College Bulletin 2016-2017 
    
    May 02, 2024  
College Bulletin 2016-2017 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

POLS 003. Introduction to Comparative Political Systems


This class is designed to introduce students to comparative political analysis. We begin with an overview of how processes of political, social, and economic change have been theorized in the social sciences from the mid-19th century to the present. We then explore the concept of the nation-state and investigate the conditions under which states are created, consolidated, and break down. The third unit focuses on the political economy of development and grapples with the question: why are some countries more ‘developed’ than others? We then consider the differences between democratic and non-democratic regimes and the driving forces behind social movements, revolutions, and political change. We conclude by examining the concept of human rights and the political and ethical dilemmas surrounding humanitarian aid and intervention. This course is meant to serve as a foundation for advanced undergraduate study in political science and related social sciences by providing students with the intellectual tools to analyze, compare, evaluate, and develop arguments about complex political phenomena across the globe.
Social sciences.
1 credit.
Fall 2016. Balkan.
Spring 2017. White, Balkan.
Fall 2017. Balkan.
Spring 2018. White, Balkan
Fall 2018. Balkan.
Spring 2019. Balkan.

Catalog chapter: Political Science  
Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/political-science


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