Introductory description

This module introduces the core issues, methods, and concepts of comparative politics. It provides a broad range of methods and approaches of comparative political science. Some key questions we will tackle are as follows. Why are some countries democratic and others not? Why are some countries rich and others not? Why do countries have different institutions and forms of government? Why do people use political violence in some places and times? What role does culture play in contemporary politics? What effects do different institutional designs have upon political outcomes? Why do different ethnic groups sometimes live together peacefully, and sometimes not? Why is nationalism stronger in some places?

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Week 1: Information about the Module. What is Comparative Politics?
Week 2: How and What to Compare?
Week 3: How to Describe Political Systems?
Week 4: Are Democracies "Better"?
Week 5: How to Explain Regime Change?
Week 6: Reading Week
Week 7: Mini-symposium I: Research Ideas
Week 8: Why is Nationalism Stronger in Some Places?
Week 9: Comparative Politics in a Globalized World?
Week 10: Mini-symposium II: Research Designs

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• possess an excellent knowledge of key methodological debates in comparative politics
• skills of comparative analysis which enable students to analyse, interpret and compare a number of countries
• an understanding of key issues in comparative politics
• the ability to produce an analytical piece of comparative research

Indicative reading list

Reading
Week 1: What is comparative politics? [Introduction]
Caramani, Daniele (4th ed.) (2017) Comparative Politics, Oxford UP. Ch. 1-2, "Introduction to comparative politics" and "Approaches to comparative politics" . Alternatively you may use the 2014 and 2011 editions (please check you read the chapters corresponding to the session).
Lijphart, A. (1971). Comparative politics and the comparative method. American political science review, 65(3), 682-693.

Week 2: How and what to compare? [Comparative methodology]
Caramani, Daniele (2017) Comparative Politics, Oxford UP. Ch. 3 "Comparative research methods" (H. Keman])
Atikcan, Ece Ozlem (2015), Framing the European Union: The Power of Political Arguments in Shaping European Integration, Cambridge University Press, Ch.1 "The referendum conundrum" --> library: e-book. [small-N comparative case study; between-country comparison )

Week 3: How to describe political systems? [Conceptualization]
Caramani, Daniele (2017) Comparative Politics, Oxford UP. Ch. 5 "Democracies"
Follesdal, Andreas, and Simon Hix (2006). Why there is a Democratic Deficit in the EU: A Response to Majone and Moravcsik, in: Journal of Common Market Studies 44(3): 533-562.
Zweifel, Thomas (2002). ...Who is Without Sin Cast the First Stone: The EU's Democratic Deficit in Comparison, in: Journal of European Public Policy 9(5): 812-840.
Héritier, Adrienne (2003). Composite Democracy in Europe: The Role of Transparency and Access to Information, in: Journal of European Public Policy 10(5): 814-833.

Week 4: Are democracies "better"? [Causality]
Clark, William, Matt Golder and Sona Nadenichek Golder (2013) Principles of Comparative Politics, Sage. Ch. 9 "Democracy or Dictatorship" --> library: JF51.C53.
Ross, Michael Lewin (2006) Is Democracy Good for the Poor?, in: American Journal of Political Science 50: 860-874.
Lake, David and Matthew Baum (2001) The Invisible Hand of Democracy: Political Control and the Provision of Public Services, in: Comparative Political Studies 34: 587-621.
Doorenspleet, Renske (2012) Critical Citizens, Democratic Support and Satisfaction in African Democracies, in: International Political Science Review 33(3): 279-300.

Week 5: How to explain regime change? [Theory]
Lipset, Seymour Martin (1959). Some Social Requisites of Democra­cy: Economic Develop­ment and Political Legitimacy, in: American Politi­cal Science Review 53: 69-105.
Welzel, Christian (2009). Theories of Democratization. In: Christian Haerpfer, Patrick Bernhagen, Ronald Inglehart, and Christian Welzel (eds) Democratization, Oxford University Press, pp.74-90 (CH. 6) --> library: JC423.D381357.
Landolt, Laura and Paul Kubicek (2014) Opportunities and Constraints: Comparing Tunisia and Egypt to the Coloured Revolutions, in: Democratization 21(6): 984-1006.

Week 8: Why is nationalism stronger in some places? [Hypotheses]
Hale, Henry (2004). Divided We Stand: Institutional Sources of Ethnofederal State Survival and Collapse, in: World Politics 56(2): 165-193.
Posner, Daniel (2004), The Political Salience of Cultural Difference: Why Chewas and Tumbukas Are Allies in Zambia and Adversaries in Malawi, in: American Political Science Review 98(4): 529-545.
Sorens, Jason (2004), Globalization, Secessionism, and Autonomy, in: Electoral Studies 23, 727-752.
Walter, Barbara (2006), Building Reputation:Why Governments Fight Some Separatists but Not Others, in: American Journal of Political Science 50 (2), 313-330.

Week 9: Comparing countries in a globalized world? [Article structure]
Keck, Margaret and Kathryn Sikkink (1999), Transnational Advocacy Networks in International and Regional Politics, in: International Social Science Journal 51 (159), 89-101.
Kopstein, Jeffrey and David Reilly (2000), Geographic Diffusion and the Transformation of the Postcommunist World, in: World Politics 53 (1), 1-37.
Beissinger, Mark (2007), Structure and Example in Modular Political Phenomena: The Diffusion of Bulldozer/Rose/Orange/Tulip Revolutions, in: Perspectives on Politics 5 (2), 259-276.
Atikcan, Ece Ozlem (2015), Diffusion in Referendum Campaigns: The Case of EU Constitutional Referendums, in: Journal of European Integration 37 (4), 451-470.

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Research element

Students write a research essay in this module.

International

The topics covered by the module are all international in scope.

Subject specific skills

Theoretical and analytical skills in comparative politics
Ability to conduct empirical research in comparative politics

Transferable skills

Communication and presentation skills
Lateral thinking skills
Skills in the distillation and application of complex information and ideas
Critical thinking
Analytical skills
Independent research skills
Problem solving
Time management
Skills in academic practice
Awareness of, and sensitivity to, diversity