Instructor, Dr. M. Sharp
Main Campus Office, SH317; Ph., X3530; Tulsa Office, Commons or Classroom: Hours, 3:30 M & W

Course Objectives:

No aspect of our American political process is more central to our democratic beliefs and values than our practice of electing representative public officials to political office.  This course is designed to develop an awareness and appreciation of campaign politics, elections, candidates, and various political offices as they have evolved in the American political system.  This in turn will facilitate a better understanding of political office generally and certain public offices specifically.

 
Research/Presentations:

For this summer session there will be no formal research/paper requirement.  However, there will be a number of relevant articles and court cases which be assigned on an individual basis and students will be responsible for a presentation/review of this material in class.
 

Grading:

Grades will be determined from three exams given during the semester, the assigned presentation/review material and class attendance/participation.  Two of these exams will be given during the course of the semester and the third (final) will be given on the designated day during finals week.  All exams will be weighted equally.  Provision is made for make-up exams which must be taken within a week of the exam missed.
 

Required Texts:

The two primary texts for this course are:  Candidates, Parties, and Campaigns: Electoral Politics in America, by Salmore and Salmore; and The Quest for National Office: Readings on Elections, by Wayne and Wilcox.  The course will be organized around the Salmore and Salmore text with readings from the supplementary text and other articles   and court cases integrated liberally into this basic format.
 

Special Considerations:

If any member of the class feels that he/she has a disability and needs special considerations please advise the instructor of such disability at the first class attended.  If any student encounters particular difficulty with any aspect of the material being covered, he/she is encouraged to seek individual assistance from the instructor at the designated office hours listed above or by special appointment as arranged.

 Reading Assignments*

Salmore & Salmore

Chapter  1  Studying American Political Campaigns
              2  American Political Campaigns Before Television
              3  The Rise of the Candidate-Centered Campaign
              4  Creating a Credible Campaign:  Incumbents
              5  The Challenger:  Running While Not Campaigning
              6  Setting the Agenda:  Campaign Themes
              7  Mass Media in Campaigns
              8  Winning the Election
              9  Campaigns in Context
            10  The Play and the Players:  Future Directions in Campaigns
            11  Campaigns and American Politics

*Reading assignments from The Quest for National Office and selected supplemental material will be incorporated into the general reading assignments listed above.