SUİ205

School of Economics and Administrative Sciences \ Political Science and International Relations

3

6

Compulsory

English

-

The course is compulsory in the (1) Political Science and International Relations and (2) International Entrepreneurship bachelor’s programs. Students of other departments can take it as an elective course.

As the name of the class suggests, this is an introductory review of the “comparative politics as a sub-discipline of the political science”. Throughout the term, students will explore both macro-level political phenomena (e.g., the state, branches of the government, etc.) and micro-level processes (e.g., voting, joining an association or a protest). In this scholarly journey, we will address various questions about domestic politics, such as:

How did ‘state’ emerge as the ultimate political organization?
How and why do states vary in their organizational features?
What are the different types of political systems?
How do political systems change over time?
How do formal and informal institutions shape
political outcomes?
What factors make democratic governance possible?
What are the modes of political participation?
Why do some citizens do not vote in the elections?
Why do some people take to the streets and protest?

Caramani, D. (Ed.). (2023). Comparative Politics (6th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Taking key concepts, different theoretical perspectives and analytical frameworks of the discipline into account, students will examine the formal and informal political institutions across the globe and how they emerge out of the structural dynamics and interactions among political actors with diverse interests and beliefs. They will also analyze and discuss all these concepts, models, and theories across a series of selected ‘focus countries’, like China, France, Germany, Israel, the UK and the US. Finally, they will also explore several other illustrative cases during the lectures, such that they will learn how to benefit from these conceptual and theoretical lenses in their future analyses during the rest of their academic and professional careers.

1. Students will gain a firm grasp of the key concepts in comparative politics, such as political systems, regime types (democracy, autocracy, hybrid regimes), political culture, political ideology, political institutions, and electoral systems.
2. Students will be able to describe and apply major theoretical frameworks used in comparative politics, such as institutionalism(s), rational choice theory, and structuralisms. Besides, they will explore several mid-range and issue-specific theories (e.g., modernization theory, political opportunity theory, etc.).
3. Students will be able to compare and contrast different political systems and processes across various countries, identifying similarities and differences in their structures, institutions, and outcomes.
4. Applying comparative political concepts and theories to the facts, timelines, and historical narratives, students will be able to analyze specific political events, processes, and episodes from different countries.

Week 1: Comparative Politics: What it was, and what it has become
Week 2: Why is comparative politics relevant? What are the different approaches?
Week 3: Nation state: Foundations and contemporary challenges
Week 4: Political systems: Democracy, autocracy, and beyond
Week 5: Branches of government: Legislative and executive power
Week 6: Linking institutions with the citizens: Rights and introduction to political participation
Week 7: Parties and party systems
Week 8:Interest groups and social movements
Week 9: Political attitudes and political culture: Ideas, beliefs, values, and interests
Week 10: Political participation and communication
Week 11: Public policies and welfare state
Week 12: Redistribution as the key to the welfare state: contemporary challenges

• Midterm 45 %
• Final 50 %
• Participation 5 %