Samson, Steven Alan

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Liberty UniversityDigitalCommons@LibertyUniversityFaculty Publications and Presentations Helms School of GovernmentSpring 2003Comparative Politics SyllabusSteven Alan SamsonLiberty University, ssamson@liberty.eduFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/gov_fac_pubsPart of the Other Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons, Political Science Commons, and thePublic Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration CommonsThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Helms School of Government at DigitalCommons@Liberty University. It has beenaccepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications and Presentations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Liberty University. For moreinformation, please contact scholarlycommunication@liberty.edu.Recommended CitationSamson, Steven Alan, "Comparative Politics Syllabus" (2003). Faculty Publications and Presentations. Paper 380.http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/gov_fac_pubs/380  Syllabus for Comparative Politics GOVT 330 – Spring 2003 Dr. Steven Alan Samson Liberty University School of Business and Government   I Course Description  An introduction to a variety of concepts and approaches to the study of the   domestic politics of other countries.      II. Rationale  This course directly supports Aims 1-10 of the Liberty University Statement of Purpose.  III. Prerequisite  GOVT 200 or GOVT 220, preferably both  IV. Materials List  Comparative Politics 01/02  [C] (at the reserve desk)  Kaplan, Robert D. Eastward to Tartary [K]  Magstadt, Thomas M. Nations and Governments, 4th ed.  [M]   Internet:  www.antiwar.com  www.countrywatch.com  www.fpri.org  http://www.ipl.org/reading/news/  http://www.lizardpoint.com/fun/geoquiz/index.html (map quizzes)  www.menewsline.com  www.stratfor.com  www.dir.yahoo.com/regional/countries  V. Course Objectives  1. The student will be exposed to a variety of concepts and social science   approaches to the study of international relations.   2. The student will learn how to analyze and compare the history, geography,  economies, governing institutions, and political behavior of contemporary nations, states, and international entities.   3. The student will thereby become better equipped to understand, participate in,   and evaluate international political processes.   VI. Graded Requirements and Options  1. Each student is responsible for completing reading assignments prior to class and should keep a loose leaf notebook of class materials. 2. Participation is an essential part of class.  Textbook chapters, collateral readings, and current events will be the subject of class commentary and discussions. 3. Students will be tested on the lecture and reading material through a series of seven tests that are to be taken at the scheduled time.  Students who miss a test because of some university sponsored activity must bring a written request before the date of the test if they wish to arrange to take a make-up test. 4. Unless otherwise specified, the make-up test (available only to those with signed medical or academic excuses) may be taken at 7:30 AM on the day of the next class session.   Sleeping in and lack of preparation are not valid excuses.  Each student will be graded on no fewer than seven test scores.  Make-up work may not be delayed more than a week. 5. Each student will make a brief (10-12 minutes) oral presentation in class on a country of his/her choice.  Restrictions: Countries covered in the Case Studies and countries with less than a million in population are ineligible (although mini- and microstates may be grouped together in a single report).  Short abstracts (3-5 pages) based on the Area Study outline should be provided at the time of presentation.  Yahoo.com has a Countries hyperlink on its web page.  Other sources of information, including Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn’s Intelligent American’s Guide to Europe, will be available at the reserve desk.  Presentations are graded on a pass/fail basis.  The lowest test score will be dropped upon satisfactory completion of the assignment.  6. Two pass/fail world map tests are scheduled for February 3 and 24. 7. The grading scale is 100-90=A, 89-80=B, 79-70=C, 69-60=D, 59 and below=F.  VII. Attendance  Students are supposed to arrive on time for every class meeting.  Students who are absent due to illness or emergency should notify the professor prior to class or soon afterward.  Excused absences include participation in university-sponsored events, serious illness (if accompanied by a physician's note), or a family emergency.  Persistent absences or tardiness will have a detrimental effect on grades.    VIII. Dress Code  Observe the Liberty Way.  Students who are not in appropriate campus attire will not be admitted to class.  Caps will not be worn in class.  Other than drinks, there will be no eating in the classroom.  IX. Office Location, Phone, E-Mail, Hours  School of Business and Government, DH 130 Phone: 582-2640 E-Mail: ssamson@liberty.edu Hours: MWF 1:20-2:10; TR 8-9:16; R 9:25-10:40, 1:40-2:55; and by appointment   CLASS SCHEDULE  January Wed. 15 Introduction Fri. 17 Landes; M. 1 Mon. 20 M. 1 Wed. 22 M. 1-2 Fri. 24 M. 2 Mon. 27 M. 2 Wed. 29 M. 3; FIRST TEST: Landes; M. 1-2 Fri. 31 M. 3 February Mon. 3 M. 3-4 Wed. 5 M. 4; FIRST MAP TEST: Europe and Latin America Fri. 7 M. 4;  Mon. 10 M. 5; SECOND TEST: M. 3-4 Wed. 12 M. 5  Fri. 14 M. 5-6 Mon. 17 M. 6 Wed. 19 M. 6; K. 1 Fri. 21 K. 2-3; THIRD TEST: M. 5-6   Mon. 24 K. 4-6  Wed. 26 K. 7-9; SECOND MAP TEST: Asia and Africa Fri. 28 K. 10-12 March Mon. 3 K. 13-14 Wed. 5 K. 15-16; FOURTH TEST: K. 1-14 Fri. 7 K. 17-20 Mon. 10 K. 21-23 Wed. 12 K. 24-26 Fri. 14 K. 27-28 Mon. 17 SPRING BREAK Wed. 19 SPRING BREAK Fri. 21 SPRING BREAK Mon. 24 M. 7 Wed. 26 M. 7; FIFTH TEST: K. 15-28 Fri. 28 M. 8 Mon. 31 M. 8 April Wed. 2 M. 9 Fri. 4 M. 9; SIXTH TEST: M. 7-8 Mon.  7 M. 10 Wed. 9 M. 10 Fri. 11 M. 11; PRESENTATIONS Mon. 14 M. 11; SEVENTH TEST: M. 9-10 Wed. 16 M. 12; PRESENTATIONS Fri. 18 M. 12; PRESENTATIONS Mon. 21 M. 13; PRESENTATIONS Wed. 23 M. 13; EIGHTH TEST: M. 11-12 Fri. 25 M. 14; PRESENTATIONS Mon. 28 M. 14; PRESENTATIONS Wed. 30 PRESENTATIONS May Fri. 2 PRESENTATIONS: NINTH TEST: M. 13-14    

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