PO356: Politics of Mexico
Dwight R. Hahn, Ph.D.
Fall 2007

 

 

Contents:
Office Hours / Description and Goals / Text / Requirements /  Grading  /  Topics by Week

 

 

 

 

Dwight R. Hahn, Ph.D.
Department of Political Science
John Carroll University

Office Hours: Monday, 11:30-3:15PM; Wednesday, 11:30-2:00PM, and by appointment
Phone: 397-4305
E-mail: hahn@jcu.edu

TOP

 

Course Description:      

This course introduces the interested undergraduate to the study of Mexican politics.  Over the course of the last two decades of the 20th Century, Mexico underwent a political transition from a single-party authoritarian regime to (or at least toward) an electoral democracy in which political rights were sufficiently present to allow reasonably competitive elections in which the outcome was relevant to the authoritative rule-making process.   This transition will be the main object of study for this course.  Related topics include the effect of economic policy—specifically the shift from ISI policies to neoliberal policies—on the political transformation; the role of international actors and international economic agreements; the social transformation of Mexican society; and, the “political culture” of Mexico.  Further, especially given the controversy following in the wake of the 2006 presidential election and other issues such as drug-related violence, the course considers whether Mexico is consolidating its democracy or whether Mexico may be liable to significant political instability.  The course also gives special attention to issues related to labor migration from Mexico to the U.S.

Goals:
This course seeks to provide students with a basic conceptual vocabulary and "facts" relevant to an analysis of the Mexican political transition.  The development of such an analysis will be accomplished through the use of in-class discussion, writing, and small-group development of a thesis regarding some aspect of Mexican politics and the presentation of that thesis to the class. Thus, through modeling and experimentation with the process, students are encouraged to learn and develop their analytical skill.  

Required Texts:           TOP

·      Camp, Roderic. 2007 (fifth edition). Politics in Mexico: The Democratic Consolidation.  Oxford University Press.

·      Preston, Julia and Samuel Dillon.  2004.  Opening Mexico: The Making of a Democracy.   Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.

·      Martinez, Ruben.  2001.  Crossing Over: A Mexican Family on the Migrant Trail.  Picador USA.

·      Articles posted at the Blackboard site for this class. 

 

Course Requirements (Graded Assignments):      TOP

 

Short-topic papers.   Students will be asked to write two-three page papers usually calling for an explanatory synthesis of our readings. {four or five--possibly more—total of 25% of course grade}

 

Midterm. This is an in-class exam of one or two short essays and brief identification questions. {20%}

 

Final Exam. This is a “take-home exam” composed of two or more topics calling for essay responses.  {20%}

 

Research Thesis, Outline, and Oral Presentation.   Oral presentation of thesis on selected topic supported by written thesis and outline (properly cited) with bibliography.  {25%}

 

Oral Participation.    The class emphasizes student participation.  Students should demonstrate knowledge of the course material through regular class attendance, ability to respond to questions based on the reading or other course material, engage in thoughtful discussion, and (when assigned) lead class discussion on a particular chapter or article. {10%}

 

Attendance.

Students are to attend each session prepared to participate in thoughtful discussion relevant to the reading for that session and previous classroom discussions.  Excused absences should be arranged with the professor in advance whenever possible.  Students with two unexcused absences will lose one percent from their total course grade.  Every subsequent unexcused absence will result in a loss of an additional one percent from the total grade. 

 

An attendance sheet will be distributed at most class sessions.  Students are responsible for making sure that they have signed the attendance sheet on that day. 

 

Other Course Policies:

Academic Honesty: 

University policies regarding plagiarism will be strictly enforced—see JCU Bulletin.  Student should feel free to discuss out-of-class paper topics with fellow students before actually writing.  However, students must write their own papers.  Students are expected to produce papers reflecting their own analysis and synthesis of secondary sources—properly cited.  An assignment that is found to be plagiarized will be given a zero and the incident will be reported to the dean.

Students with Disabilities:

John Carroll University recognizes its responsibility for creating an institutional climate in which students with disabilities can succeed. In accordance with University policy, if you have a documented disability, you may be eligible to request accommodations from the office of Services for Students with Disabilities. Students with disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations and should have equal access to learning. Please contact the office of Services for Students with Disabilities at (216) 397-4967 if you have any questions or to set up an appointment to meet with the coordinator, Allison West. After your eligibility for accommodations is determined, you will be given a letter which, when presented to instructors, will help us know best how to assist you. Please keep in mind that accommodations are not retroactive so it is best to register with Student Disability Services at your earliest convenience.

 

Grading:       TOP

Course grade is based on percentage of weighted total
A = 93% or better of total, A- = 90% - 93%, B+ = 87% - 90%,
B = 83% - 87%, B- = 80% - 83%, C+ = 77% - 80%, C = 73% - 77%, C- = 70% - 73%,
D+ = 67% - 70%, D = 60% - 67%, F = <60%

 

Course Topics and Readings by Week:    TOP
(Subject to modification.)

#

Week

Reading:

Topics, tasks, and questions for discussion:

1

8/28-8/30

 

R: Camp, Ch.1; Martinez, Prologue

Introduction to the course; blackboard. Mexico in Comparative Context

2

9/4-9/6

T: Camp, Ch.2

R: Preston, Ch.2

The historical roots

3

9/11-9/13

T: Camp, Ch.8

R: Preston, Preface and Ch.1

Expanding Participation

Making free elections

4

9/18-9/20

T: Camp, Ch.6

R: Preston, Ch. 3-6

The residue of “corporatism”

Assign Preston chapters to student discussion leaders

5

9/25-9/27

T:  Camp, Ch.3

R: Preston, Ch.7-10

Contemporary political culture and support for democracy?

6

10/2-10/4

T: Preston, Ch.11-13,

R: Camp, Ch.10

 

“Economic liberalization” and “democratization”

7

10/9-10/11

T: Camp, Ch.7

R: Preston, Ch.14-Epilogue

 

How the political institutions work. (Friday is Fall Break)

8

10/16-10/18

T: Review for Midterm

R: Take Midterm

Finish discussion of Preston; Review for Midterm

9

10/23-10/25

T: Articles at Blackboard (BB); Martinez, Ch.1-2

R: Find Topics at BB; Martinez, Ch.3-4

Framework(s) for explaining democratization;

Choose/Discuss topics for student research projects

10

10/30-11/1

T: Readings for Topic 1 (BB)

R: Readings for T2 (BB); Martinez, Ch.5-8

Students should be consulting with instructor outside of class on research for topics

11

11/6-11/8

T: Readings for T3 and T4 topics (BB); Martinez, Ch. 9

R: Readings for T5 topic and T6 (BB); Martinez, Ch. 11

 

 

12

11/13-11/15

T: Readings for T7 (and others?); Martinez, Ch. 13

R: Individual student meetings with instructor

Each student meets with instructor during class time on Thursday

 

13

None

No TR classes

Friday classes meet on Tuesday; Happy Thanksgiving

14

11/27-11/29

T:  Presentations: T1, T2, T3, T4

R:  Presentations: T5, T6, T7

 

15

12/4-12/6

T: Conclusions

R: Release and discussion of Final Exam

 

16

Final Exam