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.
Exam
Re-exam
Schedule
Lectures
Workgroups