This course is designed to introduce students to Comparative Politics (the study of domestic politics around the world), one of the main subfields in political science. The course will address concepts and theories of comparative politics such as democratic and non-democratic institutions, modernization and development, political culture, systems analysis, and public policy. The course will apply these concepts and methods of comparative politics to understanding political phenomena and outcomes in different regions of the world, such as, Africa, Asia, South America and Europe. The political experience in each case will be studied in the context of its own cultural and historical settings. Such an approach will allow us to see the differences within a particular form of government. We shall inquire, for example, why Chinese communism is different from communism in the former Soviet Union; what factors are responsible for both the endurance of and challenges posed to democratic institutions globally; and why do economic and social welfare institutions differ across capitalist economies.
| Distribution Area | Prerequisites | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Social Science- or -Global Learning | 1 course |