Seminar on Comparative Democratization

“Why do some countries have democratic institutions while others do not? This seminar explores critical issues concerning democracy and democratization. We seek to address such questions as: What is democracy? What are the main theories of democratization? What factors account for the "third wave" of global democratic expansion? How do newly democratic societies deal with their authoritarian past? What challenges confront countries that are undergoing simultaneously processes of democratic change and economic transformation? What conditions favor/hamper consolidation of new democracies? How do we account for the current democratic backsliding and the antiliberal turn? Is a wave of democratic breakdowns already under way? What role do international actors and factors play? To contend with these (and other) questions, we analyze and compare the experience of many countries and regions.” (One course in comparative politics) 3 hrs. sem. (Comparative Politics)/