Class Time: T & Th 1:00-2:20                                                       Classroom: 304C Bowne

Instructor: Dr. Mehrzad Boroujerdi                                                    Office Hrs: T 9-11 AM                     

Office: 517 Eggers Hall                                                                         Telephone: 443-5877                              

The end of the Cold War has rendered many of our conceptual frameworks obsolete.  The common practice of dividing our world into the First World (the Western democracies of Europe, North America, Oceania and Japan), the Second World (the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and China), and the Third World (the "developing" countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America) no longer makes much analytical sense.  Since language should not lag behind history, this course adopts a regional approach to the study of comparative politics. Such an approach can more adequately account for the historical, cultural, linguistic, and religious commonalties often found among people inhabiting the same geographical region.  As such, in order to expose you to the whole tapestry of politics in the world today, we will examine a wide spectrum of political and socioeconomic patterns in six major world regions (Western Europe, Slavic Europe, Asia, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa).

COURSE PHILOSOPHY

A sage (Karl Jaspers) once said: “University life is no less dependent on students than on professors. The best professors flounder helplessly at a school where the student body is unfit.  Hence, it is all up to the young people who are supposedly entitled to study.  They must show themselves worthy of this privilege to the best of their ability.”

This course has been organized on the premise that you are worthy of this privilege.  The success of this course depends entirely on your continued and sustained participation.  Therefore, I ask that you be agile participants and intervene as often as possible in class discussion by posing questions and comments or even disagreements (based on additional or alternative readings or personal experiences). 

In this course, you will be exposed to a wide range of ideas, norms, preferences, and values different from your own. This exposure may force you to question, rethink (and if needed, abandon) your present "understanding" of global politics.  Who knows by the end of the course you might feel that you have taken part in a serendipitous voyage of discovery!

Please do not hesitate to drop by my office should you have problems with the course, or just want to talk.  My office hours provide us with an opportunity to get to know each other better.  Therefore, it is incumbent upon you to take advantage of my office hours to pursue interests and concerns not raised in class.  Students who may need special consideration because of any sort of disability should make an appointment to see me in private.            

Attendance: In view of the fact that my presentations will complement rather than reiterate the assigned readings, it is expected that you attend all class meetings. You will be held responsible for the readings as well as lectures on all assignments and examinations. Attendance is also mandatory for all exams, and make-ups will be given only for bona fide emergencies (severe illness documented by a physician). 

Participation: In addition to being physically present, I expect you to be mentally present as well!  As such, you should complete all assigned readings before each class meeting, so that you are familiar with the concepts, facts, theories, and controversies with which we are dealing.

Quizzes: In order to assess your understanding of the course material and ensure that you are keeping up with the readings, we will administer weekly quizzes consisting of True/Falls and multiple-choice questions.

Research/Reflection Paper: You are expected to write an 8 to 10 page typed, and double-spaced research/reflection paper on a topic of your choice.  General topics can be approached from a comparative perspective (two or more cases) or as a case study of one particular national or regional instance of interest to you.  You are also encouraged to explore the historical dimensions of the topic of your choice, if appropriate, but the emphasis should be on an analysis of the contemporary importance of your topic as well as a prospective assessment of the future.  Alternatively, you can write a critical and comparative analysis of two or more scholarly articles, films or novels.  Needless to say, your paper should clearly indicate that you have done the assigned readings.  However, keep in mind that I am not impressed by a constellation of footnotes or virtuous quotations revealing nothing of your own thought.  In short, your ideas count!  Thus, pay attention to contemplation and use your ingenuity.  A sample list of possible paper topics, films or novels can be provided for those who may need help in developing their own research topics.  You must hand in an outline and prospective bibliography to me by March 19.  I will review the outline and return it to you with comments and suggestions by Mach 26.  The final papers are due in class on April 30.  Late papers will be substantially penalized (one letter grade for each day late).  No incomplete will be allowed. Guidelines on how to write the papers will be provided in class. 

Exams: You will have two in-class exams in this course.

Living Up the Course: You will be expected to monitor international developments as they occur.  Significant problems and events that occur internationally will provide a living laboratory for students of comparative politics. Since these events will help stimulate debate and reflections, they will form an integral part of our lectures, discussions and exams.  In order to keep abreast of these developments I recommend that you try to read The New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, or the Economist on a regular basis for the duration of the course.  It is recommended that you maintain newspaper-clipping files throughout the semester in order to provide "color" or anecdotes and up-to-date information in your paper and/or exam questions.

COURSE GRADE

                   Attendance, Participation, Quizzes                                                         25%