Comparative Democratization

Catalog description

This course examines the process of democratization from a cross-national comparative perspective, with significant emphasis placed on the relationship between economic and political development. It begins with an examination of Western conceptions of democracy and the paths to democratic governance that Western states have taken. It then examines the concept of democracy through the lenses of non-Western cultures and values, and compares the distinct paths that states in each region of the world have taken toward democratization. In so doing, students critically analyze the merits of many controversial arguments put forth by political development scholars.