Course Syllabus

PLSC 455:  Western European Politics

Course Overview

Description

The goal of this course is to explore patterns and puzzles that are relevant to Western Europe. We will examine some of the similarities and differences of the governments of Western Europe and systematic relationships that exist between specific social, economic and political variables in order to better understand European politics. This will equip you to place some of your knowledge about countries you may already know something about and expand your knowledge and understanding to other parts of Europe.

Objectives

After gaining historical perspective on the development of Europe’s current political systems we will use the majoritarian and consensus models of government designed by Lijphart to conduct a comparative study of present European political systems.  Drawing on a number of country cases, our principle focus will be to assess how different institutions affect the quality of democracy using Lijphart's comparative framework.

After successfully completing this course students should be able to:

1. Trace the development of Europe’s contemporary political systems.
2. Evaluate the structure and function of different political institutions across Europe.
3. Use comparative analysis to evaluate the relative capacity of different political institutions to affect the quality of democracy on representation, accountability, effectiveness and proportionality. 
4. Successfully complete a group research project specific to one country we will study.
5. Gain awareness of salient social, political, and economic issues affecting European states and place them in theoretical perspective.

Assessment

The above learning objectives will be assessed in the following ways:

1. Two exams (a midterm and final) will incorporate questions asking you to describe and analyze material from units I and II. The final will have a cumulative portion.
2. A group research project requiring you to assess the institutional structure and quality of democracy in selected European countries.
3. Responses to discussion questions posted by the instructor that are related to lectures and/or readings.
4. Discussion and analysis of current events will provide you with information and insights necessary to gain a deeper understanding of European politics in theoretical perspective.

This course will be divided into two units.

Unit I:  Historical development of political systems in Europe since the 1920s.

We will use political science tools to seek to understand the rise of Nazism, founding of the post-war party system, transitions to democracy in Southern Europe, and the collapse of communism.

Unit II:  Comparison of contemporary Europe using majoritarian/consensus framework.

Lijphart provides a framework for evaluating the effectiveness of political institutions based on his majoritarian and consensus framework.  We will be using this for our study of specific countries together as a class and in smaller groups.

Online Learning and Attendance

This course has been developed to promote asynchronous learning. The instructor and students do NOT meet on a designated day and time each week. For each lesson, there is a timeframe to complete all activities and assignments, and you may work at your own pace within that timeframe.  However, you must adhere to the due dates outlined on the Calendar. (Due dates can also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) You should log into the course daily to check for updates, review lessons, and participate in activities.

How to succeed in this course

I operate under the assumption that you have read all the material in this syllabus and understand it.  If you are not following the policies discussed in this document, that is your responsibility, not the instructor’s.  For example, this syllabus includes a grading rubric for discussion posts as well as cardinal rules and discussion board policies.  I expect you to use this information when participating in discussions.  Those who do follow the cardinal rules, abide by the discussion board policies, and take time to read the rubric usually receive high marks on their discussion grades. 

Even though this is an online course you have assignments due every lesson and are expected to abide by all the deadlines laid out in the course calendar and lesson modules.  Those of you who think you can wait to start working on this course until a few weeks into the semester will find yourselves already far behind and having received no credit for the assignments and discussions you missed.  There is no extra credit in this course.  (See the extra credit policy below.)  Below are some pointers that can help you succeed in this course and help you to avoid some of the mistakes that are particularly common in online courses. 

• Read and pay close attention to all the information in the orientation module.  You are responsible for all of it.
• Keep up with the readings on a lesson by lesson basis.
• Consistently view the lectures after having done the readings.  Skipping lectures in an online course is equivalent to skipping class in a classroom setting.  If you find a particular lecture too long you may pause it at any time and come back to it later.  Take notes on the lectures just as you would in a classroom.  If the lecture is moving too quickly pause it.  Take your notes, and continue with the lecture when you are ready.  The text of each lecture is also available for you to read as you listen to the lecture.  Do not let the lecture text substitute for taking notes on the lectures.
• Engage actively in discussions.
• If something is not clear, do not hesitate to ask a question.
• Clarify expectations with the instructor if you are unsure.

Lectures

The lectures for this course are recorded power point presentations with the instructor discussing the material. Each week’s lecture material is broken up into two parts.

You can watch both consecutively or break them up and watch them over several days.

The readings supplement the lectures. They do not replicate them. In order to succeed in this course you will have to complete the readings along with listening to and taking notes on the lectures.

Texts and Other Materials

The following texts are required:

William, Hitchcock. 2003. The Struggle for Europe:  The Turbulent History of a Divided Continent, 1945 to the Present. New York: Anchor Books.

Hancock, Donald M., ed. 2015. Politics in Europe, 6th edition.  Los Angeles: Sage.

There are electronic resources on reserve for this course that can be accessed through the Penn State Libraries. To access your Course Reserves, please use the Library Resources link in the course navigation menu.

For any questions you may have about searching, viewing, or printing your Course Reserves, refer to the Viewing/Printing Electronic Reserves page at https://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/reserves/usingreserves.html

External Tools Privacy Policy

• VoiceThread

Library Services

Penn State Libraries provides a wide variety of services and resources. To learn how to take advantage, refer to the Online Student Library Guide at http://guides.libraries.psu.edu/onlinestudentlibraryguide. This guide serves as your starting point for access to all that Penn State Libraries can offer you as an online student. Use this guide if you have questions on library services offered to you, how the library can help you, how to use the library, or what resources you can access via the library! The guide will connect you to important pages and resources within Penn State Libraries and save time from you searching for the information you need.

Grading

Final letter grades will be assigned based on the scale below.

Scale

Due Dates

All assignments are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the date indicated on the Calendar. (Due dates can be also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) Please be aware that Canvas follows the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. Assignment due dates adhere to this time zone, and it is your responsibility to submit assignments accordingly. If you are outside of the ET time zone, you can set your Canvas account to sync to it. Refer to the Set a Time Zone article in the Canvas Guide at https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-2891.

Late work is not accepted. (you will get a zero for late assignments). It is your responsibility to keep up with your assignments. Students with an excused absence (hospitalization, jury duty, or family emergency) may be asked to produce proper documentation in order to make up graded work. 

Assignments

Basic information about each assignment group is provided below. For detailed directions about an individual assignment, see the assignment information under the Modules tab.

You can expect meaningful feedback on assignments within seven days of their due date.

Exams

Value:  40% of total grade (2 @ 20% each)

Your midterm will be short answer and essay questions.  The final will also include multiple choice questions as well as essay questions.  The group project will consist of a presentation, a written analytical country report, and multiple choice questions written by your group.  The instructor will select some MC questions from each of the country projects and use them as part of the final exam.

Discussions

Value:  30% of course grade (7 at 4.3% each fall/spring) (6 @ 5% each summer)

The discussions will be based on your readings in Unit I and current events articles in Unit II.

You will have seven discussions throughout the semester and each will last a week.  Your discussion responses are to be based on material from your readings and the lectures.  This is an opportunity to learn from each other as you interact with the material from the course.  You should make your first discussion post by Thursday at 11:59 p.m. ET of each lesson leaving time to respond to your peers’ posts.  In a 400 level course you should respond to a minimum of two of your peers’ posts.  In Unit I you will be divided into 2 to 3 groups, depending on class size, for each discussion on the readings.  In Unit II your discussions will be with your group for your group country project.  Each discussion is worth 10 points and will be graded using the following rubric:         

(Rubric adapted from: Pelz, B. JALN Volume 8, Issue 3, June 2004)

Your overall discussion grade will be worth 30% of your course grade.

Group Project

Value: 20% of course grade

The group project will consist of a presentation, written analytical country report, and multiple choice questions written by your group. See details in the Group Project module.

Library Assessment

Value: 5% of course grade

Lesson 2 includes a library assessment.  This is found in the lesson 2 module.  You will need to read a short article (found in course reserves) and answer questions based on the article.  The assessment requires you to navigate library resources that may be helpful to you as the course progresses.  Make sure you take time to see what is available on the course library resource page before working on the library assessment.  The link for the library course resource page is found both in the assessment itself and in the Librarian Discussion Board found on the main lessons page of this course.  When you start working on your group country projects this course resource page will be very useful to you.  This assessment is worth 5% of your course grade.

Orientation Quiz

Value: 5% of course grade

There is a short orientation quiz the first week over how to operate in this course.  There is only one quiz in the course. Please note that the time limit for the quiz begins as soon as you enter the quiz area.  It will continue to run until the time is up or you have clicked submit, whichever comes first.  You cannot save the quiz, leave the quiz area and come back later to complete the assessment.  Once you start the quiz the time will continue to run even if you are no longer in the quiz area.  Remember, the quiz will be submitted when time is up or you click submit whichever comes first.  The orientation quiz is worth 5% of your course grade.

Discussion Policies

Written communication is different than oral communication. The policies and pointers listed below cover common issues that crop up in an online discussion forum. They are designed to enhance organization, help you convey your ideas more clearly, and prevent misunderstandings.

1. Try to think of discussion forums as an extension of your real-life classroom.
   1. Endeavor to share ideas among your classmates, not to prove that you are right and they are wrong.
   2. Be aware that differences of opinion are going to occur in any forum. Multiple perspectives on a topic or problem are often valuable.
2. Compose long messages in NotePad (or TextEdit) and then copy/paste into CANVAS. Or add an attachment and provide a simple explanation of its contents.
3. Keep closely related ideas organized under a single post.
   1. To respond to the original post, click in the Reply field, type your response, and click Post Reply. Title your post so that individuals know what your post is about. The title of your post should be a brief phrase that summarizes your post.
   2. To respond to another individual, click the Reply button just below the individual's original response. Type in your response and then click Post Reply.
   3. To express a new idea, click in the Reply field again, similar to adding your original post. Remember to add a title.
   4. Don’t feel obligated to make a reply to a post if you feel it does not warrant one. Numerous posts that contain no essential new ideas may create more work for everyone.
   5. Don’t be offended if no one replies to your message. Often people will read postings on a discussion forum but not make a reply.
4. Act professionally and be considerate of others.
   1. Remember that not everyone comes from the same background, or shares the same values and ideals as you.
   2. Be mindful of your “tone.” If you are unsure of your tone, try reading your discussion forum post out loud before you submit it. When you read it out loud, does it sound the way you would speak to another student in the classroom?
   3. Remember that a message can easily be misunderstood. Making a joke or being ironic in a discussion forum is a great way to break the ice, but you have to let people know your intentions. If you wish to convey a humorous tone, try using emoticons or adding comments like “Just kidding!” Do not use slang.
5. Alert your instructor as soon as possible if there is a message on the discussion forum that strikes you as inappropriate or offensive.
   1. Keep in mind that the author may not realize how the message “sounds” to you. Try to think of the situation as a growth opportunity facilitated by the instructor.
   2. Allow the instructor to handle the situation. Rest assured that your instructor is determined to prevent breakdown of group process.
   3. Be aware that the instructor has the right to remove any inappropriate or offensive messages.
   4. Be aware that any student who posts an inappropriate of offensive message will be blocked from participating in the discussion forum and will receive an F for that assignment. Students are also subject to relevant policies in the student code of conduct.

University Policies

Academic Integrity

Penn State defines academic integrity as the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner. All students should act with personal integrity, respect other students' dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their efforts.

Dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated in this course. Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, having unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students. Students who are found to be dishonest will receive academic sanctions and will be reported to the University's Judicial Affairs office for possible further disciplinary sanction. For further information, please read University Faculty Senate Policy 49-20 at http://senate.psu.edu/policies-and-rules-for-undergraduate-students/47-00-48-00-and-49-00-grades/#49-20.

Disability Access

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources website provides contact information for every Penn State campus at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/disability-coordinator. For further information, please visit the Student Disability Resources website at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources.

In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation described at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/applying-for-services. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

Nondiscrimination

Penn State is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University's educational mission, and will not be tolerated. For further information, please visit the Affirmative Action Office website at http://www.psu.edu/dept/aaoffice/.

Counseling and Psychological Services

Penn State's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office offers residential and distance-based Penn State students non-emergency mental health services in the form of case management, community resource referrals, supportive listening, care giver support, and much more.

Students may request assistance from CAPS regarding a variety of common mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and stress. CAPS services are designed to enhance students' ability to fully benefit from the University environment and academic experience. Call CAPS at 814-863-0395 (8 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday EST) or submit an inquiry online at http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling/contact_form.shtml to schedule an appointment with a mental health advocate, who can help you address mental health concerns that may interfere with your academic progress or social development. This appointment will include a one-on-one session that can be conducted via telephone, teleconference (Skype, FaceTime, etc.), or locally at Penn State University Park. For more information on services provided through CAPS, please visit the Penn State CAPS website at http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling/.

Reminder: These services are for non-emergencies only. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis situation, please call your local crisis center or 911.

TEACH Act

The materials on the course website are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.

University Emergency Procedure

In the event of a University-wide emergency, the course may be subject to changes. Exigent circumstances may require alternative delivery methods, class materials, and interactions with the instructor and/or classmates. In addition, there may be revisions to grading policies and the Calendar, including assignments and their due dates.

In the event of a University-wide emergency, please refer to the Canvas website at https://psu.instructure.com for specific information related to the course. For more general information about the emergency situation, please refer to the Penn State website at http://www.psu.edu or Penn State News website at http://news.psu.edu.

To register with PSUAlert, a service designed to alert the Penn State community when situations arise that affect the ability of a campus to function normally, please go to the PSU Alert website at https://psualert.psu.edu/. Subscribers can receive alerts by text message to cell phones, and also can elect to have alerts sent to an email address.

Syllabus Subject to Change

The class will likely adhere to the information outlined in this Syllabus and the Calendar, but adjustments may be made based on what actually transpires during the semester. Remaining in the course after reading this Syllabus will signal that you accept the possibility of changes and responsibility for being aware of them.