POLS 4222/6222 & PADM
4222/6222
The University of Memphis
© 2001 Doug Imig
Fall
2001 Tuesdays, 5:30-8:30 CL 215
Instructor: Doug
Imig
Office: 427B Clement
678-3369
http://www.people.memphis.edu/~dimig/
Office
Hours: Monday 3-4:30 pm.
Tuesday 4-5:30 pm.
I am glad to schedule appointments at more
convenient times, and
I will try to respond promptly to all e-mail and
phone messages.
In this course we focus on the evolving role of urban centers in American social and political life. Perspectives on cities have become strongly polarized. On the one hand, politicians and academics loudly blame both urban conditions and suburbanization for almost every problem plaguing America – ranging from economic decline to weak public schools, crime, and the demise of civil society. On the other hand, much of the public continues to “vote with their feet” for suburbs and against cities by moving further and further away from central cities, schools and taxes. Yet many demographers and futurists see the re-emergence of downtowns – like Memphis’ – as the centers of American life.
Over the semester we will examine this paradox, the emerging role of cities, as well as strategies for responding to the problems confronting urban centers. Moreover, we will consider the ways in which citizens and governments employ a mix of individual; market; governmental; and community-based strategies in responding to the changing needs of urban and suburban regions.
Objectives for
the Course
1] To hone analytic thinking about urban politics.
2] To discuss contemporary problems facing cities – in local, national, and international context.
3] To examine the ways local governments influence the direction of urban development.
4] To explore the balance between the needs of cities and various groups within the public.
6] To develop appropriate research questions and methods for advanced exploration of Urban Politics.
Requirements for
the Course
This course will demand careful preparation and regular participation. All students are responsible for leading vigorous class discussions based on the topics and readings. A significant proportion of the course grade will be based on your participation and preparation.
· Each student will be responsible for leading the class-discussion one week. Begin with the assumption that all of your classmates have read – and thought about – the assignment, and your responsibility is to prepare a brief study guide based on the readings, as well as a set of thoughtful questions to guide the discussion. (Length: one to two hours).
· There will be a final exam covering key concepts developed in the course. This essay exam will be held during the posted exam period. We will review sample exam topics and questions several weeks before the exam is scheduled. (A study guide is included with this syllabus).
· Finally, each participant will write a seminar paper. This paper will allow you to review all of the available literature on a specific problem confronting cities, the range of responses adopted by cities to deal with this problem, and will allow you to construct a proposal for responding to this problem.
Specific Guidelines for the Paper: In this paper, you will need to:* [1] Provide a careful explanation of a particular urban problem. [2] Review all of the available and relevant academic literature on this problem, and noting the range of solutions that various municipalities have tried to resolve it. [3] Propose an intervention that would be appropriate in the urban context you are researching. [4] Propose a way to evaluate the effectiveness of your intervention. [5] GRADUATE STUDENTS: Interview practitioners involved in this particular problem and reconcile their insights with your findings from the literature.
Papers will be typewritten, double spaced, and free of typographical errors. Undergraduate papers will be 15-20 pages, and graduate papers will be 20-25 pages (Papers may be longer only with my permission). Citations will follow standard Political Science (APA) style (c.f.: the APSA Style Manual, or the Chicago Manual of Style). Do not use covers or bindings of any kind. Begin with a cover sheet including relevant identifying information, and staple papers once in the upper left corner.
Important Notes:
This syllabus is a guide rather than a contract. As the semester progresses we may devote more time to certain subjects than they are allotted in the syllabus. Similarly, there may also be additional articles and other assignments added because of their relevance.
Plus/Minus Grading Scale: This course will employ the plus/minus grading scale.
Cheating and Plagiarism: As outlined in the Student Handbook, “cheating” and “plagiarism” will result in severe disciplinary action on the part of the instructor. Either offense will be grounds for receiving an “F” on the assignment or examination and possibly an “F” for the course, depending on the severity of the offense.
Students with disabilities: The University encourages the full participation of students with disabilities. Students with disabilities are invited to meet individually with the instructor to discuss special accommodations that may be needed for successful participation in this course.
Inclement Weather: In the event that inclement weather requires the cancellation of class at the University of Memphis, local radio and television media will be immediately notified. Additionally, the U of M has established an Inclement Weather Hotline at 678-0888.
Readings for the
Course
Required:
Robert J. Waste. 1998. Independent Cities: Rethinking U.S. Urban Policy. New York: Oxford UP.
Paul G. Lewis. 1996. Shaping Suburbia: How Political Institutions Organize Urban Development. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press.
Paul S. Grogan and Tony Proscio. 2000. Comeback Cities: A Blueprint for Urban Neighborhood Revival.
Engin F. Isin. 2000. Democracy, Citizenship and the Global City. New York: Routledge.
“Reinventing the City.” 2000. The Brookings Review (Summer). We will read and discuss this entire issue of the Review. http://www.brookings.edu/press/review/rev_des.htm
Suggested:
CBO Projects Near-Term Deficits Outside Social Security. CBO "Baseline" Estimates Exclude Substantial Pressures on the Federal Budget, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. August 28th, 2001. http://www.cbpp.org/8-28-01bud.htm
Extending Medicaid to Parents: An Incremental Strategy for Reducing the
Number of Uninsured; B-20; June 2000; Lisa Dubay, Genevieve Kenney and
Stephen Zuckerman
http://newfederalism.urban.org/html/series_b/b20/b20.html
“The New Metropolitan Agenda,” 1998. The Brookings Review (Fall). This issue contains a number of thought-provoking and helpful articles on urban politics. (Available on-line at: www.brookings.edu)
Ingrid Gould Ellen. 1997. “Welcome Neighbors? New Evidence on the possibility of stable racial integration” The Brookings Review 15(1): 18-21 (on line: www.brookings.edu).
Kurt J. Schmoke. 1997. “Problems and Promise: Meeting the challenge of America’s cities” The Brookings Review 15(1): 4-5. (on-line: www.brookings.edu)
Ellen Perlman. 1998. “Downtown: The Live-In Solution,” Governing June: 28-32.
Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development. 1997. “The Community Compact: A Comprehensive Plan by the Citizens of Memphis and Shelby County.” August.
“Welfare Reform Impacts on the Public Housing Program: A Preliminary
Forecast.” U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of
Policy Development and Research, The Division of Policy Studies. March
1998.
“Welfare Reform: Changes Will Further Shape the Roles of Housing
Agencies and HUD.” United States General Accounting Office. June
1998. GAO/RCED-98-148.
“Welfare Reform: Three States' Approaches Show Promise of Increasing
Work Participation.” United States General Accounting Office. May 1997.
GAO/HEHS-97-80
Grades for the
Course are Based on the Following Assignments:
· Seminar Paper: 30%
· Final Exam: 30%
· Paper proposal and bibliographic essay: 20%
· Active, informed class participation: 10%
· In class presentation: 10%
Discussion
Topics and Class Schedule
August 28 Introduction to the Course and to the Field of Urban Politics
Distribution
of syllabi
September 4 Cities under Siege:
Independent Cities: Rethinking U.S. Urban Policy, Chpts: 1-4
September 11 Issues Contributing To Urban Problems, and Some Responses
Independent Cities: Rethinking U.S. Urban Policy, Chpts: 5-7
September 18 Sprawl
and Suburbanization
“Reinventing the City.” 2000. The Brookings Review (Summer).
http://www.brookings.edu/press/review/rev_des.htm
September 25 Patterns of Urban Development
Shaping Suburbia, Chpts: 1-4
October 2 The Role of Governments in Successful Development
Shaping Suburbia, Chpts: 5-7
October 9 FALL BREAK – NO CLASS
October 16 Governments Respond to Urban Change
Comeback Cities, Chpts: 1-6
October 23 Strategies
for Urban Rebirth
Comeback Cities, Chpts: 7-12
Ø Paper Proposals and Bibliographic Essays
Due
October 30 Cities and Citizenship
Global City, Chpts: 1-5
November 6 Cities in the New Economy
Global City, Chpts: 6-10
November 13 Globalization
and the City
Global City, Chpts: 11-16
November 20 Remaking an Urban Agenda
TBA
November 27 New Visions of Family, Community, Market
and Government
“How do children become politically salient?”
www.people.memphis.edu/~dimig/gcyfpaperweb.htm
Ø (brief) Review for Exam
December 4 Presentation of Papers
Ø (Papers Due @5:30)
December 11 Final Exam – 5:30-7:30 p.m.
* Undergraduates are responsible for objectives 1,2,3 and 4. Graduate students are responsible for all 5 objectives.