Demir - POL2260 - Intro to CP Fall 23 Syllabus

1 POL2260 – INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS FALL 2023 SYLLABUS Instructor: Guney Demir Office Hours: Wednesdays 10.30-12.30 PM on Zoom or by appointment E-Mail: gdemir@gradcenter.cuny.edu Class Location and Time: Monday and Wednesday 9.05 – 10.20 Online-Synchronous (On Zoom ) COURSE DESCRIPTION This course is an introduction to the comparative study of the politics of countries all around the world. Students will not only learn to think critically about the politics of the world around them, but they will also develop a deep knowledge of individual countries and learn how and when general political concepts and structures are likely to transcend individual country circumstances. They will also learn how to discern which concepts and structures are not comparable across country contexts. This course should also enable students to question typical categorizations of countries and encourages students to explore the impact of the changing global context. As such, it has three primary objectives: (i) to introduce students to the major questions in comparative politics, (ii) to familiarize them with the field's best answers, and (iii) to teach them the tools necessary to think critically about those answers. After a brief discussion of the state of the discipline, the method of comparative political science, and how it relates to actual politics, we will focus on the following set of substantively important questions organized around five main themes in comparative politics: What is the state and where did it come from? How can (or why can’t) nation-states unite individuals within their borders? What is democracy and what is not a democracy? Why are some countries democracies whereas others are dictatorships? How might we explain transitions to and from democracy? When and why do revolutions occur? When and why do people go to the streets and protest? Diverse methodologies will be examined for each theme, with case studies drawn from all parts of the globe and from states with diverse political and economic conditions. COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this course, students will - have a general understanding of the historical development of intellectual trends in the field of comparative politics. - be introduced to some of the methodologies utilized in comparative politics and will learn to identify the benefits and trade-offs associated with each of them. - be able to articulate the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches and construct different models of comparative analysis. - learn how to compare different sorts of state structures and conditions and explain how those might affect the politics of that state generally and in specific case study examples. - engage different arguments about the impact of culture, ethnicity, ideology, and societal structures on political processes within countries, both generally and in application to specific cases. - learn to identify different types of regime structures, as well as the different perspectives regarding how different regime structures obtain and maintain power and which factors affect a regime’s durability - learn to identify different ways and conditions under which people show and/or organize their discontent

2 PLEASE NOTE!!! I want you to succeed in this course! Believe it or not, it makes me feel terrible when students are unengaged, frustrated, or completely lost. Remember, this is material that I find exciting or interesting, so while you might not come to share my enthusiasm, I really do want you to have a good experience intellectually in this course. If you feel that you are having difficulties following the material or discussions, please let me know immediately! I am available to meet you outside of class to review the material and answer any and all questions, I cannot help you if you do not let me know. Please do not let days or weeks go by without reaching out. TEXTS, ARTICLES AND BLACKBOARD Books, Articles and Book Chapters: There are required readings from various resources. They will be made available on Blackboard . Please make sure to check Blackboard regularly, both for readings and announcements that pertain to the course. Also, please make sure you regularly check your BARUCH EMAIL account, as course announcements and, possibly, individual emails will be sent there. COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING A. Readings: You should complete all readings before the first class meeting for which they are assigned. This is particularly important for this class. Try to plan ahead, as some classes require significantly more reading than others do. Also, the readings require careful thought, and some material may have to be read multiple times to understand fully its content and implications. B. Assignments I. Attendance and Class Participation: Participation is about listening as well as talking, and you will not be rewarded for dominating class discussions. The quality of your contributions is all that matters, particularly when they demonstrate a good grasp of reading – and engage with your classmates. Also, there will be discussion sessions, where you, individually or in a group, will discuss and write a very brief answer to the discussion questions I propose to increase your engagement with the material. II. Quizzes: There will be six quizzes that have been scheduled at the end of every topic (two quizzes for regimes topic). The lowest grade will be dropped, so you’ll have a total of 5 quiz grades. Check the class schedule at the end of the syllabus to see tentative quiz dates. These quizzes will be based on readings, as well as class lectures. The quizzes are not cumulative and will only cover one topic at a time and aim to test if you understand the concepts, theories, and methods we discussed. I will distribute the quiz questions at the end of the classes, and you will have time until the end of the day to submit your answers. III. Paper Proposal: The main outcome of this course is the final paper. Before the paper, I want you to submit a proposal, explaining what you plan to do in your final paper. Detailed instructions will be distributed, but basically, you will write one paragraph summarizing your prospective paper (which topic you choose, which countries, etc.), and a tentative bibliography –the list of resources you intend to use in your final paper. The due is November 3 rd . IV. Final Paper: Each student will write one paper, 7-10 pages in length. An assignment prompt for the paper will be distributed in class but basically, you pick one of the topics (or more) we studied in the class and at least two countries and analyze these countries. For example, you may want to explain the emergence and the current characteristics of the state in the country; and/or the development of nationalism or identity politics in the country; and/or regime type or the episodes of regime transformation in the country; and/or episodes of contentious politics. In the paper, you will need to explain why you choose the specific theory, showing the strengths of your theoretical choice as opposed to alternative approaches to the same phenomena, and you will explain your case selection criterion (why and how studying these cases will help our understanding of the phenomena? How the number of cases you select will be more helpful than more cases?)

4 and intellectual growth. Baruch students are expected to bear individual responsibility for their work, to learn the rules and definitions that underlie the practice of academic integrity, and to uphold its ideals. Ignorance of the rules is not an acceptable excuse for disobeying them. Any student who attempts to compromise or devalue the academic process will be sanctioned.” 1 Additional information regarding Baruch College’s policy on Academic Integrity is available at: http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/academic/academic_honesty.html THE WRITING CENTER The Writing Center offers free, professional writing support for all undergraduate and graduate students at Baruch, through one-to-one consultations, workshops, peer review groups, written feedback, online resources, and a journal of outstanding student writing. We support faculty through classroom visits, in-class workshops, referral forms, and workshop lesson plans, and we’re always available for conversations about teaching and writing. More information is available at http://writingcenter.baruch.cuny.edu/ , by calling (646-312-4012), or by emailing the Center at writing.center@baruch.cuny.edu . 2 This syllabus may be changed at the instructor’s discretion. Students will be informed in a timely manner of any changes. Course Schedule Introduction Monday, August 28 th : The syllabus and assignment instructions Topic 1: Concepts and Methodology Wednesday, August 30 th : What is comparative politics: Introduction to terminology, what is a theory, concept, variable, etc. Why compare? Readings : Sartori, Giovanni. 1991. Comparing and Miscomparing. Journal of theoretical politics , 3(3), 243-257. Monday, September 4 th : No class scheduled!! Wednesday, September 6 th : Evolution of the field – Epistemological traditions (positivism vs. interpretivism) Readings : Gabriel A. Almond and Stephen J. Genko. 1977. “Clouds, Clocks, and the Study of Politics,” World Politics 29, no. 4 (July): 489-522. Read= 489-505 1 Baruch College Student Development & Counseling. (2002, August). Academic Honesty. Retrieved from https://www.baruch.cuny.edu/academic/academic_honesty.html 2 Baruch College. (2017, July 30). Academic Support Services for Baruch Students. Retreived from https://provost.baruch.cuny.edu/facultyhandbook/academicsupportservices/

5 Monday, September 11 th : Research methods in comparative politics – quantitative and qualitative methods - How we compare: level of analysis, data collection, and observation techniques (surveys, interviews, historical analysis, etc.) Readings : James Mahoney and Gary Goertz. 2006. “A tale of two cultures: Contrasting quantitative and qualitative research,” Political Analysis ,14.3: 227-249. Read=227-238 QUIZ 1, September 11 th , 11.59 PM to Blackboard Further readings • Brady, Henry and David Collier, eds. 2010. Rethinking Social Inquiry: Diverse Tools, Shared Standards • Collier, David and James Mahoney. 1996. “Insights and Pitfalls: Selection Bias in Qualitative Research,” World Politics 49 (October): 56-91. • King, Gary, Robert O. Keohane, and Sidney Verba. 1994. Designing Social Inquiry. • Gerring, John. 2004. “What Is a Case Study and What Is It Good For?” American Political Science Review 98, no 2 (May): 341–354. Topic 2: The State What is the state and where did it come from? What are the main theories on the origins of the modern state? What is the state as the primary unit of analysis? What are the main critiques against the Western bias of state? Wednesday, September 13 th : What is the state? Weberian and Marxist notions of state Readings : Max Weber, Economy and Society , Vol. 1, selected pages Karl Marx and Fredrik Engels, The Manifesto of the Communist Party, selected pages Monday, September 18 th : Theories of state formation: How and why states emerged – functionalist and institutional approaches. Readings : Skim Gianfranco Poggi. 1978. The Development of the Modern State, ch.1 (pp. 1-15) Skim Tilly, Charles. 1985. ‘War Making and State Making as Organized Crime;’ in Peter B. Evans, Dietrich Rueschemeyer, and Theda Skocpol (eds.): Bringing the State Back In, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Wednesday, September 20 th : Comparing States and Critiques: State-in-Society Approach, Colonialism Readings : Patrick O’Neil. 2018. Essentials of Comparative Politics, Sixth Edition, W.W. Norton and Company, Inc, 46-58 Joel Migdal, State in Society: Studying How States and Societies Transform and Constitute One Another, 3-22 QUIZ 2, September 20 th , 11.59 PM to Blackboard Further readings • Evans, Peter B., Dietrich Rueschemeyer and Theda Skocpol, eds. 1985. Bringing the State Back In. – Introduction • Heydemann, Steven, ed. 2000. War, Institutions, and Social Change in the Middle East. • Mamdani, Mahmood. 1996. Citizen and Subject: Contemporary Africa and the Legacy of Late Colonialism. • Miliband, Ralph. 1968. The State in Capitalist Society, or, 1973. “Marx and the State,” in T. Bottomore, ed., Karl Marx. • Mitchell, Timothy. 1991. “The Limits of the State: Beyond Statist Approaches and Their Critics,” The American Political Science Review 85, no. 1 (March): 77-96.

7 TOPIC 4: Political Regimes and Regime Change What is democracy and what is not a democracy? Why are some countries democracies whereas others are dictatorships? What are the differences between regime types? How might we explain transitions to and from democracy? Monday, October 16 th : What is a regime, and what is democracy? Readings : - O’Neil, 135-139, 146-170 Wednesday, October 18 th : Institutions of democratic systems – Authoritarian Regimes Readings : O’Neil, 146-170 and 173-178 Monday, October 23 rd Authoritarian regimes Readings : O’Neil, 173-178, 184-200 Wednesday, October 25 tht : Hybrid Regimes: Democracy and Authoritarianism with adjectives Readings : Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way. 2010. “Introduction” in Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes after the Cold War. Cambridge, pp. 3 – 36. QUIZ 4, October 25 th , 11.59 PM to Blackboard Monday, October 30 th : Transitions from democracy Readings : - Bermeo, Nancy. 2016. “On Democratic Backsliding.” Journal of Democracy 27(1): 5-19. Wednesday, November 1 st Transitions from democracy Readings : - Svolik, Milan W. 2019. “Polarization Versus Democracy.” Journal of Democracy 30(3): 20-32. - Foa, Roberto and Yascha Mounk. 2017., “The Signs of Deconsolidation,” Journal of Democracy , 28: 1 Paper Proposal Deadline!!!!! November 3 rd , 11.59 PM, to Blackboard Monday, November 6 th : Transitions towards democracy – Breakdown of authoritarianism Readings : - Lipset, Seymour Martin. 1959. “Some Social Requisites of Democracy: Economic Development and Political Legitimacy". American Political Science Review - Adam Przeworski and Fernando Limongi. 1997. “Modernization: Theories and Facts,” World Politics 49:2: 155-83. Wednesday, November 8 th Transitions toward democracy Readings : - Re-read -- Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way. 2010. “Introduction” in Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes after the Cold War - Bunce, V. J., and Wolchik, S. L. 2010. "Defeating dictators: Electoral change and stability in competitive authoritarian regimes" World Politics, 62, 43-86 QUIZ 5, November 8 th , 11.59 PM to Blackboard

8 Further readings: Classification • Collier, David and Steven Levitsky. 1997. “Democracy with Adjectives: Conceptual Innovation in Comparative Research,” World Politics 49:3: 430-51. • Collier, David, ed. 1979, The New Authoritarianism in Latin America. • Dahl, Robert. 1971. Polyarchy: Participation and Opposition Authoritarian survival/breakdown • Bellin, Eva R. 2012. ""The Robustness of Authoritarianism Reconsidered: Lessons of the Arab Spring," Comparative Politics (January): 127-149. • Brownlee, Jason. 2007. Authoritarianism in an Age of Democratization. • Mainwaring, Scott and Aníbal Pérez-Liñán. 2013. Democracies and Dictatorships in Latin America: Emergence, Survival, and Fall. • Geddes, Barbara, Joseph Wright, and Erica Frantz. 2014. “Autocratic Breakdown and Regime Transitions: A New Data Set.” Perspectives on Politics 12, no. 2: 313–31. Democratic backsliding • Boogards, Matthijs. 2018. “De-democratization in Hungary: diffusely defective democracy,” Democratization 25 (8): 1481-1499. • Haggard, Stephan and Robert Kaufman. 2016. Dictators and Democrats: Masses, Elites, and Regime Change. • Kaufman, R. R., & Haggard, S. 2019. Democratic Decline in the United States What Can We Learn from Middle-Income Backsliding • Waldner, David and Ellen Lust. 2018. “Unwelcome Change: Coming to Terms with Democratic Backsliding,” Annual Review of Political Science 21: 93-113. • Carrión, Julio F. 2002. A Dynamic Theory of Populism in Power: The Andes in Comparative Perspective . Oxford University Press. (Comparing Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela) • Mainwaring, Scott. 2012. From Representative Democracy to Participatory Competitive Authoritarism- Chavez and Venezuelan Politics • Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt. 2018. How Democracies Die - What History Reveals About Our Future Topic 5: Political Participation and Contentious Politics Institutional and non-institutional ways of participation. How do political parties emerge? How do people participate in politics, simply how do they vote? When and why do revolutions occur? How do they end? How do people organize their discontent? When and why do people go to the streets and protest? Monday, November 13 th : Political Parties Readings : Seymour Martin Lipset and Stein Rokkan, eds., Party Systems and Voter Alignments: Cross- National Perspectives (1967): Introduction Wednesday, November 15 th : Social Movements Readings : Sidney Tarrow. 1998. Contentious Politics and Social Movements , in Tarrow, S. Power in Movement: Social Movements and Contentious Politics, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp: 7- 34. Monday, November 20 th : Social Movements – Change Reading : Clarissa Rile Haywood, “Disruption: What is it Good for” Journal of Politics 82, 2 (April 2020): 448-459 Wednesday, November 22 nd : No class scheduled!!