授業の目的 【日本語】
Goals of the Course(JPN) | | |
|
授業の目的 【英語】
Goals of the Course | | This course is a comparative examination of the political processes, structure, and policies of the 50 American states. This course will provide a broad overview of political systems in the American states and other sub-national levels of government and in particular the relationship between state governments and other levels of government in the American Federal system. Students will be asked to explore a variety of concerns pertaining to the subject of politics in general.
Generally speaking, the subfield of State politics consists of two primary areas of specialization: 1) state institutions and processes and 2) public policy. While both of these specializations historically were somewhat removed from the political science mainstream, in recent decades scholars have moved well beyond the unsystematic case studies of the past to theoretically rich and technically cutting edge designs, including those that use the American states as a comparative laboratory for testing propositions about the contextual nature of politics. We will focus our examination on utilizing the American states as “political laboratories of democracy” with varying approaches for analyzing governmental policy problems. As this course is a comparative analysis of politics and the policy process in the fifty states, we will examine how scholars empirically analyze the operation and functions of state political systems and the major issues and controversies surrounding academic research of American state politics. When possible, a comparative focus examining and comparing all 50 American states will be taken, but we will also consider the applications of smaller foci as well as individual state case studies. |
|
|
到達目標 【日本語】
Objectives of the Course(JPN) | | |
|
到達目標 【英語】
Objectives of the Course | | Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
•Observe and critically analyze the institutions and political processes of the governments in the 50 American states and the political phenomena which influence them.
•Demonstrate a solid foundational understanding of political institutions in the 50 American states, the interaction between the three branches of government and their roles and operations, the principal political, economic, and social influences affecting American democracy, and major issues affecting both American state and local governments.
•Demonstrate a solid foundational understanding of the major issues and controversies surrounding academic research of American state politics.
•Interpret data and analysis concerning American state politics.
Course Objectives
•Gain an understanding of the role of political institutions and political actors in policy outcomes in state and local governments - Institutions affect policy Why do policy outcomes vary from state to state? Is it because each state has slightly different political institutions (i.e. constitutions)? Or is it because demographics and political culture vary from state to state?
•Gain an understanding of the interaction and relationship between the federal government and state and local governments. Does politics work the same in the states as in the country as a whole?
•Do states produce better (or worse) governance than Washington, D.C. does?
•What can we learn from studying the states that we could apply to our national political system?
•What changes might we make to our federal Constitution given the lessons we can learn from the states, the "laboratories of democracy?"
•Gain an understanding of the great diversity among the states. |
|
|
授業の内容や構成
Course Content / Plan | | 1. Introduction to State and Local Politics
2. Constitutions in a Federal System
3. Citizens Participation and State Politics
4. Direct Democracy
5. State Parties
6. State Interest Groups and the Media
7. State Legislatures
8. Governors and the Executive Branch
9. State Courts and Judicial Elections
10. Local Government and Metropolitics
11. State Taxing and Spending Policy
12. Welfare and Health Policy in a Federal System
13. State Education Policy
Students will be assigned readings from each chapter of the textbook and additional supplemental articles, which are to be done as preparation for each class. Unscheduled quizzes will be given at the start of certain class meetings to make sure they are prepared |
|
|
履修条件・関連する科目
Course Prerequisites and Related Courses | | |
|
成績評価の方法と基準
Course Evaluation Method and Criteria | | To evaluate academic performance, student grades will be composed of several items:
1. Course examinations 48%
2. Course quizzes 10%
3. Course written assignments 32%
4. Course participation and notetaking 10%
Grades will be calculated on a A – F scale.
A+ 97-100
A 93-96
A- 90-92
B+ 87-89
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C 73-76
C- 70-72
D+ 67-69
D 63-66
D- 60-62
F < 59 |
|
|
教科書・テキスト
Textbook | | Simon, Christopher, Brent S. Steel, and Nicholas P. Lovrich, State and Local Government and Politics: Subtitle: Prospects for Sustainability, 2nd ed. Open Textbooks. 2021 - will be provided by Instructor
Additional materials may be provided by instructor |
|
|
参考書
Reference Book | | |
|
課外学習等（授業時間外学習の指示）
Study Load(Self-directed Learning Outside Course Hours) | | |
|
注意事項
Notice for Students | | |
|
授業開講形態等
Lecture format, etc. | | | Class sessions will consist of lectures, discussion, and small group work, supplemented with some multimedia and will consider the assigned readings and relevant current events. |
|
|
遠隔授業（オンデマンド型）で行う場合の追加措置
Additional measures for remote class (on-demand class) | | |
|