Political Science 2300
Introduction to Comparative Politics
FALL 2007


READINGS


Weeks 1-2 (Sept 7-14)

Comparative Politics - what and why
Kaplan, Robert D. "Was Democracy Just a Moment?"
Hague and Harrop, Political Science: A Comparative Introduction, 5th ed. (henceforth HH), chs 1-3,
Carothers, "Democracy's Sobering State in Søe, ed. Comparative Politics 07/08 (henceforth Annual Editions or AE) article 37
Okonta, "Nigeria: Chronicle of a Dying State," AE 32
Nye, "Globalization is About Blending, not Homogenizing," AE 40

Points for discussion:
What is comparative analysis? What, if anything, can it tell you about things you want to know? What are the principal differences among liberal and illiberal democracies? What is a consolidated state? How does it differ from a transitional state? Why does Robert Kaplan argue that democracy was just a `moment'? Does Thomas Carothers agree? Do you? What is globalization? What difference does it make? In what ways do international factors impinge on nation-states? What is a failed state?

Week 3(Sept 17-21)

Comparing liberal and illiberal democracies, and authoritarianregimes

HH, chs 4-5.
Dahl, "What Political Institutions does Large-Scale Democracy Require? AE 16
Schmitter and Karl, "What Democracy is... and is not?" AE 17
Kekic, "The Economist Intelligence Unit's Index of Democracy," AE 1
Shevstova, "Russia's Ersatz Democracy," AE 27
Economist, "Putin's People

Points for discussion:
What is comparative method and how can it be used most effectively? Under what circumstances do democracies develop? Why have some former authoritarian states embraced democracy? Is the comparative method different from other methods used in Political Science? What is illiberal democracy and how does it differ from democracy and authoritarianism? Can poor societies sustain liberal democracy? Is Russia a democracy, an illiberal democracy or an authoritarian state? How can we tell? How does Schmitter and Karl's view of democracy - and what it is and is not - differ from Dahl's? What are thick or thin measures of democracy? (See AE 1)

Week 4 (Sept 24-28)
Political Culture
HH, ch. 6
Inglehart and Norris, "The True Clash of Civilizations," AE 14
Barber, "Jihad vs McWorld," AE 42
The Economist, "Cultural Explanations: The Man in the Bagdad Café," AE 39
Eickelman, "Bin laden, the Arab 'Street' and the Middle East's Democracy Deficit," AE 36
Garton Ash, "The Great Divide," AE 20

Points for discussion:
What is political culture? How can we describe or measure it? What factors shape it? How do elite and mass political culture differ from each other? Can elites or elite political culture guarantee the consolidation of democracy? What is post-materialism and what difference does it make? Are political cultures becoming more and more alike? Is there a clash of civilizations? If so, what form does it take?

Week 5 (Oct. 1-5)

Political Communication and Political Participation: Who governs and on what terms?

HH, chs 7, 9
The Economist, " Public Opinion: Is There a Crisis?" AE 11
Dalton, Scarrow, and Cain, "Advanced Democracies and the New Politics," (xerox/reserve or Comparative Politics Annual Edition 04/05, ch. 16)
Kahn, "Where's Mao? Chinese Revise History Books" AE 34

Points for discussion:
What role to the media play in politics? Who controls the media? Is control becoming more concentrated? Who participates in politics? Do rates and forms of political participation differ in liberal democracies, illiberal democracies and authoritarian systems? What is advocacy democracy? What problems does it create for governments? What are patron-client relationships? What difference do they make?


ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY AND STATEMENT OF PAPER TOPIC DUE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5TH


Weeks 6-7(Oct 10-19)

Political parties and Elections
HH chs. 10, 12
The Economist, "Referendums: The People's Voice,"AE 19
The Economist, "Political Parties: Empty Vessels?" AE 12
Studlar, "Electoral Politics in the United Kingdom" AE 4
Rubio and Davidow, "Mexico's Disputed Election" AE 30
Casteñeda, "Latin America's Left Turn" AE 31

Points for discussion:
What difference do elections and electoral systems make? Is PR a fairer than single member plurality or majority systems? How are electoral systems chosen? What are political parties and how do they differ from each other? What roles do they play in liberal and illiberal democracies? In authoritarian systems? Are citizens turning away from parties and toward new forms of participation and democracy? If so, why? Is democracy possible without political parties? What is advocacy democracy? Can the new forms of democracy cited by Dalton, Scarrow and Cain replace representative democracy?

MIDTERM EXAM:FRIDAY OCT. 19TH


Weeks 8-9 (Oct 22-29)

Constitutions and Multilevel Governance

HH chs. 13-14
Studlar, "A Revised British Constitution: Tony Blair's Lasting Legacy?" AE 2
Moravcsik, ""A Too Perfect Union? Why Europe Said 'No," AE 23
Parker, "Bored by 'Results.." AE 24
Economist, "A Venture at a Standstill"

Points for discussion:
What difference do constitutions make? What do constitutions do? Do constitutions ensure democracy? Why or why not? Is democratic government constitutional government? What is federalism and how does it differ from multilevel governance? What difference does it make? Why do some countries adopt federalism but not others? How is devolution different from federalism? Is Britain undergoing a constitutional revolution? What did Tony Blair stand for? Is the European Union a federal system?

Weeks 9-10 (Oct 31-Nov 9)

Legislatures and Political Executives

HH 15-16
The Economist, "Who Killed the British Prime Minister?" AE 3
The Economist, "Angela Merkel's Not-So-Grand Coalition" AE 7
Allen, "The Case for a Multi-Party U.S. Parliament? " AE 22
Inter-Parliamentary Union, "Women in National Parliaments" AE 14

Points for discussion:
What do assemblies and executives do? How do executives differ from each other? Can assemblies provide adequate or fair representation? What role do they play in forming or controlling the executive? How is a presidential system different from a parliamentary system?

Week 11 (Nov 14-19)

Bureaucracy and public policy

HH, chs. 17, 18

Points for discussion:
What do bureaucracies do and how can they be controlled and held accountable? How is the public sector organized? Should bureaucracies be representative of the population? What is the new public management? How do governments make policy? What control, if any, does the public have? How do policy processes differ in older and newer democracies and authoritarian systems? What role do economic and other models play in policy making processes? Has there been a decline of grand designs and utopian visions? If so, why?

PRELIMINARY PAPER OUTLINES DUE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH



Week 12 (Nov 19-23)

The state in economic life

HH ch. 9
Almond, Gabriel, "Capitalism and Democracy" AE 38
Guthrie, "China: The Quiet Revolution" AE 33
Walker, "India's Path to Greatness" AE 35

Points for discussion:
In what ways are states involved in economic life? Does this differ in liberal democracies and authoritarian systems and in transitional or developing systems? What role do interest groups play in each? How does an organized market economy differ from a liberal market economy? What is the relationship between capitalism and democracy? Is capitalism required for liberal democracy? Does capitalism lead to liberal democracy? Is there a relationship between economic development and democracy? What do the Russian and Chinese cases tell you about this?

Week 13 (Nov 26-30)
Interest groups
HH ch. 18
The Economist, "Interest Groups: Ex Uno, Plures," AE 15

Points for discussion:
What are interest groups and what influence do they have on policy-making? How are interest groups plugged into policy processes? What is pluralism? Corporatism? Why are some groups more influential than others? Why do governments pay attention to interest groups? Can interest groups substitute for political parties? Are interest groups good or bad ?


PAPERS DUE IN CLASS, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26TH



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