Бакалавриат
2026/2027
Сравнительная политика
Статус:
Курс обязательный (Политология)
Кто читает:
Департамент политики и управления
Где читается:
Факультет социальных наук
Когда читается:
2-й курс, 1, 2 модуль
Охват аудитории:
для всех кампусов НИУ ВШЭ
Язык:
английский
Кредиты:
3
Контактные часы:
58
Course Syllabus
Abstract
The course offers an introduction to the core concepts in comparative politics and their empirical applications. The course consists of two principal parts: the first 7 topics focus on democracies, while the subsequent 6 weeks are dedicated to autocratic and hybrid regimes; the course is concluded with a debate session in seminar groups. In the first half of the course, those varieties within democratic regimes – such as the difference between parliamentary and presidential systems, consensual and majoritarian democracies, etc. – are discussed which served as the inspiration for classical works and theories in comparative politics. The second half of the course continues this discussion by addressing key questions around authoritarian regimes, such as – among others – the problems of authoritarian rule, selectorate theory, or methods of authoritarian control.In conclusion, the course familiarizes students with the foundations of regime-level and institutional comparisons, and enhances their understanding on the relationship between fundamental concepts and their various empirical manifestations.
Learning Objectives
- The course comprises of 13 lectures (26 academic hours) and 16 seminars / discussion groups (32 academic hours). The following teaching methods are involved: Lectures: - Multimedia support: all lectures are followed by multimedia presentation (slides) with textual and visual materials; - Interactive lectures: interactive elements (quizzes, surveys) during the lecture are used. Seminars (tutorials): - Debates and open discussions based on the mandatory readings; - Mini-group work (collective tasks in class); - Case analysis individually or collectively.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- ● Works in team effectively
- ● Establishes causal inferences, assesses and evaluates social, political, and economic events and processes in a cross-national context; identifies trends and patterns of integrated development at the global, macro-regional, national, and subnational levels.
- ● Applies the theoretical, methodological, and conceptual toolkit of political science and international relations to solving problems of governmental and managerial nature, for the following purposes: governmental bodies; private organizations; non-governmental and international organizations; political-business nexus; media.
- ● Conducts applied analysis of political, foreign policy, organizational and managerial processes, as well as political courses to determine the features of their functioning and formulate proposals for their transformation.
- ● Identifies the features and trends of socio-political development of regions and countries of the world, and integrating this analysis in addressing professional tasks.
Course Contents
- Presidential and parliamentary systems
- Constitutional politics and non-majoritarian institutions
- Federalism
- Party systems and coalitions
- Logic of comparison: why the comparative politics is comparative?
- Overview on political systems: what makes a regime ‘democratic’?
- Democratic backsliding
- Democracy, diversity, and power-sharing
- Authoritarian power-sharing and the selectorate theory
- Authoritarian regimes and the problems of authoritarian rule
- Summary: debate session
- Electoral systems and elections in democracies
- Final exam
- Decentralization and federalism
- Change and continuity in authoritarian regimes
- Authoritarian control
- Resource curse and rentier states
- Political conflicts
- Position paper
- Film analysis
- Presidential, parliamentary and semi-presidential systems
- Political conflicts
Interim Assessment
- 2026/2027 4th module0.25 * Essay + 0.25 * Seminar participation: + 0.25 * Case study
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Clark, W. R. (DE-588)13711754X, (DE-576)302153160. (2013). Principles of comparative politics / William Roberts Clark; Matt Golder; Sona Nadenichek Golder. Los Angeles [u.a.]: CQ Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.359208835
- Comparative politics / ed. by Daniele Caramani. (2011). Oxford [u.a.]: Oxford Univ. Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.330675516
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Erica Frantz. (2018). Authoritarianism : What Everyone Needs to Know®. Oxford University Press.
- Newton, K., & Deth, J. W. van. (2005). Foundations of Comparative Politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=165069