POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS AND PROCESSES

BIS 338
University of Washington, Bothell
Spring 2015
MW 3:30-5:30
UW 1-102

Professor Stuart Streichler

sstreichler@uwb.edu
UW 1-243
425-352-3203
Office Hrs: MW5:30-6:30 & by appt.

Scope of the Course: This course critically examines the origins, development, controversies,
and limitations of political institutions and processes. Using critical case studies from the
American experience as the basis for study, topics include revolution, nation-building, the
legislative process, the judicial process, the electoral process, political scandal, executive
decisionmaking, and social movements.
Educational Goals: Students will analyze the principal components of U.S. government,
evaluate competing arguments on major political controversies, gain an appreciation of the
historical context for contemporary political controversies, use evidence and logic to debate
questions involving political institutions and processes, analyze the development and interaction
of formal institutions and informal political forces, and collaborate with others in preparing
presentations. Further information on IAS learning objectives can be found at:
http://www.uwb.edu/ias/iasdegreeportfolio/learningobjectives.
Required Texts:
Robert F. Kennedy, Thirteen Days: A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis
All other reading materials are available on electronic reserves
Course Requirements and Evaluation:
Test #1:
20%
Class Participation:
20%
Presentation:
20%
Test #2:
20%
Paper:
20%
Tests: Tests are scheduled for the beginning of class on the following dates: APR. 29 and JUNE 1.
Make-up tests are given without penalty only if the student is absent (1) for university-approved
reasons (e.g., participation in athletic events) and if the student provides an acceptable written
excuse in advance or (2) for valid medical reasons with an acceptable written excuse. Otherwise,
the student's test grade will be reduced by 2 letter grades (e.g., B to D).
Presentation: Each student is responsible for one in-class presentation. The precise format will
be discussed in class. Each student's presentation will be 3-5 minutes in length. The student's
grade will be reduced by one letter grade when not ready on the assigned day, unless the student
presents an acceptable excuse.

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Class Participation: Each student is expected to read the required readings and be prepared to
discuss them in class. Class discussion is an integral part of this course. Attendance is a
prerequisite for class participation. Students may be expected to complete writing exercises in
class. Everyone should respect the opinions and beliefs of others. Any student using laptops or
other electronic devices in violation of the rule in this class may result in points deducted from
classroom participation.
Paper: Each student will prepare a typewritten paper (600-700 words). The precise format will
be discussed later in the term. The paper is due at the beginning of class on MAY 27. Late papers
will be reduced by one letter grade and an additional letter grade for each day late thereafter. Papers
will NOT be accepted by e-mail. Students may include this assignment in their IAS portfolio.
Academic Integrity: See

http://www.uwb.edu/studentservices/academicconduct for crucial information

regarding academic integrity. The library also has an extremely useful website with resources at
http://libguides.uwb.edu/ai. You are responsible for knowing what constitutes a
violation of the University of Washington Student Code, and you will be held responsible for any
such violations whether they were intentional or not. Academic misconduct includes but is not
limited to cheating, facilitation, plagiarism, and fabrication in connection with any exam,
research, course assignment or other academic exercise that contributes to satisfying course
requirements. See also http://www.uwb.edu/learningtech/plagiarism.
Laptop use and other electronic devices: The general rule in this class is that students may not
use laptops or other electronic devices during class. Exceptions may be granted in limited
circumstances, for example, for viewing assigned readings or for academic accommodations if
you have a disability. In those cases, students must agree to use laptops only for classroom
activities.
Syllabus Changes: You are responsible for all materials, updates, and announcements covered
during class sessions or communicated by the instructor by e-mail. The calendar of assignments
can change due to unforeseen circumstances. Please be sure you are using the most recent
version. You may receive notices from the instructor on your UW e-mail account.
Calendar of Assignments:
Mar. 30
Introduction
Apr. 1

Revolution and a New Government

Declaration of Independence
Edmund Randolph, Patrick Henry's Speech (scan)
McGrath, "An Assembly of Demigods" & "Architect of a Nation"
Mason & Baker, Free Government in the Making, pp. 8-16
James Madison, Federalist No. 10 (recommended)

Apr. 6

The Judicial Process

Baum, The Supreme Court, ch. 1 & 4
U.S. Constitution (scan)

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Apr. 8

Roe v. Wade
Woodward & Armstrong, The Brethren: Inside the Supreme Court, pp.
229-240
Roe v. Wade (1973), in Mason & Stephenson

Apr. 13

The Legislative Process

Ken Kollman, The American Political System, pp. 151-172
Mann & Ornstein, The Broken Branch, pp. 1-13, 169-179

Apr. 15

Debating War Powers: Congress versus the President

Kassop & Pious, in Debating the Presidency, pp. 92-109
John Yoo, "A President can Pull the Trigger"

Apr. 20

The Electoral Process

Buckley & Maisel, Parties and Elections in America, pp. 365-377
James Q. Wilson, American Government, pp. 176-202

Apr. 22

Presidential Campaign 2000

Gillman, The Votes that Counted: How the Court Decided the 2000
Presidential Election, pp. xvii-xxiv & ch. 1

Apr. 27

Presidential Campaign 2000

Bush v. Gore (2000), in O'Brien

Apr. 29

TEST #1

May 4

Social Movements: Civil Rights

Henry David Thoreau, "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience"
Martin Luther King, Jr., "Letter from Birmingham Jail"

May 6

The Presidency and White House Decisionmaking

Michael A. Genovese, The Power of the American Presidency, pp. 1-16
James David Barber, The Presidential Character, ch. 1
Richard A. Clarke, Against All Enemies, ch. 1

May 11

Campaign Ads and Presidential Rhetoric

Kathleen Jamieson, Everything You Think You Know About Politics,
ch. 11
Tulis, The Rhetorical Presidency, pp. 45-59
Worek , My Fellow Americans, pp. 121-123, 145-146, 245-248

May 13

Political Scandal: Watergate

Michael A. Genovese, The Watergate Crisis, pp. 18-50

May 18

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Political Scandal: Watergate
Ken Gormley, Archibald Cox, ch. 19

May 20

Foreign Policymaking: Cuban Missile Crisis

Kennedy, Thirteen Days, Foreword & 19-98

May 25

MEMORIAL DAY

May 27

PAPER DUE
Foreign Policymaking: Cuban Missile Crisis
Kennedy, Thirteen Days, pp. 101-145

June 1

TEST #2

June 3

JFK Assassination
Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President
John F. Kennedy, pp. 60-68, 79-81, & 85-117 (scan)
Epstein, Inquest: The Warren Commission and the Establishment of Truth,
pp. 3-5, 43-62, & 86-88

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Incompletes: University rules state that an incomplete is

given only when the student has been in attendance and has done satisfactory work until within
two weeks at the end of the quarter and has furnished proof satisfactory to the instructor that the
work cannot be completed because of illness or other circumstances beyond the students
control.
IAS portfolio: Students majoring in any degree offered by IAS begin the process of creating
a capstone portfolio in BIS 300: Interdisciplinary Inquiry and conclude it in BIS 499:
Capstone Portfolio. IAS students should maintain an archive of all of the work they have
done in (or in relation to) their undergraduate education, preferably through their UW
Google Site. For more information about the IAS portfolio, visit the IAS webpage:
http://www.uwb.edu/ias/iasdegreeportfolio. For help on the technical or
rhetorical development of your IAS portfolio, visit the Writing and Communication Center
(www.uwb.edu/writingcenter or 425-352-5253) or Learning Technologies
(learningtech@uwb.edu or
http://www.uwb.edu/learningtech/eportfolios). You can also get help from a
student tutor in the campuss Open Learning Lab in UW2-140.
Respect for diversity: Diverse backgrounds, embodiments and experiences are essential to the
critical thinking endeavor at the heart of university education. In IAS and at UW Bothell,
students are expected to: (1) respect individual differences which may include, but are not
limited to: age, cultural background, disability, ethnicity, family status, gender presentation,
immigration status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status,
and veteran status and (2) engage respectfully in discussion of diverse worldviews and ideologies
embedded in course readings, presentations, and artifacts, including those course materials that
are at odds with personal beliefs and values.

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Access and Accommodations: Your experience in this class is important to us, and it is the
policy and practice of the University of Washington to create inclusive and accessible learning
environments consistent with federal and state law. If you experience barriers based on
disability, please seek a meeting with DRS to discuss and address them. If you have already
established accommodations with DRS, please communicate your approved accommodations to
your instructor at your earliest convenience so we can discuss your needs in this course.
Disability Resources for Students (DRS) offers resources and coordinates reasonable
accommodations for students with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are established
through an interactive process between you, your instructor(s) and DRS. If you have not yet
established services through DRS, but have a temporary or permanent disability that requires
accommodations (this can include but not limited to; mental health, attention-related, learning,
vision, hearing, physical or health impacts), you are welcome to contact DRS at 425.352.5307,
TDD 425.352.5303, or rlundborg@uwb.edu.
Inclement Weather: Please check if the campus may be closed due to weather. Information on
suspension of operations will be made public and available through the media. Students can learn
of campus operations status from the website or by calling the Campus Information Hotline
425.352.3333. You may also sign up with an alert system that will contact you via email or text
message if classes are canceled. For more information on the alert process, please
seehttp://www.uwb.edu/alert. Class activities will be rescheduled as needed.
Student Support Services: Library: http://library.uwb.edu, 425-352-5340; Writing Center:
www.uwb.edu/WritingCenter, 425-352-5253; Quantitative Skills Center:
http://www.uwb.edu/qsc; 425-352-3170; Student Success and Career Services:
http://www.uwb.edu/studentservices/success-services, 425-352-3776; Student
Counseling Services: http://www.uwb.edu/studentservices/counseling, 425-352-3183