This course will introduce the student to the issues and theoretical frameworks that are central to understanding world politics today. Each student in the course will inter alia read six books, write seven papers, take three examinations, participate in simulation exercises, and participate in online threaded discussions.

Note: This course satisfies the General Education requirement for Government/Economics.

COURSE MATERIALS

Required Readings:

Butler, O.Parable of the Sower... Huxley, A. Brave New World
Ehrenreich, B. Nickel and Dimed Asimov, I. & Silverberg, R. The Positronic Man
Buck, Pearl The Good Earth..... Card, O. The Memory of Earth

Recommended Readings:
Brin The Postman
Skinner Walden Two
Achebe Things Fall Apart
Asimov Foundation
Hobbes Leviathan
Card Ender's Game
Machiavelli The Prince

ASSIGNMENTS

(a) There are six sets of papers (typed) dealing with the six books listed on the Required Readings list. Two of these papers will be in essay form, two in dialogue form, and two in sonnet form. On the announced due date submit both a hard copy of each paper and submit an electronic copy as a Word (.doc) attachment to an e-mail to the professor at drfarley@lhup.edu

(b) LHU Semester Abroad Assignment. Each student will choose one of the LHU Semester Abroad programs and (1) investigate the nature of the particular exchange program, (2) search the Internet for information about the partner university and about the city and region of the partner university (a map will be helpful), (3) interview an exchange student (or faculty member) from the partner university who is at LHU this semester or, if none is present, interview an LHU student who has gone on the program and is back at LHU this semester, (4) check the legal requirements for getting to the country (passport, visa, immunizations, State Department travel advisories, etc.), (5) using on-line information resources plan and cost-out a low-cost itinerary which would take you from your home to the partner university at the start of your simulated semester abroad and then back at the end of the semester and (6) perform a rigorous cost-comparison of the cost of spending the same semester in Lock Haven compared to the cost of spending the semester at your chosen LHU partner university abroad. Summarize your findings in a six-page paper due in mid-October. (Be sure to cite your sources.) Submit both a hard copy of the paper and submit an electronic copy as a Word (.doc) attachment to an e-mail to the professor at drfarley@lhup.edu

(c) An "INS Debriefing Questionnaire" will be due on December 1.

Note: Written assignments that are found to be satisfactory will not be returned. Unsatisfactory work will be returned to the student for rewriting. All assignments must be submitted by the announced due date. Late papers will not be accepted unless by prior arrangement made with the professor before the due date. Expect and plan for contingencies and technical problems. College level spelling, grammar, and writing style is expected on all papers. Effort is as important as outcomes. I would prefer to see you stretch yourself than do work that is familiar and easy. Depth of thought is critical. I'm looking for analysis, evaluation, and synthesis. Don't provide just your opinion. Back up your opinions with logical, evidence-based analysis or with respected sources.

GRADING

Your final grade will be computed on the following basis:

Best Test 25%
Next Best Test 15%
Poorest Test 10%
Threaded Discussions 15%
Assignments 15%
Simulations 15%
Discretionary 5% (at the professor's discretion)

To see some sample exam questions, click here.

Note on completeness: All assignments and exercises must be satisfactorily completed to pass the course.

Note to those seeking an A or an A-: Students seeking either an A or an A- grade in the course must read one of the Recommended Readings listed above and submit a four-page critical essay on the book. Submit both a hard copy of the paper and submit an electronic copy as a Word (.doc) attachment to an e-mail to the professor at drfarley@lhup.edu Be prepared to discuss your essay with Dr. Farley.

Note on the Threaded Discussions: Every student is expected to participate in all of the threaded discussions. Each input into a discussion should be of no less than 30 words and not more than 200 words--you want to come to the point and make your points clearly and succinctly. You may make many inputs into each discussion. How many inputs (responses) should you make into a discussion? (a) You should make one response to the professor's question. (b) You should make at least three responses to responses made by other students to the professor's question. (c) You should respond to all of the responses that are made by other students to your responses. What is a quality input (response) in a threaded discussion? Quality is seen in student comments that add significantly to the discussion by suggesting by proposing other points of view or other solutions, pointing out problems, or by respectfully disagreeing with points or arguments made by other students. A quality student input also substantiates itself with clear, logical reasoning or source citation. A quality posting is about 30 to 200 words in length. What are the marks of a poor quality input to a threaded discussion? Poor quality inputs do not add to the discussion or the student does not substantiate comments made with reasoning or source citation. An input of "I agree" or "Yes" or "No" or words to that effect are not acceptable.

Note on Academic Honesty: Students must do their own work. Students must respect the intellectual property of other persons. Therefore, students must cite all materials (from whatever source) that is used, quoted, or paraphrased. Failure to respect the intellectual property rights of other people will result in an automatic failing grade for the semester and in possible permanent dismissal from the University.

All students must always submit work that represents his or her original work, words, or ideas. If any words or ideas are used that do not represent origination from an individual student, the student must cite all relevant sources. The student should also document the extent to which such sources were used. Words or ideas that require citation include, but are not limited to, all hardcopies or electronic publications, whether copyrighted or not, and all verbal or visual communication when the content of such communication clearly originates from an identifiable source. Learn from other people! Build upon what they have learned! But don't steal from them!

Plagiarism Detection: At the instructor's discretion, work submitted in this course is subject to verification of originality, using the following service: www.turnitin.com

If you have questions about this course, send me an e-mail message.

Aug. 30 - Sept.5
Introduction to Course
Politics, Power, and Legitimacy
Butler Thread Opens
Required Readings: Butler, first half.

Sept. 6 - 12
Political Concepts
Required Readings: Butler, second half

Sept . 13 - 19
Butler paper due
Huxley Thread Opens
Democracy
Required Readings: Huxley, all

Sept. 20 - 26
Democracy; Elections
Review
Huxley paper due
Required Readings: none

Sept. 27 - Oct. 3
Online ConCon
Required Readings: Ehrenreich, first half

Oct. 4 - Oct 10
Test I
Political Ideologies
Ehrenreich Thread Opens
Required Readings: Ehrenreich, second half

Oct. 11 - 17
Review
Ehrenreich paper due
Asimov Thread Opens
Required Readings: Asimov, first half

Oct. 18 - 24
Test II
INS training
Required Readings: Asimov, second half

Oct. 25 - 31
INS training
Required Readings: Buck, first half

Nov. 1 - Nov. 7
Buck Thread Opens
INS training
Required Readings: INS materials; Buck, second half

Nov. 8 - 14
INS debriefing
Asimov paper due
Buck paper due
Required Readings: Card, all

Nov. 15 - 21
Review
Card Thread Opens
Required Readings: none

Nov. 22 - 28
Review
Required Readings: none.

Nov. 29 - Dec. 10
Card paper due
Review

Test III -- Final Exam

Note: Wednesday, December 1, is the last possible day that assignments and papers may be submitted.

Note: INS scheduled for Saturday November 6, 2010. (If for any reason a student is unable to participate in the INS that student will be required to read the first two books on the recommended reading list for the course, to write four-page critical essays on each of the two books (submit both a hard copy of the papers and submit an electronic copy as Word (.doc) attachments to an e-mail to the professor at drfarley@lhup.edu), and sit an examination on the two books in which major concepts developed in the course may be applied to the analysis of the two books.)

What is a ConCon? ConCon is an abbreviation for constitutional convention. A constitutional convention is a meeting where either a new constitution is drafted or where amendments to an existing constitution are considered. The current US constitution was drafted at a constitutional convention in 1787. Every state in the US has a state constitution and each one of those constitutions were drafted at a state constitutional convention.

We will be doing a one-week simulation of a US constitutional convention. Our ConCon will consider four possible amendments to the US constitution.

You will behave as a delegate to our simulated ConCon. Your task is to research the proposed amendments and to consider the arguments both for and against them. You are not trying to score debating points on people. You are considering together whether each of the four proposed amendments will improve the US constitution.

On the evening of the last day of our ConCon you will cast your vote on each of the four proposed amendments--voting either for or against each. A 2/3 majority is necessary for an amendment to be sent to the states for ratification.

You will participate in the debate on the four proposed amendments to the US constitution by logging-in to the eCompanion to our course and clicking on the ConCon navigation bar.

You will need to do some considerable research on the web to gain the background and understanding needed to debate these proposals.

Once the ConCon begins you participate in the debate on the four proposed amendments to the US Constitution by clicking on each of the four proposed amendments--just the same as though they were threaded discussions. (For a preview of the four proposed amendments you can go to the eCompanion and click on the ConCon navigation bar and then click on each of the four proposed amendments.

NOTE: The purpose of debate is to learn from each other--not to score points. So I want you to remain opened-minded during the early days of the ConCon and only make up your mind firmly on the last day of the ConCon. On the last day each delegate should post his/her final conclusions regarding each of the four proposed amendments.

Important Note: I do not want you to take positions based entirely on principle. It is not sufficient to merely stand on principle. You are morally obliged to consider the costs of standing on principle. For example, if standing on principle means that one innocent person dies as a consequence would you still stand on principle? if a thousand innocent people die? if a million people die? if the whole world would die? You see how at some point standing on principle must yield to balancing the value of the principle against the amount of harm pursuing the principle may cause.

Moral behavior is not stubborn adherence to principle--ask any parent, any school principal, anyone in authority. Moral behavior is always a balancing act where multiple principles and values must be balanced with each other in response to actual evidence of what adherence to principles does for good and/or for harm.