Introduction to Comparative Politics

This course is an introduction to the field of comparative politics and will introduce students to the central concepts in the field and evaluate them in specific contexts. In particular, we will be analyzing the politics of the US, China, India, and Germany. The first half of the course will develop the core concepts of a political system and policy outcomes through a close reading of American politics. The second half will use the theoretical framework developed in the first half to analyse the German, Indian, and Chinese political systems, focusing on policy outcomes in the areas of nation-building, economic growth, and civic activism.