THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY School of Public Affairs/Department of Government È Govt 730.001 Classics of Comparative Politics Spring Semester 2009 Professor Ruth Lane Class meets Tuesdays 5:30-8 p.m., Ward 102 Telephone: 885-6232 Office Hours Tuesday 3:00-5:00 p.m. Office: Hurst 205A Wednesdays 12-2 p.m. And by appointment [email protected] Catalogue Description Analysis and critique of major theoretical approaches to the study of comparative politics in the developed and the developing worlds. Historical and theoretical foundations of the nation-state; political issues that arise from social change; and approaches to determining the relative autonomy of state institutions. Usually offered in the Fall semester. Course Approach Comparative politics is often described as the methodological and philosophical core of political science, because it is the method of comparison which makes possible the practice of science, without which the study of governments and political systems is merely descriptive. For this reason the course lays heavy emphasis on the understanding and evaluation of conceptual frameworks for the study of politics, in order to enable the student to achieve the abstract conceptual levels at which fruitful theory is constructed, and fruitful research is formulated. The course will proceed in roughly chronological order through the contemporary history of the field of comparative politics, including the various struggles that were engendered as comparative politics attempted to bring itself into the modern world, and to make itself useful there. The road begins in early democratic institutional studies, progresses through the behavioral movement and its critical viewpoint on traditional approaches, and concludes in the analysis of the various forms of neo-institutionalism with their focus on the processes by which formal and informal institutions are created, by which they are maintained, and by which they decay, and with current work in respect to the micro-analysis of state-society relations. The processes of institutionalization--the creation of both informal social and political norms and behaviors as well as the more formal structures usually identified with governments--serves as a coordinating focus for the course. Questions in regard to institutional processes range from the descriptive (what kinds of institutions form the subject of comparative politics?), to the analytic (what is the nature and operation of these institutions?), to the dynamic (how do institutions come into existence, how continue, how collapse?), to the normative (what institutions best serve the interests of individuals, groups and societies?), to the practical (how can institutions be modified, changed, created, improved?). Classics Comparative Politics Spring 2009 Page 1 Classics Comparative Politics Spring 2009 Page 2 Course Procedures Because of the amount of material to be covered, and the nature of the skills to be acquired, the course will proceed at two levels. Class sessions will begin in lecture format, with ample time for questions and discussion; and will focus on defining the conceptual frameworks within which comparative politics proceeds. Student papers are designed to give individual participants in the course the opportunities (1) to pursue their own special interests within the field of comparative politics, (2) to develop in depth a better understanding of some of the theories of which comparative politics is comprised, and (3) to integrate theory and the conduct of research. Course Requirements Two papers will be required during the course. Each will be fifteen to twenty pages in length. The first paper, due 3 March, will be an annotated bibliography of the political science literature relevant to the student’s chosen country (see the specific instructions below). This is in preparation for the second paper, due on 21 April, which will be an analysis of that literature in relation to the major analytic themes of the course. The two papers, a midterm and a final examination will each constitute 25% of the student's final grade. Required Course Readings The following books have been ordered through the University bookstore, and placed on two-hour Library reserve (located in the AU Library basement). Mark Lichbach and Alan Zuckerman (Editors). COMPARATIVE POLITICS: RATIONALITY, CULTURE, AND STRUCTURE. Cambridge University Press 1997. Ronald H. Chilcote THEORIES OF COMPARATIVE POLITICS: SEARCH FOR A PARADIGM . Westview 1994. Ruth Lane. THE ART OF COMPARATIVE POLITICS . Allyn and Bacon 1997. Samuel Huntington. POLITICAL ORDER IN CHANGING SOCIETIES . Yale 1968. Barrington Moore Jr. SOCIAL ORIGINS OF DICTATORSHIP AND DEMOCRACY. Lord and Peasant in the Making of the Modern World. Beacon 1993. Immanuel Wallerstein. THE MODERN WORLD-SYSTEM I. Academic Press 1974. Theda Skocpol. STATES AND SOCIAL REVOLUTIONS. A Comparative Analysis of France, Russia and China. Cambridge 1979. Jan-Erik Lane and Svante O. Ersson. POLITICS AND SOCIETY IN WESTERN EUROPE . Sage 1995. James C. Scott. THE MORAL ECONOMY OF THE PEASANT . Yale 1976. Joel S. Migdal. STRONG SOCIETIES AND WEAK STATES . Princeton 1988. Students with theoretical interests may wish to consult also the following two works, which are included in the reading schedule in parentheses to indicate that they are optional for the class. Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann. THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF REALITY . Anchor 1967. Arthur Stinchcombe. CONSTRUCTING SOCIAL THEORIES (1968). University of Chicago 1987 Classics Comparative Politics Spring 2009 Page 3 Course Schedule Summary Session Date Topics and Required Readings (parentheses indicate optional) 1 13 January Introduction: POLITICAL AND COMPARATIVE SCIENCE – No Class on 20 January-- 2 27 January CLASSICAL TRADITION IN COMPARATIVE THOUGHT Chilcote Chapter 1 Comparative Inquiry Chilcote Chapter 4 Marx and Weber as Precursors Chilcote Chapter 3 Science of Politics; and Appendices 1-2 Lane ACP Chapter 1 Science and Art of Comparative Politics 3 3 February THE BEHAVIORAL REVOLUTION Lane ACP Chapter 2 Behavioral Revolution Chilcote Chapter 2 Ideology and Issues Huntington POLITICAL ORDER... Chapters 1-4 (Stinchcombe Chapters One and Two, Introduction and Inference) (Slann’s review of Chilcote Blackboard) 4 10 February FUNCTIONS, STRUCTURES, STATES AND SYSTEMS Huntington POLITICAL ORDER... Chapters 5-7 Lane ACP Chapter 3 Rise Decline Transformation Development Chilcote Chapter 5 Theories of the System (121-149 only) 5 17 February THEORIES OF DEVELOPMENT Moore Chapters I, II, VII-IX, and one from IV-VI Chilcote Chapter 7: Theories of Development(215-230) (Berger and Luckmann entire (Introduction 1-18 optional)) (Stinchcombe Chapter Three Causal Structures (skip Appendix)) 6 24 February BEYOND DEVELOPMENT: THEORIES OF DEPENDENCY Chilcote Chapter 7 Theories of ...Underdevelopment 230-268 Holt and Turner “Crises and Sequences . .” Blackboard (Stinchcombe Chapter Four Power Phenomena) (Stinchcombe Chapter Six Structural Theory) 7 3 March Chilcote Chapter 6: Theories of Political Culture Lane “ Political Culture: Residual Category or . .” Blackboard First Paper Due – Spring Break -- 8 17 March MIDTERM EXAMINATION (Computer lab option) 9 24 March STRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY Wallerstein MODERN WORLD SYSTEM Intro., Chs 1-7 (5 optional) Lane “Structural-Functionalism Reconsidered ” Blackboard Classics Comparative Politics Spring 2009 Page 4 10 31 March THE RETURN OF THE STATE Skocpol STATES AND SOCIAL REVOLUTIONS entire (5-6 optional) Chilcote Chapter 8 Theories of Class and State Lane ACP Chapter 4 Reconsidering the State Mitchell’s “Limits of the State” Blackboard 11 7 April STATE STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS Lane-Ersson Introduction Democratic Institutions Lane-Ersson 1 Sociology and Institutionalism Lane-Ersson 2 Social Cleavages Lane-Ersson Chapters 3-5 Parties and Party Systems Lane-Ersson Chapters 6-8 Decision Making Lane-Ersson Chapters 9-10 Stability and Welfare 12 14 April RATIONAL CHOICE AND MORAL ECONOMIES Scott MORAL ECONOMY OF PEASANT Chapters 1-4 and 6 Chilcote Chapter 9 Political Economy Levi (Chapter 2) and Ross (Chapter 3) in Lichbach-Zuckerman 13 21 April STATE-SOCIETY THEORY AND NEW INSTITUTIONALISM Migdal STRONG SOCIETIES AND WEAK STATES entire Katznelson (Chapter 4), McAdam (6) and Hall (7) in Lichbach-Zuckerman Lane ACP Chapter 5 State Society and New Institutionalism Second Paper Due 14 28 April NEW GOALS AND METHODS In Lichbach-Zuckerman Chapters 1, 9 and 10 Lane ACP Chapter 6 Theory and the Art of Comparative Politics 5 May Final Examination Academic Integrity Code Standards of academic conduct are set forth in the University's Academic Integrity Code; it is expected that all examinations, tests, papers and other assignments will be completed according to the standards established by this code. By registering, students have acknowledged their awareness of this obligation, and should become familiar with their rights and responsibilities as defined by the code. Violations of the Academic Integrity Code will not be treated lightly, and disciplinary action will be taken should such violations occur. Students with questions in respect to the norms appropriate in a specific case should consult the instructor. Note: There is a REFERENCE BIBLIOGRAPHY for the course. Because of its length (25 pages) no hard copy is provided. but is available as part of the syllabus posted on Blackboard. Note: The Department of Government makes available to students a reading list prepared by the Comparative Politics faculty, a set of guidelines for