Political Science 550 Donovan Winter 1997 Seminar in State and Local Politics Office AH 418, M, W 10:30-11:30, & TBA & by arrg. 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, representation, public promotion and regulation of development, conflict over development, and racial politics in cities. 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: Gray, V. and H. Jacob. 1996. Politics in the American States. CQ Press. 6th ed. Cronin, Thomas. 1989. Direct Democracy. Harvard University Press. Berry, J., K. Portney and K. Thomson. 1993. The Rebirth of Urban Democracy. Brookings. Logan, John and H. Molotch. 1987. Urban Fortunes: The Political Economy of Place. University of Calif. Press. Additional readings are assigned from materials held in the WWU library or available from Donovan. Course Outline: Week One: 1/7 Course Introduction and Admin. Week Two: 1/14 Internal Politics of Cities: 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. Swanstrom, Todd. 1988. "Semi-Sovereign Cities: The Politics of Urban Development." Polity. 21:83-110. Stone, C. 1989. Regime Politics: Governing Atlanta. Chapter 1, Urban Regimes, A Research Perspective. Topics: 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? How is the Logan- Molotch thesis different than Stone or Swanstrom's theses? Recommended reading: Molotch, Harvey. 1976. "The City as a Growth Machine." American Journal of Sociology. 82:309-32. Mollenkopf, John. 1984. The Contested City. Princeton University Press. 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. Week Three: 1/21 External Politics of Cities: Read: Logan and Molotch, Part II. Peterson, Paul. 1981. City Limits, Chapter 2, The Interests of the Limited City. Topics: 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: 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. Lyons, William and David Lowery. 1989. "The Impact of Jurisdictional Boundaries: and Individual Test of the Tiebout Model." Journal of Politics. 51 Teske, Paul, Mark Schneider, Michael Minstrom, and Samuel Best. 1993. "Establishing The Micro Foundations of a Macro-Level Theory," APSR 87. Week Four: Challenges to the Growth Model & Growth Machine DeLeon, R. and S. Powell. 1989. "Growth Control and Electoral Politics: The Triumph of Urban Populism in San Francisco." Western Political Quarterly. June. Donovan, Todd. 1992. "Community Mobilization and the Adoption of Local Growth Control Policies," Western Political Quarterly: 651-675. Logan, John and M. Zhou. 1990. "The Adoption of Growth Controls in Suburban Communities." Social Science Quarterly 71: 118-125. Feiock, Richard. 1994. "The Political Economy of Growth Management." American Politics Quarterly. Landis, John D. 1992. "Do Growth Controls Work?: A New Assessment," Journal of the American Planning Association 58: 489-506. Schneider, M. and P. Teske. 1993. "The Anti-growth Entrepreneur" Challenging the Equilibrium of the Growth Machine. JOP. August. Topics: Do the findings from this literature challenge Logan and Molotch's ideas about the city as a growth machine? What conditions allow communities to challenge growth? Can challenges "succeed?" What are the possible regional consequences of having successful challenges in some communities but not others? recommended: Logan and Zhou. 1989. "The Effects of Local Growth Controls." American Sociological Review. Arthur T. Denzau and Barry Weingast. 1982. "The Political Economy of Land Use Regulation." Urban Law Annual. Vol 23. Knaap, Gerrit. 1990. "The Political Economy of Growth Management in Oregon." Review of Regional Science. Spring. 43-49. Schneider, M. 1992. Undermining the Growth Machine..." JOP Feb. Donovan, T. and M. Neiman. 1992. "Community Social Status, Suburban Growth and Local Government Restrictions on Residential Development." Urban Affairs Quarterly. 332. Week Five: Bi-Racial Coalitions and Urban Politics. Read: Sonenshein, R. 1993. Politics in Black and White: Race and Power in Los Angeles. DeLeon, R. 1996. The Political Chemistry of Ethnic Coalition Building in San Francisco. (manuscript). DeLeon, R. 1992. Left Coast City, Chapters 1 & 2, "The Capital of Progressivism", & "Economic Change and Social Diversity: The Local Culture of Progressivism." Topics: Is the LA model(s) the definition of how biracial coalitions form? What prospects are there for majority "rainbow" coalitions? Why do (did) bi- racial coalitions succeed in Los Angeles (and, perhaps, San Francisco) but not New York? Are bi-racial coalitions progressive coalitions? 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. Mladenka, K. 1989. "Blacks and Hispanics in Urban Politics" American Political Science Review. 83:165. DeLeon, R. 1992. Left Coast City: Progressive Politics in San Francisco 1975-1991. Week Six: Participation and Representation Read: Berry, Portney and Thompson. The Rebirth of Urban Democracy Topics: What does the Berry, et al study say about the causes and consequences of participation in urban politics? How have the cities in the study facilitated participation? How do the benefits associated with participation affect who as power in the city? How might this relate to some of the theories of urban politics discussed in the first week? Recommended: Elkin, S. 1987. City and Regime in the American Republic. Chicago. Logan, J and G. Rabrenovic. 1990. "Neighborhood Associations: Their Issues, Their Allies and Their Opponents." Urban Affairs Quarterly. 26:68-94 Denzau, Arthur, and Michael Munger. 1986. "Legislators and Interest Groups: How Unorganized Interests Get Represented," APSR. March. Week Seven: Participation, Representation , Reforms and Policy. 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. Morgan, D. and J. Pelissero. 1981 "Urban Policy: Does Political Structure Matter?" APSR. Knoke, D. 1982. "The Spread of Municipal Reform," American Journal of Sociology, 87. Saltzstein, G. 1989. "Black Mayors and Public Policies." JOP 51:525. Topics: Why were reforms adopted? What effects do they have on who gets what from government? Why districting as a way of counter-acting the effects of some Progressive Era reforms? Is districting a long-term solution to problems of minority under-representation in local politics? Recommended: Still, E. 1984. "Alternatives to Single-Member Districts." In Davidson (ed) Minority Vote Dilution. Howard Univ. Press. Guinier, L. 1994. The Tyranny of the Majority. Free Press. Bobo, L & F. Giliam. 1990. "Race, Sociopolitical Participation and Black Empowerment." APSR. June. Clingermayer, J. and Feiock. 1995. "Council Views Toward Targeting of Development Policy benefits." JOP. May. Week Eight: State Politics: Direct Democracy I Read: Cronin, T. Direct Democracy Topics: Why did the populists seek direct democracy devices? Has direct democracy lived up to the populists expectations? 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: Magleby, David. 1984. Direct Legislation: Voting on Ballot Propositions in the United States. Johns Hopkins Univ Press. 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 Nine: State Politics, Direct Democracy II Read: Gerber, Elizabeth. 1995. "Legislative Response to the Threat of Popular Initiatives." American Journal of Political Science. pp 99-128. Lascher, et al. 1996. "The Gun Behind the Door?" Journal of Politics. pp 760-775. Macuen et al. Grassroots Democracy and California's Political Warriors. Chapter 3 in Citizens as Legislators. Donovan, et al. "Narrow vs. Common Interests: Contending Players, Strategies and Advantages in Elections. Chapter 4 in Citizens as Legislators. (forthcoming). Tolbert. C. "Changing Rules for State Legislatures." Chapter 8 in Citizens as Legislators. Wenzel, Donovan and Bowler. "Direct Democracy and Minorities." Chapter 11 in Citizens as Legislators. Topics: Is direct democracy now a threat to the goals promoted by the populists? Does direct democracy alter the nature of power relations? Does Direct Democracy make government "more responsive?" To whom? Recommended: Week Ten: The Politics of State Taxation and Spending Read: Lowery, D. and L. Sigelman. 1981. "Understanding the Tax Revolt." APSR. 75:963-974. Winters, R. 1996. "The Politics of Taxing and Spending." (in Gray and Jacob). Skogan, W. 1996. "Crime and Punishment." (in Gray and Jacob). Rom. M. 1996. "Health and Welfare in the American States." (in Gray and Jacob) Berry, F and W. Berry. 1992. "Tax Innovation in the States: Capitalizing on Political Opportunity." AJPS 36:715-742. 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? What are the arenas for the greatest increases in state spending? How will states cope with demands for spending when tax increases are constrained? 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. 79-101. Bowler and Donovan. nd. "Interest, Ideology and Initiatives: Voting on School Vouchers and Property Tax Measures." Week Eleven: Politics in the States Read: Gray and Jacob Chapters 1- 5. Topics: What are the arguments used to justify term limitations? Are term limits "good" for the public interest? What are some of the factors affecting variation in interest group activity across the US states? 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. Benjamin, G and M. Malbin. 1992. Limiting Legislative Terms. Congressional Quarterly Press.