Grading Update: Week of 3/23

Just got another big batch of blog post and comment scores uploaded to Blackboard. The posts and comments due the Saturday before and after spring break are freebies--everyone gets full credit for those. Back to the normal schedule this week--next posts and comments due this Saturday (3/28) before midnight.

Class Notes: Week of 3/23

Last night we reviewed the mid-term exam. On the final exam be sure to read carefully every question. I'll be offering some kind of extra credit in the next few weeks for those of you not happy with your mid-term exam score.
We discussed social movements. You should know the text book's definition of social movement: "A loosely organized collection of ordinary people; working outside established institutions; using unconventional and often disruptive methods; acting to get their voices heard by the public at large, the news media and leaders of major institutions, and government officials, in order to promote, resist, or undo some social change." The film "Freedom on My Mind" showed us footage of a social movement in action and provided real life examples of portions of the definition above (working outside established institutions...using disruptive methods...acting to get their voices heard by the public at large, the news media...) and also examples of civil disobedience. The book defines civil disobedience as "Intentionally breaking a law and accepting the consequences as a way to publicize the unjustness of the law."
We also watched the first part of a documentary on the women's suffrage movement entitled "One Woman, One Vote," and learned about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. Their efforts helped bring about ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920, guaranteeing women the right to vote.

Assigment: Week of 3/23

Please read again pages 422 - 434 (The Foundations of Judicial Power, The U.S. Court System: Organization and Jurisdiction, and Appointment to the Federal Bench). Take a look at the bios of the current Supreme Court Justices at the SCOTUS web page.

Mid-Term Exam

I just finished grading the mid-term. The results are up on the Blackboard gradebook. I'll return the exams when we meet after the break. We'll go over the questions and answers then. Some of these questions (or very similar ones) may show up again on the final exam.

Assignment: Week of 3/9

Please read Chapter 8 (Social Movements) and pages 422 - 434 (The Foundations of Judicial Power, The U.S. Court System: Organization and Jurisdiction, and Appointment to the Federal Bench) for next time (3/23).

No blog posts or comments due until Saturday, 3/28, at midnight.

Have a good spring break.

Class Notes and Assignment: Week of 3/2

Last night we watched the first part of a Bill Moyers Journal interview with Andrew Bacevich.
Please watch the second part for next time. After watching the entire interview you should be able to define the following terms:

• profligacy
• consumerism
• hubris
• empire of consumption
  

I've added the Journal to our list of article sources, so feel free to blog about this interview or any other government related interview you find at the site.
We also did some review for the mid-term exam. I'll be posting a copy of a final exam from last year's class to Blackboard for your review.