California State University, Los Angeles

5151 State University Drive • Los Angeles, CA 90032

POLS 373 FOUNDATIONS OF COMPARATIVE POLITICS

Introduction to Method, Theory and Issues in Comparative Politics

WINTER 2007

Instructor:	Timothy C. Lim	Days/Time:	TTH 11:40 a.m. -1:20 p.m.
E-mail:	tclim@calstatela.edu	Classroom:	SH C-164B
Telephone:	(323) 343-2242	Office:	E&T 513
Office Hours: TTH-1:30-3:00 / W 4:30-5:30 • To schedule an appointment online, please go to my Yahoo!Groups page at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Lim_csla
Instructional Web Site: http://instructional1.calstatela.edu/tclim

Course Overview

The primary aim of this is class is to make you a “good comparativist” – i.e., someone who is able to use various intellectual or conceptual tools in the field of comparative politics to better analyze, understand and/or explain significant events and processes in various countries and societies throughout the world. These significant or “big” events and processes include democratization, state-building, ethnic and/or domestic conflict (including “terrorism”), national poverty and capitalist development. The utility of comparative politics, however, is not limited to analyzing big events or processes; indeed, a good comparativist will be able to apply his or her knowledge and skills to a wide range of problems and issues, both big and small and at all levels—from the local, to the national, to the global. Being a good comparativist, in this regard, means knowing how to think about and analyze issues in a systematic and “scientific” manner.

Does being a good comparativist also require knowing a lot about different countries, societies, and peoples? On one level, the answer is clearly “yes.” Certainly, most academic comparativists are “experts” or specialists on particular countries, societies, and/or regions; more importantly, it is from this in-depth knowledge of particular places that the raw material, or empirical evidence, of much comparative analysis comes (although, for the purposes of this course, it is important to understand that prior knowledge of a specific place is not a prerequisite to doing well). Indeed, simply knowing about places is not enough; one must also know how country-specific knowledge can be used comparatively to gain a better understanding of the world around us. This will be a main focus of our class.

This said, in the first part of our course, we begin with an examination of several basic, but extremely important (methodological) questions: Why compare? How should we compare? And what can or should we compare? We also spend some time examining the major strategies of comparative analysis—the case study, two-unit comparisons, multiple-unit comparisons, and “mixed” designs. Next, we will examine three major theoretical traditions in comparative politics, which can be roughly divided into rationalist, cultural and structural approaches. You will be expected to “apply” one or more of the comparative strategies and theoretical approaches in various assignments.

In the second part of our course, we’ll explore several central questions in comparative politics explicitly using the same methods and approaches studied in part one. These questions include, among others: Why are poor countries poor? Why is East Asia rich? What makes a democracy? The examination of these questions will be tightly structured and designed to help you gain a deeper and more substantial understanding of comparative political analysis.

Course Requirements and Grading

Your grade in this class will be based on several major requirements, as follows:

Quizzes (up to 18). For each class session, there will be a short quiz usually composed of 3 to 6 fill-in-the blank, multiple choice and/or short answer questions. The quizzes will be based on the assigned readings and previous lecture(s). Some questions will be very easy, others may be a bit more challenging. In general, though, the questions are not meant to be difficult for students who have done the readings, taken careful notes, and spent time reviewing their notes before class. Each quiz will be worth 10 points and, on a cumulative basis, 30 percent of your overall grade. Be forewarned: There will be NO make-up quizzes for any reason (I will, however, drop your lowest score, or two lowest scores, when calculating the overall quiz score at the end of the quarter). In general, you will receive 3~5 points simply for writing your name on the quiz (that is, even if you are not prepared, you can receive some credit by coming to class on time). If you come to class late, you may sign your name on the day’s quiz to receive partial credit; however, it is your responsibility to do so at the end of class (don’t wait until the next day or, worse still, until the end of the quarter).

All quizzes will be OPEN NOTE but you may NOT use your textbook.

Special Note on Attendance and Participation. I expect you to come to class consistently and on time. I also expect you to be prepared for all class sessions. Indeed, for the large majority of students, consistent attendance and preparation—combined with a willingness to stay actively engaged in class lectures/discussions—is essential to doing well. You will not, however, be graded directly on attendance. Instead, attendance will be assessed indirectly through the in-class quizzes. It is largely for this reason that I do not allow make-ups—that is, because I use the quizzes as a way to encourage attendance and preparation, missing a class means you have failed to fulfill the primary objectives of the quiz. It is for this reason, too, that I do not record quiz scores for students who leave class shortly after taking a quiz. To reiterate: Regardless of your score, you will receive 0.0 points on the quiz for that day if you do not attend the bulk of the class and if you do not inform me beforehand that you need to leave early**—e.g., if you leave class immediately or shortly after taking the quiz, your score will be tossed out. ** Leaving early without penalty will only be excused one or two times, depending on the circumstances.

Mini-test (1). The mini-test will cover material from chapter 1-3. The format will be the same as the daily quizzes; in fact, most of the questions will come directly from the quizzes. The mini-test will be CLOSED NOTE and CLOSED book, and will be worth 15 percent of your course grade. NOTE: The mini-test is tentatively scheduled for October 11 at the beginning of the class. I anticipate providing 30 minutes for the test, after which a regular lecture/discussion will follow. Click here for some tips on preparing for the mini-test.

Mini-essays (3). During the quarter, you will be required to complete THREE 1~2 page, single-spaced mini-essays, which will ask you to respond to a basic question dealing with the course material (Look for this symbol * in the reading schedule.) Overall, mini-essays will be worth 25 percent of your course grade. Be advised that each essay will be progressively more important with regard to its impact on your course grade. The breakdown is as follows: essay no. 1—5.0 percent, no. 2—7.5 percent, and no. 3—12.5 percent.

Final Examination (1). The final examination will be cumulative and comprehensive. It will follow the same format as the mini-test, but cover material from the entire book and any other material discussed/covered in class. The final exam will be worth 30 percent of your course grade. Click here for tips on preparing for the final examination.

GRADING. Grading will be strictly determined by a weighted average of the scores you receive on the four requirements. The scale is as follows:

A: 90 percent and above A-: 87~89 percent B+: 84~86 percent B: 80~83 percent

B-: 76~79 percent C+: 73~75 percent C: 70~72 percent C-: 66~69 percent

D+: 63~65 D: 60~62 D-: 55~59 F: 54 and below

Students on the “borderline” of two grades (e.g., a score of 86.7 percent, which is between a B+ and A-) may be awarded the higher grade if they have demonstrated a strong and consistent commitment to learning the course material (this would be reflected in preparation, in-class participation, attendance, and so on). Alternatively (or in addition), scores may be adjusted upward depending on the overall distribution of scores in the class.

Course Text

The following book is REQUIRED for the course:

· Timothy Lim, Doing Comparative Politics: An Introduction to Approaches and Issues (Boulder: Lynner Rienner Publishers, 2006)

READING SCHEDULE (**Subject to change!)

* This symbol indicates a mini-essay assignment • ** This symbol indicates an assignment due date

1. Jan. 2	Introduction to Course: A Primer on Comparative Politics In our first meeting, we will conduct a thorough review of the syllabus and of the requirements of the course. A short lecture on chapter one will follow. Students who miss the first class session will be still be responsible for all the material covered on the first day. Reading: LIM, ch 1-19 • The first quiz on January 4^th will be based on material covered in the first day lecture
2. Jan. 4	The Comparative Method: An Introduction During this class, we will view a short excerpt from the film, Bowling for Columbine, directed by Michael Moore. A short lecture/discussion will follow. Students who miss this class must view the film on their own time (a copy is available in the library) Reading: LIM, ch. 1, pp. 19-29
3. Jan. 9	The Logic of Comparing: Understanding the MSS and MDS designs Reading: LIM, ch. 2, pp. 31-44
4. Jan. 11	Strategies of Comparison: From the Case Study to the Mixed Design Reading: LIM, ch. 2, pp. 44-59
5. Jan. 16	The Comparative Method: Practice During this class, we will view segment from ABC News’ “Stupid in America” by John Stossel. If you miss today’s class, you will be responsible for viewing this video on your own (a copy will be available in the library) Reading: LIM, ch. 2, pp. 59-63; John Stossel’s “Stupid in America,” available at http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Stossel/story?id=150033 (You can view the entire segment on YouTube) • Check the CourseSite reading page for more information * Mini-essay Assignment: Write a short evaluation of John Stossel’s argument in “Stupid in America” as a comparativist, focusing primarily on the (comparative) methodological aspects of Stossel’s argument. For an example, see my blog entry, “Is John Stossel Stupid?” Your essay will be due on January 23. Further details will be announced in class.
6. Jan. 18	Theory in Comparative Politics: A Primer Reading: LIM, ch. 3, pp. 65-75
7. Jan. 23	Theory in Comparative Politics: Rationality, Structure and Culture Reading: LIM, ch. 3, pp. 65-93 ** IMPORTANT NOTE ** The material from this section of the chapter will not be covered in depth during our lecture; it is critical, however, that you read the material very, very closely. The material constitutes an essential foundation for the remainder of the course. ** First mini-essay assignment is due! Your essay must be turned in at the beginning of the class period. Essays turned in more than 10 minutes after class begins will be considered late.
8. Jan. 25	The Questions: Why are Poor Countries Poor? Reading: LIM, ch. 4, pp. 97-113 Mini-test (tentatively scheduled for today). Covers material from chapters 1-3
9. Jan. 30	The Questions: Why are Poor Countries Poor? During this class, we will watch the film Life and Debt by Stephanie Black. A discussion will follow. If you miss today’s class, you will be responsible for viewing this video on your own (a copy will be available in the library) Reading: No reading
10. Feb. 1	The Questions: Why are Poor Countries Poor? Reading: LIM, ch. 4, pp. 113-124
11. Feb. 6	The Question: Why is East Asia Rich? During class, we will watch an extended excerpt from the documentary, Asia Rising. This film is not available in the library, so make every effort to attend class. Reading: LIM, ch. 5, pp. 125-149
12. Feb. 8	The Questions: Why is East Asia Rich? Reading: LIM, ch. 5, pp. 149-156 * 2^nd Mini-essay Assignment: Can Jamaica be rich, too? Answer this question from an explicitly rationalist, cultural or structural perspective (or some combination thereof). Your response must also make use of comparative analysis, including “comparative checking.”
13. Feb. 13	OPEN DATE (for “catching up”) Reading: TBA
14. Feb. 15	The Questions: What Makes a Democracy? Reading: LIM, ch 6, pp. 157-172 ** Second mini-essay assignment is due! Your essay must be turned in at the beginning of the class period. Essays turned in more than 10 minutes after class begins will be considered late.
15. Feb. 19	The Questions: What Makes a Democracy? Reading: LIM, ch 6, pp. 172-196
16. Feb. 21	Debating Democracy: What are the Prospects for Democracy in the Arab Middle East? Readings: “The State of Democracy in the Middle East,” “Arab Democracy: Dismal Prospects,” and “Islam and Prospects for Democracy in the Middle East” (all reading available through my CourseSite)
17. Feb. 27	The Questions: What Makes a Terrorist? Video presentation: TBA Reading: LIM, ch 7, pp. 203-215
18. Mar. 1	The Questions: What Makes a Terrorist? Reading: LIM, ch. 7, pp. 215-231 * 3^rd Mini-essay Assignment: To be announced (for possible essay topics, click here)
19. Mar. 6	Globalization and the Study of Comparative Politics Reading: LIM, ch. 9 (entire chapter)
20. Mar. 8	Catching Up, Wrapping Up and Review Reading: None (review ch. 9) ** Third mini-essay assignment is due today! Your essay must be turned in at the beginning of the class period. Essays turned in more than 10 minutes after class begins will be considered late.
21. Mar. 13	Final Examination The final examination is scheduled for Tuesday, March 13 from 10:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.