An examination of various paths of European political development through consideration of the conflicts which shaped these political systems: the commercialization of agriculture; religion and the role of the church; the army and the state bureaucracy; and industrialization. Stress will be on alternative paradigms and on theorists.

An analysis of the political system of the Federal Republic of Germany with an emphasis on the party system, elections, executive-legislative relations, and federalism. Comparisons will be made with other West European democracies and the Weimar Republic.

This course will examine the consequences of social and economic change in France. Specific topics will include institutional development under a semi-presidential system, parties, and elections.

Consideration of political, economic, and security factors that have kept Germany at the center of European developments for more than a century.

Introduction to the politics and societies of the Scandinavian states (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden). Focuses on historical development, political culture, constitutional arrangements, political institutions, parties and interest groups, the Scandinavian welfare states, and foreign policy.

Emphasis will be placed on the interaction between British political institutions and processes and contemporary policy problems: the economy, social policy, foreign affairs. The course assumes no prior knowledge of British politics and comparisons with the United States will be drawn.

This course reviews the origins and development of the European Community/European Union and its institutions, theories of integration, and the challenges inherent in the creation of a supranational political regime.

This course will provide a comparative perspective on the development and functioning of the Italian political system. It includes analysis of political institutions, ideological traditions, parties and elections, political elites in the policy process, and the evolving importance of Italy within European integration.

This course examines general themes affecting the region (social structure and regime type, religion and modernization, bonds and tensions), the character of major states, and efforts to resolve the conflict between Israel and its Arab and Islamic neighbors.

An interdisciplinary study of Israel as both a unique and yet a common example of a modern democratic nation-state. We will examine Israel's history, its political, economic and legal systems, social structure and multicultural tensions, the tension between state and religion, national security and international relations.

A study of the political drawing on cases selected from the French and Russian Revolutions, the Nuremberg and Tokyo War Crimes Trials, revolutionary China and Cuba, and the Vietnam War era. The course will examine critically the relationship between politics and the administration of justice across time, culture, and political systems. 

This course surveys the academic literature on parliamentary studies, comparing the research on legislative elections, behavior, and organization in American, European, and Asian democracies. The course will also compare various approaches to studying legislative activity. Prerequisites: PS 11 for 123A; 123A for 123B.

A comparative survey of the major dimensions of the electoral systems used in contemporary democracies (including plurality and majority systems, proportional representation, and districting methods) and of their effects on party competition.

Focusing on judicial systems in civil and common law traditions, and in authoritarian as well as democratic politics, this course explores the judicial branch’s traditional weakness, even in some democracies. The course considers alternative theories of judicial development and applies them to evidence from judicial systems in several countries.

Conservation in developing countries concerns resources that are extremely important to policymakers, militaries, environmental organizations, communities, and individuals. This course examines these groups’ struggle for control over wildlife and forests – from the capital to the village – on several continents.

A popular new idea in environmental protection is to include local communities in conservation efforts. But what are these communities? What challenges do they face in governing their own resources? This course uses both theory and case studies to explore the political economy of community-based conservation.

This course explores how economic factors affect political institutions and how political action affects economic behavior in the United States and Western Europe. Particular attention is given to relations between business and labor, economic policy choices, and the impact of international trade. Prerequisite: PS 11 or consent of instructor.

This course explores the interrelationship of politics and economics in Eastern Europe, analyzing the historic evolution of the area, the socialist period, and contemporary political and economic change there.

Seminar deals in-depth with one or some of the issues touched on in PS 126AA and/or 126AB. Potential topics may include: labor and politics, privatization and divestment, regulation and deregulation, the welfare state, politics of public and private bureaucracy, and other such issues. Prerequisites: PS 126AA and/or 126AB or consent of instructor.

This course critically examines central concepts and theories jof development, and assesses their utility in understanding political, economic, and social change in the developing world. Central case studies are drawn from three regions: Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia.

An overview of the historical background and contemporary politics of the fifteen successor states of the Soviet Union.

Undergraduate research seminar on the Post-Soviet Union. Issues and research areas will vary each time the course is offered.

An examination of the dynamics of the Russian Revolution from 1905 through the Stalinist period and recent years in light of theories of revolutionary change. Emphasis is placed on the significance of political thought, socio-economic stratification, and culturo-historical conditions.

This course analyzes the political system of China since 1949, including political institutions, the policy-making process, and the relationship between politics and economics. The main focus is on the post-Mao era of reform beginning in 1978.

This course will examine the interventions of foreign powers in Vietnam between 1945 and 1975 (including France, the United States, China, and the Soviet Union) and the effects of intervention.

An analysis of the dynamics of the Chinese Revolution from the fall of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) to the present. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between political thought and the dynamics of the revolutionary process.

An intensive examination of the quests for modernity undertaken by Chinese and Japanese leaders from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. Emphasis is placed upon the relationship among indigenous values, international pressures, and issues concerning national identity.

Political development has dominated the study of comparative politics among U.S. academicians since the revival of the Cold War in 1947. This course examines critically this paradigm and its Western philosophical roots in the context of the experience of modern China.

This course will analyze the political systems of modern Japan in comparative-historical perspective.

This course discuses the following major topics in three East Asian countries (Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines) from a comparative perspective: (1) economic and political development; (b) political institutions; and (c) policies.

This seminar course is designed to be an advanced follow-up to PS 133D Political Institutions of East Asian Countries. The course examines present-day East Asian government institutions in much greater depth.

This course combines an examination of general models of the way in which public policy is made in Japan, and a review of outcomes in several substantive policy areas, such as education, public works, health and welfare, and pollution.

This course looks at one of the world's most dynamic and complex regions. The course has three parts: a review of the history and politics of the region; a country-by-country study of several Southeast Asian states; and a look at major challenges facing the region.

The relationship between the U.S. and Japan has been described as "the most important in the world, bar none." This course will examine U.S.-Japan security and economic relations in the postwar period from the Occupation and Cold War alliance through the severe bilateral trade friction of the 1980s and 1990s to the present relationship and how it is being transformed by the forces of globalization, regionalization, and multilateralism.

Comparative analysis of contemporary political systems and developmental profiles of selected Latin American countries, with special reference to the ways in which revolutionary and counter-revolutionary movements have affected the political, economic, and social structures observable in these countries today. Analyzes the performance of "revolutionary" governments in dealing with problems of domestic political management, reducing external economic dependency, redistributing wealth, creating employment, and extending social services. Introduction to general theoretical works on Latin American politics and development.

General survey of the Mexican political system as it operates today. Emphasis on factors promoting the breakdown of Mexico’s authoritarian regime and the transition to a more democratic political system. Changing relationship between the state and various segments of Mexico society (economic elites, peasants, urban labor, and the Church). New patterns of civil-military relations.

Continuation of PS 134B. Emphasis on government policies and performance affecting economic development, job creation, population growth, social inequality, poverty, rural-urban imbalances, and migration. Case studies of specific government programs and regional variations in policy outcomes.

A comparative analysis of contemporary political issues in Latin America. Material to be drawn from two or three countries. Among the topics: development, nationalism, political change.

A comparative examination of twentieth-century political conflicts and currents in the Andean countries of South America: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Topics include economic underdevelopment, Indian relations, militarism, guerrilla warfare, and revolutionary movements.

This course is a comparative analysis of twentieth-century political developments and issues in the Southern Cone of Latin America: Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. The course will also examine the social and economic content and results of contrasting political experiments.

(Formerly PS 146D) Compares and contrasts different types of political parties in Latin America; conservative, liberal, populist, christian, democratic, socialist, and communist. Investigates their origins, ideologies, programs, leadership, followings, organizations, and successes or failures within varying political systems in different countries. Cannot also receive credit for PS 146D.

An examination of ethnic and nationalist conflict and the policy options to resolve these peacefully. Appropriate case studies from around the world will be selected.

This course is designed to provide undergraduates with a sound introduction to cultural interpretations of power and politics. The course will also attempt to render an explicit account of the process of theory formation in social science. Special attention will be given to Africa and Asia.

This course examines the politics of the administrative state in the world's democracies. In particular, the course will focus on how political institutions influence governance across different types of democratic institutional environments.

This course serves as an introduction to the comparative study of political parties and interest groups. The course has three parts: 1) an analytical introduction to parties, interest groups, and their role in democratic representation; 2) parties and interest groups in Great Britain; and 3) parties and interest groups in Italy. Prerequisite: PS 11 or consent of instructor.

An undergraduate course designed to cover various aspects of comparative politics.

An introduction to the domestic and international political orders of the ancient West. Primary focus will be on the strengths and limitations of comparative and international relations theories when applied to the ancient world of city-states, kingdoms, and empires.

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