Comparative Politics and Government

Catalog description

This course introduces students to the vital role that comparing systems of governments and political life plays in understanding the complex world of the 21st century and its politics. Through a focus on basic theories, analytical methods and questions in the field of comparative politics, students explore how political systems differ, how ideologies play a key role in defining political systems and governments, and the ways in which socio-cultural factors are a force in the making of particular models of government. Topics include the purpose of government and the role of the modern nation-state; autocratic and democratic structures of government; parliamentary and presidential democracies; elections and electoral systems; revolutions and political change; the influence of economics, religion and culture on government; globalization; and how governmental structures and institutions ultimately impact the lives of those governed. Country-specific case studies are examined throughout the course.