Winthrop University
Spring 2018
Political Science 390H-002/Honors 234H-001:
Does Voting Matter in the US?
Monday/Wednesday 12:30-1:45, Courtyard 146
Three credit hours
Dr. John Holder
Bancroft 340 (mailing address Bancroft 346)
Office Hours MW 3:30-4:45, TR 2:00-3:15, or by appointment
(803) 323-4665
http://faculty.winthrop.edu/holderj/plsc390h.html
There are many forms of political participation in a free and democratic
society. Voting is only one of them, but it is the legally binding way in which
citizens express their preferences, and those expressed preferences are used to
make laws and policies that affect all of us (even those who disagree with the
outcomes of elections).The American system of government functions primarily
(but not entirely) by majority vote. This class will explore the relationship
among mass public opinion, voting, election outcomes, and results. How does the
electoral system translate “what people want” into “what people get”, and how
does it fail to do so? Is majority vote the “best” way for a free society to
make these decisions?
This class meets Winthrop University’s General Education requirement in Social
Sciences, and contributes to student achievement of Winthrop University Level
Competency 3: Winthrop graduates understand the interconnected nature of the
world and the time in which they live, and Competency 4: Winthrop graduates
communicate effectively.
There are no materials required for purchase. Assigned readings will be linked
through the class Webpage. You may download or print them out.
Grading scale:
The course will use Winthrop University’s +/- grading system. Final grades will
be assigned as follows:
93-100 = A
90-92 = A-
87-89 = B+
83-86 = B
80-82 = B-
77-79 = C+
73-76 = C
70-72 = C-
67-69 = D+
63-66 = D
60-62 = D-
59 or below = F.
Class participation, 20%. This is an Honors seminar. Your participation is an
important part of making the class successful. You should come to each class
meeting having read the assigned materials and prepared to discuss them
intelligently.
Two short writing assignments, 20% each. These will be on assigned questions. No
research will be necessary outside completion of assigned class readings. The
first assignment will be due on Wed., Feb. 14, and the second will be due on
Mon., Apr. 2.
Research paper, 30%. This will be approximately ten pages, on a topic of your
choice which is relevant to the subject matter of the class. I will be happy to
help you identify a research question to be answered – an example would be, “Do
voter identification requirements succeed in preventing or identifying vote
fraud?” The paper is due at the beginning of the designated final exam period,
11:30 AM on Tues., May 1.
Paper presentation, 10%. During the designated final exam period, you will
present your research to the class.
There is no written final exam in this class.
Administrative Announcements: Class cancellations, changes in schedule, guest
speakers, etc., will be announced via the class listserv, to which you will be
automatically subscribed through your winthrop.edu e-mail address.
If you need to subscribe to the class listserv, go to:
http://www.winthrop.edu/technology/default.aspx?id=7081&ekmensel=bfef63b6_489_491_7081_1.
Use the appropriate class number (plsc390h002 if you are enrolled in the
Political Science class, honr243001 for the Honors class.) Check your WU e-mail
frequently. You may use the listserv for discussion or to share information with
classmates, review for exams, or ask questions about course material. The e-mail
address is (classnumber)@class.winthrop.edu. Note that anything you post to the
listserv will be seen by everyone in the class.
Attendance will be taken by means of a sign-in sheet circulated at the beginning
of each class meeting. In accordance with Winthrop’s attendance policies, if you
are absent without excuse from one-quarter of the class meetings or more (in
this case, seven), you will receive an N or an F, as appropriate. In this class,
signing in an absent classmate is considered an act of academic dishonesty. I do
not require documentation for absences except for exams.
Technology:
You are welcome to use a computer to take notes in class. However, this class
follows the College of Arts and Sciences policy on use of technology in the
classroom. Please turn off all cell phones and other electronic communication
devices during class meetings. If you need to leave your phone on during a
particular class for emergency reasons, please let me know in advance. The use
of any kind of electronic device, including a phone, iPod or Internet access,
during an exam constitutes academic dishonesty.
Academic Honesty and Integrity:
Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in this class. Any act of academic
dishonesty will result in a grade of F for the class. This class follows the
policies of Winthrop University and the Department of Political Science, which
are linked below, on academic misconduct and plagiarism. Please be aware of
these policies and abide by them. In addition to the failing grade imposed by
the instructor, academic misconduct of any kind will result in referral to the
Dean of Students for possible additional sanctions.
Political Science Department policy statement:
http://www.winthrop.edu/cas/politicalscience/default.aspx?id=19401
Office of Academic Affairs policy statement:
http://www2.winthrop.edu/public/policy/fullpolicy.aspx?pid=252
Schedule of Topics and Reading Assignments
This schedule is subject to change at the instructor’s discretion. You will note
that readings for later in the semester have not yet been assigned.
Readings will be linked through this Webpage, and may be downloaded or printed
out.
Mon., Jan. 8: Introduction to the Course
Historical evolution of the right to vote
Wed., Jan. 10: Alexander Keyssar, “In the Beginning,” Ch. 1 in
The Right to Vote [/] The Contested
History of Democracy in the United States, Revised Edition, New York: Basic
Books, 2000.
Mon., Jan. 15: No Class – Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. Holiday.
Who votes, who abstains, and what difference does it make?
Wed., Jan. 17: Class cancelled due to weather.
Mon., Jan. 22:
Jan E. Leighley and Jonathan Nagler, Chs.
2 and
6 in
Who Votes Now? [/]
Demographics, Issues, Inequality, and
Turnout in the United States, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press,
2014.
Historical obstacles to voting
Wed., Jan. 24/Mon., Jan. 29: V.O. Key, Jr., excerpts from Part Five in
Southern Politics in State and Nation,
New Ed., Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1984.
Contemporary factors affecting the availability of voting
Wed., Jan. 31: J. Eric Oliver, “The Effects of Eligibility Restrictions and
Party Activity on Absentee Voting and Overall Turnout,”
American Journal of Political Science,
May 1996.
Mon., Feb. 5: Stephen Knack and Martha Kropf, “Who Uses Inferior Voting
Technology?” PS: Political Science and
Politics, Sept. 2002.
Timothy Vercellotti and David Andersen, “Voter-Identification Requirements and
the Learning Curve,” PS: Political
Science and Politics, Jan. 2009.
Wed., Feb. 7: Stephen Knack and James White, “Election-Day Registration and
Turnout Inequality,” Political Behavior,
March 2000.
Mon., Feb. 12: Barry C. Burden, David T. Canon, Kenneth R. Mayer and Donald P.
Moynihan, “Election Laws, Mobilization, and Turnout: The Unanticipated
Consequences of Election Reform,”
American Journal of Political Science, January 2014.
Wed., Feb. 14: Paul Gronke, Eva Galanes-Rosenbaum, and Peter A. Miller, “Early
Voting and Turnout,” PS: Political
Science and Politics, October 2007.
First writing assignment due.
Mon., Feb. 19: Pamela S. Karlan, “Convictions and Doubts: Retribution,
Representation, and the Debate over Felon Disenfranchisement,”
Stanford Law Review, Vol. 56, No. 5,
2004.
Should voting in a free society be mandatory?
Wed., Feb. 21: Nina Jaffe-Geffner, http://www.fairvote.org/the_pros_and_cons_of_requiring_citizens_to_vote
When does voting not represent the will of the majority?
The Electoral College (particularly the 2000 and 2016 elections)
Week of Feb. 28: David Gringer, "Why the National Popular Vote Plan is the Wrong Way to Abolish the Electoral College," Columbia Law Review, Vol. 108, No. 1., Jan. 2008.
Malapportionment
Week of Mar. 5: Readings TBA.
Week of Mar. 12: No Class – Spring Break.
Gerrymandering
Week of Mar. 19: Readings TBA.
Racial discrimination in districting
Week of Mar. 26: Readings TBA.
The United States Senate is not a democracy
Week of Apr. 2: Readings TBA.
Second writing assignment due
Mon., Apr. 2.
Alternative systems: Cumulative voting and ranked choice voting
Week of Apr. 9: Readings TBA.
Discrimination by popular vote: Case study of referenda outlawing
same-sex marriage
Week of Apr. 16: Readings TBA.
Mon., Apr. 23: Last class. Catch up as necessary. Class evaluations will be
administered; please bring an Internet-capable device to class.
Tues., May 1, 11:30 AM-2:00 PM: Research
presentations during final exam period. Research papers are due at the beginning
of the period.
Winthrop University Resources
Students with Disabilities/Need of Accommodations for Access:
Winthrop University is committed to providing access to education.
If you have a condition which may adversely impact your ability to access
academics and/or campus life, and you require specific accommodations to
complete this course, contact the Office of Accessibility (OA) at 803-323-3290,
or, accessibility@winthrop.edu. Please inform me as early as possible, once you
have your official notice of accommodations from the Office of Accessibility.
OA Staff:
•
Tina Vires – Program Director, extension 6174; virest@winthrop.edu
•
Shardae Nelson– Assistant Coordinator, extension 6188;
nelsons@winthrop.edu
•
Hope Williams – Administrative Specialist, extension 3290;
accessibility@winthrop.edu
•
Susan Sistar – Coordinator for Testing Program and the Test Center,
extension 6173; sistars@winthrop.edu or testcenter@winthrop.edu
• From off campus –
803/323-3290
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