Comparative Politics

Catalog description

This course engages in a comparative examination of political institutions and behavior across countries in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Students survey the different types of political systems found in the contemporary world, including various forms of democracy and authoritarianism, and analyze complex topics such as democratization, democratic backsliding and breakdown, and good governance. We will also discuss contemporary debates on the role of political institutions, state structure, civil society and identity-based issues relating to gender, ethnicity, and religion. Students learn how power is legitimized through the organization of politics and how political life varies from country to country.