PUP3053/SYA3931
American Political Economy
David Jaffee, Instructor
Office: 51/2219 Ph: 620-2215
email: email:
Class Meets: M W 12:00-1:15 Location: 2/2216
Office Hours: T&Th 11-12 and 1:45-3:00; W 10-11:30 and by arrangement
The official catalog description of this course is as follows: Politics and economics are inextricably linked in most American public policy decisions. This course will examine how the economy affects political decisions, as well as how political choices affect the American economy. The course addresses the development of political economy as a discipline in addition to contemporary domestic policy issues.
More specifically, this course will introduce the political economic approach to the study of society, and public policy, and will examine the way in which political institutions impact economic activities/processes and the way economic activities/processes impact political institutions. These questions raise issues associated with freedom, equality, and democracy. They will be explored in the context of the United States as an “advanced capitalist society”. Students will be introduced to radical political economic perspectives on many of the topics listed below in the course schedule.
This course will be highly interdisciplinary combining insights and concepts from economics, political science, and sociology, as well as management, psychology, and geography.
Students taking this course should have an interest in politics and economics.
Students in this class should have a basic understanding of the logic of social scientific inquiry.
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
Communicate effectively with the written word through social scientific analysis of organizational political economic problems and policies.
Demonstrate understanding of basic concepts and principles of political economy
Critically evaluate, based on theoretical frameworks, conceptual schemes, and empirical evidence, the social, political, and economic institutions and policies of the United States
HOW WE WILL LEARN: THE TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS
In this course the learning process will involve more than the digestion of reading and presented material. The learning process requires active engagement with theories, issues, and problems. Therefore, a large part of the course will also include the following activities:
- application of theories and concepts to empirical cases and content
- synthesis of theoretical arguments
- problem solving and active learning exercises
- sharing of ideas and information
- the construction of new knowledge and alternative ways of thinking
- creation of questions and problems not addressed by theories and existing literature
ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING
There are no quizzes or exams in this class. You will be assessed on your ability to engage the material and apply the theories and concepts through in-class and out-of-class exercises and written analyses as well as the intensity and quality of your class participation.
More specifically, final grades will be determined according to the following breakdown:
Attendance, Participation, and
Completion of In-Class, and Out-of-Class
Reading, Exercises 30%
Seven (7) Written Application Essay Assignments 70%
Written Application Essay Assignments
Over the duration of the semester (every two weeks) you will draft seven written application mini-essays of approximately 2 pages in length designed to deepen your learning and demonstrate your understanding of the theories, concepts, and frameworks that are used to understand the political economy. The specific questions will be posted in the Assignments section of the Blackboard site.
A few important guidelines:
· Use full sentences and paragraphs. No lists or bullets or incomplete sentences.
· Write in your own words. Do not copy or quote extended text.
· The use of theories, concepts, and models included in the assigned readings does not require any reference or citation. If you use information from any other sources please include a reference using ASA in-text and reference list style.
· Clear well-written prose is vital for a positive evaluation of your work. Proof, revise, and edit. Proof, revise, and edit. Proof, revise, and edit. Proof, revise, and edit.
· As you apply, analyze and explain in your essay use as many concepts, theories, or ideas from the reading that seem most seem most appropriate. Your grade on these assessments will be based on this criterion.
· Don’t just describe the concepts and theories – you should apply them in a manner that demonstrates your UNDERSTANDING. Anyone can transcribe information from another source. Understanding requires selective application and explanation.
· There is no single correct “answer” to any of the questions posed for your essays. There are a variety of ways one can organize and formulate an acceptable and high quality response to any of the questions. Be creative and take chances.
· Make connections to relevant theories and concepts.
· A note of caution: Past experience with these kinds of assignments has alerted me to a tendency for students to engage in what I describe as “minimalism”. This means doing the absolute minimum amount of thinking, writing, and editing to complete the assignment as quickly as possible. This approach is very transparent. Since minimalism yields the least amount of learning, it will also garner the least amount of credit.
READING
All readings will be provided through the Blackboard site. You will not need to purchase any books. There will be one or two articles/chapters of required reading for each week and a significant portion of the 30% component of the final grade will be based on completion of the reading in advance along with the submission of a short written review on the Monday class meeting of each week.
This short review will require you to do the following:
1. Develop two to four questions you have about the reading or questions that might stimulate further class discussion.
2. Identify two to four themes or ideas presented in the article(s) that you can connect to concepts, theories, ideas that we have already discussed in the class or that you have come across in the readings or other classes.
3. Indicate two to four things you found particularly interesting or surprising as you read the article(s).
4. Be prepared to discuss the readings and share your thoughts.
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE – (subject to modification)
WEEK / DATE / TOPIC / Required Reading/Assignment1 / 1/6-1/8 / Political Economy: Concepts and Principles / Clark, Chapters 1 & 2
Bowles, et al., Chapter 2
2 / 1/13-1/15 / Contending Economic Theories: Neo-Classical, Keynesian, Marxist / Wolff & Resnick, “Three Different Theories”
3 / 1/22 / Political Economy of the State / TBA
Essay Assignment #1 (1/22)
4 / 1/27-1/29 / Political Economy of Inequality: Causes / Stiglitz, Chs
Western & Rosenfeld, “Unions and Wage Inequality”
5 / 2/3-2/5 / Political Economy of Inequality: Consequences / Bartels, Unequal Democracy, Ch 1;
Wilkinson, “The Impact of Inequality”
Essay Assignment #2 (2/5)
6 / 2/10-2/12 / Political Economy of Crisis / Kotz, “The Financial and Economic….”
Crotty, “Structural Causes….”
7 / 2/17-2/19 / Political Economy of Debt and Austerity / Kuttner, Chs 1 & 2
Essay Assignment #3 (2/19)
8 / 2/24-2/26 / Political Economy of Policy Formation / Gilens, “Inequality and Democratic Responsiveness”
9 / 3/3-3/5 / Political Economy of Punishment / Wanquant, “Ordering Insecurity”
Essay Assignment #4 (3/5)
10 / 3/10-3/12 / Political Economy of Public Health / Coburn, “Neo-liberalism and health inequalities”
11 SPRING BREAK
12 / 3/24-3/26 / Political Economy of Work / Tilly, Chs 1 and 2;
Kalleberg, “Precarious Work”
Essay Assignment #5 (3/26)
13 / 3/31-4/2 / Political Economy of Taxation / Swank and Steinmo
TBA
14 / 4/7-4/9 / Political Economy of Financialization / Krippner, Chs. 1& 2
Essay Assignment #6 (4/9)
15 / 4/14-4/16 / Political Economic Alternatives to Capitalism / Wolff, Ch.
Alperowitz, Ch.
Finals Week / Essay Assignment #7 (4/23)