U.S. Government and Politics

Assignments/Homework

(All assignments DUE on day indicated)

Due Friday, April 6: Respond to article "So Much for Free Speech," (Washington Post 8/25/04)

1)Should donations to political campaigns be a form of protected speech or expression? Why/Why not?
2)Should Congress limit funding to campaigns? Why/Why not?
3)Should First Amentment rights be protected even if they make campaigns unfair? WhyWhy not?

Analyze a Policy. Paper is due Monday, May 30, 2007.

Announcements

Further information about Invisible Children is available here.

Extra Credit is available. Check here for the assignment.

Reading Suggestions are found here.

Remember to check your email for assignment information. You must have a valid internet email address on your turnitin.com registration. Failure to do this will cause you to miss assignment postings, updates, and points

************Spring Semester - 07***********

Due Friday, March 16: Citizen Essay.

Readings: Alexis de Tocqueville, "Power of Majority Opinion in America Over Thought," from Democracy in America.

Quiz Wednesday (Philosophers/Governments)

Tuesday, March 6: Read "When Good People Do Evil," by Phil Zimbardo

Friday, March 2: Read Rousseau paper. Prepare to answer the questions at the end.

Week of February 26

Begin Discussion of Political Philosophy (reading packets)

Monday/Tuesday -- Hobbes
Tuesday/Wednesday -- Lock
Thursday/Friday -- Rousseau

Week of February 15

For Thursday, Read this background information on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Terrorism vs. Revolutionary reading

Editorial sign up

Week of January 30:

Discussion of Patriotism vs. Jingoism

Terrorism vs. Revolution reading.

***************From Fall SemesterI***********

Monday -- Friday, November 13-17

Begin study of public policy.

The "Policy Process." Take notes from lecture/readings and discussion. Make sure you have the schematic policy process from the board.

Readings include: "Cyberporn," Time, and "A Bad Law Set in Stone," Mercury News.

Monday-Friday, October 23-27

Political ideology; parties; party orientation

Access/complete/discuss political survey on

http://www.politicalcompass.org/.

Access/complete/discuss political typology on

http://typology.people-press.org/

Tuesday - Thursday, October 17-19

Viewing the film "The Contender." Complete the Contender viewing guide and questions, (25 points).

Monday-Friday, October 9-13

Readings and discussion related to Machiavelli's The Prince.

Case studies for Machiavelli readings:

The Pentagon Papers summary (Wikipedia)
"Truths Worth Telling," Daniel Ellsberg (CommonDreams.org)
When Presidents Lie, Eric Alterman, (The Nation)

Wednesday-Friday, October 4-6

Reading and discussion of Plato's Republic "Why Kings Must Be Philosophers."

Monday-Tuesday, October 2-3

Readings on Leadership: Lincoln, Atticus Finch, Malcom-X

Monday -- Wednesday, September 28-30

Discussion of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Background and context of the conflict.

Viewing of "Pariadise Now" (2005, Rated PG-13). Prepare to discuss the film in context of the conflict. What choices are available to a citizen who finds himself or herself oppressed?

Monday, September 18

Register for our classe's Turnitin.com account. Follow the instructions online at Turnitin.com. The course accounts follow; please make sure you have the right course period. Obtain the password in class. Use an active email account that you view often: I use a group email system and may need to get information to you through the internet.

Period 6 -- 6 us government: 1623299

Questions for Zinn's "Violence and Human Nature":

What do Einstine and Freud have in common?
What problem does Howard Zinn have with their thinking?
What evidence supports Einstine and Freud's thinking about violence and human nature?
What evidence is available from science linking humans and violence?
What evidence is available from psychology/sociology that link humans and violence?
What, for Zinn, is the real cause of violence in our society?

Homework Archives

Reading for Tuesday, Feb. 27: Leviathan, pgs. 329-337. Be prepared to answer the following questions:

What is the nature of man?
What is the 'state of nature'?
How should people be ruled under a Social Contract?

Analyze a Policy. Paper is due Monday, December 18. This replaces your Policy Project. Check this website for ideas about policies to analyze: Almanac of Policy

News readings (2/week) and one-paragraph responses are due each Friday throught the month of December.

Announcements

Extra Credit is available. Check here for the assignment.

Reading Suggestions are found here.

Visit Egypt in June, 2007. Talk with Mr. Homa if you can't make the scheduled meetings..

Complete survey on political typology. Submit in class on Friday. (students may submit this on Monday for credit -- this time. Go to http://typology.people-press.org/

Leadership Manual Project is due Friday, October 27.

Complete viewing of "The Contender." Complete the viewing guide. Be prepared to answer these two additional questions in class:

Who in the film is the most Socratic leader (remember Plato's cave) and why?
Who in the film is the most Machiavellian leader and why?

Viewing guide is due in class Friday, October 20.

Quiz tomorrow, Friday, 13 October, on Ellsberg reading.

The "Cave" essay is due Tuesday, October 17.

For Wednesday: complete Machiavelli reading. Be prepared to answer the following questions:

Is it better for a prince to be loved or feared?
Under what circumstances should a prince keep his word?
To what extent should a prince avoid being despised and hated?

Also for Wednesday, finish the reading on the "Pentagon Papers."

For Tuesday: read Machiavelli, pgs. 33-40 (up to "On Cruelty.") Be prepared to answer the following questions:

How should a Prince conduct himself in military matters?
For what may Princes be praised or blamed?
When, if ever, should a Prince be generous?

Read Background to Israel/Palestine conflict. Be prepared for a reading quiz on Friday, Sept. 27.

Print and review the Agenda for Political Philosophy.

Class notes and readings: Thomas Hobbes; John Locke; Jean Jacques Rousseau

Read "Volence and Human Nature," by Howard Zinn by Wednesday. Complete questions for class (see below)

Quiz Friday, September 21 on Political Philosophy and Zinn reading.