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Disciplinary Research Guide

Disciplinary Journal Article: The Expounding Boundaries of Black Politics

Todd Shaw is the Associate Professor and Interim Chair of the Department of Political Science at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Shaw is also the newest president of the National Conference of Black Political Scientists. He is well-educated and passionate about urban politics, public policy, citizen activism, and social movements. This expertise led him to offer poignant insight on black politics in the introductory chapter of The Expanding Boundaries of Black Politics, the eleventh volume of the National Political Science Review. Dr. Shaw’s purpose of writing this specific essay was to start a conversation about how contemporary black politics are expanding with the times and various intersections of identity.

Shaw uses clear and concise language to establish his audience, purpose, and context within the first few paragraphs of the essay. Because the book, itself, is a symposium of essays dealing with topics like “AIDS, Context, and Black Politics”, “Remembering Maleesa”, and “Race, Class, and the Political Behavior of African American Young Adults”, the audience is for current and aspiring Black political scientists or students, like me, interested in politics in general. There are a few purposes at play in the piece. Dr. Shaw aims to inform, start a dialogue, and demonstrate knowledge. Whenever he introduces a complex theory or idea, he is sure to define the concept for the readers, which I appreciate as someone just beginning to build my political science vocabulary. The most intriguing section is the section in which he breaks down the three generations of Black politics. This is where the conversation becomes more interesting because he brings the research questions that have been considered for decades to the forefront of current discourse about how African American politics are changing at this very moment. This is especially important for up and coming political scientists interested in black politics because there must be an acknowledgement of the foundation in order for us to truly understand the present and future of black politics in the world. He outlines the progression of the “initial empowerment and incorporation generation” to the “racial and economic impact generation” to the “cross cutting class and social cleavages generation” (7). It is up to this next wave of political scientists to answer the questions of the current generation and create our own questions that will affect generations to come.

Common Interest Article: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/01/my-president-was-black/508793/

My President was Black by Ta-Nehisi Coates

In this article, Coates discusses the cultural and political significance of former President Barack Obama’s presidency. He starts by outlining the all of the culture that the Obamas introduced to the White House, and in some ways, to white America and its government. There were obvious connections between President Barack and his love for hip-hop music. Through the final White House lawn concert and the many artists that have performed within the House walls, it is clear that Black culture stood in the limelight. This put our music and art under praise and scrutiny. While this is all fine and the representation was more than welcomed, Coates also critiques President Obama’s “color-blind” policies and attitude. This is a good article because it acknowledges President Obama: the cultural phenomenon, and President Obama: the Black president of the American people. Coates analyzes President Obama’s childhood and how his upbringing led to his success in politics as the first Black president of the United States. Because of who he is, a lot is expected from him by different groups of people. We want him to make us proud, give back, and change the world for the better.

Key Terms of Political Science

Political Science

1.The branch of knowledge that deals with systems of government; the analysis of political activity and behavior.

2. The study of politics and the way that political power is used in a country.

3. The theory and practice of government and politics at the local, state, national, and international levels.

Example: The study of democracy or this class in general.

Political Institution

1. A system of politics and government.

2. Organizations which create, enforce, and apply laws.

3. A social organization that is in power.

Example: The supreme court of the united which applies laws.

Civil Liberties

1. The basic rights that all citizens have to do or say what they want, as long as they do not break the law or affect other people’s rights.

2. The freedom of a citizen to exercise customary rights, as of speech or assembly, without unwarranted or arbitrary interference by the government.

3. The freedoms people have a right to in a society.

Example: The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights which guarantees citizens the right to practice whatever religion they please. Government, then, cannot interfere in an individual's freedom of worship.

Political Power

1. An authority held by a group within a society that allows for the administration of public resources and implement policies for society.

2. The term "authority" is often used for power perceived as legitimate by the social structure.

3. Power may be acquired as a means of governmental direction or in opposition to a government group.

Example: The President of the United States has a large amount of political power regarding policies and laws in the United States.

Social Contract

1. Unwritten and tacit agreement said to exist among the members of a community or group that guides individual behavior and establishes personal rights and responsibilities.

2. Social contract is deemed essential for any organized group behavior and, in democratic societies, is embodied in the national constitution.

Example: As a U.S. citizen, you have “signed” a social contract.

Systems Theory

1. The transdisciplinary study of the abstract organization of phenomena, independent of their substance, type, or spatial or temporal scale of existence.

2. It investigates both the principles common to all complex entities, and the (usually mathematical) models which can be used to describe them.

3. This could be a single organism, any organization or society, or any electro-mechanical or informational artifact.

State of nature

1. The real or hypothetical condition of human beings before or without political association.

2. A wild primitive state untouched by civilization.

3. The idea of life without a government.

Example: The emergence of human society when man was savage and lived in hordes.

Failed State

1. Failed states can no longer perform basic functions such as education, security, or governance, usually due to fractious violence or extreme poverty.

2. Within this power vacuum, people fall victim to competing factions and crime, and sometimes the United Nations or neighboring states intervene to prevent a humanitarian disaster. However, states fail not only because of internal factors.

3. Foreign governments can also knowingly destabilize a state by fueling ethnic warfare or supporting rebel forces, causing it to collapse.

Example: Somalia, a country where an internal militant struggle for power leaves a low life expectancy and a low infant survival rate. It also has the worst rating regarding refugees and human rights.

Constitutionalism

1. The idea often associated with the political theories of John Locke and the founders of the American republic, that government can and should be legally limited in its powers, and that its authority or legitimacy depends on its observing these limitations.

2. This idea brings with it a host of vexing questions of interest not only to legal scholars, but to anyone keen to explore the legal and philosophical foundations of the state.

Example: The division of powers between the legislative, judicial, and executive branch in which each have specified and limited powers.

Legitimacy

1. Generally, this is the perception of something as rightful and appropriate, regardless of whether it is liked, but there are three specific:

2. Traditional legitimacy is justified by historical myths, legends, and long-standing practice. The motto for this legitimacy is this is just how things are around here. For example, the authority kings and queens have is based on traditional legitimacy. People usually don’t question the succession of the throne. “When practices persist for a long time, people often see respect for them as part of their identity.” This legitimacy is upheld with “with rituals, symbolism, appeals to old foundations.”

3. Charismatic legitimacy is justified by the magnetic appeal of a leader or her ideas. In a political context, charisma refers to that specific quality of leaders that draw people into their ideas. Examples of people who led with this legitimacy include Jesus, Muhammad, Martin Luther King and Adolf Hitler. Their ideas, including equality, freedom, or salvation. are also charismatic ideas that keep people engaged.

4. Rational-legal legitimacy is justified by rules that are presented as logical, systematic, and evenly applied. Authority is given by means that are generally understood as rational. For example, Elections in democracies demonstrate rational-legal legitimacy. They give authority to an elected leader due to the process that selected her or him. (Parsons, Craig, 2016, Introduction to Political Science, 1st ed. Pearson Publishing 127-128)

Job Opportunities

1. Law Careers

2. Private Practice

3. Corporate law offices or public sector institutions

4. Consumer advocates, judges, or district attorneys

Journalism Occupations

1. Domestic or International policy journalists

2. Political Correspondent for News Outlets

3. Editors or News Directors

Teaching Positions

1. History, social studies, or government teachers

Undergraduate Organization & Honor Societies

- Howard Public Interest Law Society

Maintain awareness at the Law school about important social, economic, and political issues affect the general interest of humanity while increasing opportunities and networks between public interest related employers and students.

- Howard Society of Future Diplomats

To foster an active global citizenry and effective outcome-based dialogue within the Howard University community by creating an environment where gain perspective into diplomacy.

- Howard University Political Science Society

To serve the needs of all students interested in the professional, social, and academic aspects of politics. HUPSS accomplishes this by offering resources to enrich the education of students by building meaningful relationships and by establishing a sense of political community within the department.

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