POL S 204

Political Science 204 - Introduction to Comparative Politics
Spring 2007

Welcome to the wacky, weird, wooly and always wonderful world of comparative politics. Although comparative politics is about comparing politics, it is best understood as the study of countries other than the United States. (One would guess that the study of comparative politics in Canada would include the U.S., but not Canada. Isn't that odd?) This course will take a developmental (or historical) approach to general theme of comparative politics, examining how different countries ended up with the general governing system that they currently maintain. We will also review some of the main institutional features of different types of polities -- presidential vs. parliamentary systems, federal vs. centralist systems, and plurality vs. proportional representation voting arrangements. A general sub-theme of the course will be the march of political freedom throughout history, along with the various setbacks freedom has faced. Alas, in only ten short weeks, the class will not be able to cover many more important topics, nor can we do adequate justice to the different countries we study. Nonetheless, through this introductory survey course, I hope to give you a flavor for some of the general ideas and themes that interest comparative political scientists.

Course Syllabus

Take-Home Essay

This essay requires you to put together some of our readings and discussions about the development and design of various governments and apply it to designing a government for Afghanistan, Haiti or Iraq. You will need to do a bit of your own research on the socio-economic and political dynamics of the country you choose to understand the basic governing issues facing each country. What system of government do you think would best be able to create a stable and functioning society and economy? Outline due Tuesday, May 8 (at the beginning of section) and final paper due on Thursday, May 24 (at the beginning of section).

Essay Grading Criteria

The grading criteria for the take-home essay. Note: This sheet currently has the old dates for appeals. I am in the process of upgrading this with the appropriate dates.

Ruling Afghanistan

This is your assignment that you will do in the first day of section on Tuesday, March 27. This assignment will get you in a mindset for the take home essay above. It is an interesting exercise in that the people in Afghanistan had to accomplish this task in real life; it isn't just an academic exercise. Hopefully, this assignment will get you thinking about how difficult it is to establish a working government.

Barrington Moore Handouts

Just as the heading says, here are some Barry Moore handouts or treat yourself to the actual book. Of course, this book is actually cheaper and I bet the author will even draw a farm animal on the inside front cover for you if you request it.

Whine Line

This is an anonymous form that you can use to complain about the class. Note, although the form does ask you for your email address, you do not have to list it. This is what anonymity is all about. However, if you do want a response to your complaint, you will need to fill in your email address. I cannot respond to anonymous emails. Duh. (Surprisingly, I did have a student get upset that I wasn't responding to his/her anonymous email.) Also, you may use this same form for anonymous compliments. That's perfectly acceptable.

Helpful Hints

This link will take you to a page filled with a variety of helpful hints about taking exams, studying, etc. Of course, everyone who is enrolled in the UW currently probably does not need such advice, but just in case, they are here for your enjoyment.

E-Readings & Other Fun Stuff!

The articles assigned in the syllabus for this course can be accessed via UW's Electronic Course Reserves.

Iraqi Constitution 2005

This link takes you to the English version of the provisional Iraq Constitution adopted in 2005. You may want to browse this document when thinking about your take home essay. I will try to keep it updated for any possible changes, but this gives you the basic outline that has been adopted and can serve as a good anchor point for your own essay.