PS 4253/6253
Southern Politics
Fall 2026
Time: 11 MWF
Classroom: Carpenter 310
Professor: Dr. Stephen D. Shaffer
Office: 198 Bowen
Office Hours: 10-11, 12-1 MWF
website: http://sds17.pspa.msstate.edu
e-mail: kauai@pspa.msstate.edu
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 fitted 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 which 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 elections. Nationally, both the House and the Senate are pretty evenly divided, so both parties will fight intensely for control. Democrats have been able to make some recent gains in Dixie, such as their capture of both of Georgia's U.S. Senate seats in 2020, and they have very good chances of capturing Senate seats in North Carolina and Texas. The gubernatorial races are also interesting with Georgia possibly electing their first African American woman governor. The region remains pretty Republican, though, and we will discuss why that is the case. So, the study of southern politics has become a very interesting spectator sport!
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. 8th edition. Bloomsbury.2026. Make sure that
you buy the 8th edition, and not any previous one.
Undergraduates will have three (or four) grading opportunities, each of which shall count equally in computing your course grade. They are: a midsemester essay examination; a second, late semester essay exam; a written analysis of the assigned book for the class; an optional comprehensive final exam. Students receiving graduate credit will meet these requirements, as well as write a research paper on a topic of interest that is approved by the professor, or write a book review on a second book (those receiving graduate credit for the course, just send me an e-mail about your ideas for your research paper or additional book report by the end of the first week of class).
The book analysis will be about 10 pages long. It will be a unique book report that is not like any that you have ever written before. Previously, students have often ignored the many Tables and Figures in the book, which provide evidence for the conclusions of each of the chapters. Yet your ability to analyze tables, figures, and maps is a very important job-related skill, and enables you to judge the claims made by any writer or political leader. Therefore, your book analysis should treat each chapter separately as follows. First, explain briefly what the major theme and conclusion was of that chapter. Second, explain separately and clearly what each individual table, figure, and map in that chapter tells us about the subject of the chapter. Third, evaluate the statistical evidence of each chapter; is it strong in its support of the theme, and what other evidence could have been provided that is missing.
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. Given the stress of our modern society, you may even desire
to take a mental health day. I even had to miss one class a few years ago due
to health concerns.
"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"
WEEKS 1-2: August 19-28
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 31-September 4
The Old South- Racial Segregation and White Supremacy
Read textbook, chapter 3
(Lectures on components of the segregated political system)
WEEK 4: September 9-11
The Second Reconstruction- Some Personal Accounts
Read textbook, chapter 4
(Lectures on Medgar Evers and Douglas Conner's books)
WEEK 5: September 14-18
South Carolina- the Strom Thurmond Legacy
Read textbook, chapter 9
(Lecture on Strom Thurmond and current Republicanism)
WEEK 6: September 21-23
Georgia- Democratic Hegemony Meltdown
Read textbook, chapter 5
(Lecture on Democratic governors, Zell Miller, Republican gains)
SEPTEMBER 25: Review for the First Test
SEPTEMBER 28: FIRST IN-CLASS ESSAY EXAMINATION
WEEK 7: September 30-October 2
Alabama- the George Wallace Legacy
Read textbook, chapter 13
(Lectures on George Wallace and post-Wallace Republican gains)
WEEKS 8-9: October 5-7, 12-16
Mississippi- Modern Mature Republicanism
Read textbook, chapter 11
(Lectures on Republican officeholders and governance)
WEEK 10: October 19-23
Louisiana- the Edwin Edwards Legacy
Read textbook, chapter 10
(Lecture on Edwin Edwards and post-Edwards era)
WEEK 11: October 26-30
Texas- Republican Hegemony Routs Liberal Democrats
Read textbook, chapter 8
(Lecture on liberal Democratic rise, Bush, current era)
WEEK 12: November 2-6
North Carolina- Titans in Both Parties
Read textbook, chapter 6
(Lecture on Governor Hunt and Senator Helms; review for test)
NOVEMBER 9: SECOND IN-CLASS ESSAY EXAMINATION
WEEK 13: November 11-13
Tennessee- Moderate Democrats, Modern Republicans
Read textbook, chapter 12
(Lecture on racial liberal Democrats, current Republicans)
WEEK 14: November 16-20
Arkansas- the Three Democratic Titans
Read textbook, chapter 14
(Lecture on Bumpers, Clinton, Pryor, successors)
WRITTEN BOOK ANALYSES DUE- November 23
WEEK 15: November 23
Florida- a National Swing State
Read textbook, chapter 7
(Lecture on individualized governors)
GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH PAPERS DUE: November 30
WEEK 16: November 30
Virginia- Liberal Democrats Replaced by Pragmatic Democrats
Read textbook, chapter 15
(lecture on seesaw of Democratic liberalism versus pragmatism)
OPTIONAL CUMULATIVE ESSAY EXAMINATION: Noon, Wednesday, December 9