First 10 weeks only.
Why should we care about politics?  This course seeks to explore the
ways in which seemingly distant, dry politics reverbrate in immediate
and exciting ways upon our lives.  Likely controversies to be covered
include: Affirmative action, drug legalization, the death penalty, US
policy toward Iraq, and same-sex unions (gay marriages).  Other
possible candidates for  discussion include the I-69 controversy,
hate crimes legislation, and the School of the Americas.  As we
examine these controversies we will also turn our gaze to fundamental
skills of reasoning, and will consider one author's argument that
much of what we think of as national politics may be a "spectacle"
structured to impede real political participation.  The final
assignment asks students to become involved in politics by writing a
letter advocating a policy course to a relevant decision-maker in any
controversy not covered by the class. No prior background in
political science is required.  Grade based on quizzes, short writing
assignments, final exam, and final project.
Regular class attendence is required.