SP&E 350 - Theories and Issues in Comparative Politics

This course introduces major topics in comparative politics and provides basic training for comparative politics graduate students. The main purpose of this course is to introduce key questions as well as classic and modern approaches in comparative politics. The course focuses not on facts but on the task of causal (positive) explanation. It explores the major theoretical and conceptual building blocks in the sub-fields: theory, method, development, violence, culture, institutions, parties, regimes, governance, etc. Each week we discuss a subset of the pertinent scholarly literature, mainly focusing on a major theoretical controversy. We compare and contrast answers to important questions and ask what makes an explanation “good.” We discuss when a theory is most useful and if a complementary theory could be posited that would subsume previously conflicting or incompletely successful theories. Upon completion of this course, students should have an understanding of the intellectual trends in the study of comparative politics, knowledge of key concepts and spheres of debate, and an ability to articulate the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches and issues in comparative politics.
Units: 4
Course Type: Seminar