4/18/2024 9:13:44 AM	POLS 20 Course Outline as of Fall 1999	New Course (First Version)
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  POLS 20	Title:  POLITICAL POWER
Full Title:  Political Power: the Experience of American Cultural Groups
Last Reviewed:11/28/2005

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		17.5 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

An examination of how political power as expressed in government policy, laws, court opinions, social perceptions, social status indicators, and economic interests interplay and affect political participation rates.  The experiences of at least three groups:  African American, Asian American, Chicano/Latino American, European American, Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, and Americans of Middle Eastern origin will be explored, contrasted, and compared in this American Cultures course. From three to six groups will be examined and each will be given equal attention during the semester. Successful and unsuccessful responses to the government's use of political power will be analyzed.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

An examination of the uses of political power, especially governmental power, and its effect on at least three groups:  African American, Asian American, Chicano/Latino American, European American, Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, and Americans of Middle Eastern origin and their participation in the system.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;UC.
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:	Fall 1999	Inactive:	Summer 2010
Area:	G	American Cultures/Ethnic Studies
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
	D	Social Science		Fall 1999	Summer 2010
	D3	Ethnic Studies
	D8	Political Science, Govt, Legal Instutns
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
	4	Social and Behavioral Science		Fall 1999	Summer 2010
	4H	Political Science:Govt and Legal Instutn
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1999	Inactive:	Summer 2010
UC Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1999	Inactive:	Summer 2010
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Not Certificate/Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Outcomes and Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

OUTCOMES AND OBJECTIVES:

  Students will:

 1.  Evaluate the interplay of governmental policy, laws,

     court opinions, social perceptions, social and economic

     status indicators which all contribute to political power.

     Recognize that the use of this power, often negatively, impacts

     groups with "minority status."

 2.  Describe the role of the American government(s) in shaping the

     experiences of African American, Asian American, Chicano/Latino

     American, European American, Indigenous Peoples of the Americas,

     and Americans of Middle Eastern origin.

 3.  Analyze the struggles of these cultural groups to attain political

     power.

 4.  Compare and contrast the successful and unsuccessful responses of

     these groups to changing governmental policies and strategies.

 5.  Synthesize information from multiple sources: lectures, readings,

     and library research and come to an understanding of the

     uses/abuses of political power toward these groups.

 6.  Demonstrate sufficient research skills to complete term papers, and

     the necessary writing and intellectual abilities for integrating

     concepts and themes on essay exams.

Topics and Scope

I.  INTRODUCTION

   1. Review principles, values, and structure of the American

      government.

   2. Review major documents supporting #1 and identify

      contradictions.

   3. Understand concepts and terms, for example:  republicanism,

      democracy, political equality, political liberty, identity,

      racism, sexism, prejudice, discrimination.

   4. Use statistical data to create socio-economic markers that measure

      political participation and success.

   5. Create a matrix of principles, values, perceptions, and socio-

      economic "markers" that support full political participation.

II. REVIEW THE POLITICAL EXPERIENCES OF AT LEAST THREE GROUPS:  AFRICAN

   AMERICAN, ASIAN AMERICAN, CHICANO/LATINO AMERICAN, EUROPEAN

   AMERICAN, INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE AMERICAS, AMERICANS OF MIDDLE

   EASTERN ORIGIN

   1. Review selected documents, essays and experiences to compare and

      contrast each groups' struggle for political rights.

   2. With the above matrix determine how each group has succeeded,

      or failed.

   3. Understand examples of the different government strategies and

      policies used to impede or enhance a group's fulfillment of its

      rights of political participation.

   4. Understand the adaptive responses each group had to #3.

III. THE INTEGRATION OF I AND II

   1. Draw conclusions on what it takes to "succeed" politically in

      America.

   2. Draw conclusions on what each particular group will need to do to

      improve its political position vis-a-vis the American government.

Assignments:

1. Regular attendance and extensive note taking in class is expected and

  assumed.

2. Read and study assigned chapters and articles for class discussion and

  analysis.

3. Conduct original research read and write papers (3 minimum) in response

  to assignments.

4. Prepare for and write integrative essays for mid-term and final exams.

5. Participate in class discussions, debates, and exercises as assigned.

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 40 - 80%
Essay exams, Term papers, College-level reading and writing abilities
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 20 - 60%
Homework problems, Exams, Analysis of statistical data
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 0 - 0%
None
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 0 - 0%
None
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 0%
None

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

This course will primarily rely on selected articles and essays from

several books, anthologies, and journals. However, the major works

include:

FROM MANY, ONE: READINGS IN AMERICAN POLITICAL AND SOCIAL THOUGHT, Richard

C. Sinopoli, Georgetown University Press, 1997.

RACE, CLASS AND GENDER:  AN ANTHOLOGY, Margaret L. Andersen and Patricia

Hill Collins, Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1998.

A DIFFERENT MIRROR:  A HISTORY OF MULTICULTURAL AMERICA, Ronald Takaki,

Little Brown and Company, 1993.

IRON CAGES: RACE AND CULTURE IN NINETEENTH-CENTURY AMERICA, Oxford

University Press, 1990.

MAJOR PROBLEMS IN AMERICAN IMMIGRATION AND ETHNIC HISTORY, Jon Gjerde,

Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998.

MAJOR PROBLEMS IN AMERICAN WOMEN'S HISTORY, Mary Beth Norton and Ruth M.

Alexander, D.C. Heath and Company, 1996.

MAJOR PROBLEMS IN AMERICAN INDIAN HISTORY, Alberto L. Hurtado and Peter

Iverson, D.C. Heath and Company, 1994.

Print PDF