Democracy in Comparative Perspective
GOVT 384
Spring 2016 not offered
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If "democracy" is rule by the people, how is democratic government accomplished in practice? What are the different ways real-world democracies can be organized to secure citizen influence over government officials, and how do these structural differences affect the nature, scope, and stability of popular rule? This course is an advanced seminar centered on these fundamental questions of democratic governance, which we will address in both empirical and normative terms. Note that the focus of the course is on the general problem of organizing and maintaining democracy; it is not an exploration of the contemporary political challenges facing any specific democratic country. That said, we will ground our discussion primarily on the major West European democracies and on the United States, and a solid grasp of at least one of those two political models is expected at the outset. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS GOVT |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (GOVT)(GOVT-American)(GOVT-Comparativ) |
Major Readings:
We will read a variety of books and articles by scholars of both comparative and American politics. The following list is not definitive, but it will give you a sense of the type of reading to be expected in the course:
Dahl, PREFACE TO DEMOCRATIC THEORY
Hamilton/Madison/Jay, THE FEDERALIST
Lijphart, PATTERNS OF DEMOCRACY
Hofstadter, IDEA OF A PARTY SYSTEM
Powell, ELECTIONS AS INSTRUMENTS OF DEMOCRACY
Laver and Schofield, MULTIPARTY GOVERNMENT
Linz, BREAKDOWN OF DEMOCRATIC REGIMES: CRISIS, BREAKDOWN, AND REEQUILIBRATION
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Examinations and Assignments:
Short weekly response papers; active participation in the seminar group; one longer paper due at the end of the semester. |
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