Year 2010-11

Comparative politics I (21976)

  

Qualification: Degree in Political Science
Year: 2nd
Term: 2nd
Number of ECTS credits: 4 credits
Hours of student dedication: 100 hours
Teaching language: Catalan and Spanish
 

  

1. Introduction to the course

 

The aim of this course is to learn to analyze and explain political phenomena "in a comparative way". To do this we have chosen as an example one of the most crucial political issues of our time: the rise of democracy and the decline of dictatorships in the world. Thus, we will analyze and explain in a comparative manner where, how and why some countries are democracies while others sustain non-democratic regimes.

 

2. Competences to be achieved

 

Generic competencies.

  • Ability to synthesise.
  • Knowledge of a second language.
  • Information management skills (ability to retrieve and analyze information from a variety of sources).
  • Appreciation of diversity and multiculturalism.
  • Research skills.
  • Knowledge of cultures and traditions of other countries.

Specific competencies:

  • Recognition of the structure of political systems and how they work.
  • Recognition of the foundations of comparative politics.

  

3. Contents

 

Topic 1. Comparative politics. What is comparative politics and its types. Why do we compare. Comparisons to evaluate. Comparisons to explain.


Topic 2. The comparative method. The logic of the comparative method. Different case selection designs.


Topic 3. The empirical study of political regimes. Definitions of democracy. Polyarchy's essential elements.


Topic 4. The economic conditions of political regimes. The study of the relationship between the economy and political regimes.


Topic 5. Institutions and social classes. What is the role of democratic institutions in their durability? Class structure and democratization.


Topic 6. Political transitions. Transitions to democracy. The role of pacts and political elites. Formal models of transition.

  

4. Assessment

 

The evaluation of the course will combine the acquisition of knowledge from the lectures and individual study and the application of such knowledge in the seminars.


Activities in the seminars will be worth 50% of the final mark and the rest will be based on a final exam.   To pass the course students must reach a minimum level in the exam. 

 

5. Readings and resources

  

5.1. Basic bibliography

 

Bartolini, S. 1993. "Metodología de la Investigación Política," in Gianfranco Pasquino et alt Manual de Ciencia Política. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.

Brooker, P. 2000. Non-Democratic Regimes: Theory, government, and politics. New York: St. Martin's Press.

Boix, C. 2006. "The Roots of Democracy." Policy Review, no. 135.

            Dahl, R. 1999. La Democracia: Una guía para los ciudadanos. Madrid: Taurus.

Landman, T. 2000. Issues and Methods in Comparative Politics: An introduction.  London: Routledge.

            Lijpart, A. 2000. Modelos de Democracia, Barcelona: Ariel.

Przeworski, A. 1991. Democracy and the market. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (Cambridge University Press also has a Spanish translation).

 

5.2. Educational resources

 

Use of texts: Sebastian Haffner's memoirs "Historia de un Alemán",

Use of webpages: http://freedom.indiemaps.com/; http://www.nationmaster.com/index.php; http://www.systemicpeace.org/polity/polity4.htm;

Use of databases: Polity IV, Freedom House, Przeworski, Alvarez and Cheibub,

Use of statistical software: SPSS

  

6. Methodology

 

The subject will be taught through lectures and in seminars where the acquired knowledge in lectures will be applied.

  

7. Programme of activities

 

Week 1:

1st hour: Using the comparative method. Students complete individually a series of exercises on the comparative method.  The aim is for students to revise the most similar and most different comparative methods.

2nd hour: Classifying political regimes. Presentation of the database Polity IV in a computer room. Comparing the classification of political regimes of Polity IV and Przeworski (et al).

 

Week 2:

1st hour: Screening of video on totalitarianism.

2nd hour: Debate. Group debates on selected topics related to the subject of Comparative Politics I.

 

Week 3:

1st hour: Debate. As in previous case.
2nd hour: Debate. As in previous case.