AP Comparative Government Homework
For Your Information: Here is the presentation schedule. Check it out.
Homework 49: The next phase of the class is signing up for country presentations. Choose a partner in your period and then enter the relevant information in the form here. Also, come to class prepared to discuss The Economist.
-Due Friday, May 21st
Homework 48: Tomorrow is the AP CompGov exam. Just relax and don't stress out too much. I do, however, advise clicking here (PDF) to check out the course description of the exam. Also listed are some sample multiple choice questions as well as some sample essay questions. (The sample exam questions for the AP Comparative Government starts on page 37).
Also here is a link to the a page with all the past years' free response questions.
Get some sleep and relax--and thanks for taking the test.
-Due Wednesday, May 19th.
Homework 47: This is the end of the Mexico reading. Check out this article from the New York Times on the growth of Mexican. democracy.
-Due Tuesday, May 18th
Homework 46: More Mexico. Check out this reading. Also check out this National Geographic article about the rise of patron saints devoted to the drug trade--here is the photo gallery. Last year Slate ran a series of articles about Mexico. Read these three: (1) "Meet the Narcos," on Mexican Drug gangs and their bad PR, (2) "Our Model Neighbor," on how Mexico is doing better than you might think and (3) "Calderón's War of Choice" on the Mexican government's war on drugs.
-Due Monday, May 17th
Homework 45: Mexico. Check out this reading as well as this one. Also check out this National Geographic article about the rise of patron saints devoted to the drug trade--here is the photo gallery.
-Due Friday, May 14th
Homework 44: This is the final Nigeria reading. If you are interested in people who scam Nigerian scammers, you can check out 419 Eater. If you are particularly interested in scam-baiting and its moral implications check out this episode of the NPR radio show "This American Life" (click on the button for "Full Episode" to hear).
-Due Tuesday, May 11th
Homework 43: Here is the lastest reading--this one contains the details about the actual structure of the government. This is the article from the Economist on the death of President Umaru Yar'Adua.
Here is a link to the BBC live feed of election results. Hopefully it'll be on C-Span as well.
-Due Friday, May 7th
Homework 42: Here is the lastest reading--this one contains the details about the actual structure of the government. Here's a site devoted to the memory of Ken Saro Wiwa--activist for the Ogoni people of the Niger Delta.
-Due Wednesday, May 5th
Homework 41: More Nigera. Here is the second reading. Also check out this excellent article from National Geographic magazine on the curse of oil. Click here to see videos that accompany the article. Click here for photos. Lastly, click here if you want to read the field notes of the author.
Also, here is a piece from by Jacob Weisberg in Slate giving an American perspective on the British election.
-Due Tuesday, May 4th
Homework 40: So we are now starting Nigeria. Here is the first reading. Also, check out this photo-essay on Lagos--Nigeria's largest city--in Slate.
-Due Monday, May 3rd
Homework 39: Check out this piece on the demonstrations over the election of 2009.
British election! British election! OMG! Here is the Economist's long-awaited endorsement! Here is a doohickey on the BBC website that lets you play around with the poll numbers to predict who will rule Parliament! Here is the official website of the Monster Raving Loony Party! WOW!
-Due Friday, April 30th
Homework 38: The end of the Iran excerpts here.
-Due Thursday, April 29th
Homework 37: Here's an Iran excerpt. A bit about Iran's nuclear ambitions; check out these three articles from the Economist (all from 2008).
-Due Wednesday, April 28th
Homework 36: Additional Iran reading. Also, check out this excerpt from Marjane Satrapi's great graphic novel Persepolis--a tale of her coming of age during the Iranian Revolution.
Also, here's a link to the second Leader's Debate in Britain. Will Cleggmania continue?
-Due Monday, April 26th
Homework 35: Here is some more on Iran.
-Due Friday, April 23rd
Homework 34: We are beginning a new country--Iran. Check out this reading.
-Due Thursday, April 22nd
Homework 33: Please finish the China Survey from the May, 2006 Economist. Also, finish the China excerpts here.
Bonus British Election Coverage! Check out this New York Times piece from Monday, "Cleggmania Shakes up British Election." Also, here's a neat chart from Ben Schott in the Times laying out the details of the race: "British General Election Briefing."
-Due Wednesday, April 21st
Homework 32: Please start to read the China Survey from the May, 2006 Economist. It's a bit out of date, but still pretty good.
-Due Tuesday, April 20th
Homework 31: Here's another excerpt.
Also, here's a link to the full video of the very first public debate between the party leaders of Britain.
-Due Monday, April 19th
Homework 30: Please read this China excerpt. Also, check out this controversial piece, alleging that China's ruling party is on the brink of collapse.
-Due Friday, April 15th
Homework 29: Another China excerpt. Also, check out this article from the 2007 New York Times about nascent property rights.
-Due Wednesday, April 13th
Homework 28: More China in this excerpt. Also read this article from The Economist about the lack of Chinese dissidence in the post-Tiananmen Square Massacre era.
-Due Monday, April 12th
Homework 27: Please continue with this excerpt.
Also:
Peter Hessler was a Peace Corps volunteer to China who ended up living there and writing about his experiences for The New Yorker. Please read "Boomtown Girl"-- a fascinating look at the changes sweeping through China through the eyes of one worker. Also, check out this Hessler piece about the Chinese view of Tibet. It's from 1999, but is still very accurate.
-Due Friday, April 9th
Homework 26: We are beginning China! Check out this excerpt. Also look at China's Way Forward, an article from this month's Atlantic Magazine written by James Fallows--an American journalist living in Beijing at the time of the writing.
-Due Thursday, April 8th
Homework 25: Final Unit on the European Union. Check out this excerpt.
Also: Please bring in a check for $30.00 made out to Stuyvesant High School--as soon as possible. Thanks!
-Due Wednesday, April 7th
Homework 24: Deeper into the European Union. Check out this excerpt. Also, please read the second part of the 2004 survey on the EU.
Also: Please bring in a check for $30.00 made out to Stuyvesant High School--as soon as possible. Thanks!
-Due Friday, March 24th
Homework 23: We are beginning a three day mini unit on the European Union. To that end, please read this excerpt. Also, please check out this, the first part of a 2004 survey on the EU from the Economist. It's a bit out of date, but more or less okay on the facts. One thing worth mentioning: the EU Constitution mentioned in the survey was actually defeated by the voters of Europe since the time of the piece. Also, Romania and Bulgaria are now members.
Also: The Economist. Please bring in a check for $30.00 made out to Stuyvesant High School--as soon as possible. Thanks!
-Due Thursday, March 23nd
Homework 22: Here's the final Russia excerpt.
Also: I need you to pay for The Economist. Please bring in a check for $30.00 made out to Stuyvesant High School--as soon as possible. Thanks!
-Due Wednesday, March 22nd
Homework 21: Please read this excerpt.
Also: An illustration of Putin's popularity--the video for the song "He Must Be Like Putin" (Такого как Путин)--in English! Hilarious viewing.
-Due Tuesday, March 2st
Homework 20: Article-o-rama! Read this article from 2004 about a possible impending AIDS crisis in Russia. Also, check out this somewhat long but interesting article about Putin's Russia from the London Review of Books.
ALSO: Does Vladimir Putin look like Dobby the House Elf?
-Due Monday, March 20th
Homework 19: Please read this excerpt.
-Due Friday, March 19th
Homework 18: Another day, another excerpt.
-Due Thursday, March 18th
Homework 17: Deeper into Russia with this excerpt.
-Due Wednesday, March 17th
Homework 16: Please read this excerpt--more on Russia. Also, please check out this op-ed by Mikhail Gorbachev.
-Due Tuesday, March 16th
Homework 15: Please read this excerpt--an introduction to Russia.
-Due Monday, March 15th
Homework 14: I haven't had a chance to talk to you very much about the Liberal Democratic party. Check out this interview from the British Economist with Nick Clegg, leader if the LibDems--summary on top, actual interview on the bottom.
-Due Friday, March 12th
Homework 13: Please read this excerpt.
-Due Thursday, March 11th
Homework 12: Once a week, members of Parliament can grill the Prime Minister and ask him any question they wish.
Check out an example of Prime Minister's Questions from Wednesday, February 24th. Prime Minister Gordon Brown is being questioned by David Cameron--the Leader of the Opposition. Note: when members stand after a point, it means that they are trying to get the attention of the Speaker to ask a question. Note that all of the comments of the Prime Minister are always directed towards the Speaker. The Speaker calls for order (frequently) and also calls on members to ask questions. Here's the Prime Minister's Questions from February 10th.
If you want a good taste of how Tony Blair handled things on the floor when he was Prime Minister, check out the February 7, 2007 Question Time--the first nine minutes or so are a bit slow, but then it really heats up. Here's the transcript.
Also, please read this excerpt.
AND: Here is the schedule of the course up until the AP. On annoying legal-size paper.
-Due Wednesday, March 10th
AND IF ALL THAT WEREN'T ENOUGH:
MINI-PAPER 1: In 3-4 pages, decide which form of government is superior--that of the United States or that of Great Britain. A word of caution: It's okay to say that US Government works best for the US and British government for the Brits, but if this is your choice, be sure to elaborate... Couldn't the US be a unitary state? Why not let the British regions be autonomous? You get the idea.
-Mini Paper Due Monday, March 15th
Homework 11: Please read pp. 82-87 in Charles Hauss's Comparative Politics. Note--this is probably the most important section on Britain.
Also, please read this excerpt.
Discussion Question: So... what do you think of the British political system?
-Due Tuesday, March 9th
Homework 10: Please read pp. 78-82 (in the older edition the pagination may be different--just read up to "The British State") in Charles Hauss's Comparative Politics. Also, please read this excerpt.
Discussion Question: Would Britain be a better nation if it were a multiparty democracy?
-Due Friday, March 5th
Homework 9: Please read pp. 70-78 in Charles Hauss's Comparative Politics up to "The Liberal Democrats."
Also, if you're interested in the details on on some of the ASBOs handed out, click here for Asbowatch VII, and note that there are links to Asbowatches I-VI. These are pretty funny.
Discussion Question: Do you think that the Union will survive? Should it? Or would it be better if there were an independent Scotland, Wales, etc?
-Due Thursday, March 4th
Homework 8: Here's a new reading on the UK. Check it out in this excerpt. Also, please read these two articles from the Economist on Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) and personal liberties.
Thought Question (not a written assignment): Given what you read about ASBOs, does Britain's unwritten Constitution really protect peoples' civil liberties?
-Due Wednesday, March 3rd
Homework 7: Here's an excerpt about Great Britain. Also, please read pp. 62-70 in Charles Hauss's Comparative Politics. (Or, for those with earlier editions from the start of the Britain section up to the section entitled "British Political Culture."
Thought Question (not a written assignment): Does Britain's collectivist consensus provide a model of how democratic systems "should be"? Why or why not?
-Due Thursday, February 25th
Homework 6: Please read this excerpt.
-Due Wednesday, February 24th
Homework 5: Please read this excerpt. Have a nice break!
-Due Monday February 22nd
Homework 4: So I know that I told all of you (except 9th period) that I was putting up reading about Britain, but I've changed my mind and am instead putting up this excerpt. Please have it read by class.
-Due Friday, February 11th
Homework 3: Check out this article from the January 14th Economist about the decline of democracy. Also, please check out this document by the State Department, entitled "What is Democracy?"
-Due Tuesday, February 9th
Homework 2: Check out this article from the January 21st Economist on the growth of the state. Be prepared to discuss.
-Due Monday, February 8th
Homework 1: Read the Economist and be prepared to discuss.
-Due Friday, February 4th