Comparative Democratic Institutions

Course goals

After this course, the student will:

1. have basic knowledge of the main concepts and theories in political science, their content and justification as well as the main criticisms of these theories;
2. have developed the ability to apply various theoretical perspectives to real-world political phenomena;
3. have learnt the basics of how to read and write political science research;
4. have developed their analytical, communication, and presentation skills in relation to current political events;
5. have practiced the interdisciplinary skill of disciplinary grounding;
6. have practiced the professional skills of oral communication.

Content

Comparative Democratic Institutions introduces students to (primarily domestic) political institutions. Students learn about democracy and authoritarianism, and different modes of democratic set-up. These include parliamentary vs. presidential democracy, various political institutions (political parties, legislatures, cabinets, etc.), and their interactions, which are necessary to rule the polity. Students will be introduced to rational choice-based theories, such as coalition-formation theory and median voter theory. In addition, they will become acquainted with the comparative method and its various empirical forms (qualitative and quantitative studies, case studies or large-N studies). Through discussions of real-world political phenomena, we will evaluate the usefulness of these methods. By keeping up with the world political news, reading the assigned literature, and actively participating in class, students will learn the basics of doing social science research. By the end of the course students are expected to have gained a good understanding of how policies arise and have a deeper knowledge about the various political institutions and their effects both theoretically and empirically.