Final Exam - Monday, 12/15 OR Wednesday, 12/17

Please remember that your final exam is scheduled for next week. As I have told you, you may take the exam on EITHER Monday, December 15, or Wednesday, December 17, during normal class time. For your mid-term, you will be randomly assigned TWO of the following three questions:

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of parliamentary and presidential systems of government? Which do you think is a better system?
2. How do different electoral systems affect political parties?
3. Why do countries go to war? How can they avoid war?

Remember also that you can bring ONE 3x5" INDEX CARD with you into the exam. (Do NOT try to take advantage of this; use the card for essay outlines.) I will have final papers available on Wednesday the 17th if you'd like to pick them up, either after the exam or in my office (NGT 456) during the day. Happy studying.

No assignment for Monday, 12/8

There is no assignment for next week. Instead, we will be watching the film, "Why We Fight," about some possible reasons behind war.

Assignment for Wednesday, 12/3

Please note that there is NO CLASS on EITHER Wednesday, November 24, or Monday, December 1. Our next class is Wednesday, December 3. A number of assignments and optional assignments are due on that date:

• Your final paper drafts are due, with sources attached (if I returned a first draft with comments to you, this should be attached as well).
• Read Shively's Chapter 18, "Global Politics." This reading, which we will discuss in class, is your last assigned reading eligible for a summary.
• HOWEVER, you are also allowed to submit a SECOND summary, for Shively chapter 16, "Bureacracy and the Public Sector," which we discussed in class before Thanksgiving.

So for December 3, bring your final paper draft, and up to 2 summaries. E-mail me if you have any questions, about this schedule or the paper. And finally, enjoy your holiday!

Assignment for Monday, 11/24

For Monday, read Chapter 17 in Shively, "Law and the Courts." Feel free to summarize.

Assignment for M-W, 11/17-19

For next week, read the following TWO chapters of Shively:

• Chapter 14, "Parliamentary Government"
• Chapter 15, "Presidential Government"

You can summarize ONE of these readings.

SCHEDULE NOTE: I will be out of town for part of next week, so we're shuffling classes. Note the following changes to the syllabus:

• Students in the 10am class: we'll discuss parliamentary/presidential government on Monday, 11/17, but there is NO CLASS on WEDNESDAY, 11/19.
• Students in the 5:50pm class: there is NO CLASS on MONDAY, 11/17; we'll discuss parliamentary/presidential government on Wednesday, 11/19.
• The optional paper drafts are due on Wednesday 11/19, either by 5:30pm in my office, NGT 456 (10am class) or at the beginnning of class (5:50pm class).

If you have any questions about the schedule, please let me know.

Assignment for Wednesday, 11/12

For Wednesday, please read the following two chapters in Shively:

• Chapter 12, "Structured Conflict: Interest Group and Politics"
• Chapter 13, "Social Movements and Contentious Politics"

You may submit ONE summary for EITHER chapter. (Do NOT submit one summary for both chapters; do NOT try to submit two summaries.)

PLEASE NOTE that there will be some changes to the class schedule next week (and to my morning students, some changes to even what I told you in class). I will make announcements in class on Wednesday; if you miss class on Wednesday, pay close attention to this website for updates.

Assignment for Monday, 11/10

For Monday, read Chapter 11 in Shively, "Parties: A Linking and Leading Mechanism in Politics." Feel free to write a summary for this reading. (Many of you need to start doing so regularly.)