Social Change, Dictatorship, and Democracy

Why are some countries more democratic than others? What effects have industrialization and colonization had on developing world democracies? This course probes those questions from a sociological perspective. We'll explore the relationship between political regimes and socioeconomic factors, like class and race and look at Europe, the US, East Asia, and Latin America, using historical texts, sociological theory, novels, and films. This course will be of interest to concentrators in the social sciences, and students interested in Latin America and Asia. A foundational social science course is recommended. AP U.S. History or AP Comparative Politics is required for high school students.