class,
just to reiterate my comments from class, here are some general things to keep in mind as you prepare for the exam:
the three big topics from the syllabus are participants/processes, political economy, and mayors/money. some basic things to think about for each are:
participants/processes: this involves Moses issues. what are the advantages and disadvantages of having power concentrated in a figure like Moses? how has power/politics changed since then? is it accurate to see RM in terms of a ‘great man theory’ of history?
political economy: what does it mean for NYC (and New Yorkers) to be a global city? how have NYC mayors helped bring about the transition to a global city? what is neoliberalism and why/how has it dominated NYC politics?
mayors/money: who becomes mayor of NYC and why? what role does race play in NYC politics? how have NYC mayors shaped policies and spending? (neoliberalism again)
note that there is a certain amount of overlap among these topics (e.g., who has power and how is it used, etc)
on the exam there will be three essay topics to choose from and you will be required to write two essays. you will have 75 minutes for the exam. i will be looking to see how well you can engage these issues and discuss them intelligently and thoughtfully (along the lines of what we do in class). i will also try to get you to think about how your knowledge might apply to some current issues in NYC.
please be prompt so we can begin the exam at (or close to) 9:15.
good luck with your prep and let me know if you have any questions (email or office hours tuesday).
ar
