GMA 215 - Introduction to Comparative Politics

Class Hours: 3, Units: 3
General Education: Area 4 Social and Behavioral Sciences - lower division (formerly Area D lower division)
Prerequisite(s): None
The course provides an introduction to important themes of comparative political analysis, in order to identify and explain differences in political systems and political life across different states and regions of the world. The course focuses on the development of the fundamental elements of modern political systems: state, nation, market, civil society, democracy, and authoritarianism. Throughout, close attention will be paid to interactions between these elements - for example, between states and markets, or between civil society and authoritarian regimes. The course also focuses on the role of institutions, such as political parties and constitutional structures, in shaping these interactions.
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