Comparative Politics is a sprawling field of inquiry in which scholars investigate issues ranging from the origins of revolution to the family planning policies of various governments, from democratization to land seizures by peasant communities in different countries. What holds this field together is the notion that we can best understand and explain the political phenomena of different nations (including our own) by comparing them in careful, precise ways. In this course, we will examine some of the questions Comparativists ask, and the ways they go about answering them. We will also familiarize ourselves with the politics and polities of a sampling of nations around the globe, and mull over arguments concerning their differences and similarities. In this course you should become more knowledgeable of other countries, and also see how comparisons enable us to better understand our own nation’s political development. This course is offered both semesters.
