Introduction to Comparative Politics (NS 3023)

This course is designed to provide graduate students with an introduction to the study of Comparative Politics. While it is introductory, it is also designed for students at the graduate level. There is much reading and the concepts are often difficult to grasp at first reading. They are, however, necessary for political analysis. The main focus will be on different theoretical approaches to explanation in the field, as well as current conceptual issues. The course will provide analytical tools for a better understanding of the dynamics of change in the current world with particular attention to the issues of democratic consolidation, state formation, and state collapse.

Students should be able to utilize the methodologies, approaches and findings in the course readings as tools to better understand political dynamics throughout the world.  The readings cover a variety of theoretical and methodological perspectives, designed to help students to develop their abilities to think analytically about the dynamics of politics and critically evaluate various methods for analyzing political phenomena.