Fall 2001

ITRN 502(001): Comparative Political Institutions

This course is an introduction to and broad survey of political institutions from a comparative perspective. The comparative perspective is engaged in order to more clearly reveal and appreciate both common and unique features among political systems, and to determine their relative significance and implications in the world today. A particularly important aspect of the course is an exploration of the crucial role played by the political environment in business and economic policy decisions affecting international trade and investment. Moreover, special attention is given the ideological, institutional, and cultural structures on which political and economic relations are dependent. These issues are examined across a wide variety of countries and regions, allowing for the development of a more concrete and in-depth understanding of political institutions and their relevance in the contemporary global economy.

Requirements

The class takes an interactive lecture/seminar format. All students are expected to come to class prepared, having completed the required readings for each week, and to participate in class discussions. In addition, students are required to make one presentation, for which they will also facilitate discussion. Furthermore, students must complete a 12-15 page research paper and take a comprehensive final examination. Grades are based on class participation (15%), the presentation/discussion facilitation (20%), the research paper (30%), and the final examination (35%).

The research papers should involve an analytical comparison of the political institutions and/or political cultures of two or more countries, relative to a particular issue or problem. Students must submit a written outline of the paper for instructor approval by the seventh week of class.

Required Reading

In addition to a wide variety of selected articles and chapters, required reading for the course includes the following books.

Almond, Gabriel A., G.B. Powell, Jr., and R.J. Mundt. 1996. Comparative Politics: A Theoretical Framework. New York: HarperCollins.

Archibugi, D., D. Held, and M. Kohler, eds. 1999. Re-Imagining Political Community: Studies in Cosmopolitan Democracy. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

Diamond, Larry, and Marc F. Plattner, eds. 1996. The Global Resurgence of Democracy, second edition. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Lane, R. 1996. The Art of Comparative Politics. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

Lipset, Seymour Martin. 1997. American Exceptionalism: A Double-Edged Sword. New York: W.W. Norton.

de Tocqueville, Alexis. 2000. Democracy in America, edited by J.P. Mayer, translated by G. Lawrence. New York: HarperPerennial.

World Bank. 1997. World Development Report 1997: The State in a Changing World. New York: Oxford University Press.