COMPARATIVE POLITICS (4 Credits)

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this course, student will be able to: define the major theories and approaches in the discipline of comparative politics; discuss the key terms and issues in Comparative Politics; compare economic challenges facing countries in Asia; criticize major aspects of democratic and non-democratic political systems.

Topics:

1. What is Comparative Politics and why we study it?
2. Theories of comparative politics: Institutions, Culture, and Economy
3. The State: Origin and conceptualisation
4. Nations and Nationalism
5. State and Society: Class, economic power, and political power
6. Democracy and Authoritarianism
7. Civil Society, Social Capital and Democracy
8. Market, Capitalism and Development
9. Understanding the origin of the Chinese State
10. Understanding Chinese Nationalism
11. Understanding Chinese authoritarianism
12. Understanding China’s Economic Reform
13. South Korea’s Political and Economic Development
14. Developmental State, Confucianism, and East Asia Miracle
15. Japan’s Political and Economic Development
16. Political and Economic Development in Southeast Asia