1. PS 557 SPRING 2012
KENTUCKY GOVERNMENT
& POLITICS
MWF 9AM-9:50AM CB 233 Course Hashtag: #ps557
http://www.uky.edu/google (OpenClass)
INTRODUCTION:
PS 557 Kentucky Government and Politics focuses on understanding Kentuckyʼs distinctive political
culture and history, the structure of Kentuckyʼs State and Local Governments, the role and function of
Kentuckyʼs political parties and interest groups, and important public policy issues facing Kentucky. While
we will draw on Kentuckyʼs political history to understand these issues, we focus on contemporary politics
and situations and their potential impact on the futures of the Commonwealth. We will make a special
effort to draw on current political events in the state, taking time to focus on, among other things, the 2011
elections, the 2012 legislative session, and the current legal and political issues surrounding the Beshear
administration, Kentuckyʼs political parties and Kentuckyʼs economic development policies. It is the goal of
PS 557 to provide you with a critical understanding of Kentuckyʼs political past, the promise and peril of its
political present, and the potential for its political future. Whether you are a political spectator or have an
interest in participating in the state and/or local politics of Kentucky, this course is intended to make you a
well-informed citizen of the state of Kentucky.
The lens through which we will explore these themes will be through the conceptual and methodological
frameworks of futures studies. Harold Lasswell is rightfully recognized as the father of policy studies
within the discipline of Political Science. Less well-known, however, is Lasswellʼs interest in future studies
as a legitimate policy analysis and development framework. In Kentucky Politics this semester, we will be
thinking about the possible futures of Kentucky as futurists. To this end, a good deal of our class time will
be spend learning methods of environmental scanning, systems thinking and analysis and scenario
building and applying them in a practical way to concrete issues in Kentucky politics and public policy.
If you are looking for a class in the “horse race” approach to state and local and politics, this is
not the class for you. Rather than focusing on state and local governments and elections and a
procedural/institutional/constitutional approach to studying politics, we will be focusing on the systems
and political processes underlying these phenomena. To do so, we will largely focus on political
theoretical approaches to the subject, but always grounded in local case studies and histories. If youʼre
interested in interrogating the “why” and not just the “what” of Kentucky politics, then this is the course for
you. Be advised that the reading and work loads for this course will at times be quite heavy, and how well
things go for you individually, and for the class as a whole, will depend to a large extent on how well you
participate in class, to what extent you keep up with the readings, and how ready you are to discuss and
critique the subject matter and course materials. This will be an active learning environment, so be ready
for all that entails! Welcome aboard!
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2. COURSE GOALS:
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
• Understand the basic structure of Kentucky state and local government and the historical
trajectories that led to its current state.
• Conduct basic policy and trends research through web research, library research and interviews.
• Understand and articulate the potential impact of current STEEP trends, political events and
policy decisions on the futures of Kentucky.
• Apply a systems-thinking perspective to understanding current and historical events.
• Apply basic futuring methods – such as STEEP analysis, cross-impact matrices, Causal Layered
Analysis (CLA) and scenario-building – to a range of policy issues.
• Conduct research and work collaboratively using a range of Web 2.0 technologies, including
Google Apps and Twitter.
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Instructor: Dr. Christopher S. Rice Twitter: @ricetopher
Office: 518 King Building (Science Library) Email: csrice00@g.uky.edu
Office Phone: 257-4011 Skype: EduFuturist
Office Hours: By Appointment (via Google Web: christopherscottrice.com
Calendar) in-person or by Skype
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Grades and Examinations: Your final course grade will be based on three (3)
components:
• Class Preparation & Participation – 30%
• Systems Thinking Paper – 20% (DUE March 7)
• Scenarios Project – 50% (DUE May 3)
These three components will be graded on a 0-100 point scale. Your final numerical grade for the course
is determined by the following formula:
GRADE = .3*(Class Preparation & Participation%) + .2*(Systems
Thinking Paper%) + .5*(Scenarios Project%)
Your final letter grade is determined as follows: A=90-100 points, B=80-89 points, C=70-79 points, D=60-
69 points, and E=0-59 points. This course is not graded on a “curve.” Undergraduate students will be
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provided with a midterm grade via MyUK after March 9 .
Course Readings: The following books are required for this course:
• Penny Miller, Kentucky Politics and Government. ISBN: 978-0803282063
• Donella Meadows, Thinking in Systems: A Primer. ISBN: 978-1603580557
• Additional readings will be posted to the OpenClass site or linked to on the web.
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3. Class Participation & Preparation: Because this course is designed around a
collaborative research and learning approach, attendance is absolutely necessary to your success, as
well as that of the course. You will be expected to come to each class session having completed all
readings for that class period and to have prepared a response (approximately 1-2 pages) to or
completed the assignment from that day’s prompt (which will be posted on OpenClass). You must submit
the response/assignment using OpenClass (or Google Apps, depending upon the prompt) no later than
12am the day of each class session. I also strongly encourage you to bring (if you have access to one)
your laptop, tablet/iPad or internet-capable phone to class EVERY DAY. Class time will not be spent
passively listening to lectures; rather we will be engaged in active learning almost every class session,
including research and data analysis. An internet-capable computing device will prove to be of high value
to you in this regard. If you do not have access to OpenClass through a laptop, tablet or internet-capable
phone during class, you should print out a copy of your response and bring it to class that day.
Furthermore, we will be using Twitter as a “backchannel” both during and outside of class. You are
encouraged to use Twitter both during and outside of class to share links and research you find useful,
brief reactions to the scheduled course readings, comments on class activities, and to, more generally,
collaborate with your research team members and fellow classmates. You will be graded on the both the
quantity and quality of your contributions – both in and out of class – to our exploration of the readings,
data and other course work. A rubric outlining how participation and preparation will be graded will be
posted on the OpenClass site by August 18.
You should come prepared every day to be an active participant in the course, working on course
activities, arguing for your own perspectives on the course material, listening to the viewpoints and
arguments of other class members and then engaging with them and the instructor in an informed,
thoughtful and considerate manner. If you feel that you cannot devote the time to this course that is
expected (2.5 hours in-class + 8-10 hours out of class per week), then you may want to consider dropping
the course. For those of you willing to invest the time, however, I promise you a rewarding experience!
Class preparation & participation counts for 30% of your total course grade
Systems Thinking Paper: There will be a 6-8 page paper assignment assessing your
understanding of systems thinking and analysis, worth 20% of your total course grade. The paper topic
will be posted to the OpenClass site on February 29 and must be submitted using OpenClass no later
than 12am, March 7.
Kentucky Futures Scenario Project: The largest part of your work for the class this
semester will be the production of a scenario document examining potential futures for the
Commonwealth of Kentucky in 2032. Prior to Spring Break, we will divide the class into research teams
and I will provide the scenario project details. Each student should expect to contribute at least 3500
words to the text portion of the project, as well as contributing research, bibliographic work, photos, video,
infographics, editing, etc. Your work for this project will constitute 50% of your course grade. While you
will be graded primarily on your individual work, a portion of your grade will be determined by the overall
quality of the scenario project as well as an evaluation of your contribution to the group effort by your
fellow teammates. In other words, both your work as an individual and as a group member is important!
All work on the scenario project must be completed and posted to OpenClass by 12:30pm, May 3, 2012.
Full details of the project will be posted to OpenClass prior to Spring Break.
OpenClass: This semester we will be using OpenClass for our course Learning Management
System (LMS) instead of Blackboard. OpenClass is a new LMS developed by Pearson that enjoys heavy
integration with Google Apps. In order to use this collaborative tool, you will be required to have a
University of Kentucky Google Apps account (username@g.uky.edu). Most of you will have acquired this
account when you transitioned to cloud email last summer. For those of you who have not, please go to
https://ukam.uky.edu/manager/, log in with your LinkBlue ID and password and set up your Google Apps
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4. account there. You may create a Google Apps account even if you chose to create a Microsoft
WindowsLive account during the cloud email transition. To enter our OpenClass course site, please go to
http://www.uky.edu/google and log in with your Google Apps account. Then click on the OpenClass link
near the bottom of the list of available apps. You will then be taken to your OpenClass dashboard. Select
our course from the list on the left and you will be taken to our course website. The University of Kentucky
is engaged in an OpenClass pilot this semester as a design partner with Pearson to help improve
OpenClass for future use. OpenClass is what is often referred to as a “beta release,” meaning that the
product is not as finished or flawless as a final release. As a result, we may, from time to time, encounter
issues or quirks in OpenClass. Pearson and UKIT are providing close support to our course this semester
for the pilot, so any issues should (hopefully!) be resolved quickly. Rest assured, you will not be penalized
due to any failure or error on the part of Pearson or OpenClass. If you have an issue with OpenClass,
please let me know and contact the UK Help Desk (218-HELP) immediately.
COURSE POLICIES:
Classroom Standards: I expect all students to behave in a professional manner during class
time. This means coming to class on time and being ready to start class at 9am. It is disrespectful to
me and to your fellow students to come late and disrupt class, so be on time. I will not tolerate chronic
tardiness, and if you arrive to class more than 5 minutes late, you may be asked to turn around and leave.
Also, unless you have obtained prior approval from me, you may not leave class early. Furthermore, I do
not tolerate rude and disruptive classroom behavior. During class, refrain from engaging in non-relevant
and distracting side-conversations, reading a newspaper, doing crosswords, sudoku or other
puzzles/games, sleeping, non-class-related text messaging or other cellphone use, or listening to your
iPod or other .mp3 players. Laptops and other internet access devices ARE permitted in class for taking
notes and looking up material relevant to that dayʼs work on the internet. Please do not abuse this
privilege by using your internet access device to Facebook, do email, shop online or play games. I
reserve the right to dismiss from class any student in violation of these policies.
Email Policy: You may always feel free to contact me via email. However, I do have a few general
guidelines you must follow when doing so. Always begin the subject line of an email to me with “PS
557:”. This will put your email into the appropriate inbox, allowing me to respond to your email in a timely
fashion. Emails that do not have “PS 557:” at the beginning of the subject line may not receive a
response. Also, emails are NOT text messages/IM communications. When emailing me you should open
the email by addressing me as Dr. Rice, identifying who you are and which course you are in (and at what
time the course meets), concisely providing the nature of your problem/request, and then signing off with
your name. If you have followed these directions, you may expect a response within 48 hours of its
receipt. If you have a pressing emergency, you should speak to me during office hours, before or after
class, or by phone. As a final note, I will NOT provide your grades (nor discuss any personally-identifiable
grade information) by email or over the phone.
Twitter Policy: While I do not follow students on Twitter, I will always see Tweets sent using
@ricetopher or the course hashtag #ps557. I check Twitter often throughout the day and will generally
respond to Tweets within 24 hours. While Twitter is a more informal mode of communication, I still insist
that you treat me and other members of the class with respect when communicating via these channels,
just as you would during an in-class discussion. I will NOT provide your grades (nor discuss any
personally-identifiable grade information) by Twitter. Remember: messages sent to me on Twitter, using
the course hashtag are publicly available. If you need to speak to me about a private matter, please use
your U.K. email account or speak with me face-to-face. If you have privacy concerns while using Twitter,
You DO NOT have to use your real name when crating an account. Simply create an account with a
username that cannot be connected to you and do not use your real name on the profile or in your
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5. messages. Please let me know what username you will be using for the course so that I may note it in the
gradebook and give you credit for your work.
Office Hours: I will be scheduling several office hours each week, though the times and days for
these will vary as we find what works best for this class. You may sign-up for office hours at any time by
visiting my Google Calendar and selecting one of the available slots there. You have the option of wither
coming to my office in 518 King at that time or by contacting me on Skype and using video chat.
Disputing Exam and Research Project Grades: Should you wish to dispute the
grading of an exam or your research project, you may submit a written grievance. Your grievance should
identify the question/answer in dispute and provide arguments supporting your position. The appeal must
be submitted by stapling your written grievance to your exam or research paper and personally giving this
to me within one class period following the return of the exam or research project. I will provide a written
response to your grievance within one week of its receipt.
Excused Absences: The University defines the following as acceptable reasons for excused
absences: illness of the student or serious illness of a member of the studentʼs immediate family; death of
a member of the studentʼs immediate family; trips for members of student organizations sponsored by an
academic unit, trips for university classes and trips for participation in intercollegiate athletic events; major
religious holidays; any other circumstances which the instructor finds reasonable cause for
nonattendance. I reserve the right to require documentation for any excused absence. It is the studentʼs
responsibility to notify me before any absence if possible, but no later than one week following the
absence in any case. It is the studentʼs responsibility to provide proper documentation and notification in
all cases. See Student Rights and Responsibilities, Part II, Section 5.2.4.2
(http://www.uky.edu/StudentAffairs/Code/part2.html) for UKʼs policy on excused absences.
Late Assignments: University policy will be followed regarding all make-up exams and writing
assignments. Make-up exams and writing will only be allowed for excused absences. For definitions of
these terms, please consult the Student Rights and Responsibilities handbook.
A Brief Note on Cheating & Plagiarism and Academic Integrity:
Please see the home page for the Office of Academic Ombud Services (http://www.uky.edu/Ombud) for a
definition of plagiarism, how to avoid plagiarism and UKʼs new academic offense policy. See also Student
Rights and Responsibilities, Part II, Section 6.3 (http://www.uky.edu/StudentAffairs/Code/part2.html) for
UKʼs policy on academic integrity.
Classroom and Learning Accommodations: If you have a documented disability
that requires academic accommodations, please see me as soon as possible during scheduled office
hours. In order to receive accommodations in this course, you must provide me with a Letter of
Accommodation from the Disability Resource Center (Room 2, Alumni Gym, 257‐2754, email address
jkarnes@email.uky.edu) for coordination of campus disability services available to students with
disabilities.
One Last Thing – Dropping the Course: Not that I hope you choose to leave our
little soiree, but there are a couple of dates you should keep in mind should the need arise. The last day
to drop this course without it appearing on your transcript is February 1, 2012. The last day to withdraw
from the course is April 6, 2012.
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6. COURSE SCHEDULE (TENTATIVE):
NOTE: All items in the Course Schedule are subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. You
are responsible for all announced changes, so come to class and visit the course website often. See the
OpenClass site for readings & prompts assignments.
Introduction to Kentucky Government and Politics
Introduction to Kentucky Politics and Government (January 13)
January 16 – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – NO CLASSES
Kentuckyʼs Political Culture and Constitutions (January 18,20,23)
The Kentucky Legislature (January 25,27,30)
The Kentucky Governor and Executive Branch (February 1,3)
The Kentucky Judiciary (February 6)
Local Government (February 8)
February 10 – NO CLASS
Economic Development (February 13,15,17)
Systems Thinking and Analysis
Discussion of Thinking in Systems: A Primer (February 20-March 2)
In-Class Systems Mapping (March 5,7)
March 7 – Systems Thinking Paper DUE
Spring Break (March 12,14,16) –– NO CLASS
Introduction to Futures Studies
Introduction to Futures Studies (March 19,21)
STEEP Analysis & Environmental Scanning (March 23,26)
Cross-Impact Matrices (March 28,30)
Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) (April 2,4)
Scenario Building (April 6,9,11)
Thinking About the Futures of Kentucky
Thinking about The Big Project: The Futures of Kentucky (April 13)
Futuring – Combination of Policy & Data Analysis, Readings Discussions, Visits from Subject Matter
Experts, and Scenario Labs (April 16-27)
May 3 (12:30pm) – Scenario Project Work DUE 12:30pm
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