Admission requirements
None.
Description
Comparative politics is one of the major sub-fields of political science, comprising the systematic study of domestic politics – by drawing out differences and similarities within and across countries. This course is designed as an introduction to the main concepts, theories, and methods in comparative politics. It relies on interactive lectures, collective discussions, and student presentations. Given the introductory nature, the coverage of topics is by no means exhaustive, but aims at laying the foundation for the further study of politics.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
Recognise and explain key concepts and theories in comparative politics.
Identify diverse research methods used in political science.
Understand how political scientists apply theories and methods to examine real-world events.
Timetable
Timetables for courses offered at Leiden University College in 2025-2026 will be published on this page of the e-Prospectus.
Mode of instruction
The course meets for two sessions a weeks. Classes take the form of interactive lectures, in which we revisit the assigned course material and discuss it collectively. In some sessions, the students will take a short quiz about the assigned material. The students will present to the class the assigned material, once during the course.
Students are expected to come prepared to every class and participate actively in the discussions by sharing their thoughts, react to those of their colleagues, and ask questions. Depending on the topic, lectures can also be complemented by in-class exercises.
Assessment Method
The final grade is a weighted sum of the following components:
Participation, 10% (throughout the course)
Quizzes, 15% (throughout the course)
In-class group presentation, 15% (throughout the course)
Mid-term exam, 25%
Final exam, 35%
Reading list
The sessions will be articulated around a series of chapters and articles that should be read ahead of the session for which they are assigned. Chapters from the following course manual will be used:
- McCormick, J., Hague, R., and Harrop, M. (2025). Comparative Government and Politics (13th ed.). Bloomsbury Academic
Registration
Courses offered at Leiden University College (LUC) are usually only open to LUC students and LUC exchange students. Leiden University students who participate in one of the university’s Honours tracks or programmes may register for one LUC course, if availability permits. Registration is coordinated by the Education Coordinator, course.administration@luc.leidenuniv.nl.
Contact
Dr. Manuel Cabal Lopez, m.a.cabal.lopez@fsw.leidenuniv.nl (Block 1, Block 3)
Dr. Vasiliki (Billy) Tsagkroni, v.tsagkroni@fsw.leidenuniv.nl (Block 2)
Remarks
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