Topics in Comparative Politics (Spring 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)

Abstract

The course introduces students to central topics in comparative politics and has three main parts. Part I focuses on one key element of democracies: elections. We will discuss different aspects of electoral systems and how they influence party systems and government responsiveness. Part II evaluates different regime types. We discuss central theories related to democratization, democratic consolidation and dictatorship. Part III assesses current societal challenges from a comparative politics perspective. Our interests will lie in questions on economic inequality and redistribution, climate change and migration.