Admission requirements
Basic knowledge of Political Science is recommended to take this course. This implies that students have followed at least 10 EC of courses on government and politics.
Course objectives
Objective 1: General introduction to the study of comparative politics with a global and long-term view.
Objective 2: The core concepts of the field are analysed within the context of informative case-studies.
Content: 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 and the pressing issues are analysed within the context of five informative case-studies (Britain, France, the United States, Ethiopia, and South Africa) directly in class, while other case-studies will be examined within the workgroups. Focus will be on the main political cleavages like class, ideology, ethnicity and religion, and how these divisions have played out in the long run. In terms of the contents of the course, topics covered include state-building, nation-building, economic development, ethnic politics, citizenship, party structures and electoral politics.
Timetable
Mode of instruction
Lectures and workgroups.
Course load
Total course load for the course is: 10 EC/ 280 hours
Hours spent on attending lectures: 28 hours
Hours spent on attending workgroups: 14 hours
Time for studying the compulsory literature: 150 hours
Time for completing assignments (including reading/research) and study for the exam: 88 hours
Assessment method
Final exam (75%) and workgroup attendance and participation (25%).
First opportunity for an exam
Thursday 22 October 2015, 09.00-12.00 in the USC
Second opportunity for an exam
Monday 11 January 2016, 13.00-16.00 in the USC
Blackboard
Students can find the course syllabus and additional course materials on Blackboard. Students are advised to enroll on Blackboard before the start of the course.
Reading list
Jan Erk, Tom Louwerse, and Kavita Ziemann (2013), Politiek in een veranderende wereld: Nederland en België in vergelijkend perspectief, Leuven: Acco.
Additional material made available through Blackboard.
Recommended additional reading for non-Dutch speakers:
- Mark Kesselman, Joel Krieger, Christopher S. Allen, Joan DeBardeleben, Stephen Hellman, David Ost, George Ross (2009), European Politics in Transition, 6th Edition.
Registration
Course
Students need to register for lectures and work group sessions in uSis. It is not possible to take a course without a valid registration. Please consult the course registration website for information on registration periods and further instructions.
Minor students, please see the tab meer info for information on how to apply.
Exam
Students are not automatically registered for exams. They can register themselves in uSis until 10 calendar days before the exam date at the latest. Students who are not registered will not be permitted to take the exam. More information can be found on the exam registration website.
Registration Exchange and Study Abroad students
Exchange and Study Abroad students, please see the Prospective students website for information on how to apply.