No Assignment for Monday, 3/3

There is no reading assignment for next Monday; we will continue our discussion of ideologies, so you are welcome to review Shively's Chapter 2. However, I will not be accepting any summaries on the chapter.

(If you'd like to read ahead over the weekend, we'll be discussing Shively's chapter 9 next Wednesday.)

Assignment for Wednesday, 2/27

For Wednesday, read Shively's Chapter 2, "Modern Ideologies and Political Philosophy."

Please note that this is the LAST reading I will assign for February. In addition, there will be only one more reading before Spring Break. I required 1 summary submitted before March 1, and then a second before the mid-term. You will not have an opportunity to make up these summaries (i.e., the total you will be allowed to submit is 5 or 6). In sum:

• Those of you who have already submitted 2 summaries are OK for now. (Although I encourage you to keep submitting them and finish your assignment early.)
• Those of you who have submitted 1 summary must summarize one of the next two readings.
• Those of you who have submitted 0 summaries must summarize BOTH of the next two readings.

I hope that's clear; contact me if it is not.

Assignment for Monday, 2/25

There is no reading for Monday; we will see a film, "No Logo," based on a book by Naomi Klein.

Assignment for Wednesday, 2/20

Please note that there is NO CLASS on Monday, February 18 (President's Day).

On Wednesday, we will continue our discussion of democracy through the lens of contemporary events. Specifically, we will discuss the possible use of torture and indefinite imprisonment by the United States. You should read the handout I distributed in class. If you missed class, you can find the handout materials at the following links:

• Factsheet on habeas corpus
• Factsheet on the Military Commissions Act
• Factsheet on the US and torture
• The Bush Administration's defense of the Military Commissions Act

Also, please remember that Vince Warren, Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights (the source of the first three factsheets listed above) will offer a talk in the Regina Peruggi room on Tuesday, Feb. 19, at 1pm. (A documentary about the US and torture, "Taxi to the Darkside," will be shown at 11am in the Peruggi room as well.) You are strongly encouraged (although not required) to attend.

Assignment for Wednesday, 2/13

On Wednesday, we'll continue our discussion of concepts. Read Shively's Chapter 8, "Democracy and Autocracy." (If you haven't yet written a summary, this would be a good time to start.)

Assignment for Monday, 2/11

For next week, read Shively's Chapter 7, "Authority and Legitimacy: The State and the Citizen." We'll discuss it on Monday.

Assignment for Wednesday, 2/6

There's no new reading assignment for Wednesday; just review Shively's Chapter 1, especially the sections on the concept of power.