Wednesday, February 9, 2022

First Writing Assignment, Spring 2022

 Pick one:

  • Compare and contrast a Democratic or Republican platform from 1948-1964 with the same party's 2016 OR 2020 platform. (The GOP did not have one in 2020.) What do the similarities and differences tell you about how the national party has changed?  (Platform texts here.)
  • Pick any national party chair in the postwar era.  (GOP list, Democratic list).  What did this leader try to do?  How did she or he fare?  In your answer, keep in mind the resources and constraints facing this leader.  Also remember that out-party chairs usually have more flexibility than in-party chairs.
  • For people with an interest in foreign policy:  did the 1952 Taft-Eisenhower split on foreign policy foreshadow future Republican divisions?  How did Robert A. Taft both resemble and differ from supporters of the Trump administration?
  • The conclusion of the Rosenfeld book is brief.  Drawing on what we have learned since 2016, write an addendum.  That is, have we witnessed a continuation of the trends that the book describes?  Or has polarization taken new forms?  Explain.
Essays should reflect an understanding of class readings and discussions. Many resources, including CQ Weekly and Politics in America, are at Honnold Library/Databases/CQ Library. You should check other sources as well. See:

PLEASE EMAIL ME IF ANY LINKS ARE BROKEN!

The specifications:
  • Essays should be typed (12-point), double-spaced, and no more than four pages long. I will not read past the fourth page. Please submit essays as Word documents, not pdfs.
  • Cite your sources. Please use endnotes in the format of Chicago Manual of Style. Endnotes do not count against the page limit. Please do not use footnotes, which take up too much page space. 
  • Watch your spelling, grammar, diction, and punctuation. Errors will count against you. Return essays to the Sakai dropbox for this class by 11: 59 PM, Friday, February 25. I reserve the right to dock papers one gradepoint for one day’s lateness, a full letter grade after that.



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