The Polarization of American Politics (Undergraduate, 2016)

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POLS 4615: THE POLARIZATION OF AMERICAN POLITICS

Fall Semester AY2016-2017
Department of Political Science
University of Georgia
Athens, GA, 30602-1615

Classroom: 309 Sanford Hall
Time: 2:30 - 3:20PM Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Instructor: Keith T. Poole

Office: Room 304D Baldwin Hall
E-Mail: ktpoole@uga.edu
WebSite: Voteview Home Page

Office Hours: By Appointment

The following texts will be used in this course:

Daniel Hopkins and John Sides. 2015. Political Polarization in American Politics

James A. Thurber and Antoine Yoshinaka (eds.). 2015. American Gridlock: The Sources, Character, and Impact of Political Polarization.

Nolan M. McCarty, Keith T. Poole, and Howard Rosenthal. 2016. Polarized America (2nd ed.)

Requirements

Grades will be determined by three examinations -- two mid-semester exams and a final exam. The exams will consist of short answer essay questions. The midterms will be worth Ľ each and the final 1/2 of the course grade.

The first exam is scheduled for Friday, 23 September 2016, 2:30 - 3:20PM.
The second exam is scheduled for Friday, 21 October 2016, 2:30 - 3:20PM.
The final is scheduled for Wednesday, 7 December 2016, 3:30 - 5:30PM.

Course Outline

Introduction: What is Political Polarization and Why Does it Matter?

Assignment:
- Chapter 1, Polarized America
- Chapter 1, Political Polarization in American Politics
How do We Measure Congressional Polarization?

Assignment:
- Chapter 2, Polarized America
- "Measuring Ideology"
- "The Decline and Rise of Party Polarization in Congress During the Twentieth Century." Extensions, Fall 2005.
- "The Roots of the Polarization of Modern U. S. Politics." Revista de Ciencia Politica, December, 2008.
- Growing Apart: The Mathematical Evidence for Congress' Growing Polarization, by Jordan Ellenberg
  (Note that the links to voteview.uh.edu should be k7moa.com. The pages are still on the website.)
Party Polarization of the Voters

Assignment:
- Chapters 3 and 4, Polarized America
- Chapters 1 to 5, American Gridlock
- Chapters 2 to 9, Political Polarization in American Politics
- "An Empirical Analysis of Racial Differences in Police Use of Force," by Roland G. Fryer, Jr
First Exam Study Questions
Polarization in National Institutions

Assignment:
- Chapter 5, Polarized America
- Chapters 6 to 11, American Gridlock
Second Exam Study Questions
Polarization in the News Media

Assignment:
- Chapters 12 to 15, American Gridlock
- Chapters 10 to 17, Political Polarization in American Politics
- DW-NOMINATE Movie Channel on YouTube
The Public Policy Consequences of Political Polarization

Assignment:
- Chapter 6 and 7, Polarized America
- Chapter 16, American Gridlock
- Chapters 21 to 26, Political Polarization in American Politics
Final Exam Study Questions

Site Links

NOMINATE Data, Roll Call Data, and Software

Course Web Pages: University of Georgia (2010 - )

Course Web Pages: UC San Diego (2004 - 2010)

University of San Diego Law School (2005)

Course Web Pages: University of Houston (2000 - 2005)

Course Web Pages: Carnegie-Mellon University (1997 - 2000)

Analyzing Spatial Models of Choice and Judgment with R

Spatial Models of Parliamentary Voting

Recent Working Papers

Analyses of Recent Politics

About This Website

K7MOA Log Books: 1960 - 2017

Bio of Keith T. Poole