Formation/Cours

This course will introduce the discipline of comparative politics as an object of study to
students, through the presentation and discussion of key concepts, questions and themes.
The sessions will move from general questions regarding the nature and scope of comparative
politics, through an exploration of political institutions as central constructs of politics, into
a consideration of the relationships between various political actors at play in politics. This
includes comparing different political systems and regimes, the role of elites and masses,
the importance of political and electoral institutions, governance and governing and the
relationship between democracy and representation. The course will pay particular attention
to different countries and historical periods, so as to give students grounding in the core
theories of comparative politics beyond a single-country setting and through the development
of a comparative lens.

This course aims to educate students on the functioning of political systems and processes,
introduce important theories of comparative politics and offer students insights into the
ways important societal developments affect politics. Moreover, this course will teach and
encourage students to critically reflect on social and political trends, as well as render them
able to independently analyse political developments and events.
On completion of this course, students should be able to explain (amongst others):
– Understand the notion of power and its role throughout politics
– Why regime analysis is a key aspect of comparative politics
– How institutional stability and political legitimation interact

– How different institutional designs can affect governance
– What is meant by political culture and how it influences institutional behaviour
– How presidential systems differ in key respects from parliamentary ones
– The relationship between elective and non-elective dimensions of the democratic state
– How political parties shape politics

In order to acquire a good understanding of the complexities inherent in political matters
and the varieties of opinions that exist on any one topic, it is necessary to read a wide
range of sources in order to engage with the debates in a critical fashion. Reading widely
is vital if students are to be able to substantiate their arguments, which are expected to be
fact-based, theoretically conceptualised, empirically substantiated and ethically presented.
Reading lists are not exhaustive and students are encouraged to look for and draw on other
academically appropriate source materials and go beyond these readings in their preparation
for the seminars, as well as their assessments.
Please note that the reading list only provides core readings. That means it is not
exhaustive, nor is it intended to be complete. Additional readings can provide more in-depth
accounts on a particular week’s topic or on a specific application of that topic. Students
are expected to perform literature searches for relevant texts, such as journal articles and
academic books using, for example, Web of Science and Google Scholar (not Google!). For
advice on such searches or recommendations of additional literature, students can consult
the course convenor.
Each session lists a set of required and complementary readings. The required readings
are must-read materials that students should consult before coming to class. They convey
crucial knowledge that will be assumed and expanded on during the corresponding sessions.
In other words, lectures will not (only) reiterate what is in the required readings, but rather
build on and go beyond them. The complementary readings are additional key materials that
we will go over in class or that provide more detailed information about topics touched upon
during class. While it is most useful to also consult these before attending the corresponding
sessions, they can also be consulted afterwards for the purpose of clarification. For the exam,
both sets of readings are part of students’ expected knowledge base.
The core textbooks for the class are:
– Caramani, D. (2020). Comparative Politics (5th edition). Oxford University Press.
– Lijphart, A. (1999). Patterns of Democracy. Yale University Press.
You can find these core textbooks in the library, as well as here with a library connection.