Political Science 652 Spring, 2009, 207 Blake

R.A. Francisco 11:00, MWF

POLITICS IN EUROPE

Purpose

The course offers an overview of a highly prized form of government: one that establishes a set of democratic rules and then adheres to them. We presume a passing familiarity with the American system of government and examine European government on three levels. First, we study in some depth the major governments of Western Europe. Second, we analyze prominent features of other systems to gain a general understanding of European constitutional government. Finally, we examine the apparent attempt by the European Union to unite Europe economically and politically.

Office Hours

I meet students in 313 Blake on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9:00 to 10:50 and 1:00-3:00 on Wednesdays. You may e-mail me (ronfran@ku.edu) or call me (864-9023) at any time, or come to the office during office hours or for an appointment. This syllabus is in html form at http://web.ku.edu/ronfran.

Texts

Mark Kesselman et al., European Politics in Transition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2006 (fifth edition).

Jürg Steiner and Marcus Crepaz, European Democracies. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007 (fifth edition).

Examinations and Grading

There are three hourly examinations, all of the short answer and identification format. The last of these will occupy the first hour of the final examination period. Each of the hourly examinations and the final examination comprise 25 percent of the total grade. The final examination occupies the second hour of the final examination period. The highest grading scale will be 90 (A), 80 (B), 70 (C) and 60 (D).

Absence from any scheduled examination will be permitted only by prior approval. Make-up examinations will be administered only after presentation of medical or other suitable documentation of inability to attend an examination. The third and final examinations will be administered, without exception, in the period designated by the University. This year that is on Wednesday May 13. Anyone who needs to travel by then should drop the course.

Topics and Readings

F 16 January Organizational Meeting

M 19 January: Martin Luther King Holiday: No Class

W 21 January Constitutionalism and European Politics

Kesselman, Introduction and Steiner & Crepaz, Chapter 4

F 23 January Europe's Remarkable Two Decades: A Guide to the Region

Steiner & Crepaz, Chapter 1

UNITED KINGDOM

M 26 January British History: Democracy and Empire

Kesselman, Chapter 6

W 28 January The Social and Economic Setting

Kesselman, Chapter 7

F 30 January The Government

Kesselman, Chapter 8

M 2 February The Parliament

Kesselman, Chapter 9

W 4 February Political Parties

Steiner & Crepaz, Chapter 2

F 6 February The Role of Whitehall and Interest Groups

Kesselman, Chapter 10

M 9 February Political Culture, Voting Behavior and Socialization

W 11 February UK Videos: PM Question Time & Yes, Minister

F 13 February PR & Plurality: The Politics of Electoral Laws

Steiner & Crepaz, Chapter 3

M 16 February First Examination

W 18 February The Curse Of History

Kesselman, Chapter 11

FRANCE

F 20 February The Social and Economic Setting

Kesselman, Chapter 12

M 23 February The Primacy of the President

Kesselman, Chapter 13

W 25 February Government and Bureaucracy

F 27 February Parties and Voting Behavior

M 2 March Interest Groups in a Semi-Presidential State

Kesselman, Chapter 15

W 4 March The Impotent Legislature

Kesselman, Chapter 14

F 6 March The Loci of Power in Unitary States

Kesselman, Chapters 21 & 22

ITALY

M 9 March Parties and Elections

Kesselman, Chapter 24

W 11 March Italian Government

Kesselman, Chapters 23 & 25

GERMANY

F 13 March Heritage: E Pluribus Unum, One to Two, aus zwei eins

Kesselman, Chapter 16 and Steiner & Crepaz, Chapter 10 and pp. 194-196

M 16 March Spring Break: No class

W 19 March Spring Break: No class

F 21 March Spring Break: No class

M 23 March The Social and Economic Setting

Kesselman, Chapter 17

W 25 March Second Examination

F 27 March The Distribution of Power: An Overview

Kesselman, Chapter 18

M 30 March Parties, Elections, Voting Behavior, Political Culture and Participation

Kesselman, Chapter 19

W 1 April Convention: No class

F 3 April Convention: No class

M 6 April Federalism German Style

Steiner & Crepaz, Chapter 6

W 8 April German Politics, Unification and Entitlement

Kesselman, Chapter 20

F 10 April Kafka's Horror: The German Bureaucracy

SPAIN

M 13 April Spanish Political History

Steiner & Crepaz, pp. 220-222

W 15 April Spanish Government

OTHER STATES

F 17 April The Benelux Countries: Patchwork Politics

Steiner & Crepaz, Chapter 13

M 20 April Scandinavia: Nordic Corporatism and the Welfare State

Steiner & Crepaz, Chapter 8

W 22 April Austria and Switzerland

Steiner & Crepaz, pp. 268-279

F 24 April Transition Politics in Central Europe: Poland

Kesselman, Chapter 28 and Steiner & Crepaz, pp. 196-208

M 27 April Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic

THE EUROPEAN UNION

W 29 April The European Union is a Snare & a Delusion

Kesselman, Chapters 1-3 and Steiner & Crepaz, Chapter 14

F 1 May Wither the European Union?

Kesselman, Chapters 4 & 5 and Steiner & Crepaz, Chapter 15

M 4 May Trends in European Government: How Democratic?How unified?

W 6 May How To Visit Europe; course evaluations

W 13 May Third and Final Examinations, 10:30 am