Political Science 100 Immigration Policy Project

PROMPT: What is a recent significant example of participation (related to voting/campaigns/elections, or by a political party, interest group, or social movement) on your policy issue? How does the example meet the definition of that specific form of participation and what are at least two things that you have learned in your textbook about it? This could include participation patterns, types of resources actors have/do not have, likely political opponents or rivals, how this method compares to others, or examples of successful historical use of this form of participation—anything you learned that leads you to believe it is likely to have a significant impact on policymaking.

FULL EXPLANATION OF ASSIGNMENT: There are many activities that individuals and groups utilize in order to affect change. For this second policy project assignment, I would like you to analyze an example of one of four types of political participation (voting/campaigns/elections, political parties, interest groups, or social movements) that has occurred recently in regard to your particular policy issue (division/inequalities, education, environment/climate, healthcare, immigration, or COVID-19). Stick with your already selected issue to build your expertise.

As before, to ensure your information is high-quality and detailed, you will start by conducting searches for recent news about political participation on your issue in one or more of the sources listed on BeachBoard under Content> Policy issue assignments> Great places to look for political and policy news. Your aim is to locate one example of political participation on your policy issue that you think is likely to have a significant impact on the issue and to which you can best link what you have learned in your class readings. Examples might include: an interest group writing an amicus curiae or “friend of the court” brief in an attempt to sway the Supreme Court’s opinion on immigration, voters using the ballot box to express their desire to have government tackle an issue like the environment, or a social movement holding a protest that garners media attention and attempts to change public opinion on inequalities.  Political Science 100 Immigration Policy Project Assignment

IMPORTANT ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS / SPECIFIC “SELF-CHECKLIST”:

CONTENT

☐ Both questions in the prompt are answered fully and in a

way that applies at least two things that you have learned about the type of participation from the textbook or social movement required reading (and lecture, if desired).

☐ The essay utilizes (quotes or paraphrases) and cites as

evidence material from a recent (last 6-12 months) news article on an example of political participation that was found in one of the required reliable media sources (on BeachBoard under Content> Policy issue assignments> Great places to look for political and policy news).

☐ The essay utilizes (quotes or paraphrases) and cites as

evidence material from the textbook chapter on that method of political participation (or social movement required reading). ☐ All “political science”-specific concepts used are defined clearly and concisely to show one’s knowledge and understanding.

☐ The essay presents a unique, individual intellectual

analysis— not one’s raw personal opinion.

☐ News article-specific and textbook-specific knowledge is

accurately presented, without factual or interpretation errors.

FORMAT

☐ The essay is organized and presented in a 5-paragraph expository essay format that includes a clearly laid out introductory paragraph with thesis, three evidentiary paragraphs, and a conclusion (more details provided in handout on BeachBoard under Content> Policy assignments> Essay writing handout)

☐ The essay has been edited carefully to ensure writing is clear

and concise, and to eliminate typos and grammatical errors that would distract from a reader’s understanding of key points.

☐ The essay is 2-3 pages, typed and double-spaced, using a

standard 12-point font such as Times New Roman.

☐ A simple, compact header is supplied: single-spaced at top

of first page with full name, ID#, POSC 100, Spring 2020 and policy issue group listed. (No separate cover sheet, please!) ☐ Material from the textbook and article is underlined to show

the reader the direct use of required materials.

☐ Citations are included in a format utilized within your

specific major (MLA, Chicago, or APA, for example), and bibliographic references include sufficient detail (including page number(s)) so that one might locate the information or quotation used. ☐ The section of the syllabus on academic integrity and

plagiarism was reviewed or the professor or TAs contacted if questions arose about how to cite or how to meet academic norms. Political Science 100 Immigration Policy Project Assignment