SPRING 2016 SYLLABUS: English for Public Administration
Meeting Time & Location: Thursdays, 10AM (Juniors), Rm 417 , Thursdays, 1:30PM (Sophomores) Rm 417
Instructor: Mr. Julian Lee 李立安 Class Website: www.omnifoo.info/pages/IRPA.html
Office: 4th floor, Rm 401
Email: omniscientfool@tom.com
Jump to: Class Schedule

OVERVIEW: This class will explore comparative concepts of governance, especially what makes for "good governance" as opposed to "corruption." In some ways it will resemble an introductory comparative politics class (in topics of regime types, political participation, and the role of the state) in an American university, in others a high school civics/goverment class (as when explaining the branches of U.S. government and the rights & duties of citizenship), but elements of policy studies and political theory will also appear. As this is an EFL class, considerable attention will be paid to explaining basic concepts and providing opportunities for students to practice listening & speaking. Students can also expect to expand their English vocabularies for discussing matters of importance to PA, through the use of a customized English-Chinese Glossary of Public Administration, to be made available online soon. 讲课的语言是英语。 听/看不懂英语的学生千万要提前安排助学办法。

ASSIGNMENTS: Occasionally the instructor will assign short essays on topics discussed in class which will count for "daily grades" (平时成绩).

EXAMS: This class is likely to have a midterm and final exam, though student suggestions for alternatives, such as writing term papers and giving presentations, are welcome.

GRADING: The midterm and final exams will be the main determinants of the final grade, with attendance, class participation, and daily grades influencing borderline cases.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES: Students wishing to practice their English are welcome to join the instructor for lunch on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:40 to 12:30 on the first floor of Cafeteria #1. The instructor needs sports partners; let him know if you are good at badminton or tennis. Once the weather warms up, the instructor will announce times and locations for a regular meet-up for a popular American college sport: frisbee!

Care to see what Julian's other classes are doing? Visit the NENU landing page for his reading, writing, public administration, and IR theory courses. All classes should have received a copy of EFL student guides to Western music and Western movies. Feel free to share and distribute them.

Every effort will be made to present class materials in a fair manner which does not unconciously or excessively privilege Western thought and theories over Chinese and other approaches. However, given the instructor's training in a U.S. university, the majority of the material will be presented as closely as possible to an "Intro to IR" class in the USA. Anyone wishing to object officially, of course, has the option of reporting the instructor to the hotline reported below:

http://jlrbszb.chinajilin.com.cn/html/2015-11/01/content_176708.htm

It is hoped that will not be necessary, and we can use this class to learn and discuss collegially how China and the U.S. view international politics!

 

WEEKLY SCHEDULE:

 

WEEK 1 (3-3): Class introduction. Assign & discuss Western names, concepts like one's full name, initials, surname, etc.

WEEK 2 (3-10): Intro to Public Administration concepts. RECOMMENDED READING: Students should familiarize themselves with the foundationali public administration concepts of states, regimes, governments, administrations, legitimacy, authority, etc. Wikipedia's entry on Max Weber is a good place to start and probably may be read in Chinese.

WEEK 3 (3-17): PA concepts continued. RECOMMENDED READING: Linz & Stepan's chapter on Authoritarianism

WEEK 4 (3-23): Conclude regime types & bureaucratic dominance. Introduce basic economic systems: planned/command; mixed/transitional; (regulated) market; (laissez-faire) free market; capitalist. REQUIRED READING: http://graphics.latimes.com/china-economy/#nt=oft01a-1la1 RECOMMENDED READING: How did Russia become an oligarchy? Wikipedia on Privatization in Russia Dresen's summary of The Piratization of Russia: Russian Reform Goes Awry

WEEK 5 (3-31): Discuss LA Times article on Changchun (REQUIRED READING from WEEK 4, 3-23)

WEEK 6 (4-7): Introduce topic of corruption, including its definition, measurement, and comparative levels around the world.

WEEK 7 (4-14): Dramatic corruption dialogs for oral English practice.

WEEK 8 (4-21): Write & perform your own corruption dramatic dialogs?

WEEK 9 (4-28): Dramatic corruption dialogs continued.

WEEK 10 (5-5): Vocabulary Game

WEEK 11 (5-12): Review Game

WEEK 12 (5-19): American Politics 1. Discuss basic structure & functions of the U.S. political system. RECOMMENDED READING: Branches of U.S. government

WEEK 13 (5-26): American Politics 2. Introduce & discuss political processes such as campaigns and elections. Compare "the political" spectrum of liberals & conservatives in China and the U.S. Students are especially encouraged to ask questions in this class.

WEEK 14 (6-2): To allow the junior class to catch up with the sophomores, the sophomores will learn to play Scrabble in this session.

WEEK 15 (6-9): Dragon Boat Festival - NO CLASS?

WEEK 16 (6-16): Money is the root of all evil.

WEEK 17 (6-23): Combine classes at 10 or 1:30? Final Review Game. Class pictures.