In a synchronous session, we’ll go through the syllabus and ground rules for this class. As the semester progresses, we may revisit some of these ground rules or finetune the format. On one hand, we’ll talk about the scope of the course—especially the key topics like states, state formation, regimes, institutions, political violence and so on. We’ll look at an example of how the history and development of elections in some Southeast Asian countries teaches us something interesting about the politics of elections. The comparison produces the insight. By the end of this session, you are expected to recognize key concepts in comparative politics and begin to “think comparatively”.
- Teacher: Sol Iglesias