COMPARATIVE POLITICS SESSION 1: INTRODUCTION
Comparative politics is a subfield of political science (CGG). “The main goal of the discipline is empirical: describe,
explain and predict similarities and differences across political system” (Caramani).
We are going to try explaining comparative politics (focus on explanations).CC
Three definitions of CP:
1. The study of political phenomena in every country except the one which the student resides.
2. The study of political phenomena through the comparative method. (how we are studying)
3. The study or political phenomena that are predominantly within countries (regions) relationships.
Conflicts civil wars
Revolution
Political economy
Environmental politics
CONTENTS:
a) Preliminaries topics
WEEK 1: setting stage
WEEK 2-3:
- Research methods in comparative politics
-The Modern state-Constitutions
-
b) Political regimes
WEEK 4. Definitions and measurement (1-2 October) CGG-Ch. 5
WEEK 5. Theories of democratization (8-9 October) CGG-Ch.
WEEK 6. Transitions to democracy-Dictatorships (15-16 October) CGG-Ch.
WEEK 7. Consequences of democracy and autocracy (22-23 October)
c) Institutional design and performance (three powers executive, legislative and law)
WEEK 8: Veto players-Horizontal separation of powers: Presidentialism vs. Parliamentarism vs. Semipresidentialism-
PA and delegation.
WEEK 9: Making and breaking governments: Parliamentary systems in depth
WEEK 10: Vertical separation of powers (between the central state and regions divisions)
WEEK 11: electoral systems
WEEK 12: Social cleavages, parties and party system.
WEEK 13. Welfare states-Inequality and redistribution
WEEK 14. Types of democracy-Political representation
d) Case studies (all weeks)
16 TH
OF DECEMBER FINAL EXAM
BIBLIOGRAPHY: LIBGEN
COMPARATIVE POLITICS (DANIEL CARAMANI)
PRINCIPLES OF COMPARATIVE POLITICS
(WILLIAN ROBERTS CLARK)
Elections
Party System
Executive- Legistalive Relations
Interest Groups
Legislatures
OFFICE HOURS:
TUESDAYS 14:30-16:00
(16:30-17:30)
18.2.A.10
ACTUAL
- Problem
oriented
solution
- Strategic
- Scientific
- Methodolo
gically
