Final Exam - Friday, 5/15

Please remember that your final exam is scheduled for next Friday. For the exam, you will be randomly assigned two of the following three questions:

• Why are cities prone to periodic fiscal crises? How can cities avoid them?
• How has federal policymaking affected American cities? Are cities hurt or helped by these policies?
• Are regional governing bodies the answer to the problems of urban governance?

Remember also that you can bring ONE 3x5" INDEX CARD with you into the exam. (Do NOT try to take advantage of this; use the card for essay outlines.) Good luck.

Assignment for Friday, 5/8

Next week, we'll host Courtney Gross, the City Government Editor of the Gotham Gazette. To prep for her visit, read "Bloomberg and the Incredible Shrinking Mayor’s Race," from a March NY Times blog entry (available here). Feel free to summarize; in fact, this is your last opportunity, so most of you SHOULD take advantage.

Courtney will only be with us for the first half of the class; the second half will be spent on a course and exam review. Remember that our final exam is the following week (May 15).

Finally, please note that your final papers should be uploaded into turnitin.com by the start of class time on May 8. (Don't forget to include a works cited/bibliography - this is NOT the same thing as your already submitted annotated bibliography, by the way.) You should also hand to me a signed CAA form - proof of your visit to the Center for Academic Achievement. Let me know ASAP if you have any questions about the paper assignment.

Assignment for Friday, 5/1

Here's the announcement you've all been waiting for: there will be NO class on Friday, April 24. I'm planning on having a baby instead.

This means that your next summary is not due until Friday, May 1. I'm adding an additional article option as well. So for next time, read the following THREE articles from the UP Reader:

• "Urban Sacrifice," by Buzz Bissinger
• "Regionalisms Old and New," by Dreier, Mollenkopf, and Swanstrom
• "The American City in the Age of Terror," by Eisenger

You can summarize ONE of these (and many of you really should). However, please note that because of this interruption in our schedule, I am going to REDUCE the number of required summaries by one - to a total of FIVE. (Any of you who have ALREADY submitted six will get some extra credit for it, but only if I already have the 6th in my possession; otherwise 5 is the limit.)

If all goes well, I should be on campus next week, so you can come by with questions, or drop me a note through e-mail. Otherwise, see you May 1.

Assignment for Friday, 4/17

Since next week is Spring Break, the next time we meet will be April 17. We will have a featured guest speaker, Mr. Wiley Norvell, the Communications Director of the non-profit group, Transportation Alternatives.

To prepare for Wiley's visit, read the transportation section of the NYC government's 2008 Progress Report on the PlaNYC (the city's current environmental plan for 2008-2030). Feel free to write a summary (and remember that we are going to run out of summary opportunities sooner than you think).

Also, please remember that your ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHIES are due on the 17th as well - they should be uploaded into turnitin.com by class time.

Assignment for Friday, 4/3

Next week we'll be moving on to our unit on political economy. There are three readings for next week (feel free to summarize any one):

• Martin Shefter, "The Political Economy of Urban Fiscal Crises" (in the UP Reader)
• Saskia Sassen, "Overview" and "Economic Restructuring as Class and Spatial Polarization" (in the UP Reader)
• Rebecca Solnit, "Detroit Arcadia" (available online here - please note that this link only works on campus)

Research Paper Assignment

During the semester, we have discussed a number of concepts and theories about the way cities and urban areas are governed. You will now be asked to utilize this knowledge to develop a thesis-driven research paper on a particular policy area within New York City. You are welcome to rely on information from our special events, but do not feel constrained to work within these topics only.

Assignment: Using research from outside sources, as well as your knowledge of the theories of urban politics, write a short research paper that addresses a problem or question within a policy area that is currently of some concern to New Yorkers. Some examples of possible policy areas:

• The rebuilding of the World Trade Center (including memorializing 9/11 at the site), or the rebuilding of downtown more generally
• City campaigns and elections, including the recent battle over term limits
• Affordable housing (ensuring that homes and apartments are available to all, regardless of economic status)
• Anti-terror policies/policing (any aspect of law enforcement in the city, possibly focusing on anti-terror efforts)

Your paper should be specific to New York City, but should also incorporate some of the concepts and theories we have discussed in class this year. For example, you might discuss how structural economic constraints limit the choices of the City Council and/or Mayor’s Office in rebuilding the World Trade Center. Or, you could examine how different levels of government in the U.S. affect the anti-terror policies pursued by the MTA Police. Feel free to be creative in identifying a research question, but make sure that there is some connection with the theories and concepts from urban politics that we have discussed in class.

Your paper should have a strong thesis: it should adopt a strong point of view (or “take a stand”); be specific and limited in scope (it can’t too big to cover in a short research paper); and should be arguably true (it shouldn’t be patently obvious, like “cities are complicated”).

Your paper should be 9-10 pages, double-spaced, and typed with 1” margins. You probably should state your thesis clearly in your first paragraph. Also, I suggest that you use the first paragraph to lay out the structure of the essay (“Below, I will do X, and then Y, and then Z”).

Research and Sources: Research papers require you to support your argument with outside sources; however, this is not an excuse to simply string together a series of quotes and pass it off as your own work. You must organize others’ ideas and arguments yourself, using your own words, while taking care to give credit to others. You should limit the number of direct quotes you use in your paper; in general, if you quote more than 20-25 lines, you’re relying too much on your sources’ writing (and you will be penalized). Please remember that all information derived from your sources must be cited, even when you restate others’ ideas in your own words.

All citations should be properly formatted. I prefer Chicago/Turabian citation style, but you may use whichever format you would like as long as you use it consistently. Internet research sources are suitable for this assignment, but be aware that many sites are sponsored by advocacy groups and their objectivity and accuracy cannot be assumed. Wikipedia can provide useful background information and links, but is often poorly sourced and should NOT be cited as an authority. Citations to the Internet should be sufficiently specific so as to allow a reader to arrive at the same web page where you found the information.

Annotated Bibliography: In order to help guide your research, you are required to submit an Annotated Bibliography early in the writing process. The bibliography involves two components: a fully formatted citation for the source (again, using whatever citation style you choose), followed by a short, 100-150-word description of the source’s argument and relevance to your paper topic. Your bibliography should list at least six (6) credible sources, although you are welcome to include more. (This part of the assignment is only a formal version of what you should be doing anyway, namely finding sources and taking notes on their relevance to your project.) I will return the bibliographies to you with comments that hopefully will help you continue your research and prepare your paper draft. The bibliography will be graded separately from the paper, based on the quality of description, consistency of citation format, effort (less than 6 sources and you will be penalized), and credibility of sources. Examples and further information about annotated bibliographies are available here.

CAA Requirement: The writing process relies upon getting feedback from others – either peers, classmates, instructors or writing professionals. As an additional aid to help you complete a good research paper, you must make at least ONE visit to the Center for Academic Advancement for a coaching session. You can make an appointment, or just drop in; you can speak with one of their professional tutors, or their peer tutors (fellow students who are particularly skilled at writing). Please note that you can seek out feedback at ANY POINT in the writing process. You might already ask others to read your paper drafts (and good for you if you do), but you don’t have to wait until the paper is written. You can ask a coach to join you in brainstorming possible paper topics or thesis statements, working out an outline, or planning strategies for research, as well as review a draft with you.

When you visit, ask your CAA coach to complete the CAA Form (available from your instructor). You have not met your requirements for this assignment unless you submit the completed form by the time the final paper draft is due. Do not wait until the last minute; since you have most of the rest of the semester to schedule your visit, there will be NO EXCUSES for missing this part of the assignment.

Deadlines: The annotated bibliographies are due by the beginning of class on Friday, April 17, and will be returned the following week (4/24). Final papers are due by the beginning of class on Friday, May 8. Late papers are subject to penalties as described below (see section on “Grading”). You also have the option of submitting a draft of the paper at any point during the semester. Assuming you leave me enough time before the paper is due, I will be able to return the draft to you with comments. (You are also welcome to come to Office Hours or make an appointment for us to discuss your draft in person.) If you do take advantage of this draft option, I may ask that you submit a paper copy of the draft with my comments to me in class on May 8.

Both the Bibliography and the Final Draft must be uploaded on Turnitin.com, using the appropriate assignment link, by the beginning of class on the assigned deadlines. Uploaded files should be Microsoft Word documents (let me know if this might be a problem, and we’ll work out an alternative). The completed CAA form should be submitted to me in paper form by the beginning of class on May 8 (although you are welcome to submit it earlier).

Just to be clear, these again are the deadlines:

• Friday, April 17: Annotated Bibliography Due (Comments returned 4/24)
• Optional Draft can be turned in at any time
• Friday, May 8: Final Draft Due (Completed CAA Form submitted separately; first draft also submitted if applicable)

Grading: I’ve included below my standard criteria for grading paper assignments. Your paper will be assigned a letter grade largely based on these criteria. Please note that if you submit your essay late, without a valid and documented excuse, I will immediately deduct a full letter grade from your grade for the assignment. Also note that if you do not submit the completed CAA Form, I may deduct up to an additional full letter grade.

Grading Criteria:

• A: Expresses complex, independent thought with grace, clarity and force. Its purpose is clear from the start: it contains a thesis that is imaginatively, logically, and precisely developed. Not only is the paper organized, the organization does not seem mechanical or imposed. Any source material included is balanced and smoothly integrated into the essay. Each topical paragraph has a controlling idea, solid detail, and smooth transitions. The sentences are varied in length and structure. The writer chooses concrete, specific words and uses them correctly, employing diction that is distinctive and mature, with effective metaphors and analogies for clarity and emphasis. The essay contains no colloquialisms, clichés, or trite expressions. It is virtually free of grammatical and mechanical errors.
• B: Contains a clear thesis statement supported with good examples. The writer controls the essay’s development by arranging the examples supporting the thesis in an orderly and logical fashion. The essay is well-organized, but transitions are sometimes strained. Any source material included is smoothly integrated, and some independent conclusions are drawn. Each topical paragraph has a controlling idea and good supporting detail. The sentences are usually varied. The word choice is generally correct. The writer often goes beyond the automatic word choice to find one more precise and effective. The paper is generally correct mechanically, though there are some problems with complex grammar and punctuation traps.
• C: Contains a recognizable thesis and adequate development. Though the paper has some interesting parts, the interest is not uniformly maintained and the purpose is not always clear. There are very few errors in sentence structure by the sentences are not varied. The word choice is generally correct, but the range of words is limited, and in some cases the wording is abstract and imprecise. Source material included is relevant but not carefully integrated. This essay also has errors in syntax, spelling and punctuation. More importantly, it lacks an original, significant purpose or point of view.
• D: Meets only the minimum requirements of college writing. The writer approaches the topic in a conventional and predictable manner. The essay lacks imagination and insight. Though it still contains a thesis, it is poorly or mechanically developed. It also lacks adequate support of generalizations. Source materials are cited improperly, are not directly relevant, and/or overwhelm the essay. Some principle of organization is apparent but it is not successful followed. The diction is often imprecise and monotonous. The writer uses vague, ordinary words and relies on clichés and jargon. The essay contains sentence fragments, run-on sentences, and numerous basic errors in syntax, agreement, reference, spelling, and punctuation.

Assignment for Friday, 3/27

For the Friday following the midterm exam, please read the following two articles in the UP Reader:

• Mollenkopf, The Postwar Politics of Urban Development
• Dreier, Community Empowerment Strategies: The Limits and Potential of Organizing in Low Income Neighborhoods

(We're making up for the class we missed due to my illness.) Feel free to write a summary for ONE of these articles. See you then.

Mid-Term Exam - Friday, 3/20

Your midterm examination will be next Friday, March 20, in class. You will be randomly assigned two of the following three essay questions:

1. How do structuralists like Peterson (and, to a lesser extent, Stone) critique the pluralist view of urban politics? Do you agree with this critique? Why or why not?
2. "Blacks have not benefited from political incorporation." Agree or disagree with this statement.
3. What factors motivated Progressive-Era reformers to challenge political machines? What factors contributed to their success?

Remember that you can bring one 3x5 index card with you to the exam. Good luck!

CLASS CANCELLED - 3/6

Unfortunately, I have to cancel class this Friday, March 6, due to illness. I should be better by next week.

This means you have an extra week to read Croker, Plunkitt, and Bridges and Kronick, as well as another week to submit a summary. Remember that you are supposed to have two summaries submitted before the midterm; those of you who have submitted only one (or none) should take this extra time to submit for next week.

Also remember that the following week, March 20, is our mid-term exam, so we will review for it next week as well.

My apologies for cancelling on you all - feel free to e-mail me or come see me next week with any questions.

Assignment for Friday, 3/6

There are three readings for next time:

1. First, read Richard Croker's "Tammany Hall and the Democracy" in the UP Reader.

2. Then, read the following sections from "Plunkitt of Tammany Hall" (available here):

• Preface
• A Tribute by Murphy (one paragraph)
• Chapter 1: Honest Graft and Dishonest Graft
• Chapter 3: The Curse of Civil Service Reform

(If you end up printing this out, it's about the first 12 pages, minus chapter 2.)

3. Finally, read Bridges and Kronick, "Writing the Rules to Win the Game," in the UP reader.

Feel free to summarize any one of these, although I suggest you be wary of Croker and especially Plunkitt - as first person accounts, they are hard to summarize.

Assignment for Friday, 2/27

For next time, read the article by Gurwitt in the UP Reader, "Black, White, and Blurred." PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS YOUR LAST OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT A SUMMARY IN FEBRUARY. FYI, we will also see a film next time, so bring popcorn if you'd like.

Assignment for Friday, 2/20

For next Friday, read the following articles in the UP reader:

• Clarence Stone, "Looking Back to Look Forward..."
• Browning, et al, "Can People of Color Achieve Equality..."
• Adolph Reed, "Demobilization in the New Black Political Regime"

Feel free to summarize ONE of these readings; there will be a link available on turnitin.com to submit the summary. (And remember that you need to write at least one summary in February, although it would be best to do more.) We'll discuss all of these readings next week.

Assignment for Friday, 2/13

Your assignment (after you familiarize yourself with this website) is to read the following articles from the Urban Politics Reader:

• Review "A Top 10 List of Things to Know about American Cities," by Wyly, et al. (We discussed this in class already.)
• Read "Who Governs," by Dahl.
• Read "The Interests of the Limited City," by Peterson.

You may, if you wish, summarize EITHER Dahl OR Peterson (but not both - remember, one summary per week). Your summary must be uploaded to the turnitin.com site BEFORE class begins on Friday.

Syllabus

Course Description

This course will examine the policy issues and politics that face urban areas, with particular attention paid to the specific city that surrounds us: New York. We will begin by evaluating different theoretical perspectives on who holds power in cities and why. We also examine the crucial role of race and ethnicity within urban power structures. Next, we will survey some important episodes from the historical development of cities, including the rise of urban machines and the progressive reform movements that attempted to defeat them. Then we will turn to an examination of urban political economy, including fiscal crises and globalization. Finally, we will situate urban politics within broader political contexts of regional and national politics, including a look at how cities like New York confront terrorism.

You have chosen to study city politics while you are located in what is often described as the quintessential city. Therefore, throughout the course we will attempt to take advantage of our proximity and examine policy issues taken from contemporary New York City politics. These efforts will include guest speakers and possibly a field trip.

Required Texts

Students are encouraged to purchase the following book:

The Urban Politics Reader
Elizabeth A Strom, John H Mollenkopf (eds)
Routledge Urban Reader Series (2006)
ISBN: 9780415319966

This book is available from Shakespeare and Company (939 Lexington Avenue, at 69th Street). You may be able to find a less expensive used copy online. If you purchase online or elsewhere, however, make sure that you can get the book in a timely fashion.

Additional readings may be assigned throughout the semester through the use of handouts, library access, and online links at the course website.

Course Requirements

-- Come to class prepared. Complete all required readings beforehand, and bring your readings to class.

-- Participate. Attend class regularly and on time—you cannot participate if you are not present—and join your colleagues in critical analysis of the assigned readings. In order to encourage participation, you will be asked to complete the following assignment:

• Summaries. Write six (6) one-page summaries of assigned readings throughout the course of the semester. Guidelines for summary writing will be distributed during the first class. In general, you can submit summaries whenever you would like, with the following restriction: one summary must be completed in September, with an additional one (two in total) due by the mid-term exam. Still, I encourage you to WRITE YOUR SUMMARIES EARLY – do not wait until the end of the semester, or you may run out of time to complete your required seven. Summaries must be submitted electronically before class (see below).

-- Attend special events, including guest speakers and/or field trips. Every attempt will be made to ensure that events are held during regular class hours. If an event extends beyond this period and you have a schedule conflict, you may need to complete additional assignments as required by the course instructor. Field trips may involve a small fee.

-- Complete all other written assignments:

• Exams. You will be given two examinations during the course, a mid-term and a final. The final exam focuses primarily on material covered in the second half of the course, but may build upon and refer to material discussed earlier. Exams will consist of brief essay questions, with the questions distributed in advance. Questions will be based on the required readings and on classroom discussions.
• Paper. A 9-10 page research paper is required, with final draft due towards the end of class. Details for the assignment, including deadlines and instructions, will be distributed in class during the semester.
  

-- All summaries and papers must be submitted electronically using the Turnitin website. You should make sure you are familiar with Turnitin long BEFORE an assignment is due; ignorance, unfamiliarity, or technical difficulties will not be an excuse for late submission of any assignment. To enroll in Turnitin:

• Using a web browser, go to http://www.turnitin.com.
• Click on “New Users Click Here” in the upper right corner of the screen. Create a student profile using the class ID of 2594922 and enrollment password ppc09.
• Follow the remaining enrollment instructions. Remember your user name (which should be your e-mail address) and password.
  

Grading

Your grade will be based on your written work and your class participation. Course requirements will be weighted as follows when calculating your grade:

• Paper: 25%
  The paper will be worth one-fourth of your grade (25%). Grading criteria will be included when the paper assignments are distributed. A one letter grade penalty will be imposed upon late papers without valid documentation (e.g., medical emergency).
• Exams: 50%
  Of the two exams, your lowest grade will be worth 20%, while your highest will be worth 30%. Make-up exams will be given only when proper documentation for the absence is provided.
• Participation: 25%
  Submission of all required summaries establishes a base participation grade of B. Failure to submit a summary will lower this grade by one-third of a letter (e.g., B to B-). Excessive lateness or absences may lead to further reductions, while frequent and thoughtful contributions to class discussion will have the opposite effect.
  

Incomplete grades will be assigned only for a valid and documented cause, for a length of time specified by the instructor when the documentation is accepted.

Academic Integrity

Students should be aware of the college’s policies regarding cheating, plagiarism and any other kind of academic misconduct as outlined in the MMC Academic Honesty Policy. These policies will be discussed briefly during the first class, and are available here. Students who have questions or concerns about their written work should discuss these with the instructor before submitting any assignments.

Special Needs

Any student who is learning disabled, whose primary language is other than English, or who has other special needs and may thus require special accommodations should notify me immediately.

Course Schedule (subject to change)

Below are scheduled readings assigned for the semester. Please note that these assignments may need to be changed as the semester progresses; any changes will be announced in class and posted on the course website. All readings can be found in the Urban Politics Reader unless otherwise noted.

Friday, February 6
Introduction
Urban Politics: An Overview
-- Wyly et al., A Top 10 List of Things to Know About American Cities

POWER AND POLITICS

Friday, February 13
The Community Power Debate
-- Dahl, Who Governs?
Urban Interests
-- Peterson, The Interests of the Limited City

Friday, February 20
Urban Regimes
-- Stone, Looking Back to Look Forward: Reflections on Urban Regime Analysis
Race and Ethnicity
-- Browning, et al, Can People of Color Achieve Equality in City Government?
-- Reed, Demobilization in the New Black Political Regime: Ideological Capitulation and Radical Failure in the Post-Segregation Era

Friday, February 27
Race and Ethnicity
-- Gurwitt, Black, White, and Blurred
-- FILM: Street Fight

CITY HISTORY

Friday, March 6
Urban Machines
-- Plunkitt of Tammany Hall (available on course website)
-- Croker, Tammany Hall and the Democracy
Progressive Urban Reform
-- Bridges and Kronick, Writing the Rules to Win the Game: The Middle-Class Regimes of Municipal Reformers

Friday, March 13
Postwar Economic Development
-- Mollenkopf, The Postwar Politics of Urban Development
Community Empowerment
-- Dreier, Community Empowerment Strategies: The Limits and Potential of Organizing in Low Income Neighborhoods
Exam Review

Friday, March 20
MID-TERM EXAMINATION

Friday, March 27
Special Event – T.B.D.

URBAN POLITICAL ECONOMY

Friday, April 3
Fiscal Crises
-- Shefter, The Political Economy of Urban Fiscal Crises
The Global City
-- Sassen, Overview and Economic Restructuring as Class and Spatial Polarization
-- Solnit, Detroit Arcadia (available on the course website)

Friday, April 10
NO CLASS – SPRING BREAK

Friday, April 17
Special Event – T.B.D.

CITIES, STATES, NATIONS

Friday, April 24
National Urban Policy
-- Bissinger, Urban Sacrifice
Regionalism
-- Dreier, et al, Regionalisms Old and New

Friday, May 1
Special Event – T.B.D.

Friday, May 8
Cities and Terrorism
-- Eisinger, The American City in the Age of Terror
Course Review
Exam Review

Friday, May 15
FINAL EXAMINATION