COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

Political Science 380
Dr. James P. Lester

Culture, Politics, and Public Policy

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

With diverse ethnic groups populating the United States, it is important to examine the ways in which these groups might relate to one another now and in the future. Mainstream social science advances five alternative theories of minority integration in the composition of society (e.g., pluralism, the melting pot, cultural assimilation, cultural diversity, and cultural conflict). At the same time that the United States is becoming ethnically more diverse, those who have historically been marginalized in U.S. society are making broader demands for equality and power. Their claims have led to the recent American predicament of "culture wars." This course will focus on the political discourses that have arisen within the last decade on the subject of culture, politics, and public policy, particularly those that relate to "cultural diversity," within the American political experience.

The objectives of the course are threefold: 1) to understand the various policy positions of different groups that make up the American cultural mosaic; 2) to critically evaluate those positions within the context of liberal and conservative thought; and, 3) to seek to find a "common ground" position between these various perspectives. The latter is primarily concerned with finding a way whereby we can live together in harmony (versus conflict).

Students will not only read contemporary theoretical and empirical texts, but they will also analyze their relationship to the future of "cultural diversity" in the 1990s and beyond. Moreover, there will be a consistent focus on the way in which diverse ethnic and religious groups have participated in American politics and policy during the last two centuries.

TEXTBOOKS:

The following texts have been ordered for the course. They are available for purchase at the CSU Bookstore and the Ram Bookstore:

John Arthur and Amy Shapiro, eds., Campus Wars: Multiculturalism and the Politics of Difference (Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1995).

James D. Hunter, Culture Wars: The Struggle to Define America (New York, NY: Basic Books, 1991).

Paula D. McClain and Joseph Stewart, Jr., Can We All Get Along? Racial and Ethnic Minorities in American Politics (Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1995).

Theodore D. Monk, Taking Sides: Race and Ethnicity Guilford, CT: Dushkin Publishing Group, 1994).

Young I. Song and Eugene C. Kim, ed., American Mosaic: Selected Readings on America's Multicultural Heritage (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1993).

FORMAT OF THE COURSE:

An old Chinese proverb says, "Tell me and I will forget...Show me and I might remember... Involve me and I will remember." Thus, it is clear that students learn in at least three ways. First, all students need some basic information about the topic. They also need some type of experience with the topic at hand. Finally, they need to reflect upon and apply what they have been told or exposed to that week. Therefore, this course utilizes three separate activities directed toward the students. First, each week will begin with a brief lecture on the topic for that particular week. Students will be expected to come to class prepared to discuss the assigned readings for that week's topic within the context of a large group. The second meeting each week will be devoted to a videotape (or guest lecture) in order to provide the students with some experience with the topic. Finally, the week will end with a small group discussion (reflection and application) of the material that has been presented that particular week.

By its content and nature, the course will be highly controversial. Therefore, there are some guidelines that I would like us to follow: 1) during your discussions, please listen to others' opinions and treat their opinions with respect; 2) everyone should not talk at once only one at a time; and 3) try to frame your opinions and/or questions in a manner that will not intentionally offend others. We all should keep in mind, however, that the nature of the subject matter may, at times, offend someone. While that is not the purpose of this course, it may be impossible to avoid in an atmosphere of open debate and discussion. Remember that the purpose of a college education is to pursue truth no matter where that may lead us and however painful it may be in the process.

EVALUATION:

There will be two critical essays related to the readings and discussions. The first essay will be due the week of October 9 and will constitute the midterm examination. It will be a take home exam. Questions will be distributed to you two weeks before the exam is due. This take home essay will count as 40% of the total grade. In addition, the final examination will also be essay in format and will be given in class during final examination week. The remainder of the grade (20%) will come from your class attendance and participation in large and small group discussions. The formula for computing your grade is:

40% (MidTerm) + 40% (Final Exam) + 20% (Participation) 100%

Final course grades will be assigned according to the following scale:

90-100 = A ; 89-80 = B; 79-70 = C; 69-60 = D; 59-0 = F

You are expected to attend all class sessions which include lectures, guest lectures, videotapes, and small group discussions. Missing class will seriously erode your learning curve as all our activities constitute an integral part of the instructional process. Class attendance will occasionally be taken and will be used to determine your total participation grade.

Be sure that you keep up with the reading. You should read each week's materials prior to our first meeting on a particular topic. By doing so, you will be prepared to fully participate in that week's activities. Most of the reading will come from your textbooks; however, you will also be asked to utilize materials on reserve at Morgan Library. These materials are noted in your syllabus with an *. You will probably want to photocopy these materials and take them home with you. If you do copy the materials on reserve, be sure that you leave them in the same order that you found them for your classmates. Do not take materials from reserve for your own personal use.

THEMATIC SCHEDULE:

Week:

8/23 Introduction: Can We All Get Along?

Readings: McClain and Stewart, pp. 1-26.

Monk, pp. 178-191.

Video: "Can We All Get Along?" (TV08700)

8/28 Historical Roots of the Culture War

Readings: Hunter, pp. 67-132.

McClain and Stewart, pp. 27-54.

Guest: Dr. Wayne Clegern, Department of History

9/4 The American Predicament:_Cultural Conflict

Readings: Hunter, pp. 351. McClain and Stewart, pp. 55-84 and 123-144. Arthur and Shapiro, pp. 226-234.

Video: "Cultural Variance and Ethnic Pluralism" (TVQ1238)

9/11 The Women's Movement

Readings: Arthur and Shapiro, pp. 71-98 and 191-198.

*C. Sommers, Who Stole Feminism?, pp. 1973.

Guest: Dr. Karen Wedge, Director, Women's Studies

9/18 The Afro American Movement

Readings: Monk, pp. 84-101 and 160-175. Song and Kim, pp. 55-113.

Guest: Ms. Blanche Hughes, Director, Black Student Services

Video: "Eyes on the Prize"

9/25 The Latino Movement

Readings: Song and Kim, pp. 117-171. Monk, pp. 222-240.

Guest: Ms. Guadalupe Salazar, Director, Hispanic Student Services

Video: "The Color of Fear"

10/2 The Native American Movement

Readings: Song and Kim, pp. 153. Monk, pp. 102-123.

Guest: Dr. Irene Vernon, Department of English

Video: "The Spirit of Crazy Horse"

10/9 The Asian American Movement

Readings: Monk, pp. 42-63.

Song and Kim, pp. 173-235.

Guest: Dr. Linda Ahuna, Director, Pacific American Studies

Video: "The Asianization of America" (TV08410)

(MidTerm Exams Due)

10/16 The Gay and Lesbian Movement

Readings: Hunter, pp. 176-196.

*Mark Blasius, "What Are Lesbian and Gay Rights?" in M. Blasius, Gay and Lesbian

Politics (1994).

Videos: "Alternative Perspectives on Homosexuality"

(TV0426365)

10/23 Educational Policy: Multiculturalism

Readings: Arthur and Shapiro, pp.9-68

Hunter, pp. 197-224.

Video: "Debate on Political Correctness" (TV08446)

Guest: Dr. Paul Shang, Director, Help Center

lO/30 Environmental Policy: EcoRacism

Readings: *Robert Bullard, "Anatomy of Environmental Racism and the Environmental Justice Movement," in R.D. Bullard, ed., Confronting Environmental Racism (1993).

*David Allen, James Lester, and Kelly Hill,

"Assessing the EcoRacism Thesis at the County Level," (1995) Video: "Four Corners: A National Sacrifice Area?" (TV04402)

11/6 Labor Policy: Affirmative Action

Readings: Arthur and Shapiro, pp. 137-187.

Monk, pp. 208-221.

Guest: Dr. Steve Shulman, Department of Economics

11/13 Morality Regulation: Abortion Policy

Readings: *J.D. Hunter, Before the Shooting Begins (1994), pp. 14-67.

*George McKenna and Stanley Feingold, eds., Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Political Issues (1994), pp. 264-279.

Video: "Abortion and Reproductive Issues" (TV09401)

11/27 Immigration Policy

Readings: *Peter Brimelow, Alien Nation: Common Sense About America's Immigration Disaster (1995), pp. 357. *George McKenna and Stanley Feingold, eds., Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Political Issues (1994), pp. 336-349.

Guest: Governor Richard Lamm, Director, Center for

Policy Studies, Denver University

12/4 Cultural Diversity and the Future

Readings: Hunter, pp. 295-325.

McClain and Stewart, pp. 145-158.

*Cornel West, Beyond Eurocentrism and Multiculturalism (1993).

12/11 Final Exam Week

Final Essay Exam