Home || Course Description || Lecture Outlines || Tutorials || Assignments|| SFU Library Catalogue || Web Resources

Lecture Schedule: Readings and Outlines 12-3

Need help with research, writing, or managing the time & stress of student life?  Visit SFU's Student Learning Commons to find out how they can help.

Week 1: Sep 4

 Introduction

"Get thee glass eyes; And, like a scurvy politician, seem to see the things thou dost not."
William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Lecture Readings: Dyck, Chapter 1 and Chapter 4 (pages 78-85)

Test Yourself:Try out the Word Puzzle for Week One

Lecture Outline: 

Key concepts: 

• politics
• power
• coercion
• persuasion
• influence
• legitimacy
• authority
• acquiescence

Sources of Authority:

• Traditional deference to the leader’s position. For example, many Americans have a deep veneration of the office of President, which would lead them to accept as binding the decisions of the person who may happen to be President at the time. The same kind of deference may be found in traditional societies where the tribal chief or clan elders are deferred to.
• Powers of Office. Officials are able to make certain binding decisions flowing from the constitutional powers of the office they hold.
• Personal charisma. The leader has such strong personal magnetism that others are drawn into following his or her lead. This charisma is sometimes exploited by leaders who deliberately cultivate a personality cult in their society aimed at personal adoration, to the extent that “the leader cannot be wrong and must be obeyed.” Examples of this include Adolph Hitler, Josef Stalin, and, to a certain extent, Mao Zedong.
• Fear of force. Many political leaders ensure compliance through the use of force, by violently punishing or killing those who disobey.
• Personal agreement with the decision or command. Individuals may obey an order simply because they agree with it.
• Strategic compliance to achieve broader political goals. Individuals may or may not agree with the specific decisions of the leader, but they believe their own personal goals will be realized if they generally comply.
• Acquiescence. People may just take the path of least resistance and do as they are told, whether they like it or not.

Week 2: Sep 11

Nations, States & Governments

"The use of force is but temporary. It may subdue for a moment; but it does not remove the necessity of subduing again: and a nation is not governed, which is perpetually to be conquered.
Edmund Burke - 1775

Lecture Readings: Dyck, Chapter 2 AND pages 54-65 in Chapter 3

Test Yourself:  Try out the Word Puzzle for Week Two or the online Crossword  Puzzle for vocabulary from Weeks One & Two.

Lecture Outline: 

Need to draw distinctions between: 

• government
• state
• nation
• nation-state

Different labels are used for governments depending upon who rules and in whose interest they rule:

• aristocracy
• autocracy
• democracy
• monarchy
• oligarchy
• plutocracy
• theocracy

Governments can vary between democratic and authoritarian in different forms. Key terms: 

• liberal democracy
• transitional democracy
• facade democracy
• dictatorship
• totalitarian

Elements of a state:

• defined territory

• permanent population

• government

New states need to be 'recognized' by other states, which is a political process involving: 

• elements of statehood
• sovereignty
• legitimacy

Legitimacy is an ethical judgement that something is right and proper. Three types of legitimacy are:

• regime

• function

• policy

States may exist ‘de jure’ or ‘de facto.’ Informal, de facto states can arise from traditional indigenous societies, civil wars or, so-called war lords.

Must nations have a state? Answer depends on right to self-determination.

Article 1.2 of the United Nations Charter says that one of the purposes of the UN is:

To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace.

Article 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights declares: 

"1.1 All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.

1.2 All peoples may, for their own ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising out of international economic co-operation, based upon the principle of mutual benefit, and international law. In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence." 

Quebec has asserted its right to a unilateral declaration of independence, in a law passed in 2000.

Week 3: Sep 18

  Political Philosophies and Ideologies

"Most people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do so. " - Bertrand Russell (1872-1970)

Lecture Readings: Dyck, Chapter 6

Test Yourself:  Try out the Word Puzzle for Week Three

Lecture Outline: 

Ideology is a key concept that shapes political systems. 

Problems with "left-right continuum" 

Focus on classical forms of three central ideologies 

• liberalism
• conservatism
• communism

All have changed and have taken different forms in the twentieth century.

Movements that gained importance in the twentieth century: 

• fascism
• feminism
• social democracy

Ideology or pragmatism? 
 

  Week 4: Sep 25

Part 1) IdeologiesContinued

Part 2) Political Culture Intro

Lecture Readings: Dyck, Chapter 3 (pages 66-76) AND Chapter 5 (pages 102-113)

Test Yourself:  Try out the Word Puzzle for Week Four or the online Crossword  Puzzle for vocabulary from Weeks Three & Four.

Lecture Outline: 

Key concepts: 

• political culture
• sub-cultures
• political cleavages
• political pluralism
• civic culture

Political culture has impact on: 

• institutional structures in political system
• decision-making processes in those institutions
• kinds of policy issues at stake

Week 5: Oct 2

 Political Socialization

"A person needs at intervals to separate from family and companions and go to new places. 
One must go without familiars in order to be open to influences, to change."

Katharine Butler Hathaway

Lecture Readings: Dyck, Chapter 5 (pages 113-139)

Test Yourself:  Try out the Word Puzzle for Week Five

Lecture Outline: 

Political identity and identity politics

Political socialization occurs through many agents, including:

• family
• educational institutions
• religious institutions
• mass media
• work place
• peer groups
• state actors

There are three types of attitudes we hold towards events and beliefs:

• affective - what he feel emotionally
• cognitive - what know or believe we know about something
• evaluative - when we think about something  & combine what we feel with what we know

Three attitudes structure citizen participation in democracies: 

• political trust
• political alienation
• political efficacy

Week 6:  Oct 9  MID-TERM TEST

Lecture Readings: NONE

No tutorials are held this week

Week 7: Oct 16

Constitutions and The Executive Branch

"An intelligent Russian once remarked to us, 'Every country has its own constitution;
ours is absolutism moderated by assassination'." - Count Münster, 1868

Lecture Readings: Dyck, Chapter 7 and Chapter 8

Test Yourself:  Try the online Crossword Puzzle for Chapter 7 and the crossword puzzle for Chapter 8

Lecture Outline:
 

Key terms: 

• constitution
• constitutionalism
• constitutional conventions
• flexible constitution
• limited government
• rigid constitution
• rule of law
• unwritten constitution
• written constitution

Distinctions between the following powers and branches of government: 

• legislative
• executive
• judicial

States can be organized in different forms: 

• unitary state
• federation
• confederation

Difference between separation of powers and fusion of powers.  

An important dilemma for political systems that wish to uphold the principle of limited government is how to do it. The protection of citizens' rights can be achieved through:

• informal political rules and the self-restraint of politicians
• the protection of rights through ordinary law
• the constitutional protection of rights by 'supreme law'

Constitutional rights are usually stated in general terms and their exact meaning has to be determined by the courts. As a result, the protection offered by constitutional rights can vary from one country to another and from one time to another, according to the prevailing judicial culture. An excellent example is found in the US Supreme Court’s treatment of the ‘equal protection of the law’ guaranteed by the 14th Amendment. In 1896, the US Supreme Court ruled in the Plessy case that this provision did not invalidate a Louisiana law that required racial segregation on railway cars. This case is famous for the ‘separate but equal’ doctrine. However, the Supreme Court ruled in 1954, in Brown v. Board of Education, that the separate but equal doctrine should be overturned and that it was unconstitutional to legislate racially segregated schools.

Universal human rights became an important political issue in the 20th century. While many champion their existence, some doubt that they can really exist beyond the definition of rights by each society. Human rights face the challenge of cultural relativism and utilitarianism.

Three elements of the executive branch: 

• symbolic
• political
• permanent

Difference between the Head of State and the Head of Government

Comparison of parliamentary and presidential forms of government:

• separate head of state & head of government in parliamentary systems, while one official fulfills both functions in presidential
• national elections for president vs local for prime minister
• fixed terms in presidential v. flexible timing in most parliamentary
• president negotiates with congress to implement legislative program v. Prime Minister & Cabinet direct parliament's legislative process
• cabinet not members of the legislature in presidential v. must be in parliamentary
• President can only be removed through impeachment v. Parliamentary government must maintain confidence of the legislature
  
• responsible government in parliamentary systems:
• collective ministerial responsibility
• individual ministerial responsibility

A few political systems are hybrids (i.e. France) of parliamentary and presidential forms of government. Direct elections for Head of state, who has meaningful political powers. Prime Minister & Cabinet must maintain confidence of legislature.

Functions of the bureaucracy:

• to administer and carry out the policies of the government
• to provide professional advice to the political executive by evaluating and initiating new policy proposals
• to act as the direct link between the government and the people of the state by informing the public of government policies and also by receiving input from the public, especially interest groups. The bureaucracy has an informational role.

Key concepts: 

• neutrality
• professionalism
• patronage
• nepotism
• corruption

  Week 8: Oct 23

Legislatures

"Congress is so strange. A man gets up to speak and says nothing.
Nobody listens -- and then everybody disagrees." - Boris Marshalov 

Lecture Readings: Dyck, Chapter 9

Test Yourself:  Try the online Crossword Puzzle on Chapters 8 & 9.

Lecture Outline: 

Key terms: 

• unicameral
• bicameral
• party discipline
• caucus
• cabinet government
• majority government
• minority government
• coalition government

Possible functions of legislatures:

• to legislate
• to represent
• to debate
• to educate
• to investigate issues and events
• to decide who holds executive office - President/Prime Minister/Cabinet
• to provide alternative governments or political leaders
• to legitimate executive actions or decisions
• to ratify or veto executive decisions
• to scrutinize executive activities
• to refine and improve policies suggested by the executive
• suggest or initiate policies
• to adjudicate in a judicial or quasi-judicial role
• ombudsman function for individual legislators

Factors limiting the effectiveness of legislatures:

• size
• frequency of meetings
• number, size & membership of committees
• executive dominance
• party discipline
• research & support staff
• legislators' pay
• electoral system
• amount & complexity of legislation
• merely approve or draft legislation
• procedural rules
• informal rewards and penalties
• political culture

Importance of different types of representation: 

• delegate
• trustee

• microcosm

  • of society
  • of political parties

  Week 9: Oct 30

The Judiciary

"Congress is so strange. A man gets up to speak and says nothing.
Nobody listens -- and then everybody disagrees." - Boris Marshalov

"One of the Seven was wont to say: 'That laws were like cobwebs;
where the small flies were caught, and the great break through'." - Francis Bacon (1561-1626) 

Draft Essay Introductions are due today in class or tutorials

Lecture Readings: Dyck, Chapter 10

Test Yourself:  Try the online Crossword Puzzle on Chapters 9 & 10.

Lecture Outline: 

The Judiciary

Possible functions of the courts: 

• interpret the law
• enforce the law with sanctions
• settle disputes among citizens
• judicial review of government actions

Two types of judicial review:

• whether officials act within their legal powers and duties
• whether laws are within the limits placed by the constitution

Controversies over second type raise questions of proper policy-making role of judges, how limits should be set on governments, and by whom. "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?"

Key concepts: 

• judicial review
• judicial impartiality
• judicial independence
• parliamentary sovereignty
• judicial supremacy
• constitutional supremacy

Elected vs. appointed judges?

Week 10: Nov 6

Political Parties & Interest Groups

Draft Essays are due today in tutorials or at the lecture

Lecture Readings: Dyck, Chapter 12 (pages 312-327) AND Chapter 13

Lecture Outline:

Possible roles and functions of political parties in democratic and authoritarian regimes.

• recruitment of new political office holders
• aggregation and articulation of interests
• political socialization, both subtly and overtly through activities organized by parties
• communication - act as channel for info to flow between govt and populace
• policy-making - provides a group who can plan the policies for a current for future government
• simplification of choices for the electorate

Political parties have additional functions in authoritarian regimes:

• administrative support for the government - the party can oversee the work of bureaucrats, army, police etc.
• surveillance and intelligence - spying on populace

Political parties can't fill all roles completely, so interest groups (by various names) also fill some functions. 

Key concepts:

• interest groups
• social movements
• lobbying

Political parties can't fill all roles completely, so interest groups (by various names) also fill some functions.  Functions of interest groups similar to political parties, except interest groups do not directly seek elected office. Interest groups also can be delegated government powers to exercise. Interest groups also add considerable flexibility and responsiveness to political system.

Controversy over the power of interest groups in democracies

Week 11: Nov 13

Peaceful Political Change Through Elections

Lecture Readings: Dyck, Chapter 11

Lecture Outline:

Key concepts:

• direct democracy
• representative democracy
• indirect elections
• direct elections

Two types of democracy:

• Direct: The people make decisions directly (examples: referendum, initiative & recall)
• Representative: The people elect representatives, who make the decisions for them
  

Two types of elections:

• Direct: The people elect the decision makers
• Indirect: The people elect representatives who elect the decision makers

Political functions of elections:

• To decide (to a greater or lesser extent) who will govern
• To ensure government accountability
• To confer on governments some measure of legitimacy
• To provide governments with a specific policy mandate
• To provide opportunities for political education, mobilization, and socialization
  

Peaceful political change can occur in democracies through elections, but different electoral systems can have an effect on the outcome of elections: 

• plurality
• single or multi-member

• majority:
• second ballot
• alternative vote

• proportional representation (PR):
  • party list
  • single transferable vote, multi-member system - Click here for BC-STV information

• mixed-member: plurality + PR - click here for more about MMP systems

The British Columbia government created a Citizens’ Assembly to meet and debate whether to recommend that our provincial electoral system be changed. Their proposal for an STV system was put to a referendum in May 2005. Although it was supported by 58% of voters, it did not meet the 60% threshold set by the government. Another referendum on the same subject was held in May 2009, but this time it was supported by only 39% of those who voted.

 

 

 

  Week 12: Nov 20

Part 1 - Violent Political Change

Part 2 - Politics of Development   

"The right of revolution is an inherent one. When people are oppressed by their government, it is a natural right they enjoy to relieve themselves of oppression, if they are strong enough, whether by withdrawal from it, or by it and substituting a government more acceptable." - Ulysses S. Grant - 1885

Lecture Readings:  Dyck, Chapter 14,  and Chapter 15, and Chapter 17 (pages 438-450)

Lecture Outline:

Some people try to bring about political change through civil disobedience.

Political change can also be pursued through violent means. Political violence usually means that the institutional framework for dispute resolution in a society has failed. People may feel that the political system either lacks legitimacy or that it will remain profoundly unresponsive to their demands. Political violence can occur between individuals, groups, or state actors. Some violence is exercised by any state government to ensure public order and internal security.

Groups resorting to political violence include: 

• organized crime
• nihilists
• separatists
• separatists
• revolutionaries
• the "annoyed" and disgruntled
• businesses
• state actors

Terrorism has become a major issue in international and domestic politics in recent decades, and especially since the events of  Sept 11, 2001. However, there is quite a debate over what actually constitutes "terrorism"; visit the Terrorism Research site to see different definitions of terrorism. And there are even more debates about how to tackle with the threat of terrorism, especially how to balance civil rights against state powers needed to deal with the threat.

Key terms and concepts:

• revolution
• coup d'etat
• civil war
• Davies "J" Curve Theory of Revolution
• democratic consolidation

The Davies J Curve seeks to portray the most likely occasions for revolution. This theory encompasses two other theories of regime change:

• Theory of rising expectations
• Relative deprivation (which can occur after stable, unchanging needs satisfaction)

Davies claims that most revolutions have occurred when a period of real growth in expectations

Political Development

Historic patterns of colonial rule as well as traditional economic activities have led to varied levels of development around the world by the late 20th century. Decolonization in 20th century led to enormous increase in the number of independent states.

Dimensions of development of interest to political scientists:

• economic
• political
• social

Recent debates have centred on sustainable development.

State capacity and stability vary tremendously from one country to another, and even between regions within a country. The inability of governments to provide essentials for population can led to regime breakdown.

Although there are many examples of regime failure, and even state collapse during the 20th Century, there are also encouraging signs of democratic consolidation..

Samuel Huntington has argued that the world has seen three Waves of Democratization in the 19th and 20th centuries, with Reverse Waves overlapping and separating the periods of democratization:

• First Wave of Democratization: 1828-1926
• First Reverse Wave: 1922-1942
• Second Wave of Democratization: 1943-1962
• Second Reverse Wave: 1958-1975
• Third Wave of Democratization: 1974-present

The number of countries with developed democracy (with at least the majority of the population enfranchised to vote) has grown dramatically.  There were no countries that met these criteria in 1900, by 1950 there were 22, and a 120 by 2000.

Lecture Readings:  Chapter 16

Lecture Outline:

Key terms and concepts: 

• international
• supranational
• multi-national corporations
• non-governmental actors(NGOs)
• globalization

International politics occurs between

• individuals
• corporations
• governments
• NGOs
• international organizations

International organizations provide an institutional framework for channelling political disputes. One can identify international institutions that are similar to those found within states. However, their capacity and authority is much weaker than domestic institutions.

• most important is the United Nations
• some are regional (i.e. NATO, Organization of American States)
• or issue-oriented; i.e. trade, health

The United Nations Security Council and the General Assembly are the most important forums for international decision-making in the UN system of international organizations. The UN Security Council is composed of five permanent countries (UK, US, France, Russia, and China) and 10 other members who serve two-year terms. Although decisions are taken by majority vote, each permanent member has a veto. The General Assembly is composed of all 192 members of the UN; it reaches decisions by majority votes on ordinary issues and 2/3rds vote on important issues. Only the Security Council is able to authorize military action on behalf of the UN.

United Nations military action can be either peacekeeping or peacemaking.

Globalization has four dimensions, according to David Held et al.

• Extensity
• Intensity
• Velocity
• Enmeshment

Notion of "global village" - are states becoming less relevant in international politics? 

Final Exam: Tuesday, Dec 11: 12:00 - 2:00 pm

Room TBA

simon fraser university - - political science department

This class is taught by Andrew Heard - email:

Home || Course Description || Lecture Outlines || Tutorials || Assignments|| SFU Library Catalogue || Web Resources