POLITICAL PARTIES & ELECTIONS, FALL 2008

DAILY SCHEDULE – TOPICS, READING ASSIGNMENTS

This webpage has links to all handouts distributed in class; click on links in the "Topics covered" column for the handouts. Additional readings and exam study guides are also linked below. If this schedule changes for some reason, this webpage will be changed and should be considered the "official" schedule; I promise not to change the schedule without alerting you first!

Assignments

Date Topics covered Reading & announcements

W September 3	Introduction to the study of parties and elections	None
F September 5	A brief look at the 2008 presidential race so far	Reading posted here plus one additional page on Colorado
M September 8	American political parties and the 2-party system	Hershey 1, 2
W September 10	Third parties in the U.S. system	Reading on third parties posted here
F September 12	Party organizations: local, state, national	Hershey 3, 4

M September 15	The presidential selection process	Wayne 1
W September 17	Campaign finance	Wayne 2; Hershey 12
F September 19	Has the campaign finance system collapsed?	Reading on campaign finance posted here
M September 22	The nature of the American electorate	Wayne 3	Election paper assignments will be posted by today
W September 24	Political participation and voter turnout	Hershey 8; B&F 1
F September 26	Party identification, political activism	Hershey 5, 6; B&F 3	First exam study guide posted by today; first presidential debate scheduled for this evening
M September 29	Political coalitions and change over time	Hershey 7; B&F 2
W October 1	Party and electoral rules	Wayne 4	Vice presidential debate scheduled for October 2
F October 3	FIRST EXAM
M October 6	Presidential nomination politics	Wayne 5, Appendix B; Hershey 9	Second presidential debate scheduled for October 7
W October 8	NO CLASS		NOBEL CONFERENCE
F October 10	Transitioning from nominations to the general election	Wayne 6
M October 13	The 2008 election through the conventions: an overview and assessment	Sizemore, “How Obama Did It” Barnes, “Party Time” [McCain road to nomination] Baudinet, “Convention Comparisons”	By this time, you should be following your assigned election closely
W October 15	General election strategies and tactics	Wayne 7	Third (final) presidential debate scheduled for this evening
F October 17	The roles of polling and the internet	B&F 4, 6
M October 20	NO CLASS		FALL BREAK
W October 22	The 2008 elections: checking in	Reading posted here
F October 24	Media roles and strategies	Wayne 8

M October 27	Media bias, negative campaigning	B&F 5, 7
W October 29	Understanding electoral outcomes	Wayne 9
F October 31	Party differences, image, the myth of national elections	B&F 8, 9, 11
M November 3	Congressional elections	B&F 10	Election prediction paper due TODAY by 4:30 pm; second exam study guide posted by today
W November 5	2008 election review	2008 voter exit polls to be distributed
F November 7	2008 election review, day 2; review for second exam	No additional reading
M November 10	SECOND EXAM
W November 12	Explaining class and cultural divides	Split 1, 2
F November 14	Party and public stances on class divisions	Split 3, 4
M November 17	NO CLASS		Chris @ conference
W November 19	Cultural changes and their political implications	Split 5, 6
F November 21	Public views of cultural issues	Split 7	wouldn’t it be nice to have your election analysis paper done before break?! J
M November 24	Evaluating the Split hypothesis in light of 2008 election results	Split 8; 2008 exit polls
W November 26	NO CLASS		THANKSGIVING BREAK
F November 28	NO CLASS		THANKSGIVING BREAK
M December 1	Party roles in legislative politics	Hershey 13
W December 3	Party roles in the executive branch and courts	Hershey 14; Gibson, “Nastier, Noisier, Costlier – and Better”
F December 5	Responsible party government: consequences and concerns	Hershey 15	Election analysis paper due TODAY by 4:30 pm
M December 8	Electoral reform	Wayne 10	final exam study guide posted by today
W December 10	The future of party and electoral politics	Hershey 16
F December 12	Concluding thoughts, review for final exam	None	time is set aside today for final exam review, course evaluation

Monday, December 15 (first day of final exams)