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Unit 1: Introduction

Unit 1: Introduction. Ware pgs. 1-6 and D/W pgs. 3-10. Course Logistics: Information. Course syllabus, handouts, etc. can all be found on the course website: http://polisci2.ucsd.edu/ps137a/ NOTE: URL is case sensitive My office hours and location

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Unit 1: Introduction

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  1. Unit 1: Introduction Ware pgs. 1-6 and D/W pgs. 3-10

  2. Course Logistics: Information • Course syllabus, handouts, etc. can all be found on the course website: • http://polisci2.ucsd.edu/ps137a/ • NOTE: URL is case sensitive • My office hours and location • M/W 2:30-3:30in SSB 445 (dfisk@ucsd.edu)

  3. Course Logistics: Objectives • Objectives: • Introduce students to the study of political parties and party systems in comparative perspective. • Thematic Concepts: • 1) Formation of political parties • 2) Role of political parties • 3) Evolving function of parties and consequences for democracy • 4) Political parties and party system structure.

  4. Course Logistics: Course Grading • Participation -10% • Game Report -30% • Midterm Examination -30% • Final Examination -30%

  5. Course Logistics: Participation • We will generally open each lecture with a discussion of current events that tie into the material being presented. • I’ll try to tweet articles prior to lecture. • Twitter: ofse77 • If you find something interesting, please feel free to forward it to me. • Economist, Financial Times, BBC News are all great resources. • Some useful URLs are listed on the syllabus.

  6. Course Logistics: Papers • Game Report • There will be four games played in class; you must write on ONE of these games. • Games connect to central logic of course readings. • Whether you ‘win” or “lose’ in the games is irrelevant. • Objective: see how the logic detailed in the readings works in practice. • Reports should be 4-5 pgs. in length. • Will be due one week after the game is played in class. • Plan accordingly to avoid having two papers due in one week. • Midterm/Final Examination • Prompt will be distributed in class. • Midterm may deal with subjects associated with the games. • Examinations should be 5-7 pgs. in length. • Late papers/E-mail attachments are NOT accepted without valid documentation.

  7. Course Logistics: Readings • Dalton and Wattenberg. Parties without Partisans. • Mueller and Strom. Policy, Office, or Votes? • Ware. Political Parties and Party Systems • Reserve readings (electronic reserves). • In general, read Ware chapters first. • Ware: Read section A; skim section B based on interest. • Readings are extensive; necessary for course assignments. • Although the reading level is nothing compared to what you will do in your graduate studies. • You cannot do well on course assignments without doing the reading. • If you cannot commit to doing the reading you should not commit to taking the course. • URL on syllabus for strategies for tackling academic readings. • Hint: Read for the general idea/argument.

  8. Guiding Questions • What are political parties? • What are interest groups? • Why do we care about political parties? • What do political parties do? • Are political parties in decline?

  9. What Are Political Parties? • Several authors posit various criteria including: • 1) bring people together for the purpose of exercising power within the state. • 2) seek to use legitimate means for pursuing their ends. • 3) will contest elections where able. • 4) seek to represent more than a single interest in society. • 5) group people with similar beliefs, values, attitudes.

  10. What Are Political Parties? • Ware 1996 • Political parties: • 1) seek influence in a state often by attempting to occupy positions in government • 2) usually consist of more than a single interest in society and to some degree attempt to ‘aggregate interests’

  11. Political Parties vs. Interest Groups • Interest groups • 1) primarily interested in advancing a single interest or set of interests within a polity. • 2) organized outside of the state; seek to influence governments but generally. do not put forth candidates for office. • Both political parties and interest groups are involved in interest articulation (expressing citizen wants and needs). • Only political parties are interested in interest aggregation (combining citizen wants/needs to create coherent policy).

  12. Political Parties: Why Do We Care? • Political parties exist in most states regardless of regime type. • Where parties are suppressed, their absence is generally temporary. • Parties play a critical role in democratic systems. • Bryce (1921): “parties are inevitable: no free country has been without them; and no one has shown how representative government could work without them” • Schattschneider (1942): “modern democracy is unthinkable save in terms of political parties” • Aldrich (1995): “political parties lie at the heart of American politics” • Muller (2000): “European democracies are not only parliamentary democracies but also party democracies”

  13. Political Parties: Functions • If we buy the idea that political parties are crucial for the functioning of democracy, what do they do? • Key (1964) identified three functions that political parties serve: • Parties as Organizations • Parties in Government • Parties in the Electorate

  14. Parties as Organizations • Parties as organizations- • 1) Recruit political leadership • 2) Train political elites • 3) Articulate political interests • 4) Aggregate political interests

  15. Parties in Government • Parties in government- • 1) Create governmental majorities. • 2) Organize government. • 3) Implement policy objectives. • 4) Organize dissent and opposition. • 5) Ensure governmental responsibility. • 6) Control administration of government and promote stability.

  16. Parties in the Electorate • Parties in the electorate • 1) Simplify choices for voters. • 2) Educate citizens. • 3) Generate symbols of identification and loyalty. • 4) Mobilize participation

  17. Are Parties in Decline? • It is often stated that political parties are in decline. • Lower rates of party membership • Weaker turnout numbers • Rise of interest groups and social movements arguably threaten the central role of party in terms of interest aggregation (parties as organizations). • Declining levels of partisan identification weaken central role of party in fostering party loyalty and education voters (parties in the electorate). • Parties seem dominant in terms of dictating policy (parties in government). • Political parties as institutions are very responsive to change. • Some argue that political parties have responded by insulating themselves from political backlash • Others argue this opens the door to extreme parties.

  18. Next Unit • Theme: • Evolution and Development of Political Parties-Cadre Parties • Readings: • Aldrich, LaPalombara and Weiner, Neumann, Duverger • Theme: • Evolution and Development of Political Parties-Mass and Catch All Parties • Readings: • Kirchheimer, Epstein, Pizzorno

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