DEMOCRATIC POSSIBILITY

(POLS 295 – Section A: No. 91398)

Time: Wednesdays 2:30-5:20 p.m. Fall 2003

Place: 523 Old Mill

Professor Frank Bryan

Tel: 656-0570

Office: Room 540 Old Mill Building

Office Hours: Tues. and Thurs. 9-11 am, Wed. 1:30 – 2:30 pm, and by appointment

Web Page: http://www.uvm.edu/~fbryan

WebCT: http://webct.uvm.edu:8900

This is a research seminar that directs students in the use of quantitative data to test hypothesizes derived from communitarian or what Jane Mansbridge calls “unitary” democracy and I call “real” democracy. It seeks to provide a thorough grounding in communitarian theory, an understanding of the world’s best operating example of real democracy, the New England town meeting, and the ability to use a number of statistical tools and methodological procedures. The fundamental question is: “Can ordinary citizens govern themselves?”

Grading System:

Seminar Participation 30%

Final Paper 70%

CLASSROOM PROTOCOL

1. Students are expected to attend and be prepared for ALL regularly scheduled classes.

2. Students are expected to arrive on time and stay in class until the class period ends. If a student knows in advance that s/he will need to leave early, s/he should notify the instructor before the class period begins.

3. Students are expected to treat faculty and fellow students with respect. For example, students must not disrupt class by leaving and reentering during class, must not distract class by making noise, and must be attentive to comments being made by the instructors and by peers.

4. Instructors will inform students of any special additions.

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THE COURSE

Class Schedule

September 3 Introduction to the Seminar

September 10 The Communitarian Ideal

Mansbridge Beyond Adversary Democracy p. 3-35

McWilliams Democracy and the Citizen p. 79-101

Bryan Real Democracy p. 1-38

September 17 Town Meeting

Mansbridge Beyond Adversary Democracy p. 39-125

Zimmerman The New England Town Meeting p. 83-101 & 164-196

Bryan Real Democracy p. 39-78 & 375-399

September 24 Research Methods I: Fundamentals of Correlation and Regression

Daniel Kemmis Community and the Politics of Place

October 1 Research Methods II: Designing and Using Graphs

No reading assignment

October 8 Attendance at Town Meeting

Bryan Real Democracy p. 79-187

October 15 Participation in Town Meeting

Bryan Real Democracy p. 188-250

October 22 Women in Town Meeting

Bryan Real Democracy p. 251-313

October 29 Conflict and Issues

Bryan Real Democracy p. 314-374

November 5 Preliminary Findings

Nov. 12, 19 Student Presentations and Critiques

& Dec. 3, 10