Assignment #1: Bringing Political Science to Life

Purpose: Synthesize an actual event using political science. Roughly 500-600 words. O.K. if longer!
Details –
1. Identify a real world political occurrence, or pattern of behavior. Briefly describe what happened,
such as where (e.g. location, institution), and provide a hyperlink to a news story or wiki about the
event. This should be the shortest part of your essay, no more than a couple sentences. I can read
the story at hyperlink, but I probably know the story already. 2. Use the textbook and/or reader to answer the following: a. What is the appropriate reading (or readings) to understand this political event? b. According to the reading you selected, what should happen between actors, voters,
institutions etc. This is where you demonstrate to me that you understand the descriptive
political science….so don’t be stingy, this section should be the longest, or a longer part
of your essay. Try to use both the reader and textbook in your response. c. According to the assigned readings should we be surprised by this event? As in, does your
event defy political science theory? Or does it appear to confirm political science? Why?
Don’t be stingy on this part either. I’m interested in how you reflect on what you learned. 3. Be certain to give your paper an original title. Allusions, puns, humor, sarcasm, irony are more
than welcome, and you’ll be graded on this portion. But don’t don’t don’t write assignment #1 for
your title. Don’t do it. (a) Type your paper in a serif font (like Garamond, Times, Century, Constantia). Do not
use a san serif font like (Arial, Calibri, Tahoma, or Century Gothic) 4. You can use documentaries & films that are relevant to politics. Here are some pre-approved
movies:
• Kill the Messenger (CIA, crack cocaine, & Iran Contra)
• All the Presidents Men (Watergate)
• Citizen Four (documentary); OR Snowden (drama)
• The Candidate (1974) Paper ideas that you’re free to take: – Covid masks and Tragedy of the Commons
o (Hardin would argue that we must use coercion to ensure compliance) – SF School Board changes school names; Ted Cruz to Cancun; Trump to golf course
o You could talk about agency loss, but I think the better fit is about threats from their
primary constituency. Neither anticipates being in a competitive general election (due
to partisan district composition), so they are pandering to voters within their party
primary essentially. Use Fenno 5.3
o Maybe use Thomas Friedman as the prompt/provocation: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/16/opinion/republican-party-democracy.html
Spring 2022 POSC 100

– Anything about fake news, social media content
o Use 10.3 Hersh or 14.3 Allcott and Gentzkow – which are in the “supplemental
readings not found” in your reader tab on beachboard under assignment #1