30317 - POLITICAL SCIENCE AND COMPARATIVE POLITICS
BIG
Department of Social and Political Sciences
Course taught in English
Go to class group/s: 23
Course Director:
PIERO STANIG
PIERO STANIG
Course Objectives
The course provides an in-depth overview of the scientific study of political phenomena, in democratic and authoritarian regimes.
Intended Learning Outcomes
Course Content Summary
- The state: contractarian vs predatory view of the state.
- Political regimes: democracy and dictatorship.
- Varieties of dictatorship.
- Economic growth under dictatorship and democracy.
- Economic development and democracy.
- Cultural determinants of democracy.
- Transitions to democracy.
- Breakdown of democratic regimes and authoritarian reversals.
- Two visions of democracy: majority control vs. proportionate influence.
- Varieties of democracy: electoral systems.
- Political parties.
- Varieties of democracy: parliamentary vs presidential.
- Prime ministers and policy in parliamentary systems.
- Presidents and policy in presidential systems.
- The fragility of presidential systems.
- Federalism.
- Corruption.
- Clientelism.
- Ethnicity and politics.
Teaching methods
Assessment methods
Detailed Description of Assessment Methods
For attending students
- A partial (worth 50% of the grade) covering the first half of the program, and a final (worth 50% of the grade) covering the second half of the program.
- A cumulative final exam covering the entire program.
Textbooks
- W.R. Clark, M. Golder, S.N. Goder, Principles of Comparative Politics, 2nd edition.
Prerequisites
None
Last change 23/03/2017 10:40