Fall 2002
Tuesdays 7:20-10:00
Arlington 246

This course examines political institutions and processes from a comparative and international perspective and considers the role of the political environment in policy decisions. We will examine issues and theories that interest scholars of comparative politics — studying institutional, cultural, and economic approaches to the study of politics. An emphasis will be placed on comparing different political institutions and processes in order to develop an understanding of politics that is not limited to a specific country or area.

In addition, this course is designed enhance the research, writing, and oral presentation skills of students. Consequently, we will spend considerable time discussing strategies for locating and evaluating sources of information and constructing a coherent argument. This course should provide students with skills that will help them to write persuasive and well-researched papers and to make effective oral presentations in future courses.

Students will be expected to complete two papers, a take-home final exam, participate in two class presentations, and participate in class discussions. Grades will be determined as follows:

Paper I 25%
Paper II 25%
Presentations 10%
Class Participation 15%
Final Exam 25%

What follows is a brief description of these assignments. As the semester progresses, you will receive detailed instructions for how to complete each of these assignments.

Both papers will relate to a particular issue or policy area of your choice. Each paper should answer a focused research question and will require a review of related academic research. These papers should be roughly ten pages each. Keep in mind, however, that quality is far more important than is quantity.

Choose an issue or policy area and compare policies in the United States with policies in another industrialized democratic country of your choice. The paper should use the methods of comparative politics to explain differences (or similarities) between the two countries. Note that you must select an issue and country by September 10.

This paper asks you to suppose that you are charged with solving a particular problem or implementing a particular policy in a developing country. Explain your strategy for achieving your goal and evaluate the prospects for success, considering the unique mix of obstacles and opportunities that you are likely to confront.

Students will be assigned to a panel of three to five students and will make oral presentations to the class based on one of his or her papers. Each student will have ten minutes to provide a succinct summary of his or her paper. In addition, students will be required to comment on the papers of their fellow panelists. Thus, each student should provide the other panelists with a copy of his or her paper at least 48 hours prior to the presentation.

Class participation is an essential component of this course. You will be expected to attend and participate, and from time-to-time complete short written or oral assignments based on assigned readings.

Final Exam (Due December 10)

The final will be a take-home exam that will be handed out in class on December 3. The final will cover the entire course and will consist of essay questions that will require you to demonstrate what you have learned in this course.

The following books are required for this course. Each is available for purchase at the Arlington Campus Bookstore:

Ruth Lane, The Art of Comparative Politics, Addison-Wesley Publishing Co, 1996

Arend Lijphart, Patterns of Democracy: Government Forms and Performance in Thirty-Six Countries, Yale University Press, 1999

Larry Diamond and Marc F. Plattner, ed., The Global Resurgence of Democracy, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2nd edition, 1996

Chinua Achebe, A Man of the People, Anchor Press, Reissue edition, 1989

James C. Scott, Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed, Yale University Press, 1999

Anita Chan, Jonathan Unger, and Richard P. Madsen, Chen Village Under Mao and Deng, University of California Press, Expanded and Updated edition, 1992

David Held and Anthony G. McGrew, ed., The Global Transformations Reader, Blackwell Publishers, 2000