POLS 2950D:Intro to Winter Term

Jan. 5

Required Text Book

Kesselman, Mark; Joel Krieger and William A. Joseph. 2009. Introduction to Comparative Politics. Brief Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Available in York bookstore.

Additional Required Readings We will be reading two chapters from the Fall term

textbook.

Additional required readings come from academic journals. These journals are available via the library catalogue. Note: search via the journal title under e-resources, e.g. Latin American Research Review, NACLA Report on the Americas, Review of African Political Economy The Journal of Asian Studies, etc. http://www.library.yorku.ca/ccm/Home/eResources/

Winter Term Syllabus

Posted on the course website:http://www.yorku.ca/mcooke/pols2950d/syllabus.htm

Assignments

The Winter Term Essay assignment is 12-15 pages and is due April 5.

Note: According to the Registrar’s office this is the last date to submit work for the term. Essays will not be accepted after this date. Essays can be handed in before that date. http://www.registrar.yorku.ca/importantdates/fw09.htm

The final exam will be held during the formal exam period: April 7-23.

Kesselman et al., Introduction to Comparative Politics. We are looking at the following countries this

term: Britain, France, Russia, Mexico, South Africa,

India and China. (we are skipping the chapter on Iran).

Kesselman et al., Introduction to Comparative Politics. Kesselman et al., categorize these countries

as: Consolidated democracies: Britain, France,

India. Transitional democracies: Mexico and

Russia. Authoritarian regimes: China (and Iran).

Kesselman et al., Introduction to Comparative Politics. Kesselman et al., focus on these themes throughout

the text, in looking at each case study: A World of States (The Making of the Modern State) Governing the Economy (Political Economy and

Development) The Democratic Idea (Governance and Policy-Making) The Politics of Collective Identity (Representation and

Participation)

Additional Required Readings Generally, the additional required readings go

into greater detail on a particular theme, particularly “Political Economy and Development” or “The Democratic Idea.”

A common thread throughout the readings is the connection between political economy (economic factors, economic development) and democracy.