DEMOCRATIC IMPERFECTIONS

POLISCI 182

Introduction to Comparative Politics, one of the four sub-fields in Political Science, which involves the comparative analysis of political institutions, processes, and outcomes at the national level. Examines how to usefully compare politics in a variety of countries and makes comparisons explicit and systematic in order to determine how governments work, how power is organized and contested at the national level, and how people can participate and pursue their interests in different political settings. Includes key concepts, theories, methods, and country case studies.

SOC 624

Theory of democracy, political culture, comparative studies of voting behavior, political decisions, collective violence, regime breakdowns, social movements, mobilization processes, frame analysis.

POLISCI 336

Democracy has come under stress, both at home and across the world. The global decline of democracy has accelerated over the past decade, and levels of democracy enjoyed by the average global citizen today are down to levels last found around 1990. The promise of democracy's inevitable ascent and dominance after the end of the Cold War has proven shortlived. Examines the state and future of a political system we tend to take for granted but should not. Starts with a brief overview of the evolution of the concept of democracy over time. Examines the relationship between democracy and economic development, culture, identity, and religion. Considers and compares core democratic institutions. Investigates current challenges to democracy and democratization and offers an overview of the state of democracy across different world regions.

CLASSICS/HISTORY/POLISCI 362

Explores key issues in the ideology and practice of Athenian democracy. Examines democratic values, institutions, rhetoric, and sociology in order to provide the basic tools to understand democracy in its ancient context. Engages with a variety of source material (literary, archaeological, epigraphic) in order to develop multiple skills of interpretation. Some questions examined include: What are the key features of Athenian democracy, how did it change over time, and how did it differ from modern democracy? How did the Athenians justify and critique this political system? How did they reconcile citizen egalitarianism with social inequalities of wealth, gender, and status? To what extent were women, foreigners, slaves, or the poor included or excluded from politics? Was Athenian democracy a robust political system or a system in crisis?

POLISCI 339

Studies the varieties and characteristics of non-democratic regimes from around the world: how they form, why they endure, and when they collapse, engaging along the way with theories of electoral behavior, political psychology, political violence, popular mobilization, and democratization.