Communication, Politics, and Citizenship

Michael Schudson
mschudson@ucsd.edu

This course will explore the history of American political experience from the vantage of the ordinary citizen rather than the legislator or the theorist. What have Americans at different moments and in diferent social positions understood by "politics"? How have they been able to express their political views or take political action? What role have different media of communication played in their political education?

The primary text on the subject will be an almost-finished book manuscript by the instructor. Students will thus have an unusual opportunity (or burden) of criticizing and improving upon a work-in-progress.

Texts for Purchase:

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death (Vintage, l986)
David Thelen, Citizenship in the Age of Television (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, l996)
Kristi Andersen, After Suffrage (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, l996).
Photocopied Reader (available at Softreserves)

Schedule

I. Is There a Crisis in Citizenship? (Sept. 25, Sept. 30)

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death
Robert Putnam, "The Strange Disappearance of Civic America," American Prospect 24 (Winter, l996) 34-48.
Michael Schudson, "Election Day"

II. Colonial America: The Age of Deference (Oct. 2, Oct. 7)

Schudson, "Colonial Origins of American Political Practice"
Benjamin Franklin, "Apology for Printers"

III. The World of the Founding Fathers (Oct. 9, Oct. 14, Oct. 16)

Schudson, "The Constitutional Moment"
George Washington, "Farewell Address"
James Madison, Federalist No. l0

IV. The Nineteenth Century: The Age of the Parties (Oct. 2l, Oct. 23, Oct. 28)

Schudson, "The Democratic Transition in American Life"
Schudson, "The Lincoln-Douglas Debates"
Schudson, "The Second Transformation of American Citizenship"
George Kateb, "The Moral Distinctiveness of Representative Democracy" in Kateb, The Inner Ocean (Cornell University Press, l992).

MIDTERM ESSAY DUE Oct. 30

V. After the Progressives

Nov. 4 Schudson, "Cures for Democracy?"
Kristi Andersen, After Suffrage, pp. l-47

Nov. 6 Anderson, 48-l09, l42-l70

VI. Our Times: The Age of Rights? The Age of Television?

A. An Overview l945-l997 (Nov. ll, Nov. l3)

Schudson, "A Nation of Individuals"
Aldon Morris, "Origins of the Civil Rights Movement"

B. Television and Citizenship

Nov. 13 Modern Participation
David Thelen, Citizenship in an Age of Television, l-25, 45-98

Nov. l8 Are Media Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution?
Thelen, 26-44

Nov. 20 How Citizens Think About Politics
Thelen, l23-l48

Nov. 25 Conclusions on Citizens and Television
Thelen, l49-2l7

VII. Reprise: Is There a Crisis of Citizenship? (Dec. 2, Dec. 4)
Guest Lecturer: David Thelen

Writing Assignments and Grades:

Midterm Exam: A take-home essay exam. Worth 30 percent of final grade.

Research Paper: Choose an American born l880 or after and write 8-l0 pages on that person's relationship to politics: how the person learned about "politics" as a child, how he or she got involved in public life, the terms in which he or she thought about political action. You should make significant use of at least three sources, one of which should provide substantial materials in your subject's own voice (an autobiography, a collection of letters, or a biography that makes ample use of letters, speeches, etc. by the subject). If appropriate, you may choose two people and compare and contrast their experiences. Worth 40 percent of final grade. Paper is due the last day of class, Dec. 4.

Final Exam: A take-home essay to be answered in 5-8 pages. Worth 30 percent of final grade.