The first assignment will be an in-class essay exam. You will be asked to write one essay during a 50-minute class in response to a prompt that I will give you. It is not an open-note exam. You'll be able to choose one prompt from the two I will give you. They will be on the themes we've studied. If you have special accommodations, please let me know in advance so we can set things up.
The epistemic crisis: it's causes and consequences.
The American Constitutional government, including the Congress, the presidency, local government, and federalism. Consider the degree to which it allows the people to govern themselves.
Ways the epistemic environment and the constitutional system may play a role in causing polarization.
Discipline of verification
Objectivity
Public forum (function of press, aka village square)
Cosmopolitan
Tom Cotton op-ed
Social media algorithms
Meaningful social interactions*
Ideological clustering
Eastern sensibility* (this is refers to the culture of the coastal elites)
Internet publishing
Cognitive dissonance
News deserts
Late-night comedy
Sneering condescension*
Verbal cruelty*
Boxers or briefs (53)*
Motivated reasoning
Identity-protective cognition
Group identity*
Naive Realism
Affective polarization
Partisan disdain
Objectivity injunctions
Science literacy paradox*
Polarizing effects of knowledge
Values diversity
Scientific reasoning skills
Jonathan Haidt
Moral Foundations Theory (68)
Philip Converse, "Nature of Belief Systems in Mass Politics"*
Partisans
Ideologues
Acquiescence*
Political hobbyism
Status quo*
Cosmopolitican wing (of the Democratic Party) (part of the eastern sensibility)*
Yard signs*
Wire services (EG, AP)*
Stared items (*) are the to help you answer big questions but won't be an ID term on the test. Discipline of verification
Constitutional chains*
Federalist Papers
James Madison
Supremacy clause (Article VI)
Federalism
Connecticut Compromise
Three-fifths compromise
Judicial review
Madison v. Marbury
Coalition governments
Proportional representation
Multiparty system
Parliamentary governments
Snap elections
Lame duckery
Gilens and Page*
"Miracle at Philadelphia"
Senate
Filibuster
Cloture vote
Tea Party
Majoritarians
Super-majority
Cooling saucer*
Recess appointments*
Single-member districts
Statewide slates
Gerrymandering
Amendment procedure*
Vigorous executive
Delegated power*
Commander in chief
Unitary executive theory
Torture memos*
Electoral College
Twelfth Amendment*
Interregnum
Runaway presidency
Signing statements*
Federalism
Mayors*
School board
Mutual toleration
Forbearance
Authoritarianism*
Centrist politics* (a term we should discuss in class)