Department of Political Science
Department of Political Science
Norfolk State University
POS 315: Blacks in the Political Process (3 credit hours)
Course Outline
Summer 2014Mini-TermInstructor:
Dr. Rudolph Wilson, Professor
Office Location:Brown Hall, Room B-212
Phone Number:Office: 823-9575
Email:
[email protected]
Office Hours:
Class Meeting:
Course Description
This course is designed to provide an overview of African
Americans in the American political process with a special focus on
the development of a frame of reference to analyze that process.
The student will be asked to read a wide variety of materials.
This course will utilize both lecture-discussion and seminar
techniques. Grades will be based on oral and written seminar
examinations especially, the mid-term and final exams. Class
discussion will constitute a significant part of the grade.
Course Rationale
African American Politics is offered as a cultural elective as
partial fulfillment of required courses in the core curriculum. It
is intended to enhance students knowledge of the African American
experience as central to understanding the American democratic
experience both historical and contemporize by revealing the
political aspects of those experiences.
Course Goals and Objectives
To familiarize the student with the various frames of reference
used to describe the context of the African-America politics;
To provide a general scope of the types of political
participation Africa-Americas have engaged in throughout American
history;
To familiarize the student with the various political
institutions and economic structures that has impacted
African-American political participation;
To familiarize the student with the role relationship between
state and national laws and African-American political
participation.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will learn how to analyze and identify specific content
that pertain to the African American political experience within
the following contexts
a. identify and evaluate frames of reference that best explain
the African American political experience
b. determine and describe how history is used to properly place
the African American experience
c. to recite and interpret with historical specificity
significant political events that have shaped the African American
experience
d. to explain and compare the roles of state and national
governments in shaping the African American political experience by
examining, constitutional provisions, congressional acts, state
statutory restrictions, and US court decisions and presidential
actions
e. to compare the role of social movements and political
organizations in shaping the political behavior of Americans across
race and ethnicity
f. to provide a synthesis of future patterns of political
behavior that will likely shaped African American politics based
upon various chapters taught in the course
Course Materials/Required Text(s)
Hanes Walton Jr. and Robert C. Smith American Politics and the
African American Quest for Universal Freedom 5th Edition. Pearson
Education Inc.Primary Method(s) of Instructions/Methods to Engage
Students
Lectures, group assignments, internet assignments, oral
presentations and research assignments for the production of term
papers. This is also a blended course therefore much of the course
instruction materials will be accessed through BlackboardCourse
Outline/Calendar
Week 1: May 18- 24 Introduction and Overview
L.S. Stavrianos. Global Rift: The Third World Comes of Age. pp.
74-98. NotesTheSociological Imagination: Uses of History, C. Wright
Mills. (Summary notes)
A. Lerone Bennett "The First Generation, in Lerone Bennett, The
Shaping of Black America pp. 5-35 (summary notes)
B.Vincent Harding, "American Bondage, American Freedom: Vincent
Harding, There is a River. pp 24-51. (Required reading)
Chapters 1-3 Textbook by Walton and Smith
Week2: May 25- May 31Frames of reference four models.Freedom on
the Boarder, African Slaves and American Indians Coalition. See
course document section of virtue meeting roomWeek 3: June 1- June
7A historical review of Black Politics 1863- 1905The Civil Rights
Record by Richard Bardolph, required reading), course document
section of course roomJ Morgan Kousser, The two Reconstruction,
required reading, course document section of course room.Read
chapters 4 -7 Textbook by Walton and SmithWeek4: June 8- 14Jim Crow
and African American Political Empowerment
V.O. Key, Southern Politics (chapter one, course document
section black board)
The Supreme Court and The Politics of Uncertainty (located in
course document section of course room).Week5: June 15- 21 African
American Interest Groups, Barker, Jones and Tate, African Americans
and The American Political System (chapter seven located in virtue
reading room)
Chapters 7-10 textbook Walton and Smith Week 6: June
22-28Materials on Black Nationalism and Black Reparations and Final
ExaminationRelated University-Wide and Course-Specific
Requirements
This Course has a service-learning component infused in to the
Syllabus which offers experiential opportunity as an enhancement
for elating class theories to the real world and connects
disciplines rationale to the career skills that may be used in your
future areas of employment. This service activity benefits the
students, the community and the university.
This activity will include the following competencies, as
appropriate or for assessment purposes in this course.
Writing (Reflection journaling, essay structure, content and
format)
Information technology literacy (necessary for required research
paper)
Oral communication (interacting with the community)
Critical Thinking (application of problem solving skills)
Co-Curricular requirements (civic engagement, attending cultural
activities and attending lectures
Project Objectives
1. To become more civically and socially involved in affecting
change and engaging in dialogue and collaborative opportunities
within the community to serve.
2. To develop critical and creative thinking skills for
addressing and making meaningful decision about national and
international service.
Evaluation/Assessment Methods
1. Each student will be required to submit a type-written
research paper on a major African American politics problem (10
double spaced typed pages)
2. Four examinations during the semester period. Testing will be
in the form of essay questions. Dates of examinations will be
announced.
3. Every student is expected to participate actively in class
discussion and class projects.
Class Participation. 5%Written
Reports..................................................10%
Four
Exams.........................................................75%
Grading Standards/Evaluation Criteria
A+ 95%-100%A- 90%-94%
B+ 85%-89%
B 81%-84% B- 78%-80%
C+ 75 %-77%
C 71%-74%C- 68%-70%
D+ 65%-67%D 62%-64%
D- 60%-61%F Below 60%
Academic Integrity Standards
Students attendance is based on university policy. Roll will be
taken to monitor class attendance. Students who are late for class
15 minutes or more will be counted absent on the third offense.
Blackboard Instructions
Students taking this course online through blackboard should do
the following:
Log onto blackboard by using your NSU email address (ex.
[email protected]). Once the student is onto blackboard, follow the
links that provide for announcements, course information,
assignments, etc. In addition, students should anticipate email
messages on assignment and other information about the course
accessible through blackboard.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Statement
In accordance with Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act
and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, if you have
a disability or think you have a disability, contact Supporting
Students through Disability Services (SSDS) for information
regarding programs and services to enhance student success
Location: 2nd Floor/Lyman B. Brooks Library, Room 240
Contact Person: Marian E. Shepherd, Disability Services
Coordinator
Telephone: 757-823-2014
University Assessment Statement
As part of NSUs commitment to provide the environment and
resources needed for success, students may be required to
participate in a number of university-wide assessment activities is
to determine the extend to which the universitys programs and
services maintain a high level of quality and meet the needs of
students. Students will not be identified in the analysis of
results. Unless indicated otherwise by the instructor, results from
University assessment activities will not be computed in student
grades.
