POLS 689
Spring 2007
Office: NQ228
Office Hours: M 3:30-4:20,
Tue 4:45-5:35, F 3:30-4:20
E-mail: mnishikawa@bsu.edu
Some of the most important issues
in Comparative Politics are democratization and the democratic performance of
nations. This course will explore why some countries are more democratic than
others or are more effective in maintaining healthy democratic systems than
others. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to some of the
basic concepts and tools used in Comparative Politics and attempt to answer
these questions by exploring core topics in the study of comparative nations.
These topics include:1. Comparative methods and
approaches in Comparative Politics; 2. Political
institutions; 3. Comparative political economy; 4.
Democratization and democratic consolidation; 5.Comparative
public opinion and mass behavior.
The following courses are not
prerequisite for this course but are recommended.
POLS 625, 280, 210
Books
Required:
Adam Przeworski
et al. 2000. Democracy and Development: Political Institutions and
Well-Being in the World, 1950-1990.
Arend Lijphart. 1999. Patterns of Democracy: Government Forms and
Performance in Thirty-Six Countries.
Jose Antonio Cheibub 2006. Presidentialism, Parliamentarism, and
Pippa Norris. 2002. Democratic
Larry Diamond and Marc Plattner 1998. Democracy
in
Recommended:
Michael Bratton and Nicholas
van de Walle Democratic
Experiments in Africa Cambridge University Press
Michael
Laver and Kenneth Shepsle 1996. Making and
Michael Bratton et
al, 2004. Public Opinion, Democracy, and
Market Reform in
Larry Diamond and Marc Plattner 2003. Islam and Democracy in the
Grades
Grade is allocated
in the following way:
|
Exam |
|
20% |
|
Research Paper |
|
30% |
|
Assignments |
|
25% |
|
Participation (Discussion) |
|
25% |
|
|
|
|
|
Totals |
|
100% |
Grading Scale: For all items
in this class for which grades are assigned, the following grading scale will
be used:
|
A |
90-100% |
|
A- |
89-89.9% |
|
B+ |
86.5-88.9% |
|
B |
80-86.4% |
|
B- |
79-79.9% |
|
C+ |
76.5-78.9% |
|
C |
70-76.4% |
|
C- |
69.0-69.9 |
|
D+ |
66.5-68.9% |
|
D |
60.0-66.4% |
|
D- |
59.0-59.9% |
|
F |
-58.9 |
Final Exam
The
final exam will be based on material covered during class in lectures or class
discussions and from the readings.
Assignments
For
each class meeting, a few students will be assigned the responsibility of
leading the class discussion or for summarizing the main arguments in specified
readings. Students
are also responsible for writing a written critique for the class period they present.
Research Paper
Students
will be expected to write a research paper that explores a topic in the field
of Comparative Politics. The length of
the paper should be about 20 double spaced typed pages (with 12 point font and
one inch margins). The paper is due on April 25th. No extensions will be granted. Ten points will be subtracted from
students’ grade for each day that the paper is late. The paper will not be
accepted beyond three days from the due date.
Participation
in class discussions is strongly
encouraged. Of course, participation should be constructive, and all comments
should be relevant to the material being covered in class. Students must do all
of the readings prior to the class! Respect should be shown for all other class
members at all times.
Students are
expected to attend class regularly, arrive promptly and have a collegial
demeanor. For the lab hours, students are expected to use only appropriate
software, which typically does not include the internet or e-mail
programs.
Students will be responsible
for knowing any changes made to the syllabus during class time whether they
were in attendance or not. The instructor’s lecture notes are not available to
students; it is the student’s responsibility to obtain class notes from a
classmate, should class be missed.
Academic Honesty
Honesty, trust, and personal
responsibility are fundamental attributes of the university
community. Academic dishonesty by a student will not be tolerated, for it
threatens the foundation of an institution dedicated to the pursuit of
knowledge. To maintain its credibility and reputation, and to equitably
assign evaluations of scholastic and creative performance, Ball State
University is committed to maintaining a climate that upholds and values the
highest standards of academic integrity.
Schedule
Week 1 (1/10) Definion of Democracy, Democratic Performance
* Lijphart Patterns of Democracy Chs 1, 2, 3
Research Paper: Topic
Week 2 (1/17) Methods
* Lijphart, Arend. 1971.
“Comparative Politics and the Comparative Method” American Political Science Review 65: 682-693.
(S1,2) Jackman,
Robert W. 1985 “Cross-National Statistical Research and the Study of
Comparative Politics” American Journal of Political
Science 29: 161-182
* Lijphart Ch4
Research Paper: Bibliography
Due
Week 3 (1/24) Political
Institutions: Political Parties
* Lijphart Ch 5
** (S3,4) Aldrich 1995. Why Parties? Ch 1, 2, 3
Research Paper: Literature
review Due
Week 4 (1/31) Political Institutions: Electoral
Rules
* Lijphart Ch8
** (S5,6,7) Taagepera,
Rein and Matthew S. Shugart. Seats and Votes. Chs 1, 2, 3, 5, 8
(S8) Chhibber P, Kollman K. 1998.
“Party aggregation and the number of parties in
Research Paper: Data sources
Due
Week 5 (2/7) Political Institutions: Paliamentarism
and Presidentialism
* Lijphart Ch 7
(S1-3) Jose Antonio Cheibub 2006. Presidentialism, Parliamentarism, and
Research Paper: Introduction
Week 6 (2/14) Political
Institutions: Cabinet
**
(S4-6) Michael Laver and Kenneth Shepsle 1996. Making and Breaking Governments. Chs 1-6
* Lijphart
Ch 6
Research Paper: Introduction
Due
Week 7 (2/21) Comparative
Political Participation
(S7-1) Pippa Norris. 2002. Democratic
Research Paper: Data
Week 8 (2/28) Public
Opinion I
* ** Inglehart, Ronald. 1997. Modernization and Postmodernization: Cultural, Economic, and Political
Change in 43 Societies.
Chs 1-6
Research Paper: Data Due
Week 9 (3/7) Public
Opinion II
**
(S2-4) Michael Bratton et al,
2004. Public Opinion, Democracy, and Market Reform
in
Research Paper: Theory
Week 10 (3/14) Spring
Break
Week 11 (3/21)
Democratization and Democratic Consolidation
** (S5-7) Michael Bratton and Nicholas van de Walle Democratic
Experiments in
Research Paper: Theory Due
Week 12 (3/28) Comparative
Political Economy
(S8-2) Adam Przeworski et al. 2000.
Democracy and Development: Political Institutions and Well-Being in the
World, 1950-1990.
Research
Paper: Method Due
Week 13 (4/4) Political Culture
(S3-5) Larry Diamond and Marc Plattner 1998. Democracy
in East Asia Johns Hopkins University Press Chs
2, 6, 8, 9, 11, 14, 15
Research Paper: Results
Week 14 (4/11) Religion and
Democratization
** (S6-8) Larry Diamond and Marc Plattner 2003.
Islam and Democracy in the
Research Paper: Results Due
Week 15 (4/18) International
Influences and Democratization
To be announced
Week 16 (4/25)
Presentation,
Paper due
Week 16 (5/2)
Final
exam