Introduction to Politics and Government

POLS 101 –OP96 Page | 1

Summer 2022

Instructor: Elisa King, PhD

E-mail: kinge4@macewan.ca

Office Hours: Mondays 11 a.m. – 12 noon online through Google Chat and will respond to
emails daily.

Lecture Time: Online Asynchronous

Lecture Room: Online

Course Pre-requisite: None

Course Description: This course provides an introduction to a systematic study of the primary
institutions and processes of modern government and the discipline of political science.
Students explore the significant concepts, methods, approaches and issues of the discipline
considered necessary for the study of politics. Topics include political power, political authority,
sovereignty and the state, the nation, constitutionalism, international relations, political
ideology, elections and electoral systems, democracy, and totalitarianism. Note: This course is
the prerequisite for most second year Political Science courses.

Course Objectives: At the end of the course, the students will be able to:

1. Learn the basic concepts in the study of politics and government at the national and
international levels.

2. Examine critically the existing state of liberty, democratic representation in both

formal and informal political institutions and processes, and the role of civil society in
a democracy.

3. Develop good analytical and writing skills.

Required Textbook: An Introduction to Government & Politics, (Ninth edition) by Mark O.

Dickerson, Thomas Flanagan and Brenda O’ Neill (Nelson Education Ltd, Toronto, Canada, 2010).
The textbook is available for purchase at the MacEwan University Bookstore.

Other Learning Resources: As indicated in the course modules.

Library Liaison: Eva Revitt is the library liaison for Anthropology, Economics & Political Science.
She can provide you consultation services to support research, including demonstrating new
databases or discussing integrating the use of library resources into your course assignments.
You can reach Eva by email (RevittE@MacEwan.ca).

COURSE FORMAT

This course will be conducted in online asynchronous format. It means that the students and
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the instructor all engage with the course content at different times and from different locations
as flexibility in the schedule of the students is being prioritized in this form of delivery. The
instructor provides students with a sequence of modules which the students move through as
their schedules permit each week. Students will have assignments to submit each week. Tests
will be completed as well according to the schedule provided. The Instructor will guide the
students and provide them with feedback on their submitted assignment.

The Course content will be accessible on Blackboard.

Grade Evaluation: This course will involve five (5) quizzes, 10 graded assignments (online
discussion entries/posts), a term paper, and final exam. Each component will be weighted as
follows in determining your grade for the course.

EXAMS WEIGHTING DATE__________________

Quizzes (5 quizzes, lowest mark dropped) 25% See the test schedule below
Term Paper 25% August 19, 2022
Graded Assignments (graded response to 25% See online course calendar
questions)
Final Exam 25% August 22-23, 2022

Graded Assignments (GA) and Exams Dates:

The following chart outlines the order, the topics or Module covered, and the dates of
submission of the Graded Assignments (GA) as well as completion of the quizzes and the final
exam.

Activity Topics/Module Covered Date

GA # 1 Topic: Economic Sanctions July 4-8

GA # 2 Topic: Political Ideologies on the Left-Right Dimension July 4-8

Quiz # 1 Module 2 (Intro to Basic Concepts) July 11-15

Module 3 (Political Ideologies)

GA # 3 Topic: Liberty, Equality & Democracy July 11-15

GA # 4 Topic: Nation-State, World State & Democracy July 11-15

Quiz # 2 Module 4 (Democracy) July 18-22

Module 5 (State & Government Regimes)

GA # 5 Topic: Representation & Democratic Governance July 18-22

GA # 6 Topic: Politics and Government Bureaucrats July 18-22

Quiz # 3 Module 6 (Representation & Legislature) July 25-29

Module 7 (Bureaucracy & Public Policy)

GA # 7 Topic: Constitution, Liberal Democracy & Change in July 25-29

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Form of Government
GA # 8 Topic: Political Party, Representation & Liberal Democracy July 25-29

Quiz # 4 Module 8 (Constitution & Rule of Law) August 1-5

Module 9 (Political Parties)

GA # 9 Topic: Right to Vote and the Electoral College August 1-5

GA # 10 Topic: Media & Democracy August 1-5

Quiz # 5 Module 10 (Elections & Electoral Systems) August 8-12

Module 11 (Interest Groups & Social Movements)
Module 12 (Political Culture)

No assignments to submit for Modules 13 & 14, but you need

to study both Modules as they will be included in the Final Exam.

Term Paper August 15-19

Final Exam Modules 2 through 14 August 22-23

Final Exam Schedule:

The Final Exam will be completed online similar to how the quizzes are being done.

Format of Exams:
 Quizzes (25%)- Each quiz will consist of 15 multiple-choice items. They are analytical
multiple-choice tests and test questions are different from the average multiple-choice
questions. The answers will require well-reasoned responses. There will be 5 quizzes and all
of them are automatically delivered and marked online.

You will be given 45 minutes to complete each quiz and it will be an open-book and open-
notes test. The test will be accessible to the students at any time during the designated
test week.

 Final Exam (25%) - The final exam is comprehensive and will be completed just like the
quizzes, that is, the final exam will be accessible online wherever you are. It is open notes,
books, modules, and all material resources your hands can get hold of. It will be a multiple
choice test, and it will cover topics from Modules 2 through 14. It should be completed
within the given two-hour maximum period to complete the test.

Term Paper – You will be given the opportunity to write and submit a term paper on a topic
specified by the Instructor. The main objective for this course activity is to enable students to
integrate the knowledge gained so far and, most importantly, to use this knowledge to critically
examine the given topic.
Students will find a link for the term paper guidelines under ‘Term Paper’ on the navigation
panel. The paper will be 5 pages in length INCLUDING the list of references and title page. Put
simply, the first page is the title page, the next 3 pages will be the body of your paper, and the
last page is the list of references. The term paper will be due on August 19, 2022 and submitted
online via the “Term Paper” section. A penalty will be imposed for papers that are submitted
late -- 10% deduction from the raw mark for every day that the term paper is late.
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Graded Assignments - There are 10 graded posts which are responses to the questions given.
You will be asked to apply the material from the modules and textbook (both conceptual and
informational) to a specific question.

Your post should aim to demonstrate your understanding of the material of the course,
particularly the concepts in politics and government, and how they apply to the particular
question or case before you.

Above all, avoid merely expressing your own, personal, opinion. Rather, seek to transform your
opinion through argument by providing specific concept(s) and/or information, demonstrating
their relevance with reasons.

Your answers will be evaluated according to four main criteria. First is the identification of the
relevant material from the course. Second is a demonstration of understanding of the chosen
concepts or definitions and how they are applied in the particular question. Third is the
articulation of an argument (a specific claim supported by reasons) rather than an opinion. It
does not matter whether I necessarily agree with your argument. It matters that it be an
argument and that the argument demonstrates understanding of the relevant concepts. Finally
is the use of language and general cogency.

With the number of students in the class and 10 discussion posts, I will not be able to provide
extended feedback on each response. If you are uncertain as to the reasoning behind the
grades, refer to the criteria above and consider how you would grade your own response,
remembering that a B grade (75% is a good grade, appropriate for a reasonable, but not
exceptional, response. Grades of 80% and above are usually reserved for responses that stand
out for their completeness and/or insight. If you are unclear as to what you should be doing, or
why you have received the grades you have received, please reach out to me through email.

Final Grade/Grading Criteria:

The official grading system at MacEwan University is the 12-point letter grade system. While
instructors may use percentages to aid in their grade development, percentages are not part of
MacEwan University’s official grading system. Please see policy Grading Policy.

Grade Percentage Grade Point Descriptor

A+ 90-100 4.0 Outstanding
A 85-89 4.0
Excellent
A- 80-84 3.7
B+ 77-79 3.3
B 74-76 3.0 Good
B- 70-73 2.7
C+ 67-69 2.3
C 64-66 2.0 Satisfactory
C- 60-63 1.7
 D+ 57-59 1.3 Poor
D 50-56 1.0
F 0-49 0.0 Fail

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND COURSE EXPECTATIONS:

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Students must communicate with their instructors using their myMacEwan email accounts.

Students must be aware of their academic and non-academic responsibilities as outlined in the
Student Code of Conduct policy and available on the Student Code of Conduct website.

1. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Students are responsible for understanding the Student Academic
Integrity Policy and what constitutes academic misconduct. All incidents of academic
misconduct, as outlined in the policy, are reported and recorded by the Academic Integrity
Office. Information and resources are available on MacEwan’s Academic Integrity Website.

MacEwan University’s Academic Integrity Policy promotes honesty, fairness, respect, trust, and
responsibility in all academic work. The policy defines academic misconduct as the following:
“Participating in acts by which a person gains or attempts to gain an unfair academic advantage
thereby compromising the integrity of the academic process,” including:

 cheating
 plagiarism
 improper collaboration
 contract cheating (severe misconduct)
 fabrication and falsification
 helping, or attempting to help, another student commit academic misconduct
 obtaining an unfair advantage
 multiple submissions

Students are required to sign and submit an academic integrity statement for all written work by
putting this statement in every submission of graded assignments and term paper: “I certify
that this submission represents entirely my own work.”

2. REGISTRATION STATUS: Students are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of their
registration in courses. This can be checked at any time using MyStudentSystem.

3. PREREQUISITES: Students who do not have the appropriate prerequisite may be removed
from the course and may be responsible for any tuition costs up to the date of removal.

4. WITHDRAWING FROM THE COURSE: Students who stop attending class must officially
withdraw from the course. This must be done by the official withdrawal deadline for the course,
which is available at the Office of the University Registrar. Failure to withdraw properly will
result in a grade being assigned that is based on completed course work only, with a grade of 0%
being assigned to all missed exams/assignments.

5. SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS: Please see the Human Rights and Accessibility Policy and
Students with Disabilities Procedure.
Students who require special accommodation in this course due to a disability and/or medical
condition are advised to discuss their needs with Access and Disability Resources (ADR).
6. FINAL EXAMS: Policy Student Assessment and Policy Grading Policy Students are responsible
for confirming the date, time, duration and location of the final exam.

7. RE-EVALUATION OF MARKS
MacEwan Grading Procedures (Section 3.8) states that if a student feels an error has been made
on the evaluation of submitted course work, the student is required to first contact the
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Instructor, via email, within four (4) business days of the mark being released. The Instructor
shall respond within four (4) business days. If unresolved and the student has reason to believe
the mark has been unfairly assessed, then the student may apply for a reassessment for any
submitted assessment, which constitutes at least 10% of the final course grade. Requests for
reassessment must be submitted to the applicable Department Chair (or designate) within four
(4) business days of the Instructor sending a response to the student. The student must
complete and submit the request form, available from the Office of the University Registrar
Forms Cabinet.

8. APPEALS: See E3103:Student Appeals. Please note anything that has its own appeals policy
(e.g. Academic Integrity, Grading, Non-Academic Misconduct) is exempt from the Appeals
policy. Students may contact Student Affairs for assistance.

9. ONGOING PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES: As of September 3, 2021, all visitors to campus,

whether staff, students, or faculty, are required to be masked. For updates on COVID-19
measures, please consult: macewan.ca/coronavirus.

INSTRUCTOR COURSE POLICIES/SUPPORT:

1. Late penalties/procedures for missed exams or late assignments: When students miss an
exam, test, or quiz the instructor should be notified of the reason within 48 hours. Valid
reasons for missing the exam include illness, jury duty or court subpoena, death in the
family, or other emergency approved by the instructor. It is the student’s responsibility to
keep up with class work when they are absent from class. Absence from class will not be
accepted as a legitimate reason for failure to attend an exam on time.

If a student misses a quiz because of illness or other circumstances approved by the

instructor, then a make up exam will be given. If possible, the student must arrange this
with the instructor before the exam, by emailing the Instructor.

If a student misses the Final Exam because of illness or other circumstances approved by the
instructor, then the student will be given a deferred exam or an Incomplete Grade,
depending on the assessment of the Instructor of the student’s situation.

2. Expectations for student engagement in virtual spaces: Students are expected to complete
their assigned readings and assignments every week.

3. TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS: Sufficient technology and reliable Internet access are

required to complete University level online classes at MacEwan. Instructors expect that
students will be able to complete and deliver work on time through the systems provided.
While tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices may allow for completion of some
coursework, they are not guaranteed to work for all areas. Successful completion of the
course will be greatly facilitated by an adequate Windows or Mac based computer. If you do
 not have a reliable computer and/or internet access, you may be able to borrow these from
MacEwan library. Check with tech support (techsupport@macewan.ca) for more
information.

4. GETTING HELP: It is your responsibility to seek out any assistance you need in the course.
There are other resources that are available to help: Page | 7
For technical support, contact techsupport@macewan.ca.
For help with Blackboard, contact blackboard@macewan.ca.
For psychological or emotional distress or anxiety, contact MacEwan Wellness and
Psychological Services 780-497-5063 WPS@macewan.ca or Peer Support Services.
For Student Ombuds Support (SAMU) see www.samu.ca/ombud
For help with financial issues, contact Fees and Financial Aid 780-497-5025 or
studentloans@macewan.ca
You may be eligible for a scholarship, award, or bursary, click link for more information.

DISCLAIMER:
The information in this course outline is subject to change and any changes will be announced in
class or in writing.

“The University reserves the right to modify or replace the method of delivery for the course,
including a temporary or permanent suspension of in-person learning in favour of virtual or
online learning at any time before or during the course where the University determines that
the delivery of in-person learning presents a risk to the health or safety of the University or to a
member of the MacEwan University community, or for any other reason as determined by the
University. Any change in the method of delivery for the course will be announced via email
notification to students’ MacEwan email addresses.
(Academic Calendar: https://calendar.macewan.ca/disclaimer-important-notice/)

COURSE TOPICS AND SCHEDULE

Course Schedule and Assigned Readings

Note: It is important that you read both assigned readings from the Modules as well as course
text for each week.

Week Topic Readings____________________________

1 (7/4-8) Intro to Basic Concepts Modules 1 & 2, Introduction, pp.xxi-xxxiv;

Chap 1, pp.3-12; Chap 2, pp. 13-16)

Political Ideologies Module 3, Chap 9, pp. 99-111; Chap 10,

pp. 112-130; Chap 11, pp. 131-143; Chap
12, pp. 144-162; Chap 13, pp. 162-176;
Chap 14, pp. 177-194; Chap 15, 195-205

2 (7/11-15) Liberal Democracy Module 4, Chap 16, pp. 209-215; Chap 17, pp.
216-239
Nation-State & Government Regimes Module 5, Chap 3, pp. 17-18; Chap 4, pp.40-48;
Chap 19, pp 258-273; Chap 18, pp. 242-256
3 (7/18-22) Representation & Legislature
Bureaucracy & Public Policy
4 (7/25-29) Constitution & the Rule of Law
Political Parties
5 (8/1-5) Elections & Electoral Systems
Interest Groups & Social Movements
Political Culture
6 (8/8-12) Globalization & World Politics
Terrorism, Nuclear Proliferation &
World Wars
Module 6, Chap 20, pp. 274-301; Chap
26, pp.391-407
Module 7, Chap 27, pp. 408-419; Chap
28, pp. 420-430
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Module 8, Chap 6, pp. 60-67; Chap 7, pp.
68-82; Chap 29, pp.431-445; Chap 21,
pp. 302-316
Module 9, Chap 22, pp.321-328; Chap
23, pp. 329-341
Module 10, Chap 25, pp. 372-390
Module 11, Chap 23, pp 341-357
Module 12, Chap 5, pp. 49-59; Chap 24,
pp. 358-371
Module 13, Chap 8, pp.83-96
Module 14