INTL 5050: Comparative Politics

Course Description

INTL 5050, Comparative Politics, will re-introduce students to the way various peoples and nations of the world are ruled, introducing students to the concepts, methods, and theories of the comparative approach in political science. The starting assumption of the course is that it is possible to meaningfully generalize about political phenomenon by studying and comparing country political systems. Students will explore how to use comparison to identify both what holds across cultures and nations and what is idiosyncratic, requiring area studies expertise. Points of comparison will be: the state and its origins; nations and nationalism, the polity and its structures; cleavages, citizens, elites, and interest representation; and policies and performance. Particular emphasis in this version of the course will be on democracy and democratization.

Course Objectives

Listed below are the long-term objectives you should be striving towards as a participant AND contributor in this course.

What comparative politics is and how it evolved as an academic field.
What the major methods of comparison are.
What the cultural and structural debate implies.
What the major concepts in the field are.
What the major bases for comparison are.
What comparative democracy and democratization entail.
What the major comparative works and case studies within the field are.
What the future academic direction of the comparative politics is likely to be.

Prerequisites

An undergraduate knowledge of the comparative method in political science is recommended. It is assumed the student has adequate writing and analytical skills. Also, as for all Internet courses, the student must be disciplined and self-motivated.

Course Materials

Please go to MBS Direct to find the appropriate textbooks for this course.

Please be aware when purchasing your textbooks that the International versions of the text may differ from the Domestic (North American) version required for your course.

Click here for more information about textbooks for online courses..

Course Activities

The course will be conducted entirely online. Students are expected to participate in all course activities as assigned by the instructor. Course activities may include extensive reading, papers, presentations, discussions, quizzes, and/or group projects.

Discussions:
Student "active" participation in online discussions is mandatory. It is expected that students' comments should integrate their own experience with the topic. Discussion dialogue should always be substantive, thoughtful, respectful, and meaningful with the instructor and other students. Discussion questions could be based on any course material such as weekly assignments and readings.

Additional:
The instructor may assign additional essays, research reports, current event assignments, and presentations.

Exams:
There are two exams, a midterm and a final.

Participation:
The instructor reserves the right to drop any student enrolled in the course who fails to participate in class appropriately, e.g., nonparticipation in discussions and/or failure to submit assignments.

Policy Statements

University policies are provided in the current course catalog and course schedules. They are also available on the university website. This class is governed by the university's published policies. The following policies are of particular interest:

Academic Honesty:
The university is committed to high standards of academic honesty. Students will be held responsible for violations of these standards. The university reserves the right to utilize electronic databases, such as Turnitin.com, to assist faculty and students with their academic work. Please refer to the university's academic honesty policies for a definition of academic dishonesty and potential disciplinary actions associated with it.

Drops and Withdrawals:
Please be aware that, should you choose to drop or withdraw from this course, the date on which you notify the university of your decision will determine the amount of tuition refund you receive. Please refer to the university policies on drops and withdrawals (published elsewhere) to find out what the deadlines are for dropping a course with a full refund and for withdrawing from a course with a partial refund.

Disturbances:
Since every student is entitled to full participation in class without interruption, disruption of class by inconsiderate behavior is not acceptable. Students are expected to treat the instructor and other students with dignity and respect, especially in cases where a diversity of opinion arises. Students who engage in disruptive behavior are subject to disciplinary action, including removal from the course.

Student Assignments Retained:
>From time to time, the department will retain student assignments or projects for the purpose of academic assessment. In every case, should the assignment or project be shared outside the academic department, the student's name and all identifying information about that student will be redacted from the assignment or project.

This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.

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