Professor: Douglas Nelson
Office: Tilton 108 (Murphy Institute), Phone: 865-5317
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday, 3:30-5:30
Broadly speaking, Political Economy is the study of the interaction
between the economy and the political system. Given the interdisciplinary
nature of this field, it is not surprising that there is an extremely wide
array of schools (Liberal, Marxist, Statist, ...), approaches (individualist,
structuralist, functionalist, institutionalist, ...), methodologies (formal/mathematical,
quantitative/econometric, historical, ...), et cetera. There are
at least equally many ways to organize an introductory course on this topic:
we could attempt a survey, touching briefly on each of the multitude of
combinations implied by the list above; we could examine a variety of issues
from any one these; or we can take some middle approach. We will take a
middle approach. The main textbook (Shepsle and Bonchek) provides a synthetic
analysis based on an essentially micro-analytic (i.e. rational choice)
approach. In each of the main sections of the course we will supplement
the main textbook with readings taking other approaches.
Your performance in this course will be evaluated on the basis of three
examinations (worth 100 points each); and two reaction papers (worth 50
points each). To receive an A, you must earn at least 360 points out of
the total of 400 points available. To pass the course you must earn at
least 240 total points. Grades between these limits will be determined
on the basis of your performance relative to that of the class as a whole.
With regard to the examinations. Each of the examinations will be made
up of a number of identification/short-answer questions, and two or three
essay questions that asks you to synthesize and apply material from the
part of the course immediately preceding the examination. The midterm
examinations will be given only on 2 October and 3 November
in class. The final examination will be given only on Saturday,
14 December 2000 at 1:00 pm. Do not make travel or other plans that
conflict with these dates.
With regard to the reaction papers. The subject of the reaction papers
will be any two of the three supplementary books (i.e. one reaction paper
per selected book). A reaction paper is a short paper discussing some aspect
of the relevant reading, it is not a book report. In the reaction
paper you must explicitly discuss the relevant reading and evaluate some
central aspect of its discussion. Note: "evaluate" means that you must
identify some central aspect of the books analysis, explain why you think
this aspect is interesting/important, and present your evaluation of the
author's position (note that you must make an argument, simply asserting
your agreement or disagreement will not be sufficient for a passing grade).
The reaction papers are due in class on the first date scheduled for
discussion of the readings (see syllabus), late papers will not be
accepted and will earn a grade of zero.
Readings for the course will be drawn from the following books:
K. Shepsle and M. Bonchek (1997). Analyzing Politics. New York: Norton.
E.E. Schattschneider (1983). The Semisovereign People. New York: Holt, Rinehart.
W. Keech (1995). Economic Politics: The Costs of Democracy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
C. Noble (1997). Welfare as We Knew It: A Political History of the American Welfare State. Oxford: OUP.
-Shepsle and Bonchek, Chapters 3 and 4
September 25, 27, 29: Voting, Party
Competition and Democracy
October 18, 20, 23: The Collective Action Problem
October 25, 27, 30, November 1: The
Political Economy of the U.S. "Welfare State"
Second Midterm Examination:
3 November 2000 (To view a sample exam answers, click
here)
Part III: Institutional
Analysis
November 13, 15, 17: Legislatures
November 20, 27, 29: Bureaucracy
and Interbranch Politics
December 1, 4, 6, 8: The Political
Economy of Macroeconomic Policy, Course Synthesis