Introduction to Political Science
Syllabus
2nd semester, 2010
Department of Political Science
Alexandria University
Instructor: Dr. Abdel-Fattah Mady,
Assistant Professor of Political Science
Dept. of Political Science,
Faculty of Commerce, Alexandria University
Office: 3rd floor, Dean’s Building
Website: www.abdelfattahmady.net
E-mail: polisci.mady@gmail.com
Class: Group B: Sunday 2-5 (Room 602), Group C Sunday 11-2 (Auditorium 3), Group E Thursday 11-2 (Room 402)
Office Hours: Sunday 11.00 AM -1.00 PM, Wednesday 10 – 11 & by appointment.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to give students a basic introduction to the academic discipline known as political science. It is intended to help students to better understand the environment in which political decisions are made and governments operate. For example, what are the basic tasks and forms of government? What does it mean to be a citizen? What do we mean by: constitution, parliament and human rights? How do we differentiate between democratic systems and authoritarian systems? How do we distinguish between democratic elections and non-democratic elections? What are the various forms of political participation? What does it mean to be a member in a political party? What do we mean by: foreign policy, international law and the United Nations? Through a focus on such political themes, students will become familiar with the main components of political science as a discipline of study, and will gain an enriched appreciation of the complexity of politics.
The material covered in the course will be very broad but not very deep, in the hope that it will pave the way to more intensive readings and advanced courses in the field.
Learning outcomes
At the conclusion of the course, students will be able to:
1. Explain the discipline of political science, its scope, significance, methodology, and components.
2. Understand the basic theoretical concepts of the field of political science, such as: power, nation, state, government, citizenship, political conflict, etc.
3. Identify and explain some major political forces/structures, such as: politics within formal government, politics outside formal government, politics among nations, human rights, and democracy & authoritarianism.
4. Explain current political issues utilizing the tools of political science.
5. Acquire the skills of working independently and develop the experience of working in groups.
6. Obtain skills in dealing with the application of some of educational and communication tools and online facilities in the field of political science.
TEXTS
The vast majority of assigned readings can be found in the following textbook. (Occasionally, students will be asked to read additional material, which will be available on the Internet or on reserve at dept. of political science, the secretary’s office):
- Andrew Heywood, Politics, 2nd edition, Hampshire & New York: Palgrave Mcmillan, 2002. (Heywood)
Course Evaluation
The following responsibilities apply to all students: (Students’ responses count towards their final grade)
1. Attend class sessions and take notes.
2. Read assigned chapters from the books.
3. Participate in class activities and Online discussions.
4. Complete an unspecified number of short, unannounced, in-class quizzes and take-home assignments on the reading and class discussions.
5. Complete mid-term and final exams.
Course Ethics & Rules
I require all students to adhere to the university’s academic integrity code. I will not tolerate instances of cheating, plagiarism, falsification, or other violations of the university ethics. Observing ethical conduct in class is crucial and account. The rules on academic integrity are available at my 'teaching' page at (www.abdelfattahmady.net). Students should read and understand these rules. Neither ignorance of this policies nor the lack of an intention to cheat or plagiarize will be considered a legitimate defense. Students should raise any concerns and questions they have with the professor before problems arise.
If you have a cell phone, please make sure to turn it off once you are in the class. No late assignments will be accepted. If any student has special needs he/she should notify the instructor of his/her situation at the beginning of the term in order to make all necessary arrangements. If you have questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to bring them up in class or at office hours.
Topics & Related readings
Foundations and Basic Terms
· Politics and political science
· Political science subject matter
· How to study politics?: Methods
· What is politics?
The Nation, the State & Authority
· The concept of nation
· The concept of state
· The state and sovereignty
· The structure of the state: unitary state – federal state
· Authority
· Legitimacy
· The concept of citizenship
Government
· What is government?
· Basic tasks of government
· Constitutions & Judiciary
· The legislature
· The executive
Political Systems: Democracy and Authoritarianism
· What is democracy?
· Models of democracy
· What is authoritarianism?
· Forms of authoritarianism
Political Life:
· Political parties and party systems
· Democratic elections & voting behavior
· Interest groups
International Relations:
· International relations
· Foreign policy
· International law & organizations
& Online Discussions
coming soon
& Class Activities
&
Assignments
The American political scientist Robert Dahl argues that political science is about studying power – power and power relations at different levels of society and in all possible forms. Name a person, group, organization, or state and then explain its:
scope of power and its magnitude,
Resources or power, &
styles of exercising power.
Copyright 2007 - 2010 © Abdel-Fattah Mady. All rights reserved
