This class is an undergraduate seminar focusing upon important themes and perspectives in contemporary political thought. The most important activity you will do this term is to read and to think carefully about your reading; the course allows a great deal of time for exactly that. Much of what we will do in class is to talk about and compare different ways of thinking about politics and society. What are the issues in political life that people consider most important? What strategies do they employ in discussing them? How do important thinkers define such key concepts as freedom, justice, authority, and power? How do they distinguish between matters of public and private interest? How do they view the possibilities and problems of government?

The books and other materials we discuss this term have with ideas about social and political life in America today, but also about theories that try to explain global power, the environmental crisis and human relationships in and around cyberspace. Students are encouraged invited to discuss not only their understandings of course materials, but also their own thinking about politics, society and personal responsibility. There is no preferred theory or ideology in this course; all ideas we be heard and brought into the debate. The course provides an opportunity to rethink a set of issues important to us all.

Meetings. We will meet once a week in seminar. To begin, we will briefly discuss issues in the news of the week that relate to course themes. Then I will give about some opening comments about the readings to set the stage for the discussion. After that I will call upon members of the class to serve as co-facilitators for the rest of the evening. You will know a week in advance when it is your turn to play this crucial role and I will help you prepare.

[Attendance in class is required. You may miss one session without penalty. After that, absences will count against your grade.]

Readings. Because we are reading each of several selected works very carefully over a period of weeks, it is important that you purchase the books, annotate them as you read, and bring them to class. Occasionally there will be other brief selections assigned as well (see Week #2, for example). Specific pages will be assigned in class the week prior to the assignment. You must do all the readings on time and come prepared to talk about them intelligently.

These books should be purchased at the student union:

William Greider, Who Will Tell the People: The Betrayal of American Democracy

William Julius Wilson, When Work Disappears: The World of the New Urban Poor

Manuel Castells, The Power of Identity

Bill McKibben, The End of Nature (10th anniversary edition)

Robert McChesney, Corporate Media and the Threat to Democracy

Andrew Shapiro, The Control Revolution: How the Internet is Putting Individuals in Charge

Other materials: One aim of this class is to enable you to recognize and evaluate political ideas in a variety of contexts. Hence you will read a newspaper, occasionally watch a film (e.g., Gridlock’d)and listen to selections of music that have political resonance. All of these materials will be folded into our thinking and discussion.

Newspaper: As part of your experience in this course, you are required to read a daily newspaper of your choice and to keep up with political issues of the day as suggested by class discussions.

Journals. As part of your written work for the course, you are required to keep a weekly journal of your responses to the readings. About two pages of single writing, single spaced each week will be sufficient. Journals will be collected twice during the term, Oct. 20 and Dec. 8. If you hand write your journal, please make your entries legible. Come to class prepared to discuss the questions and observations you have entered in your journal for that week. [Note: Graduate students will do a term paper instead of the journal.]

Midterm and Final. There will be an in-class mid-term exam on October 13 and a take-home final exam distributed on December 8, turned into Mr. Winner’s box no later than 4:00 on December 10. Both examinations will be a combination of short answer and essay questions. They will be based exclusively on issues and ideas in the books and class discussions.

Grades. Your grade in the course will be determined by your performance in the following work:

1. Class participation: 25%. This includes regular attendance (sign the roll sheet as you enter each time) and with active participation, and serving at least once as co-leader of a semiar discussion.
2. Writing in your journal: 25%
3. Exams: Mid-term — 25%; Final — 25%

Office hours. I will hold office hours 10:00 to 1:00 in Sage 5707 and by appointment. My telephone: x 8498; email address: winner@rpi.edu
Scholarly integrity: I assume that all written work you submit will be your own. Discussion with your fellow students is strongly encouraged and you may prepare for exams together, if you please. But any evidence of cheating or other academic dishonesty will be met with an appropriate penalty.

Schedule of meetings:
Week #1: September 1 -- Introductions

From Mr. Winner: lecture, "Politics at the End of the 20th Century"

From the students: If you could ask any one question about contemporary politics, what would it be?
Week #2 -- The Condition of American Politics
September 8
Reading: William Greider, Who Will Tell the People?

Week #3: Work and Social Power
September 15

Reading: William Julius Wilson, When Work Disappears

Week #4: Equality and Inequality
September 22

Reading: William Julius Wilson, When Work Disappears
and a film, Gridlock’d

Week #5: Power, Networks and the Global Economy
September 29

Reading: Manuel Castells, The Power of Identity

Week #6: Identity Politics Around the World
October 6

Reading: Manuel Castells, The Power of Identity

Week #7: Midterm Exam
October 13

Midterm exam in class. Please bring exam blue books.

Week #8: Globalism and the Crisis of Democracy
October 20

Reading: Manuel Castells, The Power of Identity

(First submission of your journal is due in class.)

Week #9: The Environmental Challenge
October 27

Reading: Bill McKibben, The Death of Nature
and Manuel Castells, Ch. 3

Week #10: Global Warming and Global Movements
November 3

Readings: Bill McKibben, The Death of Nature
and Bill McKibben, The Age of Missing Information (brief selection)

Week #11: The Media and Corporate Power
November 10

Robert McChesney, Corporate Media and the Threat to Democracy
and Mark Crispin Miller, "Free the Media": www.bigeye.com/themedia.htm
Film: Bill Moyers, "Free Speech for Sale"

Week #12: The Internet, Freedom and Democracy
November 17

Reading: Andrew Shapiro, The Control Revolution

Week #13 Thanksgiving holiday

Week #14: Government by the Many or the Few?
December 1

Andrew Shapiro, The Control Revolution

Week #15: Politics in Your Life?
December 8

This will be the wrap up of the course focusing on student’s views of prospects political involvement for the coming century.

Readings: A very brief reading will be assigned.

Your journals are due in class today – no extensions!

The take home final exam will be passed out in class today. Turn it in no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, December 10 in Mr. Winner’s box in the STS Department office.