FDN 112: Politics of Protest
Spring 2013
GeorgetownCollege
Dr. Kali Wright-Smith
Office: CookeMemorialBuilding 106
Phone: x8073
Office Hours: MW 10-11, TR 12-2, and by appointment
Catalog Description
This course examines the dynamics of political protests and social movements. It addresses questions such as: what makes people protest instead of working through institutionalized political channels? Why do they choose certain tactics? Why do protests occur in some contexts but not others? Is protesting effective? These questions offer a greater understanding of political activism and how protest behavior is connected to democracy, both within the U.S. and in non-Western contexts.
Course Description:
We are currently witnessing a period of heightened global political participation. However, this participation is not showing up at the ballot box or in campaign volunteering. Rather, it is taking the form of more direct, visible, and confrontational forms of participation, such as protest. From New York to Cairo, we are seeing people employ a variety of direct-action tactics to try to achieve policy change and regime change in their government. While protests are highly visible today, leading Time magazine to name the “Protester” the 2011 Person of the Year, they are not new. We have seen protests and social movements at various times and places throughout world history. This course will help us to sort out questions such as: what makes people protest instead of working through institutionalized political channels? Why do they choose certain tactics? Why do protests occur in some contexts but not others? Is protesting effective? How does the public view protests? These questions will help us to gain a greater understanding of political participation in general and how protest behavior is connected to democracy, both within the U.S. and in non-Western contexts.
Goals:this comparative politics course will allow you to apply theories of protest behavior to diverse global examples of past and present protest movements. Additionally, this class will provide the opportunity to continue to sharpen the skills developed in Foundations 111, namely to:
- Read: improve your comprehension of the dynamics that surround political protest by analyzing historical and contemporary examples of protests and comparing protest movements in Western and non-Western settings.You will also critique core texts in the literature on protests and social movements;
- Compose: engage in reflective responses to the readings and the questions that they raise, in addition to developing your own formal written research on protest behavior in a non-European setting;
- Argue: articulate clear positions on divisive questions related to protest behavior such as what protest tactics are acceptable, what is the impact of protests on society, does protest strengthen or weaken the state, and what is the appropriate state response to protest behavior (supported by logical reasoning and evidence), in addition to advancing oral communication skills in a group presentation in which you will play a specific role in a protest simulation;
- Engage: reflect on the readings, theories of protest, and deeper questions related to public participation, such as how protest is used to pursue or deepen democracy in different areas of the world, in addition to demonstrating investment in the course by participating in course discussions and group activities.
- Self-assess: take part in an ongoing process of skill-building, in which you are learning how to identify your individual strengths and improve your reading and composition skills through processes of production and revision and workshop exercises.
Required Texts:
Meyer, David S. 2007. The Politics of Protest: Social Movements in America. New York: Oxford University Press.
Additional readings will be placed on Moodle. You should print all assigned readings and bring them to class in order to be able to annotate the readings and facilitate discussion.
Cultural Awareness Abroad Flag (Pending Approval)
In this course you will gain exposure to many contemporary and historical examples of social movements and protest events. While our main text will provide essential theories and concepts against the backdrop of U.S. examples, we will spend at least half of our time exploring non-Western movements and protests, including historical movements in Eastern Europe, China, Tibet, India, South Africa, Argentina, Mexico, and Iran. In addition, we will also analyze more recent situations, including the Arab Spring, protests in Central Asia, continued uprisings in Russia, and reform movements in Africa and Southeast Asia. You will be assessing these cases in the following readings and videos:
Readings:
Anderson- “Demystifying the Arab Spring”
Wilson- “Student Protests Rile Chile.”
Schmitz and Wolters- “Political Protest in Central Asia: Potential and Dynamics.”
Kurzman- “Iranian Revolution,” in The Social Movements Reader.
Kurzman- “Who are the Radical Islamists?” in The Social Movements Reader.
Navarro- “The Personal is Political: Las Madres de Plaza de Mayo,” in Power and Popular Protest.(Argentina)
Seidman, Gay. “Armed Struggle in the South African Anti-Apartheid Movement.”
Ackerman and Duvall- “The Mythology of Violence,” in A Force More Powerful. (China/Sri Lanka)
Tarrow- “Threats, Opportunities, and Regimes,” in Power in Movement.(Eastern Europe)
Robertson- “Protest, Repression, and Order from Below,” in The Politics of Protest in Hybrid Regimes. (Russia)
Boudreau- “Repression and protest in comparative perspective,” in Resisting Dictatorship: repression and protest in Southeast Asia. (Burma/Indonesia)
Schock- “Trajectories of Unarmed Insurrections” in Unarmed Insurrections: People Power Movements in Nondemocracies.(S. Africa/E. Asia)
Tufekci, Zeynep, and Christopher Wilson. “Social Media and the Decision to Participate in Political Protest: Observations From Tahrir Square.” (Iran)
Tilly & Wood- “Twentieth Century Expansion & Transformation,” in Social Movements 1768-2008. (Post-communist movements/India)
Bratton, Michael. 1992. “Protest and Political Reform in Africa.” Comparative Politics.
Videos/Clips:
Battle of Algiers
Gandhi
Have you Heard from Johannesburg?
Al Jazeera: People & Power- Iran: Inside the Protests
Al Jazeera: Riz Khan- Music of the Revolution
Al Jazeera: Russian protests go nation-wide
Grading Scale:100-92.9 A, 92.8-88.9 AB, 88.8-82.9 B, 82.8-78.9 BC, 78.8-70.0 C, 69.9 and below D, 59.9 and below F.
Assignments:
10% Participation & Engagement- this includes (at a minimum) class attendance, but this course will also provide you ample opportunity to participate in class discussion and activities. We will frequently discuss current events and you should also be ready to discuss the assigned reading. In addition, each student will be responsible for leading the discussion of a reading once during the semester. You are permitted 3 unexcused absences, after which your participation grade will drop 10% for each subsequent absence.
20% Skills Assignments- In order to emphasize and extend the skills you developed in FDN 111 (read, compose, argue, engage, and self-assess), you will have frequent assignments that ask you to reflect on the readings and engage the topic of the week. These include the completion of reading questions, guided review exercises of supplementary articles, and brief response papers.
20% Research Paper – You will have the opportunity to choose a contemporary protest event or social movement to research over the semester. You will develop a 5-6 page research paper in which you apply one of the theories discussed in the course to the topic of your choice. This assignment will also allow you to gain greater perspective on protest movements outside of the United States, as you will focus your research on a movement in the non-Western world. You will be graded on your initial draft, participation in a drafting workshop, and final draft. More detailed paper guidelines will be distributed in class.
10% Protest Simulation/Presentation- Because we are in a period of significant protest behavior, we want to move beyond reading about protests to understand some of the dynamics that occur in a protest situation. As a class you will decide on a hypothetical topic of concern and then you will be divided into groups which will make decisions about different aspects of the protest and the numerous questions that must be addressed at each step. The first group will focus on how to best form the movement, the next will select the tactics of the movement, the next will take on the role of the state and determine how to respond to the protest, and the final group will critically evaluate the situation, the movement, and the state to determine the level of success that is possible for the movement. Each group will present their choices, analysis, and explanations in a class presentation and every group will be responding to what the other groups have presented as they make their decisions. You will then turn in a short assessment of your participation in the simulation and the decisions that you made.
40% Midterm & Final- You will have 2 exams (20% each) which will be a mixture of short identification, short answer, and essay. Dates will be announced.
Class Policies:
All late work will be penalized one letter grade for each day that it is late. Assignments turned in late on the day they are due will be docked half a letter grade. Excuses will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, but extensions will only be granted in extraordinary circumstances. Written verification, such as a doctor's note, will be required. If you have an extenuating circumstance, let me know ASAP. I will be far less sympathetic to excuses received after an assignment is due.
Please be respectful and exercise decorum during our class sessions. This means, among other things, that cell phones must be turned off, iPods should be put away, there should be no side conversations, respect your classmates' opinions in class discussions, and please no reading of non-class materials during class. If you are going to sleep, stay home to do it! Use of laptops is restricted to note-taking for class. If I become aware of inappropriate usage (working on other classes, reading online, shopping, etc.), you will get a zero for your participation grade. Finally, please avoid consistent lateness to class. Any of the above behaviors will result in a much lower participation grade.
I am always available to answer questions or discuss any class-related issues. Please feel free to send me an email, stop by my office, or make an appointment whenever you need help with anything or simply want to chat about politics!
If you have a disability and need any special learning accommodations, please let me know ASAP so arrangements can be made.
Cheating and plagiarism will be punished with a failing grade and a report to the Dean of Students. Plagiarism is defined as “stealing and passing off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own or using (another's production) without crediting the source” (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary). It is a serious act and will be treated as such. If you have questions about what constitutes plagiarism, please ask me.
Course Schedule: I reserve the right to make changes to this schedule, including the due dates of assignments. I will inform you of any changes in the due dates of tests or papers at least one week in advance.
Topic 1 – Introduction: Challenging the Status Quo/ Goals of Protest
Ch. 1
Anderson- “Demystifying the Arab Spring”
Topic 2 –Why do People Protest? Theories of Protests & Social Movements
Ch. 2
Schmitz and Wolters- “Political Protest in Central Asia: Potential and Dynamics.”
Topic 3 –The Importance of Context- When is protesting necessary and effective?
Ch. 2 (cont).
Kurzman- “Iranian Revolution,” in The Social Movements Reader.
Topic 4 –Who Protests?
Ch. 3
Kurzman- “Who are the Radical Islamists?” in The Social Movements Reader.
Wilson- “Student Protests Rile Chile.” The New York Times. January 28, 2012.
Topic 5 –Social Movements & Organizations- Where do protests come from?
Ch. 4
Wapner- “Transnational Environmental Activism”
Topic 6- Media, Framing, & Symbolism in Protest
Navarro- “The Personal is Political: Las Madres de Plaza de Mayo,” in Power and Popular Protest.
Topic 7- Protest Tactics & Strategies
Ch. 5
Topic 8- Violent vs. Non-violent Protest
Ch. 6
Seidman, Gay. “Armed Struggle in the South African Anti-Apartheid Movement.”
Ackerman and Duvall- “The Mythology of Violence,” in A Force More Powerful.
Exam
Topic 9– Government Responses-Institutionalization, State Policing, & Repression of Protests
Tarrow- “Threats, Opportunities, and Regimes,” in Power in Movement.
Robertson- “Protest, Repression, and Order from Below,” in The Politics of Protest in Hybrid Regimes.
Topic 10–Policing (cont).
Boudreau- “Repression and protest in comparative perspective,” in Resisting Dictatorship: repression and protest in Southeast Asia.
Research Day- topic workshop
Topic 11– Successes & Failures of Movements
Ch. 9
Schock- “Trajectories of Unarmed Insurrections” in Unarmed Insurrections: People Power Movements in Nondemocracies.
Topic 12– Evolutions in Protests and Social Movements- New Tactics & Forms of Activism
Tufekci, Zeynep, and Christopher Wilson. “Social Media and the Decision to Participate in Political Protest: Observations From Tahrir Square.” Journal of Communication.
Tilly & Wood- “Twentieth Century Expansion & Transformation,” in Social Movements 1768-2008.
Bremmer- “Democracy in Cyberspace.” Foreign Affairs.
Paper workshop
Topic 13– Protest Simulation
Bratton, Michael. 1992. “Protest and Political Reform in Africa.” Comparative Politics.
Topic 14- Wrap-up- Future of Protests
Exam
Appendix: Guidelines for Research Paper
Final papers will be judged on the strength of your analysis, the clarity of your thesis and arguments, the use of evidence to support your thesis, the organization of the paper, writing proficiency, as well as originality.
Your final paper must have the following structure: an introduction which tells the reader about your topic and why it is important, identifies your thesis, and previews your findings; analysis of your specific topic or research question; conclusion which ties your findings back to the literature and summarizes what we have learned from your research; works cited page.
While you will not be penalized for every little typo, you need to proofread your work to avoid excessive spelling and grammar errors (fragments, run-on sentences, etc.) This will allow you to deepen your composition skills. It will also make your work easier to understand and far, far more convincing.
All papers must be in the following format: Times New Roman 12 pt. font, double-spaced, 1 inch margins. You must cite all information correctly using in-text citations and a works cited page. Quotes must be cited, as well as paraphrased material. A good rule of thumb is, when in doubt, cite! You must use at least 6 outside sources (which does not include Wikipedia! Proceed cautiously with other internet sources). Your grade will be penalized for insufficient length. That means that a 5-6 page assignment means that the paper must be a minimum of 5 FULL pages. If you have questions as you are writing, please feel free to come discuss them with me, but don’t wait until the last minute!
Good luck and happy writing!