This document provides information about an English for Political Science course taking place from June 15-23, 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand. The course will be taught by Dr. Giuseppe Mario Saccone and held at Ramkhamhaeng University Printing Press Building. It will cover key concepts in political science through readings from assigned textbooks and presentations. The schedule outlines 4 sessions over 4 days, with readings and assignments due each session. Assignments include 2 essays, a presentation, and a final exam paper. Class participation is required. Academic integrity policies are also outlined.

1. Institute of International Studies,
Ramkhamhaeng University (IIS-RU)
POL 6094: ENGLISH FOR POLITICAL SCIENCE
9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. June 15-16, June 22-23, 2013, RU Printing Press Building
Instructor: Dr. Giuseppe Mario Saccone
E-mail: gmsaccon@gmail.com, gmsaccon@graduate.hku.hk
Tel: 087613-1059
Course textbook
Michael G. Roskin, Robert L. Cord, James A. Medeiros, Walter S. Jones, Political Science: An
Introduction, 9th
Edition, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2006. ISBN 0-13-099134-1
9 780130991348
Suggested readings (but not textbook)
Betty Mattix Dietsch, Reasoning and writing well: A rhetoric, research guide, reader and
handbook, Mcgraw-Hill Higher Education, New York, 2006. ISBN: 978-0-07-296297-0;
MHID: 0-07-296297-6; ISBN: 978-0-07-320576-2; MHID: 0-07-320576-1.
Robert E. Goodin and Philip Pettit (eds.) Contemporary Political Philosophy: an anthology,
Oxford, Blackwell Publishers, 1998. ISBN 1-55786-842-5 9 781557 868428
Leon P. Baradat, Political Ideologies: Their origins and impact, Eight Edition, Prentice Hall: Upper
Saddle River, New Jersey, 2003. ISBN 0-13-097518-4 9 780130 975188
Comparative Politics: interests, identities, and institutions in a changing global order. Edited by
Jeffrey Kopstein, Mark Lichbach, Cambridge U.K.: Cambridge, University Press, 2000. ISBN 0-
521-63356-7
Michael Nicholson, International Relations: A Concise Introduction, Second Edition, New York:
Palgrave Macmillan, 2002. ISBN 0-333-94871-8
Robert J. Art and Robert Jervis (eds.), International Politics: Enduring concepts and contemporary
issues, Sixth Edition, New York: Longman, Pearson Education, 2003. ISBN 0-321-08874-3
Jeff Hayness, Democracy in the developing world: Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle
East. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press, 2001. ISBN 0-7456-2141-4. Website: www.polity.co.uk
Michael J. White, Political Philosophy: An Historical Introduction, Oxford: One World
Publication.com, 2003. ISBN 1-85168-328-3
Course objectives
• Studying and producing clear and persuasive writing and verbal communication about
political issues.
• Teach the rules for preparing and presenting academic papers.
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2. Schedule of lecturing, readings and assignments (some changes are possible during the course):
Session 1, Saturday June 15, 2013: (a) A science of Politics? Introduction to the course and
guidelines for the assignments. (Including how to acknowledge sources and write a bibliography.)
Reading from textbook Political Science: An Introduction, pp.1-17; (b) Nations, states and
governments. Reading from ibid, pp.36-53; (c) Democracy, Totalitarianism, and authoritarianism.
Reading from ibid, pp.71-91; (d) Political ideologies. Reading from ibid, pp.92-113. First
assignment.
Session 2, Sunday June 16, 2013: (a) Political culture, public opinion, political communication
and the media. Reading from ibid, pp.153-173; (b) Political parties and party systems. Reading
from ibid, pp.194-211; (c) Elections. Reading from ibid, pp.212-236; (d) Basic institutions of
government. Reading from ibid, pp.237-255. Second assignment.
Session 3, Saturday June 22, 2013: (a) Legislatures. Reading from ibid, pp.256-276; (b)
Executives and bureaucracy. Reading from ibid, pp.277-318; (c) Legal systems and the courts.
Reading from ibid, pp.319-337; (d) The Global system. Reading from ibid, pp.396-413.
Presentations.
Session 4, Sunday June 23, 2013: Final exam.
Grading Scale:
S = Satisfy
U = Unsatisfy
Assignments:
• A total of 4 Assignments, one for each session: two essays of about 1000 words each, one
presentation and one final exam paper.
Provisional list of topics from which to choose assignments (others may be added during the
course)
- What is popular sovereignty?
- What is the ideal political order?
- Defend the thesis that appropriate checks and balances to monitor and to control the integrity and
conduct of people in authority is mandatory for good governance.
- The main pillar of American culture is freedom. What is freedom?
- Is it really necessary to appreciate the existence of different political cultures?
- What is the relation between political science and politics?
- In political science is theory separate from practice?
- Can political science be a value-free mirror of politics, or are value and fact linked?
Class participation
Class active participation and attendance are required.
Academic misconduct and plagiarism
Academic misconduct and plagiarism will be dealt with according to the regulations.
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