American University in Cairo
Department of Political Science
Pols.5201
Prof. Mustapha K.Al-Sayyid
Fall 2015.
Comparative Politics
Course description
This is an advanced course in comparative politics. It targets graduate political
science students who have already taken comparative politics courses in their
undergraduate years. It builds on what they have acquired and moves on to train
them in the use of specific approaches in comparative politics and expose them
to some of the pioneering writings in this sub-discipline of political science. The
content of the course starts with the definition of the sub-discipline and its
history, then it moves to an in-depth study of the major approaches and ends
with a critical examination of some key issues in comparative politics.
Objectives:
1-Situate comparative politics in the broader discipline of political science,
2-Appreciate usefulness of a comparative perspective,
3-Master the use of specific approaches in CP,
4-Examine critically major works in the sub-discipline,
5-Use major journals of CP,
6-Access major sources of data relevant to CP,
7-Evaluate limitations of the comparative method.
Syllabus:
I-Introduction:
Defining the field of CP: its history, usefulness as a method of analysis and
subject of study,
The logic of comparative analysis,
Major approaches,
Importance of theory in CP.
II-Major perspectives:
Political culture
Political economy,
Rational Choice.
III-Major themes:
Global context
State
Ethnicity
Contentious politics
Citizenship.
Assignments and grade distribution
Weekly readings
1
20%
Critical review of articles in Comparative Politics,
An annotated bibliography on one of the major themes.
A critical review of a pioneering comparative study of
one of the major themes.
A term paper using comparative method
A final exam.
10%
5%
10%
25%
30%
Basic readings.
LICHBACH, Mark Irving. & Alan S. Zuckerman. Comparative Politics .Rationality,
Culture and Structure. Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press.
2009.
LIM, Timothy C. Doing Comparative Politics. An Introduction to Approaches and
Issues. Boulder & London: Lynne Rienner Publishers. 2010.
Class Schedule:
First lecture
Wednesday September 2:
Introduction to the course.
Second week:
Wednesday September 9
The study of comparative politics.
Reading:
Timothy C. Lim. Introduction
Third week:
Wednesday September 16
Strategies in comparison
Theory in comparative politics.
Timothy C. Lim. Chapters 2& 3.p.31-104
Fourth week
Wednesday September 30
Major perspectives
Culture in comparative politics
Read: Ross, Marc Howard. ”Culture in Comparative Political Analysis” in Lichback
and Zuckerman.p.134-161
Fifth week
Wednesday October 7
Political economy perspective
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Read:
Blyth, Mark.” An approach to comparative analysis or a subfield within a
subfield? Political Economy” in Lichback and Zuckerman. Ibid. p.193-219.
Sixth week
Wednesday October 14
Class perspective
Read:
Fraser ,John.” Louis Althusser on Science, Marxism and Politics”. Science and
Society. An Independent Journal of Marxism .Vol.XI,No. 4. Winter 19761977.p.438-464
Bill, James & Robert L. Hardgrave, Jr. “Class Analysis” in .Comparative Politics.
The Quest for Theory. Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company.
1973.P.175-200
Seventh week:
Wednesday October 21.
Rational choice approach.
Levi, Margaret “Reconsiderations of Rational Choice in Comparative and
Historical Analysis” in Lichback and Zuckerman. Op .cit. p.117-133.
Eighth week:
Wednesday October 28
General debate on approaches.
Ninth week:
Wednesday November 4
Major themes in comparative politics.
Read: Solingnen, Etel.”The global context of comparative politics” in Lichbach
and Zuckerman.Ibid.p.220-259.
Tenth week:
Wednesday November 11
Chandra, Kanchan. “ Making causal claims about the effect of “ethnicity”. Ibid.
p.376-412.
Eleventh week
Wednesday November 18
Migdal,Joel S. “Researching the State”. Ibid.p.161-192.
Twelfth week
November 25
McAdam, Doug and Sidney Tarrow and Charles Tilly. “Comparative Perspectives
on Contentious Politics” Ibid.p.160-190.
Thirteenth week
December 5
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“Nested citizens: Macropolitics and microbehavior in comparative politics”
Ibid.314-332.
Paper presentations
Fourteenth week
December 12
Paper presentations and concluding remarks
Assignments:
Weekly readings
A bibliography on one approach of comparative politics
A book review
A review article on approaches
A term paper
Final exam.
20%
5%
10%
10%
25%
30%
Important dates:
Wednesday September 30
October 7
November 4
November 11
November 18
December 9
submit your bibliography
Start of presentation book reviews
Submit review of approaches
Submit outline of your paper
Start of presentations of term papers
submit your term paper
Office hours.
Wednesday 04.00-05.00
Office 2028 Political Science Department
Tel. Extension 1937
E-mail: mustapha@aucegypt.edu
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