Field Description

“Comparative politics is the focus of research of eighteen POIR faculty. Their interests include democratization, political economy, law, subnational politics, state-society relations and women in development. These faculty have regional expertise in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, East Asia, Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Africa. Their publications include a large number of articles in top political science journals (Comparative Political Studies, Comparative Politics, World Politics, International Organization, International Security, International Studies Quarterly), premier policy journals (Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Governance), and leading university presses (Cambridge, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Michigan, Oxford, Princeton, Stanford).”

Core Faculty
Laurie Brand
Mai’a Cross
Richard Dekmejian
Robert English
Nora Hamilton
Patrick James
David Kang
Saori Katada
Abe Lowenthal
Daniel Lynch
Gerry Munck*
Alison Renteln
Stan Rosen
Eliz Sanasarian
Mary Sarotte
Jefferey Sellers*
Nick Weller
Carol Wise
*Field co-coordinators

Field Requirements

Students concentrating in Comparative Politics will be required to take the core seminar, POSC 520 (Comparative Politics) and at least two elective courses. Additional electives are encouraged. A field examination is required except for students who take comparative politics as a third field.

Catalogue description of core seminar:  POSC 520 Comparative Politics. (4 units) Survey of literature; examination of approaches, concepts, and issues in the field of comparative politics. (NOTE:  The seminar is designed in coordination with the field reading list, and is intended to provide an overview of the field and preparation for the field examination.)

Courses in Comparative Politics

The list of courses that have been considered up to now as comparative politics courses are:
PS 525: Cities, Regions & Global Society
PS 535: Seminar in No. African & Middle Eastern Politics
PS 539:  Political Economy and Public Policy
PS 554: Women in Global Perspective
PS 610: Seminar in Political Parties
PS 611: Seminar in Executive & Legislative Processes
PS 630: Seminar in European Politics
PS 632: Seminar in Latin American Politics
PS 633: Seminar in East Asian Politics
PS 634: Seminar in Southeast Asian Politics
PS 636: Seminar in African Politics
PS 637: Seminar in Chinese Politics
PS 640: Seminar in Problems of Comparative Politics
PS 641: Seminar in Comparative Judicial Policies, Processes & Behavior
PS 648: International Human Rights Law & Policy
PS 670: Seminar in International Law
PS 695: Social Science Theory
IR 509: Culture, Gender & Global Society
IR 525: State and Society in International Relations
IR 534: East Asian Security Issues
IR 551: International Political Economy of the Pacific Rim
IR 556: Latin America and US Foreign Policy
IR 557: Africa and US Foreign Policy
IR 558: European Foreign and Security Policy
IR 561: Japanese Foreign Policy and International Relations of East Asia
IR 563: Chinese Foreign Policy
IR 581: International Relations of the Middle East
IR 599: Advanced Field Research Methods in Comparative Politics & IR
IR 599: Migration and Diaspora

In addition, courses in religion and conflict, democratization, and human rights, have been considered comparative courses.

Beginning in 2011-2012, any course that will be counted toward the Comparative Politics field requirement must focus predominantly on the comparative explanation of politics within countries.  Faculty members are encouraged to request that courses they teach be included in the field. In order for a course to be included, the syllabus for the course must be approved by the field coordinators in consultation with the relevant faculty member.  Faculty may appeal the decisions of the coordinators to the full Comparative Politics faculty.

The core seminar in Comparative Politics will be cross-listed in IR and POSC. In addition, we consider that the cross listing of all comparative courses would be advisable.

An annual meeting will be held to coordinate the offerings in comparative politics. The timing of this meeting would be just ahead of the time when the unit heads decide on the courses to be taught.

Students concentrating in Comparative Politics are required to take one core seminar (POSC/IR 520) and two elective courses (from the list of courses provided by the field coordinator/s); to earn credit, a grade of B or better is needed on each course. Additional electives are encouraged. A field examination is required except for students who take comparative politics as a third field. Proficiency in a language other than English is strongly recommended.

 Field Reading List

A recommended reading list for the field exam is maintained by the field co-coordinators and updated periodically. As new areas of scholarship evolve, these will be included in the reading list. However, addition to the list should be balanced through the removal of some items.

Language Requirement

Language training is strongly encouraged but not required. To ensure language competence, prospective students are encouraged to begin development of language skills for their area of specialization before entering the program.  Faculty advisors may encourage individual students to acquire additional language or methodological skills for specific research programs.

 Sample Program of Study

Year 1:

Fall
Methods I
Comparative core seminar
Second field course I

Spring
Methods II
Comparative Elective I
Third field course I

Year 2:

Fall
Comparative Elective II
Second field course II
Third field course II

Spring
Elective
Second field course III
Third field course III

Year 3:

Fall
Theory I
Methods Elective
Field exam in semester 5

Spring
Comparative Elective III (recommended)
Elective