PSI 311 COMPARATIVE STATE AND DEMOCRACY

(2015-2016 Spring Semester)

Tanel Demirel

Department of  Political Science and International Relations, Çankaya University

                       

            Aim

The aim of this course is to analyze political systems of  selected countries.  What are the “main” political cleavages (or issues or contentions) in countries concerned ? how these cleavages emerged ? which social forces articulates these cleavages ? what are the characteristics of the political culture ?  what are the basic political instutions through which interests are represented, defended and articulated ?  how those institutions interact with each other ?   This course stress the importance of history in shaping of political systems and culture. Therefore, it will heavily rely on historical materials.          

 

            Course Material

            Mark Kesselman et all., Introduction to Comparative Politics, Sixth, International Edition, 2014) will be used as the main textbook. There are many good resources as well The three of them are particularly useful; Michael G. Roskin., Countries and Concepts-Politics, Geography and Culture, seventh edition, Prentice Hall: New Jersey, 2004);, Gabriel A. Almond et all., Comparative Politics Today- A World View, eight edition, Longman: London, 2004).    The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Politics, der Carles Boix ve Susan C. Stokes, (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2007), is a very useful collection of articles which summaries the latest research in comparative political science.      

           

Course Evaluation

           

Students are expected to write a term paper (30 points) on the related subjects/questions  they would choose.  The paper will not exceed 3000 words  and be handed before the 13 May 2016.  There will be one final examination (70 points)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COURSE OUTLINE

 

  1. COMPARATIVE POLITICS: THE MAIN APPROACHES(1 week)

(Suggested reading: Sabri Sayarı, Hasret Dikici Bilgin,der, KarşılaÅŸtırmalı Siyaset: Temel Konular ve Yaklaşımlar, Ä°stanbul, Ä°stanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi Yayınları, 2014.

       

  1. < >(Suggested reading: Bill Jones, Philip Norton, Politics UK,  Pearson, Essex, 2010)

     

     

    1. GERMANY (2 weeks)

    (Suggested reading: Norbert Elias, The Germans,

    (Cambridge, Polity, 1996)

     

    III. RUSSIA       (2 weeks)

    (Suggested reading: Orlando Figes, Natasha’s Dance- A Cultural History of Russia, (Picador, New York, 2002)

     

    IV.  INDIA        (2 weeks)

    Suggested reading Stuart Corbridge, 2013,  India Today: Economy, Politics, Society, Cambridge, CUP, 2013

     

    V.   CHINA       (2 weeks)

    (Suggested Reading: Jeffrey N. Wasserstrom, 21 Yüzyılda Çin, Ä°stanbul, Ä°letiÅŸim, 2011.