Active Outline

General Information

Course ID (CB01A and CB01B)
POLID001.
Course Title (CB02)
American Government and Politics
Course Credit Status
Credit - Degree Applicable
Effective Term
Fall 2024
Course Description
This course is a critical examination of the contemporary and historical struggle for the development of democratic political institutions in the United States at the state, local, and national levels. Particular emphasis is given to the conflict between disparate socioeconomic groups in the conduct of U.S. political life (e.g. traditional elites versus the historically (and currently) disenfranchised-- women, people of color, workers, immigrants, etc.) and the interrelationship among social equity, democracy, and sustainable environmental conditions.
Faculty Requirements
Discipline 1
[Political Science]
FSA
[FHDA FSA - POLITICAL SCIENCE]
Course Family
Not Applicable

Course Justification

This course is transferable to both UC and CSU and meets °®¶¹´«Ã½ GE requirements. This course helps our students prepare to live in a politically complex and multicultural society, providing them with the practical and analytical tools needed to engage in effective citizenship on issues of importance to their lives, to the larger community, and to the society they live in. This course is associated with a number of transfer and associate degrees, including the AA-T in Political Science.

Foothill Equivalency

Does the course have a Foothill equivalent?
Yes
Foothill Course ID
POLI F001

Course Philosophy

Formerly Statement

Course Development Options

Basic Skill Status (CB08)
Course is not a basic skills course.
Grade Options
  • Letter Grade
  • Pass/No Pass
Repeat Limit
0

Transferability & Gen. Ed. Options

Transferability
Transferable to both UC and CSU
°®¶¹´«Ã½ GEArea(s)StatusDetails
2GDX°®¶¹´«Ã½ GE Area D - Social and Behavioral SciencesApproved
2GES°®¶¹´«Ã½ GE - Environment Sustainability and Global CitizenshipApproved
CSU GEArea(s)StatusDetails
CGDYCSU GE Area D - Social SciencesApproved
IGETCArea(s)StatusDetails
IG4XIGETC Area 4 - Social and Behavioral SciencesApproved
CSUArea(s)StatusDetails
CUS2CSU US2 US ConstitutionApproved
CUS3CSU US3 CA State, Local GovtApproved
C-IDArea(s)StatusDetails
POLSPolitical ScienceApprovedC-ID POLS 110

Units and Hours

Summary

Minimum Credit Units
5.0
Maximum Credit Units
5.0

Weekly Student Hours

TypeIn ClassOut of Class
Lecture Hours5.010.0
Laboratory Hours0.00.0

Course Student Hours

Course Duration (Weeks)
12.0
Hours per unit divisor
36.0
Course In-Class (Contact) Hours
Lecture
60.0
Laboratory
0.0
Total
60.0
Course Out-of-Class Hours
Lecture
120.0
Laboratory
0.0
NA
0.0
Total
120.0

Prerequisite(s)

Corequisite(s)

Advisory(ies)

EWRT D001A or EWRT D01AH or ESL D005.

Limitation(s) on Enrollment

(Not open to students with credit in the Honors Program related course.)

Entrance Skill(s)

General Course Statement(s)

(See general education pages for the requirements this course meets.)

Methods of Instruction

Lecture and visual aids

Discussion of assigned reading

Discussion and problem solving performed in class

In-class essays

In-class exploration of Internet sites

Quiz and examination review performed in class

Homework and extended projects

Field observation and field trips

Guest speakers

Collaborative learning and small group exercises

Collaborative projects

Online Instruction to be completed out of class

Assignments

  1. Reading
    1. Assigned reading from texts and other sources (including internet) as preparation for classroom lecture discussion and/or other assigned work.
    2. Suggested supplemental readings for enhanced individual understanding of course material.
  2. Written: Students will engage in a variety of critical writing exercises including some combination of the following (In each format, students will demonstrate their critical knowledge, understanding and comprehension of and ability to evaluate and apply the theoretical and methodological perspectives presented in class presentations or exercises, assigned readings, or field research. Students will write a minimum of 2500 words during the quarter.):
    1. Midterm and/or final essay exams designed to evaluate student's abilities to recall and describe relevant factual and theoretical information presented by text and class activity. Further, the essay exam may require the student to analyze, compare and contrast a variety of possible explanations for, or hypothetical projections of events in American Government. (Take-home versions may be used as an alternative method of testing as well as online assignments/assessments.)
    2. A research or analytical paper dealing with critical analysis of a student selected/instructor approved topic. The topic should focus on relevant problems and issues raised in the course text and lecture. This research paper will demonstrate the students' ability to:
      1. Formulate a question relevant to the subject matter at hand.
      2. Identify and locate data necessary to answer the question.
      3. Interpret and evaluate selected data with respect to its relevance to the question at hand.
      4. Formulate a conclusion appropriate to the question being considered.
    3. Out-of-class homework questions, study question assignments, reading notes assignments, and/or journal entries: Written answers prepared by students in response to homework questions posed by the instructor. These questions may serve a wide variety of course objectives and learning goals. They may ask students to:
      1. Identify and discuss important course information
      2. Analyze and/or appraise course information and concepts and formulate alternative interpretations of the material.
      3. Evaluate proposed problems and/or political situations and create critical judgments.
  3. Field Research and Participant Observation: Students may choose or be assigned to a field placement and then reflect on civic engagement or service learning activities as they relate to course material. Students will be required to submit at least one written report of their activities explaining its relevance to the course material.
  4. Individual or group civic engagement projects related to the course content. Students will be required to submit at least one written report of their activities explaining its relevance to the course material.
  5. Verbal: Students will engage, participate and be informed in one or more of the following verbal(oral) exercises: in-class discussions, small problem solving groups, listening partnerships, presentations, interview assignments, persuasive dialectics, collaborative learning, classroom presentations, online video conferencing.
  6. Online: Exploration of online information and advocacy sources: e.g., commercial and mass video resources, interactive websites, digital crowd-sourcing tools, other emerging digital communication, information and action tools.

Methods of Evaluation

  1. On-line and/or in-class quizzes, midterm and final multiple choice and essay exams designed to evaluate comprehension of key concepts, themes, and issues in American politics outlined in the student learning outcomes and course objectives.
  2. Out-of-class written work including research or analytical papers, homework questions, study question assignments, reading notes assignments, take-home quizzes, and/or journal entries designed to evaluate ability to synthesize arguments and evidence and/or demonstrate ability to critically analyze aspects of American politics through writing.
  3. In-class work including group participation, collaborative learning assignments, oral reports, and/or participation in and contribution to classroom discussions designed to demonstrate ability to synthesize course materials, critically analyze aspects of American politics, and demonstrate verbal communication skills.
  4. Civic engagement/service learning assignment designed to demonstrate capacity to effectively participate in the political process and critically reflect upon that experience.
  5. Online chats, discussion forums, and Wiki peer-to-peer paper evaluations designed to demonstrate ability to synthesize course materials and critically analyze aspects of American politics through interactive media and participatory learning.

Essential Student Materials/Essential College Facilities

Essential Student Materials: 
  • None
Essential College Facilities:
  • None

Examples of Primary Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisherDate/EditionISBN
David HubertAttenuated Democracy: A Critical Introduction to U.S. Government and PoliticsCreative Commons Attribution 4.02020
Ira Katznelson, Mark Kesselman, and Alan DraperThe Politics of Power: A Critical Introduction to American GovernmentW.W. Norton2013/7th Edition9780393919448
Steffen W. Schmidt, Mack C. Shelley II, and Barbara A. BardesAmerican Government and Politics Today, Enhanced Brief 11th EditionCengage2024/11th Edition9780357795507
Glen Krutz, Sylvie Waskiewicz, et al.American Government 3eAttribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)2021/3rd Edition9781951693381
Christine BarbourAmGov: Long Story ShortCQ Press2023/3rd Edition9781071879085

Examples of Supporting Texts and References

None.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

Course Objectives

  • Define, describe and explain the perspective of the discipline of Political Science, especially as it applies to the study of American government and politics.
  • Demonstrate and illustrate how a knowledge of broad social, economic, environmental and historic forces contributes to understanding and addressing the issues of current American life and politics.
  • Describe and analyze significant events in the political history of the United States since its founding.
  • Identify and assess the role of major ethnic, cultural, social and gender groups in the development of United States political institutions and traditions.
  • Compare and contrast the variety of ways that humans use to govern themselves at national, state, and local levels.
  • Analyze and compare the function and effect of political symbols, images and myths.
  • Evaluate the structure and functions of the parliamentary institutions under the U.S. Constitution and extra-parliamentary institutions that operate outside of the formal political structure.
  • Compare and contrast the U.S. political system with other countries and the influence and impact of globalization and environmental and natural resources issues on domestic and foreign policy.
  • Assess the critical role of both group and individual action in democratic decision-making.
  • Analyze the nature and processes of California's state and local government.
  • Compare and contrast relationships of state and local government with the federal government.
  • Explore and evaluate the relationship between technological development and the United States political system with a special focus on emerging and disruptive technologies.

CSLOs

  • Evaluate how political decisions are shaped by institutions and processes.

  • Assess the impact of political decisions on individuals and groups.

  • Demonstrate the capacity to participate effectively in the political process.

Outline

  1. Define, describe and explain the perspective of the discipline of Political Science, especially as it applies to the study of American government and politics.
    1. The universal need for social mechanisms to determine the legitimate distribution of societal resources and burdens ("who gets what, when and how") and the resulting tendency for conflict in human affairs
    2. The variety of social and governmental institutions and activities that seek to resolve political conflict
    3. The usefulness of historical description to clarify the variety of conflict resolution efforts
    4. The usefulness of theoretical concepts to clarify attempts to achieve conflict resolution. Major concepts include:
      1. Power - its sources and nature
      2. Authority - its sources and effect on conflict resolution
      3. Techniques of conflict resolution such as social solidarity, force, negotiation, compromise, adjudication, and rational analysis
  2. Demonstrate and illustrate how a knowledge of broad social, economic, environmental and historic forces contributes to understanding and addressing the issues of current American life and politics.
    1. Demonstrate underlying themes of the American political experience by an examination of the social, political, environmental, economic, and historic forces influencing participation and representation in American life.
    2. Examine the social forces perpetuating social, political and economic inequality in the United States and the dominance of the political process (both formal and extra-governmental) by people from a relatively narrow social grouping.
    3. Examine the continuing struggles of women, working class people, and people of color, as well as other traditionally-marginalized constituent groups, to acquire more influence in the political process.
  3. Describe and analyze significant events in the political history of the United States since its founding.
    1. Identify and critically assess history of United States colonial land acquisition and subsequent expansion beyond the original 13 states.
      1. Analyze the evolution and development of the United States including the concepts of expansionism, e.g., Manifest Destiny, territorial acquisition through war, conquest, fraud, diplomacy and purchase.
      2. Critically assess the contradictions between stated American values of democracy and freedom and the historical reality relating to the acquisition and expansion of U.S. land base.
    2. Analyze and appraise how political outcomes and government action change in response to specific historical events, broad social and economic circumstances and various social formations, and in turn shape such phenomena. Topics may include but are not limited to:
      1. Organized social/political movements (Shays' Rebellion, the abolition movement, the civil rights movement, anti-war movements,gay rights, anti-tax, etc)
      2. Shifting public opinion
      3. Organized interest groups (popular as well as elite)
      4. Broad-scale social conflict (e.g. the Civil War)
      5. Territorial conquest/expansion
      6. Immigration
      7. Economic phenomena (e.g., industrialization, depression/recession, increased density of organized labor, post industrial economy, technological revolution, economic globalization, the rise of multinational corporations, concentration of wealth, etc.)
      8. International conflict (e.g. world wars, the rise of non-state violence, failed states, etc)
      9. Environmental developments (e.g. resource depletion, climate crisis, drought, desertification, flood, etc)
  4. Identify and assess the role of major ethnic, cultural, social and gender groups in the development of United States political institutions and traditions.
    1. Explore the roles played by major ethnic, cultural, social and gender groups in the cultural origins of our political beliefs and institutions. Among the topics to be examined are:
      1. The Colonial and English legacy
      2. The founders views that were steeped in political philosophy of key European thinkers -- e.g, J. Locke (limited government) and Montesquieu (separation of powers); Adams, Hamilton and others debates regarding the need for a stronger Central government versus Jefferson and others who were agitating for greater states rights.
      3. The role of native Americans (i.e., the Iroquois Confederacy)
      4. "Manifest Destiny" and "the White Man's Burden"
    2. Explore and assess how race, class, gender and other social classifications have influenced the American system of governance and politics.
      1. Institutionalized racism such as the Native American genocide, slavery and its aftermath, the Chinese Exclusion Act, immigration quotas limiting white "ethnic" immigration, environmental racism, and other contemporary manifestations of race, class, and gender based oppression.
      2. The emergence of democratic ethnic social movements, principally, the African American civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
      3. The multiple waves of the feminist movement to the present era (e.g., Seneca Falls, women's suffrage, etc)
      4. The role of labor as a voice for working people (e.g., 1930s labor organizing, general strikes, sit-down strikes).
      5. Post 1960s emerging movements (e.g., Gay/Lesbian, disability rights, environmental, immigrant rights, evangelical/fundamentalism, etc.).
  5. Compare and contrast the variety of ways that humans use to govern themselves at national, state, and local levels.
    1. Critical examination of the United States Constitution
      1. Constitutional principles such as the separation of powers, checks and balances, republicanism, federalism, concepts of limited government.
      2. Critically evaluate the Bill of Rights and selected succeeding Amendments of the U.S. Constitution which provide citizens not only with basic protection from an over-zealous government (liberties) but also affirmative action by government to allow certain basic rights.
      3. Assess the basic liberties and rights embedded in the Constitution against the expectation that people will comply with and follow the laws established necessary for an orderly society (i.e. the concept of the "social contract"-- how mutual cooperation allows rights and liberties to be sustained successfully.)
      4. Examine the Federalist Papers as a tool in understanding the intent of the Constitution with particular focus on first seven Articles of the U.S. Constitution. Particular attention will be paid to the role of race and class in the founding documents, especially in relationship to the institution of slavery
      5. Engagement in and critical assessment of opportunities for civic and political engagement and other forms of participatory governance within the context of rights, obligations, and the social contract.
    2. Critical Exploration of concepts and practice of majority rule, super-majority traditions, minority rights, consensus, other traditional democratic theories, & the tension between centralized and decentralized authority
    3. Explore the theory and practice of multiple ways humans use to govern themselves in the American tradition, including elitism, pluralism, & hyperpluralism.
    4. Critical assessment of what is meant by words like power, authority, and legitimacy in the political arena.
  6. Analyze and compare the function and effect of political symbols, images and myths.
    1. Analyze images, symbols and myths as a critical component in generating political outcomes (e.g., formulating nationalistic feelings among people, creating widespread cynicism regarding the political process, etc.)
    2. Critically assess the role played by mass media in the American tradition in the formation of political ideology and an informed (or misinformed) public, with specific attention to the increasing concentration of ownership and control of mass media outlets
    3. Critically assess the role of emerging digital media and its potential as a tool for democracy or a tool for increased centralized control by political, political and/or economic elites
    4. Critically examine various tools of political ideology manipulation (the "manufacture of consent") such as ethnocentrism, racism, consumerism, anti-immigrant nativism, militarism, national security & fear, war, economic insecurity, etc
    5. Assessment and consideration of "democratic" tools of political ideology formation: mass media, social media, the internet, appeals to populism, common bonding experiences (e.g. athletic events), faith-based & secular communitarianism, etc.
    6. Identify and appraise political and ideological phenomena that unite or divide a people and compare with phenomena that may challenge the nation-state, i.e., multi-national corps, world government international economy, and ecological movements.
    7. Identify and evaluate the critical role of an open and diverse mass media in the functioning of a democracy.
    8. Distinguish between fact and fiction when analyzing news and political propaganda and explore why and how this fails to happen in American politics.
  7. Evaluate the structure and functions of the parliamentary institutions under the U.S. Constitution and extra-parliamentary institutions that operate outside of the formal political structure.
    1. Understanding and assessing the structures, functions and operation of the formal U.S. political system including policy makers at the national, state and local level.
      1. The three major branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial with an overview of the role of bureaucracies in each.
      2. Political parties-- their origin, function and future, the party nomination process, and the electoral process
      3. Candidate and issue ballot campaigns; demographic voting patterns; voter engagement and voter suppression; redistricting; issues in campaign financing including the roll of big money donors, innovations in fundraising, public financing of elections; the Electoral College, its origins, benefits, problems and proposed reforms; & experiments and alternatives to existing electoral practices including "instant run-off" voting, multi-member proportional representation .
    2. Understanding and assessing the structures, functions and operation of the extra-formal U.S. political system including extra-governmental policy makers at the national, state and local level in the private and non-profit sectors. Particular attention will be paid to business and corporate power brokers and policy makers as well as counterbalancing and/or complementary role played by grassroots citizen movements and public interest lobbying groups.
  8. Compare and contrast the U.S. political system with other countries and the influence and impact of globalization and environmental and natural resources issues on domestic and foreign policy.
    1. Compare and assess the U.S. System in relation to other countries--unitary, confederal and federal systems of government; varying concepts of democracy, rights, and other forms of governing; varying economic and social insurance models.
    2. Critically assess the value and costs of global economic and political interdependence in relationship to both foreign and domestic policy making.
    3. Critically assess the role of multinational corporations on US foreign policy.
    4. Critically assess the role, function and causes of US military policy.
    5. Critically assess the role, responsibility and outcomes of US foreign, military, and global economic policies in relationship to a planet with finite environmental resources.
  9. Assess the critical role of both group and individual action in democratic decision-making.
    1. Assess individual and collectively organized group influence in government as it relates to an examination of interest groups, voter registration and running for office in relation to empowering people to make government work for them to build democratic, socially just, and environmentally sustainable societies.
    2. Assess which techniques of grassroots political engagement in the have been most effective in the American context, noting the importance of demographic characteristics, the historical and economic setting, and the targets and goals of grassroots political action.
    3. Explore and practice use of emerging digital techniques for democratic engagement
    4. Attention is given to the role of traditionally excluded groups in the political process as well as the importance of both electoral and extra-formal methods of political engagement.
  10. Analyze the nature and processes of California's state and local government.
    1. Explore and assess the history, evolution and current structure of the California state constitution and state government.
      1. Explore the history and effect of California's pre-statehood indigenous, Spanish and Mexican heritage, including but not limited to the U.S. conquest of Mexico and the subsequent annexation of California; appreciation and importance of the indigenous and Mexican cultures, & the role of immigration in the state; the formation of the State's Constitution and the process of statehood in the 1850's; the effect of the U.S. Industrial Revolution; the Progressive Era and its legacies in significant features of the state Constitution (e.g., initiative, referendum, recall, non-partisan elections, merit system, etc.); appreciation of the political effects of land, water and coastal development policies, urbanization, agricultural policy, transportation and industrialization and other practices impacting California's natural environment.
      2. Explore and assess the history, function and role of the initiative, referendum and recall processes in California state politics
      3. Assess local government (towns, cities and counties) which are not mentioned in the state Constitution (and thus receive their initial authority from the state) and how they can play a critical role in bringing democracy to people at the most immediate level.
    2. Compare and contrast different regions within the United States and assess the impact of regional difference on political processes including legislative action at the national level. Attention will be given to pre-statehood, Spanish and Mexican heritage in California; key events in California political history and, contemporary issues in California politics.
    3. Analyze the structure of the state government and its procedural framework, primarily guided by the state constitution that establishes a bicameral legislature, an executive and judicial branch but that often requires super majorities to function, separates political authority from political responsibility, divides power among disconnected political bodies, centralizes authority in state political bodies but then checks this authority through unwieldy electoral mechanisms of direct democracy.
    4. Identify, explore and assess opportunities for state and local civic and political engagement related to elections, campaigns, voting, issue organizing and other forms of local political action and community involvement.
  11. Compare and contrast relationships of state and local government with the federal government.
    1. Understand and assess the role of the Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution establishing a "national" sovereign and constitutionally protected and separate semi-sovereign, sub-units (the states).
    2. Understand and assess how this sets in motion two distinct spheres of power distribution and establishes both centralization and decentralization in democratic decision-making with all of the benefits and conflicts this entails
      1. Close and collaborative relationship (see McCulloch v. Maryland), shared ventures (e.g., mixing of funding for mutually beneficial targeted mandates), general policy formation with the implementation of national policy at the state level
      2. Conflicts over state versus national priorities and values (e.g., the slavery question, civil rights laws, gay marriage, differing approaches to health insurance, education, etc)
    3. Assess the ways state government forms a similar relationship with the local government on all of the above questions/issues.
  12. Explore and evaluate the relationship between technological development and the United States political system with a special focus on emerging and disruptive technologies.
    1. Review of historical technological developments in communication and democratic organizing-- early mass printing technologies, the emergence of an independent press, the telegraph, telephones, broadcast radio, and television (televised debates, commercials and network news coverage).
    2. The internet and the expanding digital world-- the information age, social media, digital communication, crowd-sourcing technologies.
      1. Invasive technology and centralization- the emergence of the "surveillance state" and concentration and vertical integration of mass media.
      2. Centralization versus decentralization- e.g., The "Big Brother" state, FCC and regulatory battles; "Anonymous," Wikileaks, Edward Snowden, etc
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