PSCI 204 Introduction to Comparative Politics Williams ... › files › ICP-08-091.pdfIntroduction...

PSCI 204 Introduction to Comparative Politics

Williams College, Department of Political Science Fall 2008

Professor Ngoni Munemo

216 South Academic Building 597-2010 [email protected] Office Hours: Mondays, 10:30am – noon Wednesdays, 2:30pm – 4:00pm and by appointment

Section 1

Hopkins B03 M & Th 1:10 pm – 2:25 pm

Section 2 Hopkins B03

M & Th 2:35 pm – 3:50 pm

Course Description

Comparative politics is often defined in contrast to international relations because anarchy does not rein at the domestic level. In this formulation, the presence of centralized institutions of governance at the domestic level prevents the war of each against all associated with world politics. But, what are these institutions, how did they develop, and do they always produce the order they are imagined to? In answering these questions, this course provides an introductory survey to the study of politics through the questions, puzzles and analytic frameworks of comparative politics. The course is also grounded in developing a working knowledge of politics in several countries: Nigeria, France, China, Mexico, India, USA and Rwanda. The countries covered in the course are intended to help you develop and apply some of the skills and techniques of comparative politics.

We cover the following topics in this course:

PART 1

The Method(s) and Explanatory Frameworks in Comparative Politics

The State and Bases of Authority

Nationalism

Modern Political Regimes

PART 2

Regime Change and Consolidation

Social Movements and Contentious Politics

Revolutions

Identity/Ethnic Politics

Readings

The syllabus lists required readings. You are expected to complete all required readings before each class meeting.

The following text has been ordered for the course and is available at Water Street Books:

PSCI 204: Introduction to Comparative Politics Fall 2008

Prof. Ngoni Munemo ([email protected]). SAB 216

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Jeffrey Kopstien and Mark Lichbach, 2005. Comparative Politics: Interests, Identities, and Institutions in a Changing Global Order. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Readings marked by a ** are in the course reading packet, available for pick-up on the first floor of Weston. The reading packet will come in two (2) parts. Part 1 is available immediately; Part 2 will be ready shortly.

This course is also informed by current events in countries around the world. As such, I expect you to keep abreast of contemporary political and economic events by regularly reading the international/world section of a major news provider (New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, The Times of London, The Guardian, The BBC News Online). All are online and most are free.

Reading Guide:

The reading loads are not especially heavy, about 120 pages a week, so you are expected to read them carefully and reflectively. Before approaching each reading think about the discussion questions for that day/topic. Then skim over the reading to get a sense of the themes it covers, the countries, the periods, the methods and, before reading further, jot down on a piece of paper what questions you hope the reading will be able to answer for you: what do you hope to be able to learn from reading the article? Next, read the introduction and conclusion. This is normally enough to get a sense of the big picture.

Ask yourself: are the claims in the text surprising? Are you convinced? Can you think of examples of places that do not seem to be consistent with the logic of the argument? Is the reading answering the questions you hoped it would answer? If not, is it answering more or less interesting questions than you had thought of?

Next ask yourself: what kind of evidence or arguments would you need to see in order to be convinced of the claims? Now read through the whole text, checking as you go through how the arguments used support the claims of the author.

Keep an eye out for unstated assumptions that the author uses: what does she assume about how humans behave or think? What does she assume about the ability of groups to act collectively, and so on. It is very rare to find a piece of writing that you agree with entirely. So as you come across issues that you disagree with or are not convinced by, write them down and bring them along to class for discussion. Also note when you are pleasantly surprised, when the author produced a convincing argument that you had not thought of.

Requirements

Attendance and Class Participation (20%)

Regular attendance and participation is expected and necessary for you to do well in this course. I will spot check attendance during the semester as I see fit. If you must miss class, I want to be notified ahead of time. Exceptional participation will be rewarded with a bonus grade. More

than two unexcused absences will result in a 50% reduction in your class participation grade; more than three will result in a 100% reduction.



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In addition to our regular class meetings, we will have four (4) Friday discussion sessions throughout the semester on current topics that relate to our class themes. Each section will have a maximum of 10 students, and each student is required to attend at least one discussion session. You are welcome to attend more than one discussion session. Readings and topics for discussion will be set in advance of each meeting. The meeting dates are Sept. 26, Oct. 10th, Oct. 31st and Nov. 21st.

Response Papers (20 %)

You are required to write 4 response papers of no more than 3 pages, based on an assigned question and drawing on the readings for that day. Each paper must be drawn from a different Topic of the course. The first 2 response papers are due before the mid-term (by Thursday Oct. 9th). Papers are due on the day we discuss that in class.

Your response essays should be double-spaced, with standard sized font (times or times roman size 12 font) and margins no smaller than an inch at the top, bottom, left and right.

In-Class Mid-Term (25 %)

There will be closed-book in-class mid-term exam on Thursday October 16th. The in-class mid-term will have two parts:

a. 5 short ID’s (3 points each)

b. 1 essay question (10 points)

The list of 10 IDs and 4 essay questions from which the mid-term will be drawn will be handed out in class on Thursday October 9th.

Final Exam (35 %)

There will be a closed-book final exam to be scheduled for exam week. The final will consist of:

a. 5 short ID’s (3 points each)

b. 2 essay questions (10 points each)

The list of 10 ID’s and 10 essay questions from which the exam will be drawn will be handed-out on the final day of class (Thursday Dec. 4th).

Honor Code Guidelines Apply to All The Written Requirements For This Course. Give Credit to Ideas That Are Not Your Own, Even If Drawn From The Internet. If

you are Not Sure How to Give Credit, Ask Before You Turn In Written Work.



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Thursday Sep. 4:

INTRODUCTION

Monday Sep 8:

Unlike the other three sub-disciplines of political science, comparative politics is the only one whose name signals both a substantive focus and a methodological approach. What ever else we do, we presumably COMPARE. The three readings for today address what is meant by comparison and why we compare.

Comparative Politics and the Comparative Method

Kopstein and Lichbach. 2005. “What is Comparative Politics,” in Comparative Politics. Chapter 1

Lichbach and Zuckerman. 1999. “Research Traditions and Theory in Comparative Politics: An Introduction,” in Lichbach & Zuckerman ed. Comparative Politics. New York: Cambridge University Press. Chapter 3 **

Arendt Lijphart. 1971. “Comparative Politics and the Comparative Method,” APSR, Vol. 65(3) **

Discussion Questions:

Discuss the three research traditions in comparative politics. Do you think that these research traditions are mutually exclusive?

Is there a difference between the experimental, statistical and the comparative method?

As discussed by Kopstein and Lichbach, what do we compare and how do we compare?

Thursday Sep. 11

Interests, Institutions and Culture: Explanatory Frameworks in CP

Kopstein and Lichbach. 2005. “The Framework for Analysis,” in Comparative Politics. Chapter 2

Margaret Levi, 1999. “A Model, A Method, and a Map: Rational Choice in Comparative and Historical Analysis,” in Lichbach & Zuckerman ed. Comparative

Politics. New York: Cambridge University Press. Chapter 2 **

Marc Howard Ross, 1999. “Culture and Identity in Comparative Political Analysis,” in Lichbach & Zuckerman ed. Comparative Politics. New York: Cambridge University Press. Chapter 2 **


Based on the reading, what are the central assumptions of the interest-based (rational choice) explanatory framework? Do you foresee any potential



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problems with this approach?

What is culture? Is a cultural explanation significantly different from an interest-based or institutional explanation?

Monday Sep. 15:

MACRO FRAMEWORKS

Comparative politics is often defined in contrast to international relations because anarchy does not rein at the domestic level. In this formulation, the presence of centralized institutions of governance at the domestic level prevents the war of each against all imagined for world politics. The readings for today address three key questions: what are these centralized institutions, how did they develop historically, and what happens when they fail?

The State

Max Weber. 1946. “Politics as a Vocation,” in Gerth & Wright Mills edited and translated, From Max Weber: Essays in Sociology. New York; Oxford: Oxford University Press. **

Charles Tilly. 1985. “War making and State Making as Organized Crime,” in Evans et al., Eds. Bringing the State Back In. New York: Cambridge University Press. Chapter 5 **

Jeffrey Herbst, 2000. “Introduction” & “The Challenge of State Building in Africa,” in Herbst States and Power in Africa. Princeton, NJ.: Princeton University Press. **


According to Tilly, ‘wars make states, and states make war’. Critically discuss the logic and dynamic of state formation implied by this statement.

Based on the readings, can one discern a logic understood to characterize all states? Or are differences among states so vast that generalizations about what states are and how they behave are worthless?

According to Herbst, what are the prerequisites for successful state formation? How do these factors interact with each other to produce state consolidation?

Thursday

At the domestic level, what makes decisions by state institutions authoritative? That is, why do individuals comply with the rules and regulations announced by holders of political office? Weber’s chapter, which demands close reading, provides a typology of types of authority.



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Sep. 18: Bases of Authority and Legitimacy

Max Weber. 1947. “The Types of Authority and Imperative Co-ordination,” in Henderson & Parsons edited and translated, Max Weber: The Theory of Social and Economic Organization. Chapter III. **

Richard Joseph. 1983. “Class, State and Prebendal Politics in Nigeria,” Journal of

Commonwealth and Comparative Studies, Vol. 21(3): **

Peter Lewis. 1996. “From Prebendalism to Predation: The Political Economy of Decline in Nigeria,” Journal of Modern African Studies, Vol. 34(1) **


As discussed by Weber, what differentiates traditional, charismatic and rational legal authority?

In his 1983 article, Joseph argues that politics in Nigeria is prebendal. What does Joseph mean by prebendalism? What is the relationship between prebendalism and the 3 bases of authority discussed by Weber?

In light of Lewis’s article, is Nigeria still a prebendal state? How would you characterize the basis of political authority in Nigeria?

Monday Sep. 22:

Nationalism

Ernest Renan. What is a Nation? **

Anthony D. Smith The Origins of Nations **

Benedict Anderson Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of

Nationalism. Chapters 1-3 **

Anthony Marx. 2002. “The Nation-State and Its Exclusions,” Political Science

Quarterly, Vol. 117 (1) [24] to be e-mailed to you


So, What is a Nation? Is there a difference between a state and a nation?

How and why does the development of print media shape the process of nation building?

Are all nations imagined along similar lines?

Thursday Sep. 25

Case: France

Arista Maria Cirtautas. 2005. “France,” in Kopstein and Lichbach. Eds. Comparative

Politics. Chapter 4. pp 81-98

Eugene Joseph Weber. 1976. Peasants into Frenchmen: The Modernization of Rural France,

1870-1914. Stanford, CA.: Stanford University Press. Chapters 6 & 7 **



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According to Eugen Weber, at what point did the French Crown become interested in the linguistic conquest of its territories? In your view, why do think a single language was important?

Friday Sep. 26th

First Discussion Session

Topic, Meeting and Location TBA

Monday Sep. 29:

MODERN POLITICAL REGIMES

Modern political systems not only differ with respect to their bases of authority, as we noted last week, but also fundamentally differ on the relationship they engender between state and society (i.e. regimes). In this section of the course we examine some of the theoretical and empirical grounds by which comparativists have classified states based on the relationship between state and society

Sultanistic, Totalitarian and Authoritarian Regimes

Aristotle. 1888. “On Democracy and Tyranny,” in Ellis translated A Treatise on

Government. London: Routledge and Sons. **

Franz L. Nuemann. 1957. “Notes on the Theory of Dictatorship,” in Nuemann, The

Democratic and Authoritarian State. New York: Free Press. **

Jaun Linz and Alfred Stepan. 1996. “Modern Nondemocratic Regimes,” in Linz & Stepan, Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press. Chapter 3. **


According to Aristotle, what are the three forms of tyranny? Are these three forms of tyranny analogous with Nuemann’s simple, ceasaristic and totalitarian dictatorship?

As discussed by Linz and Stepan, what is the fundamental difference between an authoritarian and a totalitarian regime?

Thursday Oct. 2:

China

Yu-Shan Wu. 2005. “China,” in Kopstein and Lichbach. Eds. Comparative Politics. Chapter 8. pp 253-251.

Andrew Nathan. 2003. “China: Authoritarian Resilience,” Journal of Democracy, Vol. 14(1): 6-17. **



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Bill Giley. 2003. “The Limits of Authoritarian Resilience,” Journal of Democracy, Vol. 14(1) **

Gongqin Xiao. 2003. “The Rise of the Technocrats,” Journal of Democracy, Vol. 14(1) **


The readings suggest that China has gone through a number of significant reforms over the past couple of decades. Based on your understanding of regime classification, in your view, is China totalitarian or authoritarian?

According to Nathan, why did communism collapse in the USSR but survive in China? Are there limits to the authoritarian resilience Nathan attributes to China?

Monday Oct. 6:

Almost universally, all states claim to be democratic. In today’s readings we examine some of the issues that are at stake in debates about classifying regimes as democratic

Democracy

Robert Dahl. 1971. Polyarchy: Participation and Opposition. New Haven; London: Yale University Press. Chapter 1. **

Philippe Schitter and Terry Lynn Karl. 1991. “What Democracy is … and Is Not,” Journal of Democracy, Vol. 2(1): 75-88. **

Alverez, et al., 1996. “Classifying Political Regimes,” Studies in Comparative International

development, Vol. 31(2-3) **


As elaborated by Dahl, what makes a political system democratic? Do you foresee any problems with the definition that Dahl provides?

Why, according to Schmitter and Karl, can democracy not be reduced to the regular holding of elections? Would Alverez et al., agree with Schmitter and Karl?

Thursday Oct. 9:

Nigeria

Ben Rawlence and Chris Albin-Lackey. 2007. “Breifing, Nigeria’s 2007 General Elections: Democracy in Retreat,” African Affairs, Vol. 106(424): 497-506. **

IRI. 2007. 2007 Nigerian National Elections: Pre-Election Assessment Final Report. Washington, D.C.: The International Republican Institute. **

Robert I. Rotberg. 2007. Nigeria: Elections and Continuing Challenges. The Center for Preventive Action, Council on Foreign Relations, CSR No. 27 **




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Based on the evidence from the readings, would you consider Nigeria democratic? In your

answer, be explicit about how you are defining democracy.

Friday Oct. 10th

Second Discussion Session

Topic, Meeting Time and Location TBA

Thursday Oct. 16th:

IN-CLASS MID-TERM

In this part of the course we explore several topics in comparative

politics (regime change and consolidation, social movements and

contentious politics, revolutions and identity/ethnic politics) from each

of the three explanatory frameworks introduced in the first half of the course.

Monday Oct. 20th:

REGIME CHANGE

All the readings in this section address an enduring puzzle in comparative politics: why do some countries become democratic, but others fail? As we will see, answers to these questions have involved macro-historical accounts, social-cultural postulations and more short-term strategic analyses.

Transitions to Democracy

Adam Przeworski. 1991. Democracy and the Market. New York: Cambridge University Press. Chapter 2 **

Almond and Verba. 1965. The Civic Culture: Political Attitudes and Democracy in Five

Nations. Boston & Toronto: Little, Brown and Company. Chapter 1 **

Seymour Martin Lipset, Kyoung Seong & John Charles Torres. 1993. “A Comparative Analysis of the Social Requisites of Democracy,” International Social

Science Journal, No. 136: 155-175. **


What is the relationship between economic development and transitions to democracy?

What is the ‘civic culture’? What is the relationship between political attitudes and regime types?

According to Przeworski under what conditions are transitions to democracy likely?



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Thursday Oct. 23rd:

Case: Mexico

Joseph L. Klesner. 2001. “The End of Mexico’s One-Party Regime,” PS: Political

Science and Politics, Vol. **

Sabia and Kohler. 2008. “The 2006 Mexican Presidential Election: Democratic Development or Democratic Debacle?,” Journal of Third World Studies, Vol. 25(1): 161-181 **

Chapter 9 (Mexico) of Comparative Politics: Interests, Institutions, and Identities in a Changing

Global Order. 299-333.


What explains the defeat of the PRI in the 2000 elections in Mexico? In view of your answer, which theoretical framework do you think most comprehensively explains the transition in Mexico?

In light of the conduct of the 2006 Presidential elections, would you consider Mexico to be democratic? Be sure to draw on theory and evidence in your response.

Monday Oct. 27th:

Once a transition to democracy has occurred, what makes democracy stick? How do we know when a democracy is at risk of collapse? The readings for this week grapple with these key questions.

Democratic Consolidation

Adam Przeworski. 1991. Democracy and the Market. New York: Cambridge University Press. Chapter 1 **

Larry Diamond. 1999. Developing Democracy: Toward Consolidation. Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins University Press. Chapter 5 **

Alfred Stepan and Cindy Skach, “Constitutional Frameworks and Democratic Consolidation: Parliamentarianism versus Presidentialism,” World Politics. Vol. 46(1): 1-22. **


What is democratic consolidation? Does it mean or imply more than the continuation with elections?

After a transition, all democracies have the same chance of being consolidated. Discuss with respect to readings from this week

What does Przeworski mea by self-enforcing compliance? How does this idea inform his understanding of democratic consolidation?

Case: India



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Thursday Oct. 30th:

Chapter 10 (India) of Comparative Politics: Interests, Institutions, and Identities in a Changing

Global Order. 343-94

Ashutosh Varshney. 1998. “Why Democracy Survives,” Journal of Democracy, Vol. 9(3): 36-50.**

Atul Kohli. 1998. “Enduring Another Election,” Journal of Democracy, Vol. 9(3): **


India possesses many of the attributes (extreme poverty, high illiteracy, high social stratification, etc.,) generally assumed to hinder democracy. What accounts for the survival of democracy in India?

What makes Kohli say that India ‘endures’ elections? Does this suggest that, perhaps, democracy in India is not yet consolidated?

Friday Oct. 31st

Third Discussion Session

Topic, Meeting Time and Location TBA

Monday Nov. 3rd:

SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND CONTENTIOUS POLITICS

Sidney Tarrow. 1998. Power in Movement: Social Movements and Contentious Politics. New York: Cambridge University Press. Chapter 1 **

Mancur Olson. 1960. The Logic of Collective Action Chapter 1 **

Discussion Questions

What is contentious politics? According to Tarrow, under what conditions is collective action likely? Do you find this argument convincing?

What is a public good? Why characteristics of public goods make collective action difficult? Are there any general solutions to these collective action problems?

Thursday

Nov. 6th:

Case: US Civil Rights Movement

Martin Luther King Jr. 1958. Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story. New York: Harper & Row Publishers. Various Chapters **


Based on MLK’s account, what factors contributed to the successful staging of the Montgomery Bus Boycott? What does this mean for the ‘collective action problem’ identified by Olson?



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Monday Nov. 10th:

REVOLUTIONS

Karl Marx. Manifesto of the Communist Party **

Ted Gurr. 1970. Why Men Rebel. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Chapter 1 **

Mark Lichbach. 1995. The Rebels Dilemma. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press. Preface + Chapter 1 **


What is the rebel’s dilemma? Are there any solutions to this dilemma?

According to Marx, why is class conflict inevitable?

What does Gurr mean by absolute deprivation? How compelling is this concept as an explanation of revolutions?

Thursday Nov. 13th:

Case: China

Kenneth Lieberthal. 2004. Governing China: From Revolution Through Reform. Second Ed. New York: W W Norton & Company. Chapters 1 & 2


In the last class we looked at three explanations of revolutions. After reading the chapter by Lieberthal, which framework do you think gives a more compelling account of the Chinese Revolution?

Monday Nov. 17th:

IDENTITY POLITICS

Donald Horowitz. 1985. Ethnic Groups in Conflict. Chapters 1 -2 **

Sinisa Malesevic. 2002. “Rational Choice Theory and the Sociology of Ethnic Relations: A Critique,” Ethnic and Racial Studies, Vol. 25(2) **

Kanchan Chandra. 2006. “What is Ethnic Identity and Does it Matter? Annual review

of Political Science, Vol. 9 **


According to Horowitz, what is an ethnic group and why is this type of identity associated with conflict?

According to Malesevic, what are the limitations of an interest-based understanding of ethnic relations? In his view, what is a more appropriate framework for examining ethnic relations?

According to Chandra, what is ethnic identity? Under what conditions might



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ethnic identity become the basis for political mobilization?

Thursday Nov. 20th:

Case: Rwanda

Mahmood Mamdani. 2001. When Victims Become Killers: Colonialism, Nativism and the

Genocide in Rwanda. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Chapter 2 **

Helen M. Hintjens. 1994. “Explaining the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda,” The Journal

of Modern African Studies, Vol. 37(2)**


Are Hutus and Tutsis primordial identities? Be sure to justify your answer.

What are the factors behind the outbreak of 1994 genocide in Rwanda? What does this say about the salience of identity in political mobilization?

Friday Nov. 21st

Forth Discussion Session

Topic. Meeting Time and Location TBA

Monday Nov. 24th:

POLITICAL ECONOMY

What is Political Economy

Peter Ordeshook. “The Emerging Discipline of Political Economy,” in Alt & Shepsle Perspectives on Positive Political Economy. **

Martin Staniland. What is Political Economy? Chapter 1 **


What is political economy?

What are some of the features of positive political economy (PPE)? Which of the three explanatory frameworks does PPE belong to?

Monday Dec. 1st:

Do different regime types have a substantive effect on important economic outcomes? Specifically, does democracy in the political realm foster or hinder growth?

Regime Type and Growth/Development

Adam Przeworski & Limongi. 1993. “Political Regimes and Economic Growth,” Journal of Economic Perspectives, Vol. 7(3): 51-69. **

Jose Maria Maravall. 1995. “The Myth of the Authoritarian Advantage,” in



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Diamond and Plattner, eds., Economic Reform and Democracy. Baltimore; London: The Johns Hopkins University Press. Chapter 2.**


Economic development has occurred and failed to occur under a variety of totalitarian, authoritarian and democratic regimes. Therefore, there is no reason to believe that the form of a regime significantly affects economic performance. Based on the readings, critically discuss and develop your own position on the relationship between regime type and economic performance

Thursday Dec. 4th:

LAST CLASS MEETING

REVIEW SESSION

LIST OF CONCEPTS AND ESSAY QUESTIONS FROM WHICH THE EXAM WILL BE DRAWN HANDED OUT

PSCI 204 Introduction to Comparative Politics Williams ... › files › ICP-08-091.pdfIntroduction...

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