Y396
Assignment #4
A critical book review for Y396 Representation and Policy Making in the State Legislatures.
Length: Length: 6 pages, double-spaced.
12 point font, 1 inch margins.
Due: December 9, 2003.
Assignment 4 is the written portion of your book review. This is not to be a general book review for a general audience, but rather one which builds on and adds to the common knowledge of the class, including the class discussions and assigned common reading. You may also incorporate, as relevant, material from your research on your state.
There are two substantive goals of the assignment. First, capture in a meaningful, but reasonably succinct way, the primary objectives of the book on its own terms. That is, why did the author write the book? How did the author want the reader to think about state politics after reading the book? Then, how did the author go about trying to achieve his or her goals? How successful was the author in this? The second goal is to integrate the material and lessons or perspective of the book with the themes of the class. How does this add to what we have learned from from Rosenthal’s Decline of American Democracy? Where does this fit into our discussions and does it inform them, reinforce generalizations, or contradict general patterns? That is how does that book add to our understanding of state politics and policy?
Please feel free to email me if you have questions.
URL http://www.indiana.edu/~wright1/y396/
Comments to Professor Wright (wright1@indiana.edu)
Department of Political Science
Indiana University, Bloomington