Prof. Charles Walcott
528 Major Williams
Office Hours:  MTThF 10:30-12
Office Phone: 231-5491   e-mail cwalcott@vt.edu
Home page http://www.psci.vt.edu/walcott/index.htm

Teaching Assistant: Cecil Cook

Required Books:

Paul S. Herrnson, Ronald G. Shaiko and Clyde Wilcox, eds., The Interest Group Connection, 2nd edition
David Lowery and Holly Brasher, Organized Interests and American Government
Andrew Rich, Think Tanks, Public Policy, and the Politics of Expertise

Examinations:

There will be three midterm exams plus an optional final.  Each midterm will be worth 25% for students who do not take the final.  For those who do take the final, each midterm will be worth 20% and the final will be worth 15%.   The format of each midterm exam will be a combination of multiple-choice and short-answer questions.  The final will be a take-home.

Term Paper:

The paper will be worth 25% of the total grade.  The paper will be an integrative essay on a topic from a list to be provided.  The purpose of the paper in all cases will be to allow students to bring what they have learned in the course to bear on a fundamental question of politics and governance.

Participation:

Notable participation in classroom discussion will, in effect, be worth extra credit.  Persistent absence will likewise qualify a student for negative extra credit.  There will be no specific points awarded for participation, however.

The Virginia Tech Honor Code will be in effect throughout this course.

Schedule:

January 16 -- Introduction to the Course

January 18 -- No Class

January 23 -- Definitions and Basic Questions
READ:  Lowery, ch 1

January 25 -- Interest Groups: The Organizational Landscape
READ:  Herrnson, ch. 1 (Shaiko)

January 30 -- Think Tanks: The Organizational Landscape
READ:  Rich, ch. 1

February 1 -- Groups and Think Tanks in Comparative and Historical Perspective
READ:  Rich, ch. 2

February 6-8 -- Theories of Group Formation and Maintenance
READ:  Lowery, ch. 2

Februrary 13 --  Interest Organization Communities
READ:  Lowery, ch. 3

February 15 -- FIRST MIDTERM EXAM

February 20 --  Lobbying the Media and the Public:  Issue Definition and Policy Narratives
READ:  Lowery, pp. 108-125

February 22-27 -- Interest Groups in Campaigns I -- Political Money and the Party Connection
READ:  Herrnson, ch. 2-4; Lowery, pp. 125-147

March 1 -- Interest Groups in Campaigns II -- Activating the Membership
READ:  Herrnson, ch. 5-6

SPRING BREAK

March 13 -- Interest Groups and Think Tanks in the Policy Process: Overview
READ:  Rich, ch. 3-4

First Optional Deadline -- Term Paper Due March 15

March 15-20 -- Lobbying Legislatures
READ:  Lowery, ch. 5; Herrnson, ch. 7-12

March 22 -- SECOND MIDTERM EXAM

March 27-April 3 -- Lobbying the Executive
READ:  Lowery, ch. 6; Herrnson, ch. 13-16

April 5-10 -- Lobbying the Courts
READ:  Lowery, ch. 7; Herrnson ch. 17-19

April 19 -- Interest Groups and Gridlock
READ:  Herrnson, ch. 20

April 24 -- Problems and Reforms
READ:  Lowery, ch. 8