Name of subject: Comparative Politics
Number of Number of classes / week Type of course units seminar
2
terms
1
Course description
The aim of the course is to introduce the students to the field of comparative politics. The
course offers theoretical and empirical background for comparing different political systems.
Besides the theory, we will also focus on methodological issues.
Credits
Course schedule
1. Introduction
2. The method of comparative politics: what do we compare? Levels of comparison
3. Homogeneous and fragmented political culture
4. Political regimes
5. Electoral systems
6. Party systems
7. Nationalism and ethnicity
8. The comparative study of political elites
9. Democracy and political systems in Western Europe
10. Transition in East Central Europe
11. Political systems in East Central Europe
12. Comparing radical movements/parties in Europe
13. Conclusions
Requirements
 Active participation and regular attendance (no more than 3 missed classes)
 Written exam
Recommended readings
 Lijphart, Arend: Comparative Politics and the Comparative Method. American Political
Science Review, Vol. 45, 1971, pp. 682-93.
 Gabriel A. Almond and G. Bingham Powell, Jr.: Comparative Politics Today: A World
View. Sixth Edition. New York: HarperCollins, 1996.
 Putnam, Robert: Making Democracy Work. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1993.
 Lijphart, Arend: Patterns of Democracy. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1999.
 Linz, Juan – Stepan, Alfred: Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation.
 Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996.
 Putnam, Robert: The Comparative Study of Politics Elites. Englewood Cliffs,
 NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1976.
 Lijphart, Arend. Democracy in Plural Societies: A Comparative Exploration. New
 Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1977.
 Körösényi András, Török Gábor, Tóth Csaba (eds.): The Hungarian Political System.
Budapest, 2009.
A detailed syllabus will be distributed at the first meeting with the students
Staff: Zoltán Kántor (Political Sciences Department)