Politics and Parties

Me Dr. Casey Dominguez Office: 254 IPJ Office Hours: 1 hour after class MWF 11:05-12:05 also TuTh 10:40-11:40 Website: E-Reserve Password: POLS313

Policies Tardiness: It’s rude. I notice. I do not repeat information. Late papers: 1/3 grade for every day late Cheating: I will report you to the Dean for even a minor infraction. –All papers must be uploaded to turnitin.com.

Politics and Parties

Politics and Parties Parties and Interest Groups

What is a political party? “A party is a body of men united, for promoting by their joint endeavors the national interest, upon some particular principle in which they are all agreed.” Edmund Burke, 1770

What is a political party? “A coalition of men seeking to control the governing apparatus by legal means.” Anthony Downs, 1957

What is a political party? “A coalition of elites to capture and use political office…but…more than a coalition…an institutionalized coalition, one that has adopted rules, norms, and procedures.” John Aldrich, 1995

What is a political party? “A durable social formation which seeks offices or power in government, exhibits a structure…which links leaders at the centers of government to a significant popular following in the political arena and its local enclaves, and generates in-group perspectives or at least symbols of identification or loyalty.” William Nisbet Chambers (1967)

What is a political party? It aims to promote certain policies It inspires loyalty among voters who agree with those policies It works to gain power in government –By nominating and fighting for the election of candidates It is an organization with rules It also organizes coalitions within government, simplifying policymaking

3 ways to think about party Party as organization Party in the electorate (and in elections) Party in government

What is an interest group? A group in society That tries to influence government That is not a part of the government That may or may not have a membership base That does NOT run candidates for office

Syllabus Organization Why are we conflicted about the merits of parties and interest groups? How do interest groups and parties overcome organizational challenges? How do interest groups and parties relate to the public at large? How do interest groups and parties participate in elections? How do interest groups and parties participate in the governing process?

Assignments 25% Participant observation paper, including outlines and drafts 25% Analytical essay (with research component), including outlines and drafts 25% Final Exam NO MIDTERM 10% “Pop” reading quizzes 5% Oral Presentation 5% Peer editing 5% Class participation and prompt attendance

Paper #1 “Participant observation” 1.Attend a meeting of a political party, or a group that has some political goals, either on campus or in the community. (Since many groups only have meetings once a month, or less often, you will need to choose this group and ask permission to attend the meeting ASAP).

Paper #1 Observe how the group is run, the demographic characteristics of the members or attendees, and the substance of the discussion. What do you observe the group’s goals to be? What do you think are the biggest obstacles to their success in achieving those goals? Are they aware of those obstacles? What could they do to overcome them?

Paper #1 1.At the meeting or elsewhere, interview the group’s leader and at least two other members of the group. Ask them how they, personally, got involved with the group, how much of their time it takes, and why they choose to participate. Also ask them what the group’s short and long term goals are, what resources they need to achieve those goals, and how they will get those resources.

Paper #1 Write an 8-10 page essay that MAKES AN ARGUMENT in answer to the following questions, relating your observations substantively to the material we’ve discussed in class: –What are the prospects for this group achieving its political goals? –How does it deal with the collective action problems it faces? –If you were the leader of the group, would you do anything differently to achieve your group’s goals?

Paper #2 A choice: An analysis of one way in which interest groups or parties fail to serve democracy, with explanations for why this situation exists, and arguments for how to improve it. Research about a public policy issue, and the ways that interest groups and parties approach it and deal with it. Analyze the ways in which the public good about this issue is achieved or not, with a focus on the role that interest groups and parties play in that process.