Political Science 531

American Political Behavior

Dr. John Holcombe

Fall 2006

Textbooks :   

  Fiorina, Morris, Culture War? (Second Edition; New York : Pearson-Longman, 2006)

  Newport , Frank, Polling Matters ( New York : Warner Books, 2004)

  Shiraev, Eric and Richard Sobel, People and Their Opinions ( New York : Pearson-Longman, 2006)

  Stonecash, Jeffrey, Political Polling ( Lanham , Maryland : Rowman and Littlefield, 2003)

Assignments :

  Each student will submit four book reviews, each counting 25% of the semester grade. Three of the book reviews will be based on textbooks and submitted on the dates indicated below. Each book review should be 8-12 pages long.

  In addition, you are expected to complete a fourth book review to be reported on orally to the seminar during one of the dates indicated below and to be handed in at the December 7 class meeting. This last book review will be based on a separately assigned book for each student.

Class Schedule :

August 24:     Introductory remarks

August 31:     Shiraev and Sobel, pp. 1-91

September 7:     Shiraev and Sobel, pp. 92-190

September 14:   Shiraev and Sobel, pp. 191-319

September 21:   Fiorina, p. 1-108

September 28:   Fiorina, pp. 109-228, ( Book Review due )

October 5:     Newport , pp. 1-106

October 12:     Newport , pp. 107-212

October 19:     Newport , pp. 213-288, ( Book Review due )

October 26:     Stonecash, pp. 1-78

November 2:     Stonecash, pp. 79-160, ( Book Review due )

November 9:     Oral Report on final book review

November 16:   Oral Report on final book review

November 30:   Oral Report on final book review, ( Book Review due )

December 7:     Oral Report on final book review ( Book Review due )

December 14:   Closing comments