Political Science 550 Donovan Fall, 1994 Seminar in State and Local Politics Office AH 424: M-W 11:00-12:00, M 2-3 Course Emphasis: PLSC 550 is a graduate-level discussion seminar where we will touch upon topics that are currently receiving attention from scholars studying American sub-national politics. At the local level, we will take a fairly narrow focus and discuss issues of local political participation, public promotion and regulation of development, conflict over development and the form of the modern (or, I hate the phrase, post-modern) metropolis. At the state level, we focus on the process of direct democracy and some of the contemporary products of this process, the term-limitation and anti-tax movements. These topics neither represent areas that are exclusively "sub- national," nor do they reflect an exhaustive list of topics eligible for treatment in a course on sub-national politics. Nevertheless, the assigned readings represent issues that have come to dominate many discussions of state and local politics. Student Tasks; Each week, you will have a suggested general topic(s) related to the assigned readings. Prior to class, each student will prepare a short (3 to 5 page) paper that addresses the topic/question. These papers will be submitted to the instructor on Monday (by noon) before the Tuesday class meeting. You will write a total of eight papers. Students will be asked to read their papers in class. You are encouraged select your own topic in order to write critical papers that address the readings. The grade for the seminar will be based upon timely completion of quality papers and class participation. Course Texts: Benjamin, G and M. Malbin. 1992. Limiting Legislative Terms. Congressional Quarterly Press. Cronin, Thomas. 1989. Direct Democracy. Harvard University Press. Davis, Mike. 1992. City of Quartz. Vintage Books. DeLeon, Richard. 1992. Left Coast City: Progressive Politics in San Francisco. Kansas University Press. Logan, John and H. Molotch. 1987. Urban Fortunes: The Political Economy of Place. University of Calif. Press. Course Outline: Week One: 9/27 Internal Politics: Read Logan and Molotch, Urban Fortunes, Part I. (Thru Chapter 4) and Stone, C. "Systemic Power in Community Decision Making: A Restatement of Stratification Theory." APSR 74:978-990. Topic: Do Logan and Molotch develop a theory of local politics? What is the "political economy of place?" How does the Logan and Molotch theory relate to stratification theory? Who has power in the city? Recommended reading: Molotch, Harvey (1976) "The City as a Growth Machine." American Journal of Sociology. 82:309-32. Swanstrom, Todd (1988) "Semi-Sovereign Cities: The Politics of Urban Development." Polity. 21:83-110. Mollenkopf, John (1984) The Contested City. Princeton University Press. Schneider, M. and P. Teske (1993). "The Anti-Growth Entrepreneur: Challenging the 'Equilibrium' of the Growth Machine." JOP. 55:720-36. Donovan, T (1993) "Community Controversy and the Adoption of Economic Development Policies." SSQ. 74:386-402. Week Two: 10/4 External Politics: Read Logan and Molotch, Part II. Topic: What is suburban autonomy? How do suburbs use their autonomy? What results from suburban autonomy? How do cities compete to position themselves in a regional hierarchy? Recommended reading: Peterson, Paul (1981) City Limits. University of Chicago Press. Buchanan, James (1971) "Principles of Urban Fiscal Strategy." Public Choice. 36:1-14. Schneider, Mark. (1989) The Competitive City: The Political Economy of Suburbia. Univ. of Pittsburgh Press. Teibout, Charles (1956) "A Pure Theory of Local Expenditure." Journal of Political Economy. 64:416-24. Week Three: 10/11 The City as a Commodity: Read Davis (pages TBA). Topics: How did Los Angeles "happen?" Does a portrait of local politics in southern California emerge from Davis' narrative that is consistent with themes developed by Logan and Molotch? Did markets or politics make LA what it is today? Recommended reading: Zukin, S. 1991. Landscapes of Power: From Detroit to Disney World. (Univ of California Press) Findlay, J. 1992 Magic Lands: Western Cityscapes and American Culture after 1940. (Univ. of California Press). Week Four: 10/18 Race and Representation in Local Politics: Read: Davidson (1992) "A Brief History of the Voting Rights Act." In Grofman and Davidson (eds) Controversies in Minority Voting. Brookings. Cain, B. (1992) "Voting Rights and Democratic Theory: Toward a Color Blind Society." In Controversies in Minority Voting. Engstrom and McDonald (1981) "The Election of Blacks to City Councils: Clarifying the Impact of Electoral Arrangements." APSR. 75:344-354. Davidson and Korbel (1981) "At-Large Elections and Minority-Group Representation." JOP 43:982-1005. Zax, J. (1990). Election Methods and Black and Hispanic City Council Membership." SSQ. 71:339-355. Still, E (1984) "Alternatives to Single-Member Districts." In Davidson (ed) Minority Vote Dilution. Howard Univ. Press. Topic: Why districting? Is districting a long-term solution to problems of minority under-representation in local politics? Recommended: Browning, Marshall, and Tabb. 1984. Protest is Not Enough. University of California Press. Browning, Marshall and Tabb 1990. (eds.) Racial Politics in American Cities. Longman. Guinier, L. 1994. The Tyranny of the Majority. Free Press Week Five: 10/25 Progressive Coalitions in the City: Read DeLeon, Left Coast City Topics: Are pro-growth regimes perpetually dominant in city politics? What are progressive politics? How did Mayor Agnos "fail?" Or, Do urban growth controls really "control" growth? In San Francisco, what did growth control amount to? Recommended: Mollenkopf, J (1992) A Phoenix in the Ashes: The Rise and Fall of the Koch Coalition in New York City Politics. Princeton UP Stone, Clarence. (1989) Regime Politics: Governing Atlanta. Kansas University Press Stone, C and H. Sanders (eds.)(1987) The Politics of Urban Development. Kansas University Press. Logan, J. and M. Zhou (1990) "The Adoption of Growth Controls in Suburban Communities." Social Science Quarterly. Logan, J and G. Rabrenovic (1990). "Neighborhood Associations: Their Issues, Their Allies and Their Opponents." Urban Affairs Quarterly. 26:68-94 Week Six: 11/1 Direct Democracy Read: Cronin, Direct Democracy, p. 1-89. Topics: Why did the populists seek direct democracy devices? Has direct democracy lived up to the populists expectations? Is direct democracy now a threat to the goals promoted by the populists? Does direct democracy alter the nature of power relations? Recommended reading: Magleby, David (1984) Direct Legislation: Voting on Ballot Propositions in the United States. Johns Hopkins Univ Press. Week Seven: 11/8 Direct Democracy, Con't. Read: Cronin, Direct Democracy, p. 90-251 and Bowler and Donovan (1994) "Self-Interest and Voting in Direct Democracy." Paper presented at the 1994 APSA meetings. Topics: How has voter competency been described by critics of direct democracy instruments? Do these instruments provide a threat to minority interests? Are such instruments better suited for the local or national context (or nether or both)? Recommended reading: Zisk, Betty (1987) Money, Media and the Grassroots: State Ballot Issues and the Electoral Process. Newbury Park: Sage. Lupia, A. (1994) "Shortcuts Versus Encyclopedias: Information and Voting Behavior in California Insurance Reform Elections. APSR. 88:63-76. Week Eight: 11/15 The Politics of Term Limitations (normative) Read: Benjamin and Malbin. Chapters 1-9 and Boeckelman, K. (1993) "Term Limitations, Responsiveness, and the Public Interest." Polity. 26:189-206. Topics: What are the arguments used to justify term limitations? Why is direct democracy important to the politics of term limitations? Are term limits "good" for the public interest? Recommended: Week Nine: 11/22 The Politics of Term Limitations (empirical) Read: Benjamin and Malbin, Chapters 10 - 12. and Donovan and Snipp (1994) "Support for Legislative Term Limitations in California." JOP. 56:492-501. Moncreif, et. al (1992). "For Who the Bell Tolls: Term Limitations and State Legislatures." Leg Studies Q. 17:37- 47. Tolbert, C (1994) "Direct Democracy and State Governance Policies." Paper presented at the 1994 APSA meeting. Topics: How might term limits alter the composition of state legislatures? What (if any) are the likely consequences of potential changes in state legislatures? Recommended: Fett, P. and D. Ponder. (1993) "Congressional Term Limits, State Legislative Term Limits and Congressional Term Limits: A Theory of Change." PS (June) 211-15. Week Ten: 11/29 The Politics of State Taxation Read: Lowery, D. and L. Sigelman. (1981) "Understanding the Tax Revolt." APSR. 75:963-974. Hansen, S. (1990) "The Politics of State Taxation." In (Jacob, Gray and Albriton, eds.) Comparative State Politics (5th ed). Little, Brown. Berry, F and W. Berry (1992) "Tax Innovation in the States: Capitalizing on Political Opportunity." AJPS 36:715- 742. and TBA Topics: How hard is it for states to raise taxes? When are opportunities for tax increases most favorable? How might direct democracy alter the politics of state taxation? Recommended: Garand, J. (1988) "Explaining Government Growth in the American States." APSR. 837-49 Bowler and Donovan (1995) "Popular Responsiveness to Taxation." Pol. Res. Q. (forthcoming)