Trinity College

The central focus of this course will be on politics and governance in American cities. Attention will be given to relations between cities and suburbs and the impact of state and federal decision-making on local policy arenas. We will also examine the role of key institutions such as political machines and interest groups in the shaping of city politics. The course will underscore both the obligations and burdens of local public officials as they grapple with a multitude of critical issues and problems. Our discussions will illuminate the causes and consequences of the social and fiscal crises faced by American cities. We will assess the value and impact of issues such as community power, racial and ethnic political coalitions and conflict, the dilemmas faced by big-city mayors, municipal reform, and urban development and redevelopment. Finally, we will discuss issues pertaining to urban politics including: education, poverty, homelessness, crime, public or low-income housing, urban environmental problems, and transportation. Special attention will be paid to the issue of urban education in Hartford through a community learning project.

Student Responsibilities

Attendance, Reading and Participation

Class attendance is mandatory and critical. Students must arrive to class on time or they will be marked absent. Absences will only be excused with appropriate authorization (for example – a medical excuse). Students with 2 or more accumulated unexcused absences will automatically receive a zero for their participation grade and may be asked to withdraw from the course. Only in the case of an excused absence will students be allowed to make-up written work or exams. If you miss class on the day your group presentation, you will not have an opportunity to make-up these components of the course. In the case of an excused absence on a presentation date, students will be assigned a “pass” for that presentation. This “pass” acts as a “C” in the case of a graded presentation, or minimum credit toward the participation component of the course.

Students are not only expected to attend class, but to have read all assigned readings for that day. Quality participation also will contribute positively to this component of the grade. If you miss class you are responsible for getting the material covered from another student in the class, not the instructor. Furthermore, you are responsible for any changes made or assignments given that day.

Late papers, in the case of unexcused absences, will be docked one whole letter grade each day they are late (a B paper will become a C if it is one day late). Papers are due in class on the date specified by the instructor. If they are delivered after class begins, they will be considered one day late. I will not accept papers or assignments that are submitted electronically.

Your participation grade is based on the quality of class participation, attendance, and your participation during group presentation sessions.

Required Event at 4:00 PM in Washington Room – Dr. Diane Pinderhughes

Readings

For each class you must come prepared to answer several questions based on the weekly reading assignments. Answering these questions will help you to connect the themes of the course. In addition, because this is a small class, each student must be prepared to discuss the readings in detail. Preparing answers to the following questions will greatly improve our discussions.

-What are the author’s main points or claims?

-What major arguments does the author use to support these claims?

-What are the author’s main conclusions?

-Are those conclusions supported by the author’s evidence or arguments?

-How does the reading relate to previous readings?

Students will be responsible for handing in typed 2-3 page answers to these questions for the following readings:

Black Atlantic Politics AND Mayors and Schools

Community Learning

During the course of the semester we will analyze urban education in Hartford. More specifically, we will examine mayoral governance of the Hartford schools to determine the impact of the governance structure on minority empowerment and student achievement. Students will be responsible for conducting interviews with actors in the local educational policy arena including: union representatives, administrators, school board members, teachers, and parents. We will also collect quantitative data for this project from the school board and the state of Connecticut. At the end of the semester we will create a report based on our research. Each student will write an individual paper (8-10 pages) based on the research they conducted, connecting their findings to the book Mayors and Schools.

Exams

There will be two exams in this course. The exams will include a combination of short answer and essay questions based on assigned readings, class lectures, guest lectures, discussions, and videos. The exam dates (and times) are not negotiable. Please make your travel arrangements accordingly. Quizzes may also be given periodically and will emphasize assigned readings, class presentations, or relevant articles from the Hartford Courant.

Academic Honesty

Academic misconduct will not be tolerated. All dishonest behavior will be reported to the college. If there is any doubt that you are acting improperly, ask the instructor.

Assistance

If you are having any difficulties with the course material or assignments, I encourage you to come and talk to me. I will be available during office hours and by appointment. If these times are not convenient or if you are not facing any problems but would like to talk about the course, please feel free to come talk to me.

Grade Formula

Community Learning Interview 10

Community Learning Paper 25

Class Participation/Attendance 25

Midterm 20

Final 20

Readings:

1/23 –Introduction and Overview

1/30 - Development of Cities and the Development of Urban Society

Read: Judd & Swanstrom - chapters 1 & 2

Judd & Kantor - chapter 1

Judd & Kantor – chapter 5, only essay by Danielson

2/7 - Urban Governance: Local Leadership and the Politics of Reform

Read: Judd & Swanstrom – chapter 3 & 4

Judd & Kantor - chapter 3

2/14 - Urban Education

Read: Chambers – All Chapters Except Chapters 3, 4, 6

Learning From Strangers: The Art & Method of Qualitative Interview Studies

TYPED ANSWERS FOR Mayors & Schools due

Rachael Barlow – Social Science Data Coordinator

2/21 - National Politics and the Cities

Read: Judd and Swanstrom, chapters 5, 6, 7, 8

Judd and Kantor chapter 9, only essays by Eisinger and Nivola

Presentation on Welfare Reform

2/28 - Midterm Exam and Resettlement Program Speakers

3/7 – Analyzing Quantitative Data

(Interview should be conducted by this date)

3/12 – Required Event at 4:00 PM in Washington Room – Dr. Diane Pinderhughes

3/14 - The Fiscal Crisis

Read: Judd & Swanstrom - chapters 12

Judd & Kantor chapter 7

AND

Smart Growth – Reading on Blackboard – Rep. David McCluskey

3/21 – No Class

3/28 - Metropolitan Governance & the Future of Urban America

Read: Judd & Swanstrom – chapters 11 and 14

4/4 – Urban Food Policy & Poverty

Read: Reading on Blackboard

Jerry Jones from Hartford Food System

4/11– Urban Education – Desegregation of the Hartford Schools

Read: Eaton Reading on Blackboard

Guest speaker- Susan Eaton

4/18 – Black Politics in Urban America

Read: Black Atlantic Politics – chs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 11

Typed answers for Black Atlantic Politics Due

4/25 – CLI Paper Due & Presentations

Final Exam – 5/8 at 3:00

CLI Project and Paper

For this project students will examine the Hartford Public Schools under mayoral leadership and the impact of this reform on 1) student performance, and 2) minority inclusion in educational policy making. Student performance will be analyzed by examining data from the school system. Minority inclusion will be analyzed by conducting an interview with a respondent with a connection to the schools. The student performance piece of this project is the quantitative component. The minority inclusion piece is the qualitative component.

We will meet with Rachael Barlow, the social science data coordinator on March 7^th for a tutorial on the quantitative data portion of this project. For the qualitative component you will conduct an interview with a parent, community activist, school board member, union representative, or an administrator. Pairs of students will be assigned to a respondent. It is your responsibility to coordinate with your partner and your respondent to find a time for the interview. In addition, you must also get a tape recorder from the AV department, and buy tapes and batteries to record the interview. IRB forms will be provided so you can bring them to the interview. You and your partner are responsible for transcribing the interview and turning in the IRB forms. A transcript of your TYPED interview will be held by the Hartford Studies office. You must be sure to omit any reference to the name of your respondent in the transcript or your paper.

PAPER

You must write an 8-10 page paper based on your CLI research. I expect each paper to include the following:

1) An overview of the book Mayors and Schools

2) Explain how the book connects to this study of the Hartford schools

3) An overview of the governance of the Hartford schools (mayoral control, state control, privatization, etc.). I also want to see a discussion of race and representation on the school board in Hartford under different governance structures. The articles posted on blackboard on mayoral control would be a good place to start. This will take time to compile. Get started early!

4) Analysis of the Quantitative data

QUANTITATIVE PAPER COMPONENT:

To analyze student achievement under mayoral control, each student will need to examine test scores for the school district during the period prior to mayoral control (MC), and since the reform. How you analyze and interpret the scores is up to you. There are a number of ways to do this, but it requires a great deal of thought as test scores can be used to tell a variety of stories. I also expect students to analyze attendance and graduation rates during these same periods of time. If you encounter any problems with the data (i.e. – some data are not available), you must explain this. Once you present a picture of the Hartford schools you must compare your quantitative findings to what was revealed in Mayors and Schools.

5) Analysis of Qualitative data

QUALITATIVE PAPER COMPONENT: You must include a discussion of your findings from your interview. Look at the way interview data is used in Mayors and Schools as a guide to integrating this information. Although there are limits to only using one interview, I am interested in seeing how well you analyze this one interview based on what you have learned in the class.

6) In the final section of the paper you must explain how your findings fit with the

findings in Mayors and Schools.

You must use 12-point Times New Roman font. Margins must be one inch and each page should be numbered. Finally, you must use a style manual for this paper. MLA, APA, or Chicago are all acceptable. Please see me if you would like to use a different format.