The Whys and Wherefores

This blog will serve as a forum for students in PLAP 4130 Citizen Competence in American Democracy to discuss the class reading, ideas stemming from the reading and discussion, instances and applications of the class material, and anything related to the ideas in and surrounding the class.

We are blogging the class this semester for multiple reasons. (1) So all class members may be enlightened by the ponderings of your peers. (2) To provide an additional forum for discourse, to prolong the discussion and to give everyone a voice. So folks who have more to say, and didn't get a chance to say it in class, can add it here. And those with instincts to cleverness and creativity may find this a more amenable outlet for that voice than traditional class discussion. (3) At the end of the class, this product of our joint effort will (I hope) provide a useful roadmap of where we've been and how it fits together. (4) As the internet begins to play a greater role in citizen competence, it seems worthwhile to incorporate these elements (visual and linked) into the class directly.

Toward these ends, all students in the course will be both contributors to and administrators of the blog (which means you can alter elements outside of your posts and comments) -- the blog belongs to all of us. Don’t like the look of the blog? Change it! Think we should link to related resources? Link it! Everyone is expected to pipe in at least eight times during the semester with some relevant comments, thoughts, critiques, examples, questions, whatever about the upcoming class material. For posts to count, they need to be up by 9am the morning of class. Substantively, the only real criteria is that your post tie into the upcoming reading; beyond that, be creative. Plus, everyone is expected to respond to a colleague's post a minimum of four times during the semester (responses must be completed by 9am Friday following class).

I expect the blog will evolve with time -- as folks alter it, as outside sources are brought to bear, as the dynamic of the class changes. And I hope it proves both helpful and entertaining. See you August 30th!