel P. Huntington’s “If Not
Civilizations, What? Samuel Huntington Responds to His Critics”

Link: Foreign Affairs: Samuel P. Huntington’s “If Not Civilizations,

What? Samuel Huntington Responds to His Critics” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click on the link above and read this article.
Huntington’s controversial “clash of civilizations” theory posits that
people’s cultural and religious identities will be the primary source of
conflict in the post-Cold War world. His theory has fallen under the
stern critique of various academic writers (see article below).

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the webpage above.

o Reading: UNICEF: Journal of Democracy: Amartya Sen’s

“Democracy as a Universal Value”

Link: UNICEF: Journal of Democracy: Amartya Sen’s “Democracy as a

Universal Value” (PDF)

Instructions: Please click on the link above and then click the
“Download Democracy as a Universal Value” to download the PDF.
Sen specifically offers a critique of Huntington’s “clash of civilizations”
theory.

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the webpage above.
 6.2.7 Democratic Peace Theory
o Reading: Nobelprize.org: Michael W. Doyle’s “Liberal
Internationalism: Peace, War, and Democracy”

Link: Nobelprize.org: Michael W. Doyle’s “Liberal Internationalism:

Peace, War and Democracy” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click on the link above and read this article, in which
Doyle deconstructs the various types of liberalism practiced among state
actors within the international political and foreign policy environment.

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the webpage above.

 6.3 Non-State Actors

o Reading: National Intelligence Council: “Nonstate Actors: Impact
on International Relations and Implications for the United States”

Link: National Intelligence Council: “Nonstate Actors: Impact

International Relations and Implications for the United States” (PDF)

Instructions: Please click on the link above and then click on the link to
the article and read the NIC’s 2007 conference report. Interestingly, the
admission of nonstate actors into international relations theory is
inherently a rebuke to the assumptions of realism and other black box
theories of international relations, which argue that interactions between
states are the main relationships of interest in studying international
events.

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 6.3.1 Nongovernmental Institutions (NGOs)

o Reading: City University, London: Dr. Peter Willetts’ “What is a
Non-Governmental Organization?”

Link: City University London: Dr. Peter Willetts’ “What is a Non-

Governmental Organization?” (HTML)

Instructions: Please read this article.

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the webpage above.

 6.4 Human Rights

o Reading: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: James Nickel’s
“Human Rights”

Reading: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: James Nickel’s “Human

Rights” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click on the link above and read this article. Human
rights is a critical component of the study of international relations in
that human rights are international norms that help to protect all people
everywhere from severe political, legal, and social abuses. These rights
exist in morality and in law at the national and international levels.

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 6.4.1 Governance
o Reading: Poroi: William H. Meyer’s “Global Governance, Human
Rights, and International Justice”

Link: Poroi: William H. Meyer’s “Global Governance, Human Rights,

and International Justice” (PDF)

Instructions: Please click the link above and then click on the article title
to download and read this article.

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the webpage above.

o Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “A Primer on World Politics

and Globalization”