POLITICAL SCIENCE 210
SPRING, 2001
FIRST TAKE HOME


Answer clearly and concisely two (2) of the following questions. Read the questions carefully and address all of the issues involved. Limit your answers to three (3) double spaced pages per question. The questions are weighted equally, so allocate your efforts accordingly.


1 Given our understanding that a nation's constitution will reflect the dominant ideology of the era in which it was created, do you think there would be any significant changes in the U S Constitution should a new one be adopted today? If so, what would these changes be? If not, why not?

2 Our federal system of government is based on the notion of "dual sovereigns," an allocation of responsibilities between the central government and the states. Write an essay in which you describe the policy areas dominated by the federal ( U S) government, and those dominated by the states. Do you think that "globalization" and the "technology revolution" are rendering the states obsolete? Why, or why not?

3 We have seen that the kinds of things governments do are heavily influenced by "the environment" (physical, social, economic, and political.) Using specific examples as your focal point, write an essay in which you explain how this process works. You may either use several examples to make your point, or you may use one specific example as a "case study."