Course   PS  566:    Contemporary  American  Political  Thought    Course  Learning  Objectives  

 Students  in  PS  566  will:    

(CLO1)  KNOW  key  ideas  and  arguments  in  contemporary  American  political  thought.    (CLO2)  ANALYZE  the  relationship  between  contemporary  American  political  thought  and  the  American  founding.    (CLO3)  EVALUATE  recent  political  rhetoric  in  the  context  of  contemporary  American  political  thought.    (CLO4)  CREATE  a  rigorous  account  of  their  own  political  thinking  in  the  context  of  key  ideas  and  arguments  in  contemporary  American  political  thought.    

Unit   Week  9:    Pluralism  and  Power  Elite  Theory    Unit  Learning  Objectives  

                             LO1:    Know  key  concepts  and  arguments  of  pluralism  and  power  elite  theory                                LO2:    Analyze  relationship  of  pluralism  and  power  elite  theory  to  previous  course  material  

                             LO3:    Evaluate  applicability  of  pluralism  and  power  elite  theory  to  contemporary  U.S.    

Pre-­‐Class  Activity  1   Introduction  Description   Locates  idea  of  “end  of  ideology”  in  context  of  post-­‐WWII  “consensus;”    Identifies  pluralism  and  power  elite  theory  as  

alternative  accounts  of  distribution  of  power  in  post-­‐WWII  United  States;  poses  specific  questions  for  students  to  consider  as  they  do  readings  

Delivery  Modailty   Online  (html  file  on  Learn@UW)  Assessment   Online  Quiz  Learning  Objectives   LO1,  LO2  Time  on  Task   15  minutes  Required  knowledge   Knowledge  of  previous  course  readings  and  themes  

 Pre-­‐Class  Activity  2   Readings  Description   Students  will  read  excerpts  from  Daniel  Bell,  “End  of  Ideology;”  Robert  Dahl,  “Who  Governs?;”  and  C.  Wright  Mills,  “The  

Power  Elite”  Delivery  Modailty   Norton  Anthology  of  American  Political  Thought;  PDFs  (on  Learn@UW)  Assessment   Online  Quiz  Learning  Objectives   LO1  Time  on  Task   120  minutes  Required  knowledge   Knowledge  of  introduction  (pre-­‐class  activity  1)  

 Pre-­‐Class  Activity  3   Critical  Reader  Description   Students  will  access  critical  reader  (CR).    CR  provides  further  context  for  readings,  including  Madison’s  FP  #  10;  links  

readings  to  previous  course  material,  especially  Frank  Meyer  readings;  uses  interactive  tools  to  encourage  analysis  of  readings  

Delivery  Modailty   Online  (published  on  Learn@UW)  Assessment   Embedded  informal  self-­‐assessments;  Online  Quiz  Learning  Objectives   LO1,  LO2  Time  on  Task   40  minutes  Required  knowledge   Knowledge  of  introduction,  readings  and  previous  course  themes  Pre-­‐Class  Activity  4   View  “Obama’s  Deal”  Description   Students  will  view  Frontline  documentary  “Obama’s  Deal,”  which  tells  story  of  legislative  process  that  produced  the  

Affordable  Care  Act.  Delivery  Modailty   Online;  video  embedded  in  Critical  Reader,  with  full  transcript  provided  Assessment   Formative  during  in-­‐class  activities  Learning  Objectives   LO3  Time  on  Task   60  minutes  Required  knowledge   Knowledge  of  introduction,  readings,  critical  reader  

 Pre-­‐Class  Activity  5   Online  Team  Discussion       **  New  teams  forming,  so  no  online  team  discussion  this  week;  time  for  team  discussion  replaced  by  time  spent  

watching  “Obama’s  Deal  **    

In-­‐Class  Activity  1   Team  Discussion    Description   Students  will  meet  in  teams.      Teams  1,  3,  5  take  on  perspective  of  pluralism.    Teams  2,  4,  6  take  on  perspective  of  

power  elite  theory.    Each  team  1)  reviews  main  points  of  their  assigned  theory;  2)  locates  3  pieces  of  evidence  from  “Obama’s  Deal”  that  support  their  theory;  and  3)  identifies  another  issue  in  contemporary  politics  that  confirms  their  theory.  

Delivery  Modailty   Face-­‐to-­‐face  in  teams;  Instructor  and  T.A.  drop-­‐ins  Assessment   Formative  through  drop-­‐ins  and  during  full  class  discussion;  Team  Project  2;  Individual  Project  2  Learning  Objectives   LO1,  L03  Time  on  Task   25  Required  knowledge   Knowledge  of  introduction,  readings,  critical  reader,  “Obama’s  Deal”  

 In-­‐Class  Activity  2   Combined  Team  Discussion    Description   Teams  combine:    1  &  2;  3  &  4;  5  &  6.      Each  pair  of  teams  works  towards  consensus  on  whether  pluralism  or  power  elite  

theory  best  explains  process  and  politics  of  health  care  reform  Delivery  Modailty   Face-­‐to-­‐face  in  teams;  Instructor  and  T.A.  drop-­‐ins  Assessment   Formative  through  drop-­‐ins  and  during  full  class  discussion;  Team  Project  2;  Individual  Project  2  Learning  Objectives   LO1,  L03  Time  on  Task   20  Required  knowledge   Knowledge  of  introduction,  readings,  critical  reader,  “Obama’s  Deal”  

 In-­‐Class  Activity  3   Full  Class  Discussion  Description   Teams  share  results  of  In-­‐class  activities  1  and  2;  Instructor  probes  for  knowledge,  analysis,  evaluation  of  week’s  

material  and  themes.  Delivery  Modailty   Face-­‐to-­‐face,  full  class  discussion  moderated  by  instructor  Assessment   Formative  during  full  class  discussion;  Team  Project  2;  Individual  Project  2  Learning  Objectives   LO1,  LO2,  L03  Time  on  Task   30  Required  knowledge   Knowledge  of  introduction,  readings,  critical  reader,  “Obama’s  Deal”