PSC 2410-01 Political Psychology (3 units) Patricia Andrews, MA
Fall 2019– 9:25-10:40 T/Th http://polypsychfall2019.blogspot.com
Room: SM202 pandrews@ndnu.edu
Course Summary
Political psychology is an interdisciplinary approach that combines intellectual notions primarily from political science, psychology and sociology (but also such other neighboring fields as anthropology, international relations, history, economics, philosophy and linguistics) to explore the ways in which political institutions affect and are in turn affected by human behavior. Although the roots of political psychology go deep into the history of political thought, only recently has it become a dynamic and exciting area of studies. It is a compelling time for growing interest in this relatively young field. The scope of political psychology is comparatively vast. It reaches wherever there is a cognitive or affective aspect to political action. Here are some prominent topics studies by political psychologists: authoritarian personality, mass psychology, relations between elites and followers, ideology, conspiratorial mentality, sectarianism, prejudice, racism, violence, wrongdoing and harm, etc.
Texts
Handouts and online readings as assigned, including those co-assigned by students.
Learning Outcomes
Students will…
1. Understand the contribution of psychological factors to political thinking, relations and actions (PLO 1,2).
2. Identify and describe major political psychology perspectives (PLO 3).
3. Apply these perspectives to real political situations (PLO 4).
4. Critically evaluate the psychological underpinnings of seemingly non-psychological views on politics (PLO 3).
5. Critically evaluate the procedures and results of political psychology research performed by others (PLO 5).
6. Use the tools of social science research to formulate an ethically, spiritually or socially meaningful research topic relating to course content, collect and analyze original evidence, and present their results to the class (PLO 6).
Requirements
Consistent attendance, reading and note-taking are always essential to college success. Students’ preparedness will be assessed at every class session through quizzes, blog posts and class participation.
1) Students will produce a minimum of 32 pages of written work, including a research paper. Late papers will be penalized by one full letter grade.
2) An online reading and reflection journal will be kept on a regular basis.
3) Oral communication opportunities develop confidence and skill in public speaking. Students will be responsible for specific formal and informal contributions.
4) This class incorporates proactive student leadership. Students should be prepared to take ownership for portions of the material, along with the success or failure of their personal study habits. Students are expected to be present and prepared at every class session.
Evaluation
A total of 1000 points is possible, broken down into the categories below. Students are encouraged to keep track of their progress on a regular basis throughout the semester.
Exams 2 @ 100 points = 200
Reading & Related Blog/Online Journal Entries = 200
Research Project & Paper = 200
Attendance & Active Participation = 400
Student Success CenterThe Student Success Center (SSC), located in the Campus Center, is dedicated to supporting students’ academic success at NDNU. The SSC includes writing and subject tutoring, test proctoring for students with accommodations, and facilitates the math placement test (MPT). The goal of the Student Success Center is to promote student learning and academic innovation. Professional staff members, peer tutors, academic advisors, and faculty work together to promote a supportive educational environment. Writing and subject tutoring schedules are forwarded directly to students’ NDNU e-mails. Writing labs are offered in lower and upper division English courses. Writing tutoring is offered on a drop-in basis and virtual writing tutoring is available by appointment for our off-campus sites. Basic English language assistance is offered to international students who may need assistance writing papers or general English assistance. Some subject tutoring is offered at the Student Success Center. Please check your NDNU student e-mail account for subjects and schedules. These are also posted on the Student Success Center and Writing Center doors.
Disability Resource CenterThe Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Students with disabilities, whether physical, learning, or psychological, who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Disability Resource Center as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. Please meet with the DRC staff to verify your eligibility for any classroom accommodations and for academic assistance related to your disability. Accommodations are not provided retroactively. The Disability Resource Center is located at St Joseph Hall, 117. Please contact the DRC by email at
DRC@ndnu.edu or by phone at 650-508-3670.
The mission of Counseling Services is to promote and enhance the overall wellbeing of students so that they may reach their potential for personal growth and academic success. Counseling Services is open Monday-Friday from 9am to 5pm, and currently enrolled students are welcome to call, email or drop-by to schedule an appointment.
Course Evaluations/Teaching Effectiveness Surveys: Term 2 and Full-SemesterTeaching Effectiveness Surveys (course evaluations) will be available online through Campus Portal from Dec 2 - 20, 2019. Your feedback regarding courses and faculty is very important to Notre Dame de Namur University, to your faculty, and to me as the instructor for this course. Your feedback helps us review and improve their teaching, helps departments/programs review and improve program content, and is used by the university in making decisions about tenure, promotion, and hiring decisions for part-time faculty. Directions: To access, please enable pop-ups in your browser (uncheck pop-up blocker), then in Campus Portal look for the "You have an active survey" link in the left sidebar. Click that link to open the Course Evaluation Surveys page, which has a link to a survey for each course in which you're enrolled. Your feedback is very important! Please complete your evaluations for all your courses promptly. Remember: Your responses are anonymous.
Academic HonestyNDNU’s core values include learning, integrity, and honesty, values we live out in all areas of our learning community. Academic honesty means you are able to demonstrate your own knowledge and skills and receive feedback on your learning that can help you improve. By taking responsibility for your own work and avoiding actions that could give you an unfair advantage over others, you are contributing to the NDNU learning community and developing professional skills and values that will serve you well into the future. Academic honesty is one of the most important values of a university community, and breaches of this trust have serious consequences. Please see the Student Handbook for a detailed discussion of Academic Conduct expectations.
Average Student Workload Expectations: Class time consists of 45 hours and students are expected to attend. Students are expected to engage in approximately 90 hours of out-of-class homework over the fifteen weeks, or approximately six hours per week. Course assignments are made in accordance with this expectation.
Workload Distribution: Hours in Class 45
Readings 45 Written Assignments 40 Exam Preparation 5
Program Learning Outcomes – Political Science
Students will…
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding of American governmental institutions and processes that enable him or her to be an active and effective citizen;
- acquire familiarity with and understanding of the variety of political systems in the world at large, their social and historical contexts, and their relation to the global political order;
- identify and critically examine the major political theories and ideologies;
- employ historical perspectives to evaluate contemporary domestic and international conflicts and issues;
- analyze political and policy problems and formulate policy options; and
- use the tools of social science research – statistical and qualitative – in formulating a research topic, collecting and analyzing data, and presenting results.
