1/10/2006
1/12/2006
|
Lecture: nature of (international) politics: social-psychological roots, systems approach, culture as decision tables, role hierarchies and organization, political decision making
Read K&R Ch 14 "Population..."
Read S, Preface, last chapter "Why Nations..." and "Epilogue"
Thursday in class: watch, then discuss "Guns, Germs and Steel" Episode 1 - followed by TI led discussion
Quiz 1 on readings (K&R Ch 14, "Population..," S's last ch. and epilogue) and DVD
Looking ahead: read K&R (Kegley and Raymond), Ch. 5 "Rich and Poor in World Politics: The Plight of the Global South" over the weekend (you'll be tested on it and Episodes 2 and 3 next week)
|
Background - Over the years I have accumulated background readings and written short essays on many of the topics touched on in class and class discussion. Here are links to them should you have an interest in going deeper into the lecture materials:
Maslow
Easton
Lasswell
Political Stability
Parsons four "p"s
Parsons (not yet discussed)
Transcripts are available for all three episodes of "Guns, Germs, and Steel" on PBS's website, http://www.pbs.org/gunsgermssteel/show/. (Go to the bottom of each page for links first to episode 1 description, then to the transcript and/or on to the next episode.)
Be prepared to move around in class at the instruction of the TIs. The TIs will organize you into 6-7 discussion groups of about 8-9 students each.
- Check out my question list before you come to class (perhaps bring it with you). These represent what I'd like you to learn from the DVD episodes.
- While listening to each episode, take notes on your own personal notepad or paper; write on interesting or puzzling points made.
- After each episode, the TIs will guide you. They will as you to take a minute to think in silence, and compose one sentence sharing one point of then write down what most interested you in the episode. Just one sentence.
- The TI will ask each of you to make your point; state your first name and then just read your one sentence. You will have time to elaborate later if you wish. The idea here is for you and everyone in your group to get a rough idea of what interested/puzzled the group.
- When everyone has shared a sentence about what interested or puzzled them most, the TI will open discussion up for about five minutes for any of you to react to each other or say something else that you feel needs to be shared. When you are listening, write done some of the things that are being said on your personal notepad or paper, to help you remember. You might want to remember the person that said something really interesting to you and ask that person after class is over to talk to you some more about it.
- On Thursdays, after the discussion there will be a short quiz.
- The quiz will be on the screen in the front of the class.
- Each question will be read aloud as well as displayed on the screen; the pause between each question will give you time to write down T (true) or F (false), or a multiple choice answer (a, b, c, ...).
- Make sure you printed your name (last name first) at the top.
- Below your name and the questions you asked, write the numbers in a row, followed by your answers. In the end your card will look something like this:
| SMITH, JOAN
Statement about interest/puzzle from "Guns, Germs and Steel" Episode 1.
Quiz 1 items: 1. T, 2. F, 3. c, 4. b, 5. T (this is a sample, not actual answers)
|
- At the end of the quiz, below your quiz answers, please write down a question you would like me to address either in class or on the web in my Questions and Answers page. Sometimes many of you have the same general question so I'll be able to construct one general answer. Other times you won't have a question. That's fine. I'm here to help you get an education, not sit in judgment on details.
|