Urban and Environmental Policy
Program
Prof. Robert Gottlieb
Fall 2005
M/W 8 - 9:25 am
Phone: 323-259-2712
Email: gottlieb@oxy.edu
UEP 410: Advanced Seminar in Urban and
Environmental Policy
Background
to the Seminar
The advanced seminar in
urban and environmental policy (UEP 410) is organized around two sets of
activities. The first involves
participation through the readings, seminar presentations and discussions, and
speakers on major political, public policy, and planning issues. The second
involves initiating work on senior projects -- the two-semester research and
writing effort that should be considered the culmination of one’s academic
work at Occidental. The work on the senior project during the fall has direct
bearing on the work undertaken in the spring in UEP 411; that is, the work on
the project in the fall is crucial to the overall process of completing a strong
comps project. This academic year, due to sabbatical leaves, I’ll be teaching
UEP 410 during the fall semester and Professor Dreier will be teaching UEP 411
in the spring. Getting started on the comps project in fall semester (i.e.,
picking a topic, developing your research question and hypothesis, and getting
started on the research) will therefore be even more important this year in
order to get substantial feedback on the comps from both of us.
The class time on Mondays will be divided into
segments. These will include
discussions, presentations, and short writing assignments on the topics;
presentations by speakers; and presentation groups. The Wednesday class will
focus on the organization and development of the comps project, including
selecting the topic, exploring whether you’ll want a client, identifying your
research question, developing a research plan and time line, and beginning the
research, including the semester paper which should become part of the overall
comps. We will also have sessions
evaluating prior comps or thesis projects (every student will select a comps
paper to present during the course of the semester) as well as teams of two
students who will be presenting and evaluating each other’s initial research
question and project topic.
Topics
and Readings
For the
seminar aspect of the class, there will be four different areas and related
topics, with readings, discussions, and presentation sessions organized around
each area. These include:
1.
Health
Policy Issues (with a focus
on the debates over tobacco policy and regulation, health and the built
environment, and nutrition and obesity-related health issues).
2.
Media
Influences (with a focus on
how the media operate and are controlled, media influences on public policy, and
where and how alternative media spaces are created)
3.
Politics
and Governance (with a focus
on the electoral process and voting, including the November special election in
California and the initiative process; and broader issues about democratic
participation and/or the lack thereof)
4.
Globalization
and Empire (with a focus on
the U.S. global reach and globalization issues, including food, labor and
environmental issues in the global economy).
While
these topics cover a lot of territory, the readings and the
discussion/presentation sessions should provide some broad conceptual knowledge
about these different policy areas as well as a specific focus on major
contemporary issues or debates.
Each
student will be assigned to a group to lead the discussions on one of the
topics; however, discussion sessions will involve participation by the whole
class. Everyone, of course, will be encouraged to do all the readings, but it
will be the responsibility of the teams to organize their presentation sessions
and solicit discussion as the seminar leaders for that segment of the class,
using the readings as part of the discussion. I’ll also assign four short
writing assignments related to the readings and topics. These assignments will
allow students to choose one of four formats to raise key points and
perspectives related to the topic. These include a 700 word op ed; a two-three
page concept paper for a grant proposal; a two-three page memo to others in an
organization on how to approach the topic/issue areas; and a two-three page
policy brief. Each of the four formats will be utilized for the writing
assignments.
Speakers
and Films
For each of the topics,
there will be a speaker elaborating on the themes associated with the topic.
Speaker sessions should be lively and interactive. We may also have films
related to one or more of the topical areas.
Developing
the Senior Projects
This is an important segment of the class. There will be several hard deadlines established for the development of the senior project during the fall semester, with a paragraph, short memo, or outline of the work due by the dates listed below. These include:
Selection
of Project Topic (deadline September
28)
Selection
of the research question; initial bibliography
(deadline: October 12);
Initial
work plan and research strategy
(deadline: November 9);
Final
work plan and research strategy
(deadline: November 30);
Presentations
of research to date (December
5 and December 7);
Completion
of research paper/section of comps
(deadline: December 12).
We will
devote class time on Wednesdays for group and individual discussions on the
process and substance of the research for your senior projects.
We will also discuss the mechanics of pulling together a successful
senior project, including a review of other comps projects. Each student will
review at least one of these projects and discuss both the substance and form of
the project as part of the senior project discussion sessions. There will also
be a presentation/discussion session led by each student concerning the topic
that they have selected, the research questions that need to be addressed, and
the policy issues involved. The initial work plan should provide a detailed time
line and initial literature search. The
final work plan should also include a description of the range of research
sources and materials that will be used. The final research paper should be
directly related to your senior project. It
could be the introductory chapter of your overall senior project, which would
include a preliminary literature review and discussion of the broad themes and
research questions. It could also take the form of a “work in progress,” but
this work in progress must include some preliminary substantive work. The
presentations should provide an overview of the research paper/work in progress
paper.
Grading
Criteria
Final grades will reflect the work in each of the
segments. These include:
participation in readings, presentation sessions, class discussions and
development of senior project, including meeting deadlines – 40%; writing
assignments – 30%; final paper – 30%.
Class
Organization
I’ve
organized each class session by date according to topic, readings, debate
sessions, and senior project sessions. Mondays
will be generally dedicated to the seminar topics; Wednesdays to the senior
project. My office hours will also be on Mondays (10:00-11:00 and 1-2) and
Wednesdays (10:00-11:00 and 1-2), but I will be on campus and available to meet
with you most other days if you need to see me and we are able to work out a
time. Please feel free to contact
me above and beyond any formal office visit, particularly on the progress of the
senior project.
Readings
and Topics.
TOPIC:
Health Policies: (Tobacco and Obesity, Nutrition and the Physical Environment)
Session #1 August 31-September 28
Readings:
Tobacco
(August 31- September 12)
“The
Politics of Tobacco Regulation in the U.S.,” Robert Kagan and William Nelson
in Regulating Tobacco, Edited by Robert Rabin and Stephen Sugarman, pp.
11-38
“The
Ordinary Politics of Legislation”, Chapter 2, pp. 8-26; “The Changed Context
of Policymaking,” (Chapter 6, pp. 93-118); and “Chronology of Cigarette
Regulation” (pp. 249-255), in Up in Smoke: From Legislation to Litigation
in Tobacco Politics, Martha Derthick.
“Anti-Smoking
Effort Sees Progress,” Sharon Bernstein, Los
Angeles Times, January 26, 2005
“Addicted
to Tobacco,” Tommy J. Payne, Los Angeles
Times, June 18, 2003
“The
Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General: Executive
Summary,” May 27, 2004, available at: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/sgr/sgr_2004/pdf/executivesummary.pdf
“Cigarettes,
Taxes and Thin French Women,” Daniel Gross, New York Times, July 24,
2005
Obesity,
Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Built Environment (September 21-October 3)
“Starting
Early: Underage Consumers,” (Chapter 8) and “Pushing Soft Drinks,”
(Chapter 9) in Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and
Health, Marion Nestle, pp. 175-218
“Thirst
for Profit,” Michele Simon, Mothering,
March-April 2005
“Obesity:
A Weighty Issue for Children,” Charles W. Schmidt, Environmental
Health Perspectives, October 2003, pp. A700-A707
“Relationship
between Urban Sprawl and Physical Activity, Obesity, and Morbidity,” Reid
Ewing et al, in American Journal of Health Promotion, September/October 2003, Vol.
18, No. 1, pp. 47-57 in
http://www.rwjf.org/publications/publicationsPdfs/AJHP18Ewing47-57.pdf
“How
the Built Environment Affects Physical Activity: Views from Urban Planning,”
Susan Handy et al., American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2002, pp. 64-73
“McDonald’s
is Rolling out a Healthier Image,” Claire Hoffman, Los
Angeles Times, June 17, 2005
“Striking
Back at the Food Police,” Melanie
Warner, New York Times, June 12, 2005
“The
Food Industry Empire Strikes Back,” Melanie Warner, New York Times,
July 7, 2005
“Girth
of a Nation” and “Free to Choose Obesity?”, Paul Krugman, July 4, 2005 and
July 8, 2005
TOPIC:
Media Influences: Narrowing the Field; Budding Alternatives
Session 2: October 10-October 17
The Problem of the Media (October 10)
The Problem of the Media: U.S. Communications
Politics in the 21st Century, Robert McChesney, 2003, Chapters
1-3, and 6-7, pp. 7-137; 210-297
“Objectivity
is Highly Overrated,” Victor Navasky, Los
Angeles Times, April 24, 2004
“”Don’t
Follow the Money,” and “The Armstrong Williams News Hour,” Frank Rich, New
York Times, June 12, 2005 and June 26, 2005 (Assignment: Please read
additional Frank Rich columns in Sunday New
York Times “Week in Review” section during October)
Searching
for Alternatives (October 17)
“Million-Word
March for Media Reform,” Danny Schecter, May 19, 2005, Alternet (http://www.alternet.org/story/22049)
“Congress
Tunes In,” Robert McCheshney, John Nichols and Ben Scott, The
Nation, May 23, 2005
“The
Power of People’s Media,” Jim Hightower, June 16, 2004, available at: http://www.alternet.org/story/18966/
TOPIC:
Current Political Debates: Special Elections and state and local politics; The
Vanishing Voter; Electoral Democracy (or the Lack thereof); the Role of Social
Movements
Session
#3 – October 24- November 7
Readings
Voting
and Elections (October 25)
“The
Incredible Shrinking Electorate” (Chapter 1), pp. 3-22; “Parties and
Candidates: Politics of the Moment,” (Chapter 2), 23-62, “Election Day: The
Politics of Inequity,” (Chapter 5), pp. 128-145, in The Vanishing Voter:
Public Involvement in an Age of Uncertainty, Thomas Patterson, 2002
“Winner
Takes Nothing,” (Chapter 15, pp278-297) in Fixing Elections: The Failure of
America’s Winner Take All Politics, Steven Hill.
“Voter
Participation: A Brief Literature Review,” Jessica Roberts, California Voter
Participation Survey, 2004,
http:www.calvoter.org/issues/votereng/votpart/review.html
“Smoothing
the Way to the Polls,” Kafi Blumenfield, Los
Angeles Times, May 14, 2005
Alternatives
(November 1)
“Democracy
and Participation Agenda for Los Angeles,” Report of the Progressive Los
Angeles Network, 2001
“America’s
Signature Exclusion: How Democracy is Made Safe for the Two-Party System,”
Chapter 5 in James B. Raskin, Overruling Democracy, pp. 91-116
“Urban
Archipelago: Progressive Cities in a Conservative Sea,” John Nichols, and
“Cities: The Vital Core,” Joel Rogers, in The
Nation, June 20, 2005
TOPIC:
Globalization and Empire
Session
#4: November 14-November 28
Globalization
(November 14-21)
“The
New System,” Thomas Friedman, Chapter 1 in The Lexus and the Olive Tree,
1999, pp. 3-15
“It’s
a Flat World, After All,” Thomas Friedman, New York Times, April 3,
2005
“Globalization
is Doing a World of Good for U.S.,” James Flanigan, Los
Angeles Times, April 24, 2004
“The
Myths of Globalization Exposed: Advancing toward Living Democracy,” Vandana
Shiva, Chapter 9 in Worlds Apart: Globalization and the Environment,
James Gustave Speth, pp. 141-154
“A
Tale of Three Logos: The Swoosh, the Shell, and the Arches,” in No Logo:
Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies, Naomi Klein, pp. 365-396
“Cutting
Here, But Hiring Over There,” Steve Lohr, New
York Times, June 24, 2005
“Controlling
the Global Obesity Epidemic,” and “Nutrition in Transition: Globalization
and its Impact on Nutrition Patterns and Diet-related Diseases,” World Health
Organization available at www.who.int/nut/obs.htm
and http://www.who.int/nut/trans.htm
“Striking
the Golden Arches: French Farmers Protest McD’s Globalization,” David Morse,
in McDonaldization: The Reader, George Ritzer, editor, pp. 245-249
“Mexico
Confronts Sudden Surge in Obesity,” Elisabeth Malkin, New York Times,
June 29, 2005
“State
Laws Take Back Seat to Trade,” Evelyn Iritani, Los
Angeles Times, December 5, 2004
Presentation
Sessions: December 5-December 7