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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "PL 223-2"
COURSE NAME: "Comparative Politics"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Fall 2016
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SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR:
Eszter Salgo
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS:
MW 1:30 PM 2:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS:
45
CREDITS:
3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:
By appointment
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
As both a subject and a method of study, comparative politics examines the nature, development, structure and functioning of the political systems of a selection of countries with very different cultures, social and economic profiles, political histories and geographic characteristics. Through case studies, students will learn to use the comparativist’s methods to collect and organize the information and develop general explanations.
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SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
In the age of globalization and increasing interdependence the importance of comparative politics is becoming ever more evident. This course offers a comprehensive thematic overview by exploring the great challenges that most countries face in today’s world (community building, promoting economic and social development, fostering human rights and civil liberties, etc.) and the common features and variations in key political structures, functions and processes. Comparative analyses, covering countries across the world, focus on themes such as fascist, communist and democratic regimes, revolutions, charismatic leadership, protection (and/or violation) of civil and political rights, image and memory politics. Class discussions give students the opportunity to reflect on the cultural, social, political, economic and psychological factors that may foster or hinder the process of democratization in different regions, using an interdisciplinary approach.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The course will provide students with knowledge of the major issues in comparative politics and with practical skills in analysing countries around the globe. By the end of the course students will a) understand the cultural, historical, economic, political and social factors that shape nation-states; b) grasp the similarities and the differences between regimes, institutions, actors and policies; c) illustrate the causes, the nature and the impact of various revolutions; d) compare the different forms image politics and memory politics can take; e) understand what factors influence the process of democratization in different countries; f) demonstrate analytical skills in using case studies to better understand the need for comparative politics; g) employ critical thinking, analytical and research skills (relying on primary and secondary, written and visual sources); h) demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills within the context of politics.
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TEXTBOOK:
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
| Book Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN number | Library Call Number | Comments |
| Comparative Politics Today: A World View | Powell | Pearson | 978-0133807721 | | |
| Comparative Politics | Brown | Thomson Wadsworth | 978-0534601300 | | |
| Essentials of Comparative Politics | O'Neil | Norton & Co | 978-0-393-91278-4 | | |
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
| Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
| Class attendance | Class attendance will be considered in combination with assessment of students’ active participation in general and specifically during the class debates. Students will not be penalized for two absences. If further absences are recorded, grade penalties will be applied. From one to four more absences will reduce the participation score by 5% for each absence. More than six total absences will result in the overall F. | 15 % |
| Oral presentation | Each student has to select one of the topics indicated in the annex of this syllabus and provide an approximately 10 minute long oral presentation (the dates of the presentations are indicated in the same annex). Oral Presentation is graded on ability to provide a convincing comparative analysis, a coherent explanation of factual/historical material and logical content of argument, ability to critically analyze alternative points of view and to provide satisfying answers to questions raised in the discussion. | 15 % |
| Final exam | The final exam consists of test questions, short answers and essay questions. It test students on concepts and topics covered throughout the semester. Students are graded on accuracy, depth of analysis, logical content, creative thinking, on their ability to use comparative method, formulate a sophisticated argument, provide evidence for their statements, discuss and show understanding of alternative explanations. | 40% |
| Term Paper | Each student has to submit a term paper on the topic of the oral presentation (2000 words, using APA citation style): research abstract (one paragraph which includes the title and a few sentences explaining the choice and the most important issues) with running bibliography should be handed by September 19; the final research paper must submitted by November 21. Oral presentations are graded on ability to provide a convincing comparative analysis, a coherent explanation of factual/historical material and logical content of argument, to critically analyze alternative points of view and provide satisfying answers to questions raised in the discussion.
| 30 % |
-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that require
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised. There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluate theory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture and reference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material. Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included. In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Class attendance is mandatory. Students will not be penalized for two absences. If further absences are recorded, grade penalties will be applied. From one to four more absences will reduce the participation score by 5% for each absence. More than six total absences will result in the overall F.
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ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic
dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred.
In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment,
may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of
academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student
who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from
the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation
to the President, who will make the final decision.
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STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap.
Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning
of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
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SCHEDULE
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COURSE SCHEDULE
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Week
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Topic
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Reading
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Week 1
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- Introduction
-What is comparative politics?
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- O’Neil (2015) Chapter 1, Brown (2006) Introduction
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Week 2
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- States: characteristics, origins, and evolution
- Nations and society
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- O’Neil (2015) Chapter 2
- O’Neil (2015) Chapter 3
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Week 3
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- Democratic regimes
- Nondemocratic regimes
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- O’Neil (2015) Chapter 6
- O’Neil (2015) Chapter 8
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Week 4
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- Comparing the Italian Fascist and the German Nazi regimes
- Communism and post-communism
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- Morgan, P. (2003) Fascism in Europe (1919-1945), Routledge Chapter 3
- O’Neil (2015) Chapter 9
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Week 5
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- Developing countries
- No class on Wednesday September 28. Visit to the Italian Senate on September 30 at 12am
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- O’Neil (2015) Chapter 10
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Week 6
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- The failure of the transition paradigm
- Oral presentations
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- Carothers, T. (2002) The end of the transition paradigm in Brown (2006) Chap. 25; Jones, S. G. (2013) The mirage of Arab Spring. Deal with the Region You Have, not the Region You Want, in Foreign Affairs, Jan-Feb; Berti, B. (2015) Beyond the Transition Paradigm: Political and Judicial Reform in the “New Middle East” in Mediterranean Politcs, Vol 20 Iss. 3
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Week 7
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- Oral presentations
- Review
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Week 8
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- Oral presentations
- Oral presentations
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Week 9
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- Oral presentations
- Comparing image politics
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- Burke P. (2001) Eyewitnessing. The Uses of Images as Historical Evidence, Intro and Chapt.4
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Week 10
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- Charismatic leadership in contemporary China and Russia
- Nostalgia for the lost empire in contemporary Turkey and China
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- Lu, X and Soboleva, E. (2014) Personality Cults in Modern Politics: Cases from Russia and China, CGP Working Paper Series 01/2014
- Danforth, D. (2015) Exhuming Turkey's Past Ottoman Revivalism, Then and Now In “Foreign Affairs”, March 11 and Confucius says, Xi does. The Communist Party turns to ancient philosophy for support, Economist, Jul 25th 2015; Page, J. (2015) Why China Is Turning Back to Confucius, The Wall Street Journal
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Week 11
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- Comparing politics of commemoration
- Comparing the American, the French, the Bolshevik and the 1989 revolutions
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- Moore L. M.(Re) covering the Past, Remembering Trauma: the Politics of Commemoration at Sites of Atrocity
- Eisenstadt, S. N. (1992) Frameworks of the Great Revolutions: Culture, Social Structure in Brown, Chapter 17; Furet, F. (1998) Democracy and Utopia in Brown, Chapter 18; Stefan Auer (2004) The revolutions of 1989 revisited, Eurozine
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Week 12
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- Tolerance and intolerance 1550-1700
- Female suffrage in Europe
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- MacGregor Part 17
- Ruth Rubio-Marín (2014) Suffrage, The achievement of female suffrage in Europe: on women’s citizenship
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Week 13
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- LGBT rights across the world
- Comparing countries' democratic credentials
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- Human Rights watch 2015 LGBT: Moving towards equality; Encarnación, O. G. (2014)Gay Rights: Why Democracy Matters, Journal of Democracy, Vol 25 No 3
- The Economist (2016) Democracy Index 2015. Democracy in an age of anxiety
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Week 14
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- Comparing countries’ soft power
- Review
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- Portland (2015) The Soft Power 30. A Global Ranking of Soft Power
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Week 15
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Exam
Term paper and oral presentation topics
Choose two countries and compare …
1. … the characteristics and the strength of their civil societies
2. … their party systems
3. … their constitutions
4. … how the political elite seek to build a national community through ‘symbol politics’
5. … how the political elite seek to build a national community through ‘memory politics’
6. … the political role played by the military
7. … the role religion plays in politics
8. … their welfare programs
9. … the use of humor as a political tool
10. … the regulation of and the public debate about birth control
11. … the role played by associational groups in interest articulation
12. … their journey towards democracy
13. … their policies aimed at promoting economic growth
14. … the massive violations of human rights perpetrated by the government
15. … the impacts of a regime change on the political system
16. … the restriction of civic rights by the government
17. … the various manifestations of national pride
18. … the nature of their national identities
19. … the role of education in shaping students’ attitude about politics
20. … how popular culture reflects (and shapes) citizens’ beliefs and emotions
21. … their foundation myths and the celebration of national holidays
22. … the use of street art as a political tool
23. … the link between sport and national identity
24. … their immigration policies
25. … the various forms political propaganda takes
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