Comparative Political Systems (Residential) [Session 2]

This course offers a broad introduction to comparative politics, the subfield of political science concerned mainly with political ideas, institutions, and behavior within states. The course examines such themes as the origins and functions of states, formal institutions such as legislatures and executives, the variety and impact of electoral systems, the nature of democracy and autocracy, internal and external challenges to political order, and the impact of international and domestic factors on state performance. Discussions of theoretical and cross-regional issues will be accompanied by treatment of individual countries and contexts. This course counts for the Comparative Government distribution requirement. This course has been renumbered, effective Fall 2014. A student who earned credit for GOVT 121 Comparative Political Systems in a prior term should not enroll and cannot earn credit in this class.