The Politics of Poverty

GOV 312L/# 38135

Spring 2019 – M-W 14:30-16:00 – Burdine Hall 108

Prof. Z. D. Barany, barany@austin.utexas.edu | BAT 3.156 | MW 11-12, 13:30-14:00

About this course

Government 312 L satisfies the second half of the mandated six hours of government that every UT student must take.  Its topic – the politics of poverty – deals with questions concerning what poverty is and why it exists, with welfare policies in Texas, in the United States, and with poverty and politics in the Third World.  The course assumes the basic knowledge of government from GOV 310L, but nothing more.

Questions concerning the nature and cause of poverty and inequality and what to do about them are by definition controversial and subject to much debate.  This course does not presume that either the professor, teaching assistants, or the readings have “The Answer” to such questions.  Rather, our collective goal for the semester is to identify the major schools of debate around such questions and for you to think about them.  If you have already decided how you feel about poverty, the course may provoke you to think again; if you have never given the question any thought, the course may provoke you into thinking about such questions.

Given the size and nature of the course, it is taught by lecture.  There will always be time for discussion and participation in class, however.  Attendance will make a difference, particularly because the lectures do not follow the readings.  (I am convinced of your ability to read the texts – which are selected for ease of understanding, relevance, and for its likelihood to keep you engaged – without having to spend time regurgitating them in class.)  The lectures, in other words, will be entirely different from what you read for that day.

Government 312L satisfies the second half of the mandated six hours of government that every UT student must take.  Its topic – the politics of poverty – deals with questions concerning what poverty is and why it exists, with welfare policies in Texas, in the United States, and with poverty and politics in the Third World.  The course assumes the basic knowledge of government from GOV 310L, but nothing more.

Questions concerning the nature and cause of poverty and inequality and what to do about them are by definition controversial and subject to much debate.  This course does not presume that either the professor, teaching assistants, or the readings have “The Answer” to such questions.  Rather, our collective goal for the semester is to identify the major schools of debate around such questions and for you to think about them.  If you have already decided how you feel about poverty, the course may provoke you to think again; if you have never given the question any thought, the course may provoke you into thinking about such questions.

Given the size and nature of the course, it is taught by lecture.  There will always be time for discussion and participation in class, however.  Attendance will make a difference, particularly because the lectures do not follow the readings.  (I am convinced of your ability to read the texts – which are selected for ease of understanding, relevance, and for its likelihood to keep you engaged – without having to spend time regurgitating them in class.)  The lectures, in other words, will be entirely different from what you read for that day.

Grading Policy

First Test                                 20

Second Test                            30

Third Test                                30

5-7-page paper                       20

Required Readings

(A) Auyero, Javier, ed. Invisible Austin: Life and Labor in an American City (Austin: University of Texas Press, 2015).

(B) Banerjee, Abhijit V., and Esther Duflo. Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty (New York: Public Affairs, 2012).

(V) Vance, J.D. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis (New York: Harper, 2016).

The Military in Politics

GOV 390L, #38965
LAS 384L
MES 384

Instructor:  Prof. Barany

Office: BAT 3.156/Office hours: M: 10:30-12, 1:30-3

This course is designed to familiarize graduate students with the military’s role in modern state and society.  The focus is on the sociopolitical character of the armed forces.  We will examine the most important issues of civil-military relations, such as why is civilian control important, what types of control arrangements are conducive to healthy civil-military relations in various types of political regimes, and in what ways do military elites respond to state policies and social movements.  

The class begins with nine weeks of intensive readings in order to get you grounded in the literature and help you learn to appreciate the diversity of civil-military relations in different political systems.  In one of these class meetings you will make a 20-minute oral presentation to the seminar on the reading for that day (this should be an analytical and critical assessment).   You will also write eight brief (one single-spaced page) discussion proposals to facilitate debate about the readings.  These should contain two or three paragraph-long questions raised by the readings you read for the class that you will send to your classmates and me by midnight on Sunday (the previous day).  We will conclude with student presentations (approximately 20-minute summations of your research project) followed by Q&A sessions.  The topic of the seminar paper must be settled on by October 19; the paper is due at the beginning of the last seminar meeting, on November 30). 

The research paper is the most important requirement of this course.  The paper should be 20 to 25 double-spaced pages in length and should be informed by at least 25 different sources (books, articles, etc.).  The paper should be structurally sound and the argument(s) should be built to follow logical reasoning.  Ideally, it would take advantage of some existing theory to inform its argument(s); it should be analytical and feature relatively little descriptive material (i.e., ask not “how?” ask rather “why?”).

Grading

1. 8 discussion proposals   (2.5% each)                                                                   : 20

2. critical oral review presentation of the reading (once)                                            : 10     

3. seminar participation (including presentation of the research paper)                       : 20                     

4. research paper (20-25 pages)                                                                              : 50

Government 312L satisfies the second half of the mandated six hours of government that every UT student must take.  Course covers analysis of varying topics concerned with American political institutions and policies, including the United States Constitution, and assumes basic knowledge of government from GOV 310L, which is a prerequiste. May be taken for credit only once.

The Modern Monarchy

Graduate Seminar

Fall 2016 –cross-listed with Middle East Studies and Asian Studies

Instructor: Zoltan Barany

In this graduate seminar we will try to answer the fundamental question of how and why has the monarchical form of government survived to the modern age.  We will look briefly at the historical evolution of the constitutional monarchies of Europe (e.g., Spain, Sweden, and the UK).  We will spend far more time, however, discussing and thinking about the kingdoms outside of Europe: the eight absolute monarchies of the Arab world (e.g., Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar), the great variety of Asian kingdoms (from Bhutan to Brunei and Japan to Malaysia), and the mini-state monarchies (e.g., Bahrain, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg).  We will analyze the advantages and drawbacks of this kind of government for democracy and seek to explain the remarkable resilience of Arab kingdoms during the recent upheavals. Although we will cover monarchies in all world regions, student interest will affect the weight we assign to them.  (Thus, for instance, if there will be numerous students pursuing degrees in Middle East Studies but none from Asian Studies, we will privilege the former region in our explorations.)

Prerequisites: graduate student status in good standing.

Grading policy:

Seminar participation: 50%

            Composed of:

            1. discussion papers: 20%

            2. contribution to discussion: 20%

            3. presentation of the paper: 10%

            Seminar paper: 50%

Readings: (there will be others)

Aarts, Paul and Carolien Roelants. Saudi Arabia: A Kingdom in Peril (Hurst, 2015).

Davidson, Christopher M. After the Sheikhs: The Coming Collapse of the Gulf Monarchies (Oxford University Press, 2013).

Marshall, Andrew McGregor. A Kingdom in Crisis: Thailand's Struggle for Democracy in the Twenty-First Century (Zed Books, 2014). 

Government 312L satisfies the second half of the mandated six hours of government that every UT student must take.  Course covers analysis of varying topics concerned with American political institutions and policies, including the United States Constitution, and assumes basic knowledge of government from GOV 310L, which is a prerequiste. May be taken for credit only once.

Monarchies & Mini States

GOV365N – Unique # 38015 – Parlin Hall 303 – MW 5-6:30

Spring 2016 – Instructor: Z. Barany

This course focuses on the historical evolution, political power, socio-economic development, and extraordinary diversity of the monarchy as a form of government in the modern age.  There are twenty-eight sovereign monarchies in the world today and about 550 million people are ruled – in various ways and to different extents – by a monarch.  (Queen Elizabeth II remains the head of state of an additional 15 countries besides the United Kingdom, ranging from Australia to Tuvalu.)  The course will also deal with mini states – some are also monarchies – around the world.  We define mini states as countries whose territory is less than 1,000 square miles.  What impact does size have on these countries?  What advantages and disadvantages do they have owing to their modest territory?

For those of us living in republics it might appear odd that, in this day and age, there are still kings and emirs and sultans.  Moreover, we might well find it extraordinary that many of these kings essentially hold the fate of their subjects in their hands.  Yes, there are still numerous absolute monarchs around, not all that different in terms of their power from, say Louis XIV of France.  How is it possible for any one person to have such authority in the modern age?  In a different vein, there are numerous West European liberal democracies – those we associate with the most progressive political traditions: Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden – whose head of state remains a monarch.  Why do Belgians, Brits, and Spaniards preserve their monarchies?  Can we expect them to continue to do so?  Under what circumstances?

The monarchy as a form of government is also sufficiently flexible to include a number of rather unusual institutional arrangements, such as the “electoral” monarchy of Malaysia and an absolute monarchy based on religion: the Vatican (yes, Pope Francis is the “king” of not only all Catholics but, less broadly, of all Vaticaniens!).  In this class we will analyze all these questions as well as issues such as the role of pomp and pageantry, what sort of behavior by “celebrity princes” might undermine popular support for the monarchy, and why some seemingly well-entrenched kingdoms were abolished relatively recently (such as Iran in 1979 and Nepal in 2008).

Assignments

The most important assignment for this class is an independent video project which will result in an 6-8 minute film.  Students will select a specific kingdom (i.e., Sweden or Saudi Arabia) or mini state (i.e., Andorra or Singapore) and create a video essay focusing on that state.   You may concentrate on specific aspect(s) of the monarchy or mini state – say the position of women in Saudi society, the role of the monarch in the evolution of Swedish social democracy, or the banking sector in Luxembourg – or you may create a film that introduces the kingdom more generally to an audience.  Because this project is the main requirement for the class, I will provide continuous guidance throughout the course of the semester, both in-class and during office hours.  More specifically, as the class progresses, I intend to set aside about 15 minutes of every meeting discussing how your projects are taking shape.  There will be specific hurdles you will have to clear as the course progresses.  For instance, you will have to pick a monarchy to focus on by the end of the second week, you will be asked to give me an outline of how you intend to proceed by the fifth week, etc. 

The plan is to view and discuss together the videos in the last few class meetings  and we will all vote for different categories, etc., to make the project even more (!) fun.  My hope is that approaching this class in this way will not only allow you to learn deeply about one of the monarchies but, just as importantly, to be creative, independent, and leave the class with a sense of accomplishment and a “tangible” result of your efforts.

Aside from the video project, I will expect your active class participation and close engagement with the assigned readings.  Although there are three books they are relatively light readings and will hopefully allow you to have plenty of time for your video project.

Grading

Participation

            -- Student-of-the Day performance             5%

            -- contributions to class discussion             10%

Pop-quizzes on readings                                        10%

Examination                                                         25%

Film project and its presentation                            50%

Required Readings

Conradi, Peter. The Great Survivors: How Monarchy Made It Into the Twenty-First Century  (Alma Books, 2013) ISBN: 978-1846882340

Davidson, Christopher M. After the Sheikhs: The Coming Collapse of the Gulf Monarchies (Oxford University Press, 2013) ISBN: 978-0190244507

Eccardt, Thomas. Secret of the Seven Smallest States of Europe (Hippocrene Books, 2005) ISBN: 0-7818-1032-9

The Military in Politics

GOV 390L, U#39140 (cross-listed with ILAS)

Fall 2015/BAT 5.102/M 3:30-6:30

Department of Government

Instructor: Prof. Barany

This course is designed to familiarize graduate students with the military's role in modern state and society.  The focus is on the sociopolitical character of the armed forces.  We will examine the most important issues of civil-military relations, such as why is civilian control important, what types of control arrangements are conducive to healthy civil-military relations in various types of political regimes, and in what ways do military elites respond to state policies and social movements.  The class begins with nine weeks of intensive readings in order to get you grounded in the literature and help you learn to appreciate the diversity of civil-military relations in different political systems.  You will write brief (one single-spaced page) discussion proposals to facilitate debate about the readings.  We will conclude with student presentations (approximately 30-minute summations of your research) followed by Q&A sessions.  The seminar paper is due at the last seminar meeting (April 29); extensions will not be given save for truly exceptional cases (e.g., unanticipated call-up for combat duty, debilitating illness, etc.).

Grading

8 discussion proposals   (2.5% each): 20

seminar participation (including presentation of the research paper):  25

research paper (20-25 pages):  55

Texts

Kandil, Hazem. Soldiers, Spies, and Statesmen: Egypt’s Road to Revolt (Verso, 2014)

Owens, Mackubin Thomas. U.S. Civil-Military Relations After 9/11: Renegotiating the Civil-Military Bargain (Bloomsbury Academic, 2011).

Payne, Stanley G., and Jesús Palacios. Franco: A Personal and Political Biography (Wisconsin, 2014).

Sotomayor, Arturo C. The Myth of the Democratic Peacekeeper: Civil-Military Relations and the United Nations (Johns Hopkins, 2013).

Stanley, Bruce, E. Outsourcing Security: Private Military Contractors and U.S. Foreign Policy (Potomac, 2015)

Wilkinson, Steven I. Army and Nation: The Military and Indian Democracy since Independence (Harvard, 2015)

America and the Cold War

Instructor: Prof. Barany                          

Office: Batts 3.156                                  

Office hours: M/W: 1:30-3                        

The Cold War lasted for nearly five decades spanning most of the second half of the Twentieth Century and had a major impact on the lives of virtually everyone in that period, including the generations of your parents and grand parents.  What were the origins of the Cold War?  Who were its main protagonists?  What were the most important events and how did they impact upon the final outcome?  Obviously the U.S. and the Soviet Union were the main protagonists but the side stories – developments in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, the Middle East signified an important backdrop to the contest between the two nuclear superpowers that must be kept in mind.   

The objective of this course is to familiarize beginning undergraduate students with the main actors, events, and developments and to stimulate an appreciation of the complexities and nuances of international politics of this important era that continues to have a major impact on contemporary world politics.  At the end of the semester you will be able to intelligently discuss the political history of U.S.-Soviet relations and the Cold War in all major world regions.  We will begin with a thorough examination of the Cold War’s origins and then follow events, mostly through the eyes of American presidents from Franklin Delano Roosevelt to George Bush, Sr.  The disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 is the course’s end-point.

There are three non-cumulative midterm exams, weekly pop quizzes, and a group video project (a five-minute film about a key event, personality, or aspect of the Cold War that you will create in a group of four or five students).  In addition, students have the option of reviewing a book that was previously cleared with the Instructor or the TA.  The book review should be between no more than four (4) double-spaced pages and must be a critical assessment of the volume not a summary.

Grading:

Midterm 1:          20                         15

Midterm 2:           20                         15

Midterm 3:          30                          25

10 pop quizzes:  20                         20

Film project:       10                          10

                                                             é

If taking the book review option:   15

Assigned book:

John Lewis Gaddis, The Cold War: A New History (New York: Penguin Press, 2005)

GOV 365N, 38059

Spring 2015/PAR 1/M/W 5-6:30

Department of Government

Instructor: Prof. Zoltan Barany (barany@austin.utexas.edu)

Office: BAT 3.156/Office hours: M/W 1:30-3

What social and political role do the armed forces play in the modern state and society?  What are the hallmarks of democratic civil-military relations?  Can the armed forces play a progressive social role?  Do generals in power ever promote economic development or should they be expected to loot the country they rule?  And, ultimately, why do people with guns obey those without?  The purpose of this course is to seek answers to these and other age-old questions and to acquaint the advanced undergraduate student with the military's role in the modern state and society.  To prevent misunderstandings: the class does not deal with weapon systems, nuclear proliferation, strategy, or tactics.  Rather, we focus on the sociopolitical character of the armed forces in a variety of political settings: advanced democracies, authoritarian states, post-communist systems, etc.

In the first half of the class we are going to be learning about the armed forces of the United States, then, in the second half, we will broaden our horizons and look at armies and politics in the rest of the world.  My goal is to have you leave this class in May as someone who can intelligently discuss the political and societal role of the armed forces in a number of different contexts.  I respect you enough to have high expectations because I assume that as students at the University of Texas at Austin you want to satisfy high standards.  We will also have fun, viewing a couple of documentaries with military politics themes and reading books that you will not just learn from but, I hope, enjoy.

There will be a one-hour examination on April 1 that will test your knowledge of the materials. This test will be a combination of multiple-choice and one essay question (you will pick one out of three).  Other than this, the most important assignment is the 10-12-page analytical research paper that should be informed by at least 10 different sources (books, articles, etc.).  It should answer a clear research question, should be structurally sound and the argument(s) should be built to follow logical reasoning.  It should be analytical and feature relatively little descriptive material (i.e., ask not “how?” ask instead “why?”).  We will, of course, discuss the best way to approach your paper in class and in office hours.

Prerequisite: For Juniors and Seniors

1. first midterm examination                                             25%                           

2. second midterm examination                          25%

3. pop quizzes                                                          10%

4. class participation                                                          15%

5. research paper and its in-class presentation           25%

Bacevich, Andrew. Breach of Trust: How Americans Failed Their Soldiers and Their Country (Picador, 2014). ISBN: 1250055385

Barany, Zoltan. The Soldier and the Changing State: Building Democratic Armies in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas (Princeton University Press, 2012). ISBN: 0691137692

Owens, Mackubin Thomas. US Civil-Military Relations After 9/11: Renegotiating the Civil-Military Bargain (Bloomsbury Academic, 2011). ISBN: 1441160836

… and selected articles for the classes on the armed forces of the Muslim world

SUPERVISED TEACHING IN GOVERNMENT

Course Description

In a practical sense this seminar should be the most useful that you will take during your graduate student career and completing it will improve your chances on the job market.  Perhaps less importantly, this class is also a requirement for those wanting to teach their own courses at the University of Texas as Assistant Instructors. 

The purpose of this class is to boost your confidence and enhance your effectiveness as a teacher of college-level classes and to socialize you into the academic world.  We will focus on designing a syllabus, developing your teaching philosophy, lecturing effectively, leading engaging discussions, heading off problems with students, learning from student feedback, an also think and talk about grading, challenges specific to teaching political science, and dealing with controversial issues.  We will also discuss the best ways to prepare for the job market, how to give an effective job talk and present yourself at a job interview, and ways of getting along with colleagues in departments small and large.  Finally, we will have opportunities to discuss the broader career issues social science professors face.  If at the end of this course you will be more comfortable and self-assured in the classroom and ready to become a faculty member, we will have succeeded. 

I encourage you to get involved with the Center for Teaching and Learning.  (http://ctl.utexas.edu/).  If you would like to pursue further training as an instructor following this course, you might want to check out their Graduate Student Instructor Program (http://ctl.utexas.edu/programs-and-services/graduate-student-instructor-programs/) which may lead to a Certificate. 

Required reading

Lang, James M. 2008. On Course: A Week-by-Week Guide to Your First Semester of

College Teaching. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. (L)

Recommended readings:

Bain, Ken. 2004. What the Best College Teachers Do. Cambridge, MA: Harvard            University Press. (B)

McKeachie, Wilbert, and Marilla Svinicki. 2006. McKeachie's Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers.  New York:

Houghton Mifflin, 12th edition. (M & S)

If I come across short articles as the semester progresses I may ask you to read them.  You, too, should feel free to bring to our attention articles you think we should discuss.

Course Requirements

This class is for credit/no credit (i.e., no letter grade) only.  Course-work at or above 80% merits "credit;" below that, "no credit."  The main components of your performance are:

Seminar participation: Obviously this course is based on your active participation.  You all have ideas about good and bad teaching, what works, what does not, and you will certainly have something insightful things to say about the readings. (30% of your grade)

Syllabus design: You will all design a syllabus for an undergraduate lecture course and we will critique them (on September 24). (15% of your grade)

Statement of teaching philosophy: A document that you can send to prospective employers once you are on the job market regarding your thoughts on teaching, what it means to you, and the objectives you want to accomplish. (15% of your grade)

Two mini-lectures: You will deliver a mini-lecture of 10-15-minute length at the beginning of the semester and another one at the end.  The class will constructively evaluate your teaching and we will try to make this as useful to you, the lecturer, as possible.  (40% of your grade)

Course Description

In a practical sense this seminar should be the most useful that you will take during your graduate student career and completing it will improve your chances on the job market.  Perhaps less importantly, this class is also a requirement for those wanting to teach their own courses at the University of Texas as Assistant Instructors. 

The purpose of this class is to boost your confidence and enhance your effectiveness as a teacher of college-level classes and to socialize you into the academic world.  We will focus on designing a syllabus, developing your teaching philosophy, lecturing effectively, leading engaging discussions, heading off problems with students, learning from student feedback, an also think and talk about grading, challenges specific to teaching political science, and dealing with controversial issues.  We will also discuss the best ways to prepare for the job market, how to give an effective job talk and present yourself at a job interview, and ways of getting along with colleagues in departments small and large.  Finally, we will have opportunities to discuss the broader career issues social science professors face.  If at the end of this course you will be more comfortable and self-assured in the classroom and ready to become a faculty member, we will have succeeded. 

I encourage you to get involved with the Center for Teaching and Learning.  (http://ctl.utexas.edu/).  If you would like to pursue further training as an instructor following this course, you might want to check out their Graduate Student Instructor Program (http://ctl.utexas.edu/programs-and-services/graduate-student-instructor-programs/) which may lead to a Certificate. 

Grading Policy

This class is for credit/no credit (i.e., no letter grade) only.  Course-work at or above 80% merits "credit;" below that, "no credit."  The main components of your performance are:

Seminar participation: Obviously this course is based on your active participation.  You all have ideas about good and bad teaching, what works, what does not, and you will certainly have something insightful things to say about the readings. (30% of your grade)

Syllabus design: You will all design a syllabus for an undergraduate lecture course and we will critique them (on September 24). (15% of your grade) 

Statement of teaching philosophy: A document that you can send to prospective employers once you are on the job market regarding your thoughts on teaching, what it means to you, and the objectives you want to accomplish. (15% of your grade)

Two mini-lectures: You will deliver a mini-lecture of 10-15-minute length at the beginning of the semester and another one at the end.  The class will constructively evaluate your teaching and we will try to make this as useful to you, the lecturer, as possible.  (40% of your grade)

Texts

Required:

Lang, James M. 2008. On Course: A Week-by-Week Guide to Your First Semester of

College Teaching. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. (L)

Recommended readings:

Bain, Ken. 2004. What the Best College Teachers Do. Cambridge, MA: Harvard            University Press. (B)

McKeachie, Wilbert, and Marilla Svinicki. 2006. McKeachie's Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers.  New York:

Houghton Mifflin, 12th edition. (M & S) 

If I come across short articles as the semester progresses I may ask you to read them.  You, too, should feel free to bring to our attention articles you think we should discuss.

Course Description

What social and political role do the armed forces play in the modern state and society?  What are the hallmarks of democratic civil-military relations?  Can the armed forces play a progressive social role?  Do generals in power ever promote economic development or should they be expected to loot the country they rule?  And, ultimately, why do people with guns obey those without?  The purpose of this course is to seek answers to these and other age-old questions and to acquaint the advanced undergraduate student with the military's role in the modern state and society.  To prevent misunderstandings: the class does not deal with weapon systems, nuclear proliferation, strategy, or tactics.  Rather, we focus on the sociopolitical character of the armed forces in a variety of political settings: advanced democracies, authoritarian states, post-communist systems, etc. 

My goal is to have you leave this class in May as someone who can intelligently discuss the political and societal role of the armed forces in a number of different contexts.  I respect you enough to have high expectations because I assume that as students at the University of Texas at Austin you want to satisfy high standards.  We will also have fun, viewing two motion pictures with themes of military politics and reading books that you will not just learn from but, I hope, enjoy.

For the eight meetings when we will discuss readings – 1/28, 2/4, 2/11, 2/18, 2/25, 3/4, 3/18, 3/25 – you will prepare one-page discussion proposals (two paragraph-length questions pertaining to the reading for that day) that will serve as a basis for class discussion.  You must e-mail me your questions by midnight on the Sunday before the class.  You will only “keep” your grade for six, so you have two chances to slack off with impunity.

There will be a one-hour examination on April 1 that will test your knowledge of the materials. This test will be a combination of multiple-choice and one essay question (you will pick one out of three).  Other than this, the most important assignment is the 10-12-page analytical research paper that should be informed by at least 10 different sources (books, articles, etc.).  It should answer a clear research question, should be structurally sound and the argument(s) should be built to follow logical reasoning.  It should be analytical and feature relatively little descriptive material (i.e., ask not “how?” ask instead “why?”).  We will, of course, discuss the best way to approach your paper in class and in office hours.

Grading

1. six discussion proposals (2.5% each)                  : 15%

2. one-hour exam (April 1)                                    : 35%

3. class participation                                             : 25%

4. research paper (10-12 pages)                            : 25% 

Note: The “Class participation” grade will be taken seriouslybecause the success of this class hinges on it.  This grade will also include an assessment of your presentation, at the end of the semester.  I will not take attendance but, obviously, if you are not present, you cannot participate in the discussions and, therefore, you will be at a disadvantage. 

Rules

1. You may not use a laptop in the classroom.  All electronic devices must be shut off.

2. I will treat you as adults and I want you to treat this class as adults.  I will be in class on time and so should you be.  If you do not think you can make it at 3:30PM, do not register for this class.

3. There will be no extensions for the due dates of any written work. (OK: I might make exceptions if there is a nuclear attack on Austin or a flood of biblical proportions.)

Texts

Barany, Zoltan. The Soldier and the Changing State: Building Democratic Armies in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2012). ISBN: 0691137692

Dempsey, Jason K. Our Army: Soldiers, Politics, and American Civil-Military Relations (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2009). ISBN: 0691142254

Junger, Sebastian. War (New York: Twelve, 2010) ISBN: 0446556246

… and a few selected articles on the armed forces of the Muslim world

Course Description:

This course is designed to familiarize graduate students with the military's role in modern state and society.  The focus is on the sociopolitical character of the armed forces.  We will examine the most important issues of civil-military relations, such as why is civilian control important, what types of control arrangements are conducive to healthy civil-military relations in various types of political regimes, and in what ways do military elites respond to state policies and social movements.  The class begins with eight weeks of intensive readings in order to get you grounded in the literature and help you learn to appreciate the diversity of civil-military relations in different political systems.  You will write brief (one single-spaced page) discussion proposals to facilitate debate about the readings.  We will conclude with student presentations (approximately 30-minute summations of your research).  The seminar paper is due at the last seminar meeting (April 29); extensions will not be given save for truly exceptional cases (e.g., unanticipated call-up for combat duty, debilitating illness, etc.).

Grading Policy:

8 discussion proposals   (2.5% each)           : 20

seminar participation (including presentation

            of the research paper)                       :  25

research paper (20-25 pages)                      :  55

I will assume that as graduate students you will do the readings as assigned.  I want you to immerse yourselves in the books and articles in order to be able to make critical and insightful comments during the seminar meetings.  Since the seminar is based on discussion, without your substantive, engaged participation it will be of little use.

The research paper is the most important requirement of this course.  The paper should be 20 to 25 double-spaced pages in length and should be informed by at least 25 different sources (books, articles, etc.).  The paper should be structurally sound and the argument(s) should be built to follow logical reasoning.  Ideally, it would take advantage of some existing theory to inform its argument(s); it should be analytical and feature relatively little descriptive material (i.e., ask not “how?” ask rather “why?”).

Texts:

Barany, Zoltan. Soldiers and the Changing State: Building Democratic Armies in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2012). ISBN: 0691137692

Barany, Zoltan. Democratic Breakdown and the Decline of the Russian Military (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2007). ISBN: 0691128960

Bruneau, Thomas C. and Scott D. Tollefson, eds. Who Guards the Guardians and How: Democratic Civil-Military Relations (University of Texas Press, 2006) ISBN: 0292719248

Dempsey, Jason K. Our Army: Soldiers, Politics, and American Civil-Military Relations (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2009). ISBN: 0691142254

Maddow, Rachel. Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power (New York: Crown, 2012).

Nawaz, Suja. Crossed Swords: Pakistan, Its Army, and the Wars Within (New York: Oxford University Press, 2009).

Trinkunas, Harold. Crafting Civilian Control of the Military in Venezuela: A Comparative Perspective (University of North Carolina Press, 2005) ISBN: 0807856509

 … and some selected articles

Course Description The purpose of this class is to boost your confidence and enhance your effectiveness as a teacher of college-level classes and to socialize you into the academic world.  We will focus on designing a syllabus, lecturing effectively, leading engaging discussions, heading off problems with students, learning from student feedback, an also think and talk about grading, challenges specific to teaching political science, and dealing with controversial issues.  At the same time, we will also discuss the best ways to prepare for the job market, how to give an effective job talk and present yourself at a job interview, and ways of getting along with colleagues in departments small and large.  We will also have opportunities to discuss the broader career issues social science professors face.  If at the end of this course you will be more comfortable and self-assured in the classroom and ready to become a faculty member, we will have succeeded.  

This seminar is a requirement for those wanting to teach their own courses at the University of Texas as Assistant Instructors.  The purpose of this class is both to boost your confidence and enhance your effectiveness as a teacher and to socialize you into the academic world.  We will focus on designing a syllabus, lecturing effectively, leading engaging discussions, heading off problems with students, and learning from student feedback, etc.  We will also think and talk about grading, challenges specific to teaching political science, and dealing with controversial issues.  At the same time, we will discuss the best ways to prepare for the job market, how to give an effective job talk and present yourself at a job interview, and ways of getting along with colleagues in departments small and large.  We will also have opportunities to discuss the broader career issues social science professors face.  If at the end of this course you will be more comfortable and self-assured in the classroom and ready to become a faculty member, we will have succeeded. 

See syllabus for more details.

What social and political role do the armed forces play in the modern state and society?

What are the hallmarks of democratic civil-military relations? Can the armed forces play a

progressive social role? Do generals in power ever promote economic development or

should they be expected to loot the country they rule? And, ultimately, why do people with

guns obey those without? The purpose of this course is to seek answers to these and

other questions and to acquaint the advanced undergraduate student with the military's

role in the modern state and society. To prevent misunderstandings: the class does not

deal with weapon systems, nuclear proliferation, strategy, or tactics. Rather, the focus is

on the sociopolitical character of the armed forces in a variety of political settings:

advanced democracies, authoritarian states, and post-socialist systems.

My goal is to have you leave this class in May as someone who can intelligently discuss

the political and societal role of the armed forces in a number of different contexts. I

respect you enough to have high standards because as students at the University of

Texas at Austin you should want to satisfy high expectations. This will be probably one of

the most difficult classes you will take at the University. You will have to deliver two oral

presentations, write an exam, and write a research paper. Quite simply,

to work hard, you should not take this course because you will get a lousy grade

The readings are heavy and you will need to do them for the day they are assigned. For

every meeting you will prepare a one-page discussion proposal (two paragraph-length

questions pertaining to the reading for that day) that will serve as a basis for class

discussion. In addition, together with a fellow student(s), you will have to make a 15-

minute presentation of the main themes of one of the readings once during the semester.

There will be a one-hour examination that will test your knowledge of the materials up to

March 7. This test will be a combination of multiple choice and essay questions. There will

be no final examination. Other than the midterm, the most important assignment is the 12-

15-page analytical research paper that should be informed by at least 15 different sources

(books, articles, etc.). It should answer a clear research question, should be structurally

sound and the argument(s) should be built to follow logical reasoning. It should be

analytical and feature relatively little descriptive material (i.e., ask and answer the question

“why?” rather than “how?”).

2

if you do not want.

Grading

This course is designed to familiarize graduate students with the military's role in modern 

state and society.  The focus is on the sociopolitical character of the armed forces.  We will 

examine the most important issues of civil-military relations, such as why is civilian control 

important, what types of control arrangements are conducive to healthy civil-military 

relations in various types of political regimes, and in what ways do military elites respond 

to state policies and social movements.  The class begins with eight weeks of intensive 

readings in order to get you grounded in the literature and help you learn to appreciate the 

diversity of civil-military relations in different political systems.  You will write brief (one 

single-spaced page) discussion proposals to facilitate debate about the readings.  We will 

conclude with student presentations (approximately 30-minute summations of your 

research).  The seminar paper is due at the last seminar meeting (May 2); extensions will 

not be given save for exceptional cases (e.g., unanticipated call-up for combat duty, 

debilitating illness, etc.).

Course Description

This seminar is a requirement for those wanting to teach their own
courses at the University of Texas as Assistant Instructors.  The
purpose of this class is both to enhance your confidence and
effectiveness as a teacher and to socialize you into the academic
world.  We will focus on designing a syllabus, lecturing effectively,
leading engaging discussions, heading off problems with students, and
learning from student feedback, etc.  We will also think and talk
about grading, challenges specific to teaching political science, and
dealing with controversial issues.  At the same time, we will discuss
the best ways to prepare for the job market, how to give an effective
job talk and present yourself at a job interview, and ways of getting
along with colleagues in departments small and large.  We will also
have opportunities to discuss the broader career issues social science
professors face.  If at the end of this course you will be more
comfortable and self-assured in the classroom and ready to become a
faculty member, we will have succeeded.

Grading Policy/Course Requirements

This class is for credit/no credit (i.e., no letter grade) only.  
Course-work at or above 80% merits "credit;" below that, "no credit."  
The main components of your performance are:

Seminar participation: Obviously this course is based on your active
participation.  You all have ideas about good and bad teaching, what
works, what does not, and you will certainly have something insightful
to say about the readings. (50% of your grade)

Syllabus design: You will all design a syllabus for an undergraduate
lecture course and we will constructively critique them (the meeting
on October 5 will be in large part devoted to this task). (25% of your
grade)

Mini-lecture: You are required to deliver a mini-lecture of
10-15-minute length on November 2 or 9.  The class will constructively
evaluate your teaching and we will try to make this as useful to you,
the lecturer, as possible.  (25% of your grade)


Textbooks/Readings

I recommend – but do not require – that you purchase the main book for
this course:

McKeachie, Wilbert, and Marilla Svinicki. 2010. McKeachie's Teaching
Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University
Teachers.  New York: Wadsworth, 13th edition.

Additional readings appear under the class schedule and are available
on line.  If I come across additional readings of interesting I may
assign them as the semester progresses.  Likewise, if you happen upon
an article that you think would benefit our discussions feel free to
bring it to our attention.

Government 312L satisfies the second half of the mandated six hours of government that every UT student must take.  Course covers analysis of varying topics concerned with American political institutions and policies, including the United States Constitution, and assumes basic knowledge of government from GOV 310L, which is a prerequiste. May be taken for credit only once.

Government 312L satisfies the second half of the mandated six hours of government that every UT student must take.  Course covers analysis of varying topics concerned with American political institutions and policies, including the United States Constitution, and assumes basic knowledge of government from GOV 310L, which is a prerequiste. May be taken for credit only once.

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

Prerequisite: For 698A, graduate standing in Latin American studies and consent of the supervising professor and the graduate adviser; for 698B, Latin American Studies 698A.

Offered on the credit/no credit basis only.

Study of various subjects with Asian studies-related content.  Specific offerings are listed in the Course Schedule.  Some topics are offered on the letter-grade basis only; these are identified in the Course Schedule.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing; additional prerequisites vary with the topic and are given in the Course Schedule.

Please check back for updates.

Study of various subjects with Asian studies-related content.  Specific offerings are listed in the Course Schedule.  Some topics are offered on the letter-grade basis only; these are identified in the Course Schedule.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing; additional prerequisites vary with the topic and are given in the Course Schedule.

Please check back for updates.

Government 312L satisfies the second half of the mandated six hours of government that every UT student must take.  Course covers analysis of varying topics concerned with American political institutions and policies, including the United States Constitution, and assumes basic knowledge of government from GOV 310L, which is a prerequiste. May be taken for credit only once.

Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

Government 312L satisfies the second half of the mandated six hours of government that every UT student must take.  Course covers analysis of varying topics concerned with American political institutions and policies, including the United States Constitution, and assumes basic knowledge of government from GOV 310L, which is a prerequiste. May be taken for credit only once.

Study of various subjects with Asian studies-related content.  Specific offerings are listed in the Course Schedule.  Some topics are offered on the letter-grade basis only; these are identified in the Course Schedule.  Prerequisite: Graduate standing; additional prerequisites vary with the topic and are given in the Course Schedule.

Please check back for updates.