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POLI 100-921: Introduction to Politics
Course Description
What is politics? Why should anyone care about politics? This course introduces
students to the study of politics and governance. Our weekly discussions are organized
into three sections. Section I will address the perennial questions and concerns about
the nature and substance of political studies, while drawing on key concepts such as
political power, authority, legitimacy, ideology, the state, multiculturalism, nationalism,
and self-determination. This section of the course will also explain the existing normative
and empirical approaches to the study of politics. In section II, we will learn about
political processes and institutions, including constitutions, the courts, legislatures,
political executives, political parties, and elections. Part III will discuss the complex
interconnections between domestic politics and global politics. We will draw on relevant
examples from global governance and international development to learn more about
politics and governance beyond our national jurisdictions.
Objectives: You will acquire the requisite knowledge, critical thinking, and analytical
skills to understand political systems, institutional practices, and decision-making
processes at the end of the semester.
Course Schedule: POLI 100-921 is an online (synchronous) class. We will meet on
zoom on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Use the zoom link
below to join the class.
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://ubc.zoom.us/j/61555727311?pwd=cGk3RnA2a0k2YzJQVC9RR1JnSCtQZz09
Meeting ID: 615 5572 7311
Passcode: 479601
Required Text
Mintz, E., Croci, O., & Close, D. (2021). Politics, Power and the Common Good: An
Introduction to Political Science. Pearson Canada.
Use the link below to redeem your purchased access code from the bookstore:
There are two online, closed-book quizzes for this class. You will be required to answer
20 multiple-choice questions in Quiz 1. Quiz 2 will consist of 10 multiple-choice and two
short answer questions. Both quizzes will test your knowledge on assigned chapters
from your textbook. You will have a total of 30 minutes to complete Quiz 1 and
approximately 40 minutes to complete Quiz 2. We will take both quizzes synchronously
during class hours on Canvas and Zoom. You must keep your zoom video on while
taking the quiz. Please note that you will not receive a grade for this assignment if you
take the quiz off camera. Also, you may not be able to take these quizzes on your cell
phone or using an iPad. Make-up quizzes will only be accommodated under extenuating
circumstances.
Research Essay (30%)
Each student is required to submit a research paper on a compilation of essay subjects
posted on Canvas. You must refer to or consult a minimum of six (6) academic sources
when writing this paper. At least three of these sources should come from your textbook
or academic journals. Please note that information from newsletters, dictionary
definitions, government websites, and publications by international institutions cannot be
counted as one of your research sources. Use a sufficient number of academic materials
to develop your arguments.
Word Limit:
Your essay should be approximately 1200-1500 words in length, excluding footnotes,
endnotes, and the bibliography. Please note that Ideas from other scholarly works must
be appropriately cited within your paper and in your reference list. Any paper submitted
without an in-text citation will receive an F (Fail) grade. Use the APA, MLA, or Chicago
citation styles. The essay should be typed in Times New Roman, in 12-point font size,
and double spaced. Your analysis must be original and should build on a clear thesis
statement or central argument. Consult the essay writing guidelines and grading rubric
on canvas for additional details on how to develop the content of your paper. You can
also book an office hour appointment with your Tas or instructor to discuss your
research essay idea.
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Turnitin Account Information
Note: Turnitin is a third-party service licensed for use by UBC. Turnitin is used for
originality checking to help detect plagiarism. Students will be required to create an
account with Turnitin and to submit their work via that account, on the terms stipulated in
the agreement between the student and Turnitin. You may use an anonymous option – a
false name and temporary email address created for this purpose. Students who prefer
to use the anonymous name option should inform the instructor within a period of one
week before the assignment submission date.
How to create an account:
a) Log onto turnitin.com and use the following ID and Password to create a student
account.
Class ID: 38987334
Enrollment key: pol100st1
b) Use your personal student account information to submit the paper to
turnitin.com.
TAs: Kindly remind your students to create a Turnitin account by the end of week 4.
Paper Submission Date: June 14, 2023. Upload a copy of the paper, in a microsoft
word or pdf file, to canvas and Turnitin.com turnitin.com by 11:55 pm on the assignment
due date. Please note that you must submit a copy of your assignment to canvas
and Turnitin.com to receive a grade for this assignment.
Late submissions: A late penalty deduction of 2 points per day will be applied to all
essays submitted after the assignment due date. Essays submitted eight (8) days after
the due date will not be accepted. Extensions will only be granted under extenuating
circumstances. Please note that having multiple assignments due around the same time
is not a reason to ask for an extension.
Final Exam [Online] (30%)
The final exam will test your knowledge on all concepts, topics, central themes, and
issues discussed throughout the semester. You will be required to answer 20 multiple
choice questions and one essay question on this exam within a total time limit of 1hr: 30
minutes. We will take this exam synchronously on canvas and zoom. Please note that
you will not receive a grade for this assignment if you take the exam off camera. Also,
there will be NO MAKE UP Exam. Additional details will be provided in week 5. Please
note that there will be no make exams.
Absences
All lecture materials will be available under the ‘files’ section on canvas if you happen to
miss a class. Note that it is your responsibility to read the required class materials for
any missed class.
Emails Inquiries and Course Announcements
Please direct all emails inquiries about your course grades to your TAs. Write to me if
you require an extension for your research paper or need to schedule a makeup exam.
Join my office hour sessions if you have additional questions about the course materials.
All course announcements will be made through Canvas. I will respond to all emails
within a maximum of 48 hours.
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Course Schedule:
Week Topics Required Readings
Week 1
o May 15
o May 17
Introduction & course syllabus review
Basic Concepts: Understanding politics?
The State, Nation-State, and
Globalization
• Mintz, Croci, &
Close (Ch. 1)
• Mintz, Croci, &
Close (Ch. 2)
Week 2
o May 22
o May 24
Victoria Day – No Class
Political Ideologies (Liberalism,
Conservatism, Socialism, Fascism,
Feminism Environmentalism, Populism)
• Mintz, Croci, &
Close (Ch. 3,4)
Week 3
o May 29
o May 31
Political Culture, Constitutions, Courts,
and Laws
Quiz 1 is due on May 29. It will cover
chapters 1- 4 of your textbook.
Political Executives: Parliamentary and
Presidential Systems
• Mintz, Croci, &
Close (Ch. 5, 12)
• Mintz, Croci, &
Close (Ch. 14, 15)
Week 4
o June 5
o June 7
Regime Types (Democratic & Non-
Democratic)
Political Parties, Elections, and Electoral
Systems
Quiz 2 is due on June 7. It will cover
chapters 5, 12, 14, and 15 of your
textbook.
• Mintz, Croci, &
Close (Ch. 10, 11)
• Mintz, Croci, &
Close (Ch. 6 & 7)
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Week 5
o June 12
o June 14
Levels of Government: Unitary, Federal,
and Confederal systems
Unconventional Politics: Protest,
Revolutions, Social Movements
#Research Essays are due on June 14,
2023. Upload a copy to canvas and
turnitin.com by 11:55 pm.
• Mintz, Croci, &
Close (Ch. 13)
• Mintz, Croci, &
Close (Ch. 8 & 9)
Week 6
o June 19
o June 21
Politics and Governance at the Global
Level
Politics and Development in World’s
Poorer Countries
• Mintz, Croci, &
Close (Ch. 18)
• Mintz, Croci, &
Close (Ch. 17)
Week
o June 26
Course/Final Exam Review and
Evaluation
• No assigned
readings
Academic support
If you are registered with Access and Diversity, you should notify your instructor at least
two weeks before examination dates.
If you are facing personal or academic challenges that prevent you from being fully
engaged in the course, you should let me, or Academic Advising know as soon as
possible. Accommodation, academic concessions, and counselling services are
available to students who are facing such challenges. Here are some relevant links:
Academic Advising: https://students.ubc.ca/enrolment/academic-learning-
resources/academic-advising
Counselling Services: https://students.ubc.ca/health/counselling-services
The UBC Center for Writing and Scholarly Communication
The UBC Centre for Writing and Scholarly Communication is there to help students with
their course assignments. They offer a wide variety of services and resources, including
the possibility to book a consultation with a tutor. For more information or to book an
online consultation, click here: https://learningcommons.ubc.ca/improve-your-
writing/writing-consultations/
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UBC Academic Policies
The following are links to related Academic Policies as set out in the Academic
Calendar. Links to Associated Board of Governors’ Policies are set out in the webpage
referred to in Section 7 (j) above.
Academic Concession
Academic Honesty and Standards Attendance
Grading Practices
Student Conduct and Discipline
General Academic Policies
Regular attendance in lectures and tutorials and participation (in tutorials) is expected.
All assignments must be completed and handed in. Students who do not attend
regularly or fail to hand in an assignment may be disallowed from writing the final exam.
Read the university calendar so that you are aware of no-penalty drop dates,
requirements for medical authorization (to defer an exam, for example) and other
procedures that may affect you.
Students who wish to appeal grades assigned to their academic work may do so. The
initial appeal should be made to the TA or course instructor. If the student remains
unsatisfied with this process, he/she may proceed to the head of the department or
further to a formal committee established in accordance with university policies.
Religious holidays – UBC permits students who are scheduled to attend classes or write
examinations on holy days of their religions to notify their instructor in advance of these
days and their wish to observe them by absenting themselves from class or examination.
Instructors provide opportunity for students to make up work or examinations missed
without penalty. (Policy # 65.)
UBC is committed to the academic success of students with disabilities. UBC's policy on
Academic Accommodations for students with disabilities aims to remove barriers and
provide equal access to university services, ensure fair and consistent treatment of all
students, and to create a welcoming environment. Students with a disability should first
meet with an Access and Diversity advisor to determine what accommodations/services
you are eligible for.
University Values and Priorities:
UBC provides resources to support student learning and to maintain healthy lifestyles
but recognizes that sometimes crises arise and so there are additional resources to
access including those for survivors of sexual violence. UBC values respect for the
person and ideas of all members of the academic community. Harassment and
discrimination are not tolerated nor is suppression of academic freedom. UBC provides
appropriate accommodation for students with disabilities and for religious and cultural
observances. UBC values academic honesty and students are expected to acknowledge
the ideas generated by others and to uphold the highest academic standards in all of
their actions. Details of the policies and how to access support are available on the
following website: (https://senate.ubc.ca/policies-resources-support-student-success)
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Academic Integrity and Responsibility
As a member of this class, you are responsible for contributing to the course objectives
through your participation in class activities and your work on essays, exams, and other
projects. In the process of coming into your own as an independent, responsible
participant in the academic community, you are encouraged to seek advice, clarification,
and guidance in your learning from your instructor and/or Teaching Assistant. If you
decide to seek help beyond the resources of this course, you are responsible for
ensuring that this help does not lead you to submit others’ work as your own. If an
outside tutor or other person helps you, show this policy to your tutor or helper: make
sure you both understand the limits of this person’s permissible contribution. If you are
uncertain, consult your instructor or TA.
Academic communities depend on their members’ honesty and integrity in representing
the sources of reasoning, claims, and wordings that appear in their work. Like any other
member of the academic community, you will be held responsible for the accurate
representation of your sources: the means by which you produced the work you are
submitting. If you are found to have misrepresented your sources and to have submitted
others’ work as your own, penalties may follow. Your case may be forwarded to the
Head of the department, who may decide that you should receive zero for the
assignment. The Head will report your case to the Dean’s Office, where the report will
remain on file. The Head may decide, in consultation with your instructor, that a greater
penalty is called for, and will forward your case to the Dean’s Office. After an interview in
the Dean’s Office, your case may be forwarded to the President’s Advisory Committee
on Academic Misconduct. Following a hearing in which you will be asked to account for
your actions, the President may apply penalties including zero for the assignment; zero
for the course; suspension from the university for a period ranging from 4 to 24 months;
a notation on your permanent record. The penalty may be a combination of these.
Academic communities also depend on their members’ living up to the commitments
they make. By enrolling in this course, you make commitments to an academic
community: you are responsible for meeting deadlines and attending class and engaging
in class activities. If you find that you cannot meet a deadline or cannot participate in a
course activity, discuss your situation with your instructor or TA before the deadline or
before your absence.
Like any academic author submitting work for review and evaluation, you are
guaranteeing that the work you submit for this course has not already been submitted for
credit in another course. Your submitting work from another course, without your
instructor’s prior agreement, may result in penalties such as those applied to the
misrepresentation of sources.
Respectful University Environment
UBC recognizes that “the best possible environment for working, learning and living is
one in which respect, civility, diversity, opportunity and inclusion are valued.” The full
UBC Statement on Respectful Environment for Students, Faculty and Staff can be found
at http://www.hr.ubc.ca/respectful-environment/files/UBC-Statement-on-Respectful-
Environment-2014.pdf. Students should read this statement carefully and take note of
both the protections and the responsibilities that it outlines for all members of the UBC
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community. Students should also review the Student Code of Conduct, at:
http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=3,54,750,0
This course values frank discussion, healthy debate, and the free and respectful
exchange of ideas. Students are welcome to voice and defend their views, which may
differ from those of other students or of the instructor. However, disrespectful behavior,
including bullying and harassment, will not be tolerated. The instructor and teaching
assistant will be professional and respectful in all their exchanges with students, and
students will exercise similar professionalism and respect in their interactions with each
other, with the teaching assistant, and with the instructor.
If you have any concerns about the class environment, please raise them with the
instructor. You also have the options of contacting the Head of the Political Science
Department, UBC’s Equity and Inclusion Office (http://equity.ubc.ca), or the UBC
Ombudsperson for Students: https://ombudsoffice.ubc.ca
Equity and Harassment
UBC is committed to equity (including but not limited to gender equity) and fostering a
safe learning environment for everyone. All peoples should be able to study, work, and
learn in a supportive environment that is free from sexual violence, harassment, and
discrimination. UBC’s Policy #3 on Discrimination and Harassment defines harassment
as: “unwanted and unwelcome attention from a person who knows, or ought to know,
that the behaviour is unwelcome. Harassment can range from written or spoken
comments to unwanted jokes, gifts, and physical assault, and may be accompanied by
threats or promises regarding work or study opportunities and conditions. Harassment
can be either a single incident or a series of related incidents.” Such behavior is not
acceptable and will not be tolerated at UBC. If you or someone you know has
encountered sexual violence or harassment, you can find confidential support and
resources at the AMS Sexual Assault Support Centre, (SASC), and the Equity and
Inclusion Office. The SASC is an all-genders service that serves the UBC-Vancouver
campus community and is committed to creating a safer campus community, free from
sexualized violence. Their work is informed by feminism, anti-oppression and recognition
of intersectionality. The Equity and Inclusion Office is committed to fostering a
community in which human rights are respected and equity and diversity are integral to
university life.
Resources are available at: Equity and Inclusion office
Sexual Assault Support Centre, (SASC) 2306-1874 East Mall (Brock Hall)
Acknowledgment: UBC’s Point Grey Campus is located on the traditional, ancestral,
and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam). The land it is situated on has
always been a place of learning for the Musqueam, who for millennia have passed on
their culture, history, and traditions from one generation to the next on this site.