Class

Date

Topic

Due dates (i)

INTRODUCTION

1

M 25 Jan

Overview:  Roadmap of the class

2

W 27 Jan

What is comparative politics?

3

M 1 Feb

Comparative methods: case studies & large-N analysis

Download readings by Munck_Snyder and byMahoney (instead of Caramani)

STATES AND REGIMES

4

W 3 Feb

The nation state

5

M 8 Feb

Regimes: Varieties of democracy

6

W 10 Feb

Regimes: Varieties of autocracyLeDuc reading

7

W 17 Feb

Case-study discussions:  South Africa, Nigeria, and Iran

INSTITUTIONS

8

M 22 Feb

Institutions: Constitutions: Prof Toft Visiting Speaker

9

W 24 Feb

Institutions: Electoral systems

Report 1

10

M 1 Mar

Institutions: Executives & bureaucracies

11

W 3 Mar

Institutions: Legislatures

12

M 8 Mar

Institutions: Federalism and decentralization

13

W 10 Mar

Case-study discussions: UK, US, France and Germany

ACTORS

14

M 22 Mar

Political parties & party systems

15

M 24 Mar

Interest groups & social movements

16

M 5 Apr

Political culture

Report 2

17

W 7 Apr

Political activism

18

M 12 Apr

Political communication

19

W 14 Apr

Case-study discussions: Mexico and Brazil

POLICIES

20

M 18 Apr

Policymaking processes

21

W 21 Apr

Governance performance: Economic performance & welfare states

22

M 26 Apr

Case-study discussions: India and China

23

W 28 Apr

Conclusion & wrap up

 Report 3