Political Science 3131
Fall 2004
Office Hours: MW 9-10 a.m.
(Fretwell 435N)
Email:
gbweeks@email.uncc.edu
www.politicalscience.uncc.edu/gbweeks
This course examines the
issue of political development, focusing on less developed countries. In particular, it analyzes the difficult
process of democratic transition and consolidation, both theoretically and substantively
through case studies. We will discuss democratization in detail in Latin
America, Southern Europe, Post-Communist Europe, and
Required
Larry Diamond and Marc F.
Plattner (eds) The Global Divergence of
Democracies (2001)
Juan J. Linz and Alfred
Stepan Problems of Democratic Transition and
Consolidation (1996)
WebCT.
You access WebCT through
49er Express, which is a link on the homepage of the university. Your login name is the first part of the
email address given to you by the university (I have the list if you’re not
sure) and your password is your student ID number (if you have used WebCT
before, then just use whatever password you chose). If you have never done this, you can get all
the necessary instructions at http://www.uncc.edu/webct/WCT_STUDENT/student49er_access.html
Examinations and Coursework
A midterm
examination will occur October 6. It
will constitute 30% of the course
grade. A final examination will occur as
indicated in the university final examination schedule—December 15 from 12:00-3:00. The
final exam will count for 30% of the
course grade.
In addition to
the two examinations, each student will research and write a course paper. A list of topics will be posted on WebCT, and
students can then choose what specific countries they would like to use as case
studies. The paper will be 10 pages in
length (double-spaced, normal margins, etc.).
It will count for 30% of the
course grade. It is due November 22. We
will talk in detail about the expectations for the papers and will spend time
discussing hypotheses, sources, etc.
For your sources, you should
primarily use books and academic journal articles. Do not use many websites, and I would suggest
letting me know ahead of time so that I can tell you whether the website is
appropriate for a research paper. As you
well know, there is a lot of junk on the internet.
Remember that plagiarism is a
serious offense, and will not be tolerated.
Each student will upload their paper into turnitin.com, which checks for copied sentences, phrases, and paragraphs. I will provide instructions for how to do
this. Copying without giving credit to the original author (or simply cutting
and pasting from websites) will result in an automatic “F” in the course.
The paper grade will be based
on clarity of your argument, good use of comparative examples to support it,
and clear writing. I will return the
paper as quickly as possible, with written comments. You will have the option of editing the paper
and turning it in again to me (with the original attached) on the day of the
final exam. If it is improved, then I
will raise your grade, depending on the extent of the improvements (usually
between 2 and 8 points).
I strongly urge you to talk
to me if you have any questions as you write your paper. Our schedule is obviously crammed into a
short time frame, so if you have any doubts about how to write the paper, how
to find references, or anything else, just let me know and I can help you
out. I will also be happy to read a draft
of a paper and give you comments. We
will be spending some class time in computer labs to search the university’s
library databases.
The final 10% of the grade will be determined by
the instructor’s evaluation of the quality
of student preparation for, and participation
in, class discussion. Quality of student
preparation refers to timely completion and thoughtful consideration of the
weekly reading assignments. Quality of
participation refers to contribution to class discussion with thoughtful
questions, comments, and analysis of readings, lectures and films.
Please don’t
hesitate to talk to me (or just email) if you have any questions about
lectures, grades, readings, or anything else.
Topics and
LS Chapter 1
Sen, “Democracy as a Universal Value” in DP (Chapter
1)
Diamond, “Thinking About Hybrid Regimes” (On WebCT)
O’Donnell, “Illusions about Consolidation” in DP
(Chapter 9)
Gunther et al, “O’Donnell’s ‘Illusions’: A
Rejoinder” in DP (Chapter 10)
Schedler, “What is Democratic Consolidation?” in DP
(Chapter 12)
LS Chapters 2-5
NO CLASS ON SEPTEMBER 6
Przeworski et al, “What Makes Democracies Endure?”
in DP (Chapter 13)
Kohn, “How Democracies Control the Military” in DP
(Chapter 20)
Mainwaring, “Party Systems in the Third Wave,” in DP
(Chapter 14)
Week 6 (September 27-October 1)
Lowenthal, “
LS Chapters 10, 12
Weeks, “Rethinking Historical Factors: The Military
and Political Transitions in
Week 7 (October 4-8)
MIDTERM EXAM ON OCTOBER 6
NO CLASS ON OCTOBER 8 (I WILL BE AT A CONFERENCE)
LS Chapters 11, 13
Hunter, “
Weeks, “Waiting for Cincinnatus: The Role of
Pinochet in Postauthoritarian Chile” (on WebCT)
NO CLASS ON OCTOBER 11 (FALL BREAK)
Fried, “Markets, Law, and Democracy” in DP (Chapter
17)
Domínguez, “Free Politics and Free Markets in
LS Chapters 6-7
LS Chapters 15-16, 19
Rupnik, “The Postcommunist Divide,” in DP (Chapter 23)
McFaul, “Putin’s
Week 11 (November 1-5)
Van de Walle, “Africa’s
Week 12 (November 8-12)
Prempeh, “A New Jurisprudence for
PAPERS DUE ON NOVEMBER 22
Diamond, “Is
Filali-Ansary, “Muslims and Democracy,” in DP
(Chapter 4)
Week 14 (November 29-December 3) Making Comparisons
(Part I)
NO CLASSES ON NOVEMBER 26 & 28
LS Chapter 21
Week 15 (December 6-8) Making Comparisons (Part II)
Pharr et al, “A Quarter-Century of Declining
Confidence,” in DP (Chapter 21)
Students
have the responsibility to know and observe the requirements of The UNCC
Code of Student Academic Integrity.
This code forbids cheating, fabrication or falsification of information,
multiple submissions of academic work, plagiarism, abuse of academic materials,
and complicity in academic dishonesty.
Any special requirements or permission regarding academic integrity in
this course will be stated by the instructor, and are binding on the
students. Academic evaluations in this
course include a judgment that the student's work is free from academic
dishonesty of any type; and grades in this course therefore should be and will
be adversely affected by academic dishonesty.
Students who violate the code can be expelled from UNCC. The normal penalty for a first offense is
zero credit on the work involving dishonesty and further substantial reduction
of the course grade. In almost all cases
the course grade is reduced to F. Copies
of the code can be obtained from the Dean of Students Office. Standards of academic integrity will be
enforced in this course. Students are
expected to report cases of academic dishonesty to the course instructor.