Waikato Home
POLSC211-22B (HAM)
Political Systems around the World
15 Points
Staff
Convenor(s)
|
Brent Commerer
brent.commerer@waikato.ac.nz
|
|
Administrator(s)
Librarian(s)
You can contact staff by:
- Calling +64 7 838 4466 select option 1, then enter the extension.
-
Extensions starting with 4, 5, 9 or 3 can also be direct dialled:
- For extensions starting with 4: dial +64 7 838 extension.
- For extensions starting with 5: dial +64 7 858 extension.
- For extensions starting with 9: dial +64 7 837 extension.
- For extensions starting with 3: dial +64 7 2620 + the last 3 digits of the extension e.g. 3123 = +64 7 262 0123.
Paper Description
This course is an introduction to comparative politics. It compares different political institutions, studies similarities and differences in the politics of a number of countries, and compares democratic with authoritarian regimes.
One goal is to understand the tools available to enable systemic comparisons between countries, including the use of appropriate concepts, methods, and theoretical frameworks. A second goal is to understand democracy, from a leadership perspective of how do rulers govern and exercise power, and from a citizenship perspective of how do ordinary people influence politics. A third goal is to understand authoritarianism – why it exists, how it is sustained, and when there are opportunities for reform or revolt.
Paper Structure
There are four parts to the course:
Part 1: The Comparative Toolbox, weeks 1-2. Examines a range of key concepts, methods, and theoretical frameworks commonly used by scholars in comparative political analysis.
Part 2: Democracy & Institutions, weeks 3-6. How do political leaders achieve and exercise power effectively in modern democracies? Discusses key political institutions such as executives and legislatures, and structures provided by constitutions and federalism.
Part 3: Democracy & Citizenship, weeks 7-9. How can ordinary people influence politics in modern democracies? Examines different avenues for the public to exercise their agency, including through media and social media, elections, political parties, interest groups, and social movements.
Part 4: Authoritarianism & Populism, weeks 10-12. Examines politics under authoritarian regimes from the perspective of both leaders and citizens, and discusses what populism is, how it works, and the challenge it poses in democracies today.
Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the course should be able to:
Assessment
TESTS: There are two open-book, take-home tests, each worth 20%, for 40% in total. Each test covers six weeks of readings and lecture content. A test questions document is made available on Moodle and students submit their test answers document to Moodle in the Tests section. Test completion windows last 3 days. Test format: 15 short-answer questions and two short-essay questions.
SHORT PAPERS: There are two short papers, each worth 15%, for 30% in total. Minimum word length of 1,000 words. Detailed instructions are on Moodle. Submit to Moodle.
QUIZZES: Reading quizzes, worth 20% in total. To be conducted online in Moodle. There are six quizzes in total and the four best count, worth 5% each.
Assessment Components
The internal assessment/exam ratio (as stated in the University Calendar) is 100:0. There is no final exam.
Required and Recommended Readings
Required Readings
The required textbook for this course is:
Title: Comparative Government and Politics, 12th edition
Authors: John McCormick, Rod Hague, and Martin Harrop
Year of publication: 2022
ISBN: 9781350932548
It is ok to use previous editions of this textbook, such as:
Title: Comparative Government and Politics, 11th edition
Authors: Rod Hague, Martin Harrop, and John McCormick
Year of publication: 2019
ISBN: 9781352005059
Textbook hard copies can be purchased from the campus bookstore or ordered from the publisher (https://www.bloomsbury.com/au/comparative-government-and-politics-9781350932548/). Ebooks can be purchased from online websites such as Amazon.
A copy of the textbook is available for two-hour loan from the high-demand section of the university library. Any required readings for the course not from the textbook are provided as PDFs on Moodle.
Other Resources
The library has numerous books and ebooks that are introductory texts on comparative politics. You may find these useful supplementary textbooks or as research sources when writing short papers.
Books with a LOC classification code beginning JF are about comparative politics, and JF51.xxx is the most common code for comparative politics textbooks.
Online Support
The assessment for this course includes short papers. Students are encouraged to obtain support and advice on their research and writing as needed from services such as the library, Studiosity, or Student Learning (links below in the Student Support section).
Workload
The expected workload for this paper is ten hours per week, which includes time spent reading, attending class, watching lectures, taking notes, participating in tutorials, and preparing for assessment. From the end of week 2, there is assessment due to be completed or submitted most weeks, mainly quizzes. There is an assessment schedule on Moodle that shows what is due each week.
The first few quizzes (held at the end of weeks 2, 3, and 4) will give students early feedback on whether they are devoting sufficient time and attention to this course.
Linkages to Other Papers
Restriction(s)
Restricted papers: POLS211