Description
This course builds on the themes discussed in Introduction to Political Science. The aim is to provide a general introduction to the study of comparative politics. The core concepts of the field are analysed within the context of five Western democracies: Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States. Focus will be on the main political cleavages like class, ideology, ethnicity and religion, and how these divisions have played out in the countries under examination. In terms of the contents of the course, topics covered include Christian democracy, social democracy, liberalism, corporatism, the welfare state, nationalism, citizenship, party structures and electoral politics.
Methods of Instruction
Lectures and class discussions
Study Material
Literature (approx. 1000 pp):
Mark Kesselman, Joel Krieger, Chistropher S. Allen, Stephen Hellman, David Ost, George Ross (2008) European Politics in Transition, 6th Edition, Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin;
plus additional material made available through Blackboard
Examination
Final exam and bonus marks for working group participation
Tentamen: dinsdag 20 oktober 2009, 9.00-12.00 uur, USC
Hertentamen: dinsdag 12 januari 2010, 9.00-12.00 uur, SA41
Voor de tentamens dient men zich tot uiterlijk 10 dagen voor de tentamendatum via U-twist aan te melden.
Schedule
hoorcolleges
dinsdag 1 september, 13.00-15.00 uur, 1A20 en
maandag 7 en 14 september, 11.00-13.00 uur, 1A20 en
woensdag 9 september t/m 14 oktober, 9.00-11.00 uur, SA41 en
vrijdag 11 september t/m 16 oktober, 11.00-13.00 uur, SA41
werkgroepen
werkgroep 1: vrijdag 4 september t/m 16 oktober, 9.00-11.00 uur, 1A33
werkgroep 2: vrijdag 4 september t/m 16 oktober, 9.00-11.00 uur, 5A37
werkgroep 3: vrijdag 4 september t/m 16 oktober, 13.00-15.00 uur, 1A33 (behalve 16 oktober, 5A41)
werkgroep 4: vrijdag 4 september t/m 16 oktober, 13.00-15.00 uur, 1A22 (behalve 16 oktober, 15-17 uur SA37)
werkgroep 6: vrijdag 4 september t/m 16 oktober, 15.00-17.00 uur, 5A37
Minor Students
For those taking this course for 5 ECTS as a part of the political science minor ‘Conflict and Consensus’ the exam will be modified accordingly and working-group sessions are to be considered optional (though recommended).