Government 220 - INTRO TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS

This course introduces students to comparative political analysis and provides a foundation to better understand major political, economic and social forces in a diverse set of countries. We first focus on key methods and concepts such as state and nation, asking where states come from and how are nations built. The course then addresses questions including: Why are some countries democratic and others authoritarian? How do states promote or stymie economic development? What role do civil society and social groups play in political and economic transition? The course combines theoretical and conceptual analysis with cases drawn from around the world.