Introduction to Comparative Politics
Examines why democracy emerges and survives in some countries rather than in others; how political institutions affect economic development; and how American politics compares to that of other countries. Reviews economic, cultural, and institutional explanations for political outcomes. Includes case studies of politics in several countries. Assignments include several papers of varying lengths and extensive structured and unstructured class participation. Enrollment limited.
Fall 2022
This course examines why democracy emerges and survives in some countries rather than in others; how political institutions affect economic development; and how American politics compares to that of other countries. It reviews economic, cultural, and institutional explanations for political outcomes. It also includes case studies of politics in several countries. Assignments include several papers of varying lengths and extensive structured and unstructured class participation.
Readings
- Selection from Aristotle, Politics , Book 3, Part 6, c. 350 BCE.
- Selection from Ibn Khaldun, Muqaddimah ( Introduction to a Universal History ), c. 1377 CE.
- Selection from Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan: Or, the Matter, Forme, and Power of a Commonwealth, Ecclesiasticall and Civil [1651], Chapters 13 and 17.
- Sun Yat-sen. Selections from “The Principle of Mínquán. ” In The Three Principles of the People: San Min Chu I . Translated by Frank W. Price. Soul Care Publishing, 2011. ISBN: 9781927077030.
- Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World . Harper Perennial, 2006. ISBN: 9780060850524.
Prerequisites & course information
Prereq: None U (Fall) 3-0-9 units. HASS-S; CI-H
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026–2027
- MIT OpenCourseWare ↗Fall 2022
- MIT OCW readings ↗
- MIT OCW syllabus ↗
- MIT OCW calendar ↗
- Historical MIT OpenCourseWare offering. Named reading entries and schedule topics are automatically extracted from the linked source pages.