Political Science PS 493/Northern Studies NORS 647
U.S. Environmental Politics
Spring Semester 2002
Class: MWF 3:30-4:30 p. m.
Professor James N. Gladden
Office: Gruening 614B, 474-5418
Office Hours: MWF, 1-2 p. m.
When the Founding Fathers met at Philadelphia in 1787 to frame the U.S. Constitution, the quality of the natural environment as a subject of politics did not exist. Much has happened in the two intervening centuries, with advances in science and technology, more economic growth and human populations, and shifts in public awareness. This course is designed to provide students with a better understanding of U.S. environmental politics as a field of study in political science. We study a range of political values and policy issues, partly by analyzing their historical basis. This includes trying to provide answers for some difficult questions. Are humans a natural part of the environment, and if so what are the policy implications of such a position? What does a future of population and economic growth mean for the quality of life of Americans? What role should science and technology play in environmental politics? Are the existing U.S. political institutions adequate to manage a wide range of often inter-linked environmental problems?
We begin with McPhee (1989) to gain a better sense of the role of social values and human perceptions in environmental politics. Next, we take up the most theory-based work for the course by Caldwell (1990), who argues that the human species is moving toward a great shift in world history and has an uncertain future. We then study several groups of controversial issues relevant to environmental politics, using the book edited by Goldfarb (2001). These include issues of philosophy, technology, waste disposal and the future. The chapters in the book edited by Vig and Kraft (2000) discuss a transition in environmental politics, examine federal institutions, and look at some public policy dilemmas. We also study Caldwell (1998) on the National Environmental Policy Act (PL 90-190) and his views on the future of U.S. environmental politics.
Required Books
This course is offered as PS493 for undergraduates and NORS693 for graduate students. In writing papers and taking exams, NORS693 students need to demonstrate a deeper, more rigorous grasp of the meaning of ideas and facts in the assigned readings. NORS693 students are also required to complete a research. Graduate students are required to write a research paper, while undergraduates are not. Both will take the final examination, and graduate students are expected to perform at a higher level of analysis on the essay questions. Students in PS493 and NORS693 will expected to attend classes on a regular basis and offer insights into the implications of the assigned readings.
Please note below the distribution of work and the percentage of its worth between PS493 and NORS693.
Attendance/Participation: PS493 (10%); NORS693 (10%)
Analytical Essays: PS493 (70%); NORS693 (40%)
Research (Term) Paper: NORS693 (30%)
Final Examination: PS493 (20%); NORS693 (20%)|
I. Attendance/Participation: PS493 (10%); NORS693 (10%)
Students are expected to attend class regularly and come prepared to discuss the assigned readings. The aim of this element of evaluation is to encourage you to cultivate an understanding of U.S. environmental politics. A critical way to achieve this is your willingness to attend class and frequently participate in discussions.
II. Analytical Essays: PS493 (70%); NORS693 (40%)
PS493 students will write four (4) essays on the questions stated below in this syllabus. The first paper counts 16% of the final grade, and the other three are weighted at 18% each, for a total of 70%. NORS693 students will also write four (4) essays on the same question, and each paper counts for 10%, for a total of 40% of the final course grade.
The same paper-writing instructions and grading criteria apply to both PS493 and NORS693 students. You are to write essays in response to the questions provided below on the due dates. Each question is oriented around four of the five books assigned for the course, except for Goldfarb. The typed paper is to fall between 3-5 double-spaced pages, excluding the cover page. If an essay runs over the 5 pages limit I will hand it back for you to boil down to 5 pages. These are not research papers, but exercises in analysis that ask for your ideas on the assigned readings to respond to the question. For this reason I do not expect you to read other books and articles to write the papers. However, you need to provide me with some citations from the book you are using to write the essay. Use the author-date reference style, with citations in parentheses to refer to passages in your essay, e.g., (McPhee 1989, 23) or Caldwell 1998, 64). At the end of your essay reference the book used to write the essay; see the syllabus for proper citation form.
Essay Topics
Caldwell (1990) essay #2, due Friday, February 15. What does Caldwell think the prospects are for human beings in the 21st century to surmount the global environmental crisis he describes?
Vig and Kraft essay #3, due Wednesday, April 10. Which one of the public policy dilemmas discussed by Vig and Kraft do you think is the most difficult to resolve or at least manage, and why?
Caldwell (1998) essay #4, due Friday, May 3. How does Caldwell think the statutory intent of the National Environmental Policy Act can be most fully achieved, and do you agree with him?
III. Final Examination: PS493 (20%); NORS693 (20%)
Students will set for an essay examination, to consist of several questions. Please bring a blue book to class, available for purchase at the UAF Bookstore in Constitution Hall, for writing your essay responses to questions. The examination is comprehensive in form, and will cover major concepts and themes in the course. It will consist of essay questions, and students will have two hours to write their responses. The final examination is scheduled for May 10, Friday at 3:15-5:15 p.m.
V. Term Paper for NORS693 Students (30%)
Choosing a Research Topic
The Goldfarb (2001) “taking sides” reader offers differing points of view on nineteen (19) major environmental issues confronting the United States government and its people. Many of these problems exist beyond our international borders, so that dealing with them may require creative foreign policies and program initiatives. Your task is to choose one of these controversial issues and develop a deeper analysis of the problem. Unless you have major problems with this approach, after some research and deliberation I want you to choose one side or the other in a given policy debate. For example, “Issue 2” asks if wilderness has intrinsic value; Bass argues it does and Tucker it does not. Which side in the controversy makes the most sense to you and resonates best with your personal values? Above all, you should feel free to express your own point of view, even if others disagree with it. Once the question is staked down with an initial response, you are ready to do some intensive research and write a draft paper.
Research Paper Requirements
The length of the paper should be between 15-20 pages of double-spaced text, exclusive of the title page, abstract, and references cited. Use a 12-font type size and standard margins, so that I can write comments on your paper. Be sure to paginate your research paper, and begin on the first page of the main text of your work, not the title page or the abstract.
The title, or cover page needs to have a title (and subtitle, if you wish), your name, information about the course, and the date of submission. The abstract is on the next page; it summarizes the main idea and tells the reader what the paper argues. It also should be double-spaced, and no longer than a half-page of writing.
The body of your work should use headings (and subheadings) to divide and organize the research paper into its major component parts. Use the author-date style of reference, citing works in the body of the text, e.g., (Caldwell 1998, 23).
The “references cited” sheet goes at the end of the paper, and lists in alphabetical order by the last name of author all the works you have used. Use the same order of the facts of publication as found in the required books section of this syllabus when building your references sheet. You must cite no fewer than ten (10) references to books and articles, beyond any of the five books as required readings for the course. Citing websites is fine, but I still need you to include at least ten (10) references from books and articles based on academic scholarship.
Standards for Evaluating Papers
Your final paper will be graded on attention to detail, with a focus on how well it is organized and based on solid research. Does the paper reflect your original thinking about a complex environmental subject of political debate? Have you followed the guidelines for the title page, abstract, body of the paper, and references cited? Have you taken care to weed out errors in grammar and spelling? Have you correctly used the author-date style in the body of the paper, and built the references cited sheet in the proper order of publication facts? Have you polished the sentence structure of the paper, making the writing style as clear as you can? Does the paper manifest a precision of thought and economy of phrase? Is your main argument focused and clearly developed? Is the general appearance of the paper sharp and crisp, or does it appear sloppy, done in haste, and shoved out the door at the last minute?
Due Dates for Research Paper Stages
To meet the requirements for the graduate student research papers, you need to honor three important dates during the semester. Points will be deducted from the final research paper for missing deadlines, unless you notify the instructor with a plausible reason beforehand.
Prospectus, due Feb 13. Hand in a one-page statement, indicating the topic you will write a research paper on, and initial thoughts about how you are going to approach it, and a short list of references.
Draft research paper, due March 25. Submit a complete, initial draft of your term paper, to include a cover page and abstract, a manuscript organized into headings, and a list of references.
Final research paper, due April 24. The final paper is due in class. I will ask each of you to make a brief and informal presentation of your paper, and we will use this as a basis for discussion.
PS493/NORS693 Course Outline and Schedule of Readings
18 Jan. (Introduction).
Part One: Controlling Nature (McPhee)
21 Jan. Alaska Civil Rights Day (campus closed).
23 Jan. McPhee, Mississippi floods, Icelandic volcanoes.
25 Jan. McPhee, Los Angeles mud slides.
28 Jan. McPhee essay # 1 due, discussion of student essays.
Part Two: Between Two Worlds (Caldwell)
30 Jan. Caldwell, Preface, ch. 1.
01 Jan. Caldwell, ch. 2.
04 Feb. Caldwell, ch. 3.
06 Feb. Caldwell, chs. 4-5.
08 Feb. Caldwell, ch. 6.
11 Feb. Caldwell, chs. 7-8.
13 Feb. Caldwell, chs. 9, Postscript.
13 Feb. (Prospectus due for NORS693 research paper).
15 Feb. Caldwell, essay #2 due, discussion of student essays.
Part Three: Taking Sides on Environmental Issues (Goldfarb)
18 Feb. Goldfarb, issues 1-2.
20 Feb. Goldfarb, issues 3-5
22 Feb. Goldfarb, issues 6-8
25 Feb. Goldfarb, issues 9-10
27 Feb. Goldfarb, issues 11-12
01 Mar. Goldfarb, issues 13-14
04 Mar. Goldfarb, issues 15-16
06 Mar. Goldfarb, issues 17-18.
08 Mar. Goldfarb, issue 19.
Part Four: Environmental Policy (Vig & Kraft)
11 Mar. Vig and Kraft, chs. 1-2.
13 Mar. Vig and Kraft, chs. 3-4.
15 Mar. Vig and Kraft, chs. 5-6.
Spring Break, March 18- 24
25 Mar. Draft due for NORS693 research paper.
25 Mar. Vig and Kraft, chs. 7-8.
27 Mar. Vig and Kraft, chs. 9-10.
29 Mar. Vig and Kraft, chs. 11-12.
01 Apr. Vig and Kraft, chs. 13-14.
03 Apr. Vig and Kraft, chs. 15-16.
05 Apr. Vig and Kraft, chs. 17-18.
08 Apr. Vig and Kraft, ch. 19.
10 Apr. Vig & Kraft essay #3 due, discussion of student essays.
Part Five: The National Environmental Policy Act (Caldwell)
12 Apr. Caldwell, Preface, ch 1.
15 Apr. Caldwell, ch. 2.
17 Apr. Caldwell, ch. 3.
19 Apr. Caldwell, ch. 4.
22 Apr. Caldwell, ch. 5.
24 Apr. Graduate student research papers due, student discussion.
26 Apr. All Campus Day (no classes)
29 Apr. Caldwell, ch. 6.
01 May Caldwell, ch. 7.
03 May Caldwell paper #4 due, student paper discussion.
06 May Summary of course.
Final Examination, May 10, Wednesday, 3:15-5:15 p.m.
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