Introduction to Comparative Politics (POST 30)

Spring 2006 Syllabus
TTh 9:35-10:50, Avery 201

Nigel Boyle
Scott 217, Office Hours TTh 12-2
nboyle@pitzer.edu
 Course webCT site at http://webct.claremont.edu (contact Joanne_zhang@pitzer.edu)

This course provides an introduction to comparative political analysis.  The central focus is on how the formation of nation states and modern economies has impacted peoples in diverse settings.   Empirically the course covers seven countries in which Pitzer has had External Studies programs: Turkey, Ecuador, Venezuela, China, Nepal, Italy, and Botswana.   The theoretical/analytic framework to be used in the course is derived from Stein Rokkan’s analysis of state formation, nation-building and mass politics.

Course Format

In the first three classes of the semester a framework for the analysis of politics in Turkey, Ecuador, Venezuela, China, Nepal, Italy, and Botswana will be set out.  The nature of a "most different systems" comparative approach will be covered, as will a model for examining (a) the development of modern state and nationalism and (b) political economy and contemporary politics.  In the remainder of the course we will examine each country in turn.  Each country will be covered in a 3-class bloc, most classes will consist of a powerpoint presentation by the instructor and class discussion based on the readings.  Other classes will involve guest speakers and simulations.

The analysis of these seven countries will collectively cover eight themes: (i) state sovereignty and national identity (ii) social cleavages and political parties (iii) capitalism, market integration and economic development (iv) social inequality, socialism and communism, (v) coups and counter-coups (vi) colonialism and the "third world" (vii) agriculture, minerals and economic development and (vii) health and human development. 

Grades will be determined principally by examination.  Material covered in the course will be examined in March 23 and April 18 midterm examinations and a May 12 Final (May 2 for Seniors – only).  All exams will consist of a number of short-answer questions on particular terms or images and then essay-length questions.  The questions for essays will be drawn from a pool of questions that will be made available to you ahead of the exam.

Required Materials

  • There is no textbook for this course.  All required reading will be made available via the course webCT site.   It is your responsibility to make sure you can access this, if you have difficulties contact Joanne_zhang@pitzer.edu).
  • Regular reading of on-line newspapers is required.  The New York Times on the web is strongly recommended as is the Financial Times.   Students are encouraged to take up a subscription to the Financial Times. 
  • Late in the semester you will be provided with a CD containing multimedia materials.  This is required material for the final

Course Grade

  • March 23 Midterm Exam = 30%
  • April 18 Midterm Exam = 30%
  • May 12 Final Exam = 30%
  • Class attendance and participation = 10%

Topics and Required Reading

January 17, 19 and 24
Analytic Framework for the Course:
G. Almond et al Comparative Politics Today (2006) “Issues in Comparative Politics” pp. 1-28.
Stein Rokkan State Formation, Nation Building and Mass Politics: the theory of Stein Rokkan "Introduction" pp. 4-53.
E. Gellner “Nations and Nationalism: definitions” 
B. Anderson “The Nation and the Origins of National Consciousness”
S. McConnell “Nationalism”
”Anthems”

January 26 31 and February 2
Turkey: Islam and Ataturk’s Revolution from Above
I. Ortayli The Ottoman Millet System and its Social Dimensions
E. Zurcher Turkey, a Military Society
J. Landau Modernization, Westernization, and Reform
B. Behar The Role of Language in Turkish Historiography
N. Entessar 'The Mountain Turks': the Kurds in Turkey
E. Ozdalga Official Secularism and Popular Islam
Y. Arat On Gender and Citizenship in Turkey
FT Survey -Turkey

February 7, 9, 14, 16
Ecuador: geo/socio/econ/political fragmentation and constitutional crisis
J. Diamond Collision at Cjamarca
W. Roos and O. van Renterghem Ecuador pp 4-61.
M. Selveston-Sher “The 1990 Indigenous Uprising in Ecuador” and “The Politics of Identity Construction”
Guest speaker Professor Pablo Andrade February 9 or 16.  Further reading to follow.

February 21, 23 and 28. 
Venezuela: Populism and the Petro-State
S. Ellner and M. Tinker Salas  “The Venezuelan Exceptionalism Thesis: Separating Myth and Reality”
J. Herrera Salas  “Ethnicity and Revolution: the political economy of racism in Venezuela”
R. Parker  “Chavez and the Search for an Alternative to Neoliberalism”
Film: "The Revolution will not be televised"
M.. McCaughan The Battle of Venezuela (excerpts)

March 3, 7 and 9. 
China: Revolution and Economic Development
J. Fairbank Approaches to Understanding China's History
S. Harrell Negotiating Ethnicities in China and Taiwan
J. Fairbank and R. Reischauer The People’s Republic
Watch the 112 minute streamed PBS video "China in the Red".  Also make use of the website's other materials.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/red/
J. Fairbank Deng Xiaoping’s Reforms 1978-88
J. Wasserstrom Student Protests in 20th Century China
Financial Times Articles

March 13-17 Spring Break

March 21 Review

March 23 Midterm Exam

March 28, 30 and April 4
Nepal: Hinduism and Maoism
David Gellner Ethnicity and Nationalism in the World’s Only Hindu State.

Human Rights Watch Between a Rock and a Hard Place (p. 1-22 and 96-104).

His Majesty King Gyanendra’s Royal Proclamation on February 1 2005

Ed Douglas Inside Nepal’s Revolution

Financial Times 1-3-06 Kingdom of discontent: Maoists enter the mainstream to threaten Nepal’s monarchy

April 6, 11 and 13.
Italy: Nationalism, Regionalism, the EU and Berlusconi (April 9 Election)
J. Dickie Imagined Italies
S. Hellman The Emergence of the Modern Italian State and The Rise and Fall of the Postwar Settlement
J. Fisher Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy

April 18 Midterm Exam

April 20, 25, 27
Botswana: land, diamonds, and AIDS.
F. Morton Seeing Botswana as a Whole
A. Dachs Missionary Imperialism - the case of Bechuanaland
N Fidzani Land reform and primitive accumulation
Samatar An African Miracle  Ch 1 Conceptualizing The African State
K. Jefferis Botswana and diamond - dependent development
Edge Botswana: A Development State
Molutsi Elections and Electoral Experience in Botswana
Financial Times articles

May 2 and 4
Conclusion: Learning by Comparing

May 2 Final Exam for Seniors (only) 2-4pm

May 12 Final Exam (9am-11am)
CD is required viewing/listening/reading.

Supplementary Materials
Students are encouraged to undertake further reading and viewing about the countries we are studying this semester.  Supplementary Reading (available at Honnold).
Turkey
J. Landau Atatürk and the modernization of Turkey
R. Olson The Kurdish nationalist movement in the 1990s: its impact on Turkey and the Middle East
R. Tapper  Islam in modern Turkey: religion, politics, and literature in a secular state
E. Özdalga The veiling issue, official secularism and popular Islam in modern Turkey
Atila Eralp, M. Tünay, and B. Yesilada  The Political and socioeconomic transformation of Turkey
Ecuador
S. Striffler Crude Chronicles: Indigenous Politics, Multinational Oil and Neoliberalism in Ecuador (2004)
S. Andrade et al The Constitutional structure of the Ecuadorian State (2005)
A. Gerlach’s Indians, Oil, and Politics: A Recent History of Ecuador (2003)
J. Burt et al, Politics in the Andes: Identity, Conflict, Reform (2004),
P. Beckerman Crisis and Dollarization in Ecuador: Stability, Growth, and Social Equity (2005)
Venezuela
M. McCaughan The Battle of Venezuela
F. Coronil: The magical state: nature, money, and modernity in Venezuela
D. Canache and M. Kulisheck Re-inventing legitimacy: democracy and political change in Venezuela
R. Hillman Democracy for the privileged: crisis and transition in Venezuela
W. Wright Café con leche: the myth of Racial Democracy in Venezuela
China
Bruce Gilley Tiger on the brink: Jiang Zemin and China's new elite
J. Y.S. Cheng China in the post-Deng era
E. Croll Changing identities of Chinese women : rhetoric, experience, and self- perception in twentieth-century China
M. Yin China's minority nationalities
Jonathon Spence The Search for Modern China
Tony Saich Governance and Politics of China
Lowell Dittmer China under Reform
Nepal
World Bank/UN  Nepal: poverty and incomes
S. Parish Hierarchy and Its Discontents: Culture and the Politics of Consciousness in Caste Society
M. Cameron On the Edge of the Auspicious: Gender and Caste in Nepal
T. Brown The Challenge to Democracy in Nepal: A Political History
M. Hutt Nepal in the Nineties: Versions of the Past, Visions of the Future
D. Gellner Nationalism and Ethnicity in a Hindu Kingdom: The Politics of Culture in Contemporary Nepal
Italy
A. Stille Benevolence and Betrayal : Five Italian Jewish Families Under Fascism
A. Stille  Excellent Cadavers
R. Leonardi & D. Wertman Italian Christian democracy: the politics of dominance
V. Bufacchi and S. Burgess Italy since 1989: events and interpretations
Sidney Tarrow Democracy and disorder : protest and politics in Italy, 1965-1975
G. Sartori  Comparative constitutional engineering : an inquiry into structures, incentives, and outcomes
Botswana
B. Tsie The State and Development Policy in Botswana
Abdi Samatar Intro: An African Miracle
W. Edge and M Lekorwe Botswana: Politics and Society
Kemp Hope and Gloria Somolekake Public Administration and Policy in Botswana