PLEASE NOTE this is a 2013 reading list—the precise content may change in future years.
Term 1, Week 1
What is comparative politics? Tasks in research projects
Learning objectives:

Overview and information PO233

Explanation and exploration of the field of comparative politics

Essential elements and tasks in research projects
Seminar topics (week 1):

Why follow this module?

Me, you and things (computer and module outline on
websitehttp://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/pais/currentstudents/undergrad/modules/po2
33), Introduction, overview module, how the seminars work, information about projects of
research (choice countries asap!) and film (term 2), work-to-be-submitted (nonassessed
research project term 1, nonassessed film project term 2, assessed research project term 3
and exam), skills (academic and creative), and homework week 2

Required literature week 1. What is comparative politics? What are the primary aims of
comparative political analysis? Why do we compare? What are the essential elements and
tasks in research projects? What is the research process (cycle/ labyrinth)?

Lego: Building Democracy - an introduction to the concept,
see http://www.seriousplay.com/
Homework seminar (week 1):

Students as learners: read the required literature week 1 (see below)
Required reading:

Caramani, Daniele (2008). ‘Introduction to Comparative Politics’ in Daniele Caramani
(ed), Introduction to Comparative Politics, Oxford: Oxford University Press, introduction, pp.
1-25 (= same in 2011 edition) (in library, or buy the book)

Peters, B. Guy (2008). ‘Approaches in Comparative Politics’ in Daniele Caramani
(ed), Introduction to Comparative Politics, Oxford: Oxford University Press, chapter 2, pp. 4463 (= same in 2011 edition) (in library, or buy the book)
Recommended reading:

Beyme, Klaus von (2008). ‘The Evolution of Comparative Politics’ in Daniele Caramani
(ed), Introduction to Comparative Politics, Oxford: Oxford University Press, chapter 1

Burnham, P., Gilland, K., Grant, W. and Layton-Henry, Z., (2008). Research Methods in
Politics, Palgrave, Chapter 2

Geddes, Barbara (2006). Paradigms and Sand Castles; theory building and research design in
comparative politics,Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, chapter 1

Goodin and Klingemann, (1998) A New Handbook of Political Science, Oxford: Oxford
University Press

Laitin, David (2002). ‘Comparative Politics: The State of the Subdiscipline’ in Ira Katznelson
and Helen Milner, State of the Discipline, New York: Norton

Landman, Todd (2008). Issues and Methods in Comparative Politics, London: Routledge,
chapter 1

Munck and Snyder (2007), Passion, Craft, and Method in Comparative Politics. Baltimore:
Johns Hopkins University Press
Important library link (to search for journals and articles in comparative
politics):http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/main/electronicresources/journals/