Note: Syllabus as of August 9, 2022

PS 4253/6253
Southern Politics
Fall 2022
Time: 11 MWF
Classroom: Old Main 3030

Professor: Dr. Stephen D. Shaffer
Office: 198 Bowen
Office Hours: 10-11 MWF

website: http://sds17.pspa.msstate.edu/classes/southern/southern.html
e-mail: kauai@pspa.msstate.edu

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

This course on Southern Politics examines the political history of the eleven states of the old Civil War confederacy. We begin the course by pointing out how the South has fit into the national political system, and how national partisan competition has shaped politics in the South. We therefore chart the six different party eras throughout our nation's history, and then discuss how presidential elections have reflected southern politics. We then turn to the special historical legacy of the South, which is racial segregation. We study segregation from a personal perspective using biographies, and from an historical-legalistic-political perspective. We then turn to The Deep South states, which illustrate the segregationist history of the region, but also exhibit dramatic changes in recent decades, reflected in tremendous Republican gains. We then move to the Rim South states, which today generally reflect a very competitive two-party system. We conclude the course by reflecting on how the South has become a very Republican Party oriented region today, though Democrats in recent years have increasingly staged a comeback in such states as Virginia and Georgia. As such, your objective is to learn about the region’s racial and party history as a whole, plus the political culture of each southern state.

This course should be especially fun and interesting this semester, given the heated congressional midterm elections and some close contests in the South. The Senate is split 50-50 between the two major parties with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie to give Democrats control, and that was made possible after both of Georgia’s Senate seats actually voted Democratic two years ago (after President Trump campaigned for their opponents in the runoff elections and claimed that the election had been stolen). Republicans hope to win back one of those seats with a football great Herschel Walker, though incumbent pastor and African American Raphael Warnock maintains a narrow lead. Republicans need to retain their own seats, which includes one in North Carolina, where polls are tied between Republican congressman Ted Budd and a former state supreme court justice and African American woman Cheri Beasley. Republicans have an easier task of retaining their Alabama senate seat, as former senate chief of staff Katie Britt hopes to become the state’s first female U.S. senator, joining Mississippi’s first female congresswoman, Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. The increasingly competitive nature of southern politics was illustrated last year when the one southern state that had become pretty Democratic, Virginia, witnessed Republicans winning all three statewide offices. So, the study of southern politics has become a real spectator sport!

READINGS:

The required readings shall come from the following book:

The New Politics of the Old South, edited by Charles S. Bullock III and Mark J. Rozell. 7th edition. Rowman and Littlefield, Lanham, Maryland 2022. ISBN-13: 978-1538154786. Cost new is about $42 for the paperback ($110 for the hardcover). Make sure that you buy this latest edition of the book!

METHOD OF EVALUATION:

Undergraduates will have three grading opportunities, each of which shall count equally in computing your course grade. They are: a midsemester essay examination; a final, noncumulative essay exam; and a book report on the assigned book for the class. Graduate students will meet these requirements, as well as write a research paper on a topic of interest that is approved by the professor (graduate student, just send me an e-mail about your ideas for your research paper by the end of the first week of class).

The book report will be about 10 pages long. My primary concern is that you demonstrate that you have learned some important themes about the politics in each of the southern states, as well as address the first three introductory chapters. I suggest you have an introductory and concluding paragraph, where you deal with the book as a whole, and then a couple of paragraphs on each of the chapters of the book. What are the important themes found in each chapter, and how helpful are the charts and tables? Be specific by providing specific examples to illustrate your points. Finally, for each chapter, evaluate how understandable each chapter was, how it contributed to your understanding of politics in that state, and how you suggest that the chapter be improved.

• The course delivery method is a face-to-face class, so you are expected to attend class whenever possible. If you do have to miss for any reason, send me an e-mail indicating when you are missing, and why you have to miss. Then, review the material we will be covering in class by going to my class Website, whose address is near the top of the first page of this syllabus. To receive attendance credit for attending that class, send me another e-mail indicating that you have reviewed the class lecture, ask any question about the lecture that you wish, make any comment about it, or just say that you have read and understood the lecture. While class attendance does not officially affect your course grade, it is still important to attend class whenever you can, since unexcused absences harm a person’s reputation. However, universities today are placing a priority on the health and safety of their students and staff, so if you are feeling ill, coughing, sneezing, whatever, do not come to class. You can follow what went on in class by going to my webpage at: http://sds17.pspa.msstate.edu/classes/southern/southern.html, click on that week’s class notes, as well as the link that reads: Information for anyone missing any in-person class.

Given the stress of our modern society, you may even desire to take a mental health day. Even I had to miss one class last year due to health concerns.

UNIVERSITY POLICIES:

"The Mississippi State University Syllabus contains all policies and procedures that are applicable to every course on campus and online. The policies in the University Syllabus describe the official policies of the University and will take precedence over those found elsewhere. It is the student's responsibility to read and be familiar with every policy. The University Syllabus may be accessed at any time on the Provost website under Faculty and Student Resources and at https://www.provost.msstate.edu/faculty-student-resources/university-syllabus"

COURSE OUTLINE: (time periods are approximations only)

WEEKS 1-2: August 17-26

The South in a National Context
Read textbook, Chapters 1, 2
(Lectures on Political Party Eras and Presidential Elections in the South)

WEEK 3: August 29-September 2

The Old South- Racial Segregation and White Supremacy
Read textbook, chapter 3
(Lectures on each state's segregated political system)

WEEK 4: September 7-9

The Second Reconstruction- Some Personal Accounts
Read textbook, chapter 4
(Lectures on Medgar Evers and Douglas Conner's books)

WEEK 5: September 12-16

South Carolina- the Strom Thurmond Legacy
Read textbook, chapter 9
(Lecture on Strom Thurmond and current Republicanism)

WEEK 6: September 19-23

Georgia- Democratic Hegemony Meltdown
Read textbook, chapter 5

(Lecture on Democratic governors, Zell Miller, Republican gains)

WEEK 7: September 26-30

Alabama- the George Wallace Legacy
Read textbook, chapter 13
(Lectures on George Wallace and post-Wallace Republican gains)

WEEK 8

Review of course material- October 3

MIDSEMESTER ESSAY EXAMINATION, October 5

WEEK 9: October 7-12

Mississippi- Modern Mature Republicanism
Read textbook, chapter 11
(Lectures on Republican officeholders and governance)

WEEK 10: October 17-21

Louisiana- the Edwin Edwards Legacy
Read textbook, chapter 10
(Lecture on Edwin Edwards and post-Edwards era)

WEEK 11: October 24-28

Texas- Republican Hegemony Routs Liberal Democrats
Read textbook, chapter 8
(Lecture on liberal Democratic rise, Bush, current era)

WEEK 12: October 31-November 4

North Carolina- Titans in Both Parties
Read textbook, chapter 6
(Lecture on Governor Hunt and Senator Helms)

WEEK 13: November 7-11

Tennessee- Moderate Democrats, Modern Republicans
Read textbook, chapter 12
(Lecture on racial liberal Democrats, current Republicans)

WEEK 14: November 14-16

Arkansas- the Three Democratic Titans
Read textbook, chapter 14
(Lecture on Bumpers, Clinton, Pryor, successors)

WEEK 15: November 18-21

Florida- a National Swing State
Read textbook, chapter 7
(Lecture on individualized governors)

WRITTEN BOOK REPORTS DUE- November 21

WEEK 16: November 28-30

Virginia- Liberal Democrats Replaced by Pragmatic Democrats
Read textbook, chapter 15
(lecture on seesaw of Democratic liberalism versus pragmatism)

Review of course material

GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH PAPERS DUE: November 28

FINAL NON-CUMULATIVE ESSAY EXAMINATION: Noon, Wednesday, December 7