POL S 204 A: Introduction To Comparative Politics

This course serves as an introduction to Comparative Politics as both a field in political science, and a method of analyzing the multitude and difference in political institutions, behaviors, and outcomes. It presents contemporary theories, empirical evidence, and ongoing debates centered on the following fundamental inquiries:

• Why state – Why do we have governments, and why are they organized in the form of (nation-)states, not cities or empires?
• Why development – Why are some countries rich and enjoying a high standard of living, while others continue to struggle in poverty and destitute?
• Why democracy – Why do some countries embrace liberal democracy, while others are persistently under authoritarian rule?
• Why identity – Why do we identify with and politically organized ourselves along some group identifications, such as class, ethnicity, nationality, urban-rural divide, or gender and sexuality, but not along other fault lines?

Throughout this course, students will gain the foundational knowledge to navigate these debates and critically assess the merits of different theoretical approaches. They will also develop their reading, critical thinking and writing skills to intervene in those debates by drawing on contemporary examples, marshaling evidence, and articulating their arguments in light of the scientific and comparative methods.