This course intends to reveal how the field of comparative political analysis evolved since the beginning of the search for a model accounting for the world’s existing political systems. The other main objective is to familiarize the participants with the methods and concepts used by scholars of comparative politics.
The participants will be required to draw on comparisons and contrasts between political institutions, political culture and political processes in diverse political systems with an analytical and methodological precision. The first part of the course will involve a survey of the methodology used in comparative political studies whereas the proposed models will be examined in the second part. In line with the overall objectives of the master’s program, Middle Eastern political systems will be assigned particular prominence in class discussions.
Vertical Tabs
Course Learning Outcomes
| Learning Outcomes |
Program
Learning Outcomes |
Teaching Methods | Assessment Methods |
| The participants will be able to continuously recall and retrieve the information they have obtained on a variety of political systems during their undergradute studies. | 9, 12 | 2 | D |
| The participants will manage to identify and list the reseach questions and the variables that are central to comparative political inquiry. | 3, 5, 7, 9 | 1, 2, 8 | A, C, D |
| The participants will be able to assess and evaluate the contributions made by various models and methodologies used in comparative political inquiry to the study of politics. | 2, 3, 6, 7, 12, 13 | 1, 2, 8 | A, C, D |
| The participants will be able to discuss and interpret the findings of the variety of models used in comparing political systems around the world. | 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13 | 1, 2, 8 | A, C, D |
| The participants of the course will acquire the skills required to examine and analyze the methodology used in comparative political inquiry. | 3, 5, 7, 8, 10 | 1, 7, 8 | A, B |
| Through various case studies, the course will enable the participants to generate hypotheses and propose ways of testing them. | 4, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13 | 2, 3 | D |
Course Flow
| COURSE CONTENT | ||
| Week | Topics | Study Materials |
| 1 | Introduction- The objectives and organization of the course | |
| 2 | What is ‘Comparative Politics’?: The objectives of comparative inquiry | Landmark, T., Chapter 1; Brown, B.A. and Macridis; Sartori, G. |
| 3 | The methods of comparative inquiry | Landman, T., Chapter 2; Mill, J.S. |
| 4 | Case study | Landman, T., Chapter 5; Hawkins, D. |
| 5 | Comparative study | Landman, T., Chapter 4; Hanson, S. E.; Lijphart, A. |
| 6 | Global comparison | Landman, T., Chapter 3; Jackman, R.; Pennings, P., Keman, H. and Kleinnijenhuis, J. |
| 7 | Developmentalism | Landman, T., Chapter 6; Easton, D.; Lipset, S.M.; Wiarda, H.J. |
| 8 | Dependency | Smith, T. |
| 9 | Political Culture | Welzel, C.; Wiarda, H.J. |
| 10 | Institutionalism | Landman, T., Chapter 10; March, J.G. and Olsen, J.P.; Schmidt, V.A. |
| 11 | The State | Jessop, B.; Migdal, J. |
| 12 | Bureaucratic Authoritarianism, Corporatism | Remmer, K.L. and Merkx, G. W.; Wiarda, H.J. |
| 13 | Democratization | Landman, T., Chapter 9; Geddes, B. |
| 14 | Welfare regimes | Carnes, M. E. and Mares, I. |
| 15 | Review of the topics covered | |
Recommended Sources
| RECOMMENDED SOURCES | |
| Textbook | Landman, T. (2008), Issues and Methods in Comparative Politics, Routledge, New York |
| Additional Resources |
Brown, B.A. and Macridis, R.C. (1996), “Comparative Analysis: Methods and Concepts” in Brown, B.A. and Macridis, R.C. eds., Comparative Politics: Notes and Readings, Wadsworth Publishing Company, Belmont
Carnes, M. E. and Mares, I. (2007), “The Welfare State in Global Perspective” in Boix, C. and Stokes, S.C., eds., The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Politics, Oxford University Press, Oxford Easton, D. (1996), “The Analysis of Political Systems” in Brown, B.A. and Macridis, R.C. eds., Comparative Politics: Notes and Readings, Wadsworth Publishing Company, Belmont Geddes, B. (2007), “What Causes Democratization” in Boix, C. and Stokes, S.C., eds., The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Politics, Oxford University Press, Oxford Hanson, S. E. (2009), “The Contribution of Area Studies” in Landman, T. and Robinson, N., eds., The Sage Handbook of Comparative Politics, Sage, Los Angeles Hawkins, D. (2009), “Case Studies” in Landman, T. and Robinson, N., eds., The Sage Handbook of Comparative Politics, Sage, Los Angeles Jackman, R. (1985), “Cross- national Statistical Research and the Study of Comparative Politics”, American Journal of Political Science, Vol. 29 Jessop, B. (2008), “The State and State-building” in Rhodes, R.A.W., Binder, S.A. and Rockman, B.A., eds., The Oxford Handbook of Political Institutions, Oxford University Press, New York Lijphart, A. (1975), “The Comparative-Cases Strategy in Comparative Research”, Comparative Political Studies, Vol. 8 Lipset, S.M. (1959), “Some Social Prerequisites for Democracy: Economic Development and Political Legitimacy”, American Political Science Review, Vol. 53 March, J.G. and Olsen, J.P. (1984), “The New Institutionalism: Organizational Factors in Political Life”, American Political Science Review, Vol. 78 Migdal, J. (2002), “A Model of State-Society Relations” in Wiarda, H.J., ed., New Directions in Comparative Politics, Westview Press Mill, J.S. (1996), “How We Compare” in Brown, B.A. and Macridis, R.C. eds., Comparative Politics: Notes and Readings, Wadsworth Publishing Company, Belmont Pennings, P., Keman, H. and Kleinnijenhuis, J. (2009), “Global Comparative Methods” in Landman, T. and Robinson, N., eds., The Sage Handbook of Comparative Politics, Sage, Los Angeles Remmer, K.L. and Merkx, G. W. (1982), “Bureaucratic Authoritarianism Revisited”, Latin American Research Review, vol. 17, no. 2 Sartori, G. (1994), “Compare Why and How: Comparing, Miscomparing and the Comparative Method” in Dogan, M. and Kazancıgil, A. eds., Comparing Nations: Concepts, Strategies, Substance, Blackwell, Oxford Schmidt, V.A.(2009), “Comparative Institutional Analysis” in Landman, T. and Robinson, N., eds., The Sage Handbook of Comparative Politics, Sage, Los Angeles Smith, T. (2002), “The Dependency” in Wiarda, H.J., ed., New Directions in Comparative Politics, Westview Press Welzel, C. (2009), “Political Culture” in Landman, T. and Robinson, N., eds., The Sage Handbook of Comparative Politics, Sage, Los Angeles Wiarda, H.J. (2007), Comparative Politics: Approaches and Issues, Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Maryland, Chapters 3, 4 and 5
|
Material Sharing
| MATERIAL SHARING | |
| Documents | Recommended sources |
| Assignments | Book review, review of the methodology adopted by a journal in the discipline, review of the methodology employed in an article, presentation on one of the models discussed in the class |
| Exams | Final examination (based on lectures, class discussions, recommended sources) |
Assessment
| ASSESSMENT | ||
| IN-TERM STUDIES | NUMBER | PERCENTAGE |
| Review of a textbook | 1 | 5 |
| Journal and article review | 2 | 10 |
| Presentation | 1 | 50 |
| Total | 75 | |
| CONTRIBUTION OF FINAL EXAMINATION TO OVERALL GRADE | 25 | |
| CONTRIBUTION OF IN-TERM STUDIES TO OVERALL GRADE | 75 | |
| Total | 100 | |
Course’s Contribution to Program
| COURSE'S CONTRIBUTION TO PROGRAM | |||||||
| No | Program Learning Outcomes | Contribution | |||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||
| 1 | To demonstrate the ability to specialize and expand knowledge in the fields of political science, international relations, comparative politics, Turkish politics and foreign policy. | X | |||||
| 2 | The ability to comprehend the interdisciplinary quality of the political science and international relations discipline. | X | |||||
| 3 | A command of basic research models and approaches of political science and international relations discipline and the ability to apply them in academic research and project design. | X | |||||
| 4 | Having the ability to assess and interpret the different political and societal systems in the Middle East with an interdisciplinary approach. | X | |||||
| 5 | Having a command of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods and abiding by the highest levels of academic and research ethics. | X | |||||
| 6 | The ability to present and debate an issue that requires specialization in the field of political science and international relations. The ability to discuss this issue within an intellectual framework, and the ability to express oneself in a professional and academic manner. | X | |||||
| 7 | The ability to analyze and critically evaluate basic research models, approaches and intellectual traditions in the field of political science, international relations. | X | |||||
| 8 | The ability to utilize academic writing and presentation skills to projects, dissertations and articles. | X | |||||
| 9 | Having advanced reading, writing, comprehension and speaking skills in the English language. | X | |||||
| 10 | Having the ability to apply knowledge of political science and international relations discipline to information technologies and traditional tools so as to produce sound solutions to problems. | X | |||||
| 11 | Possessing experience and social skills necessary for employment in the public and private sectors and/or being admitted to a competitive Ph.D. program. | X | |||||
| 12 | Having empathy towards diverse and differing communities, which will facilitate conducing teamwork at local as well as global platforms. | X | |||||
| 13 | Having competency of comprehending and interpreting local and global issues through information exchange with international academics and students. | X | |||||
ECTS
| ECTS ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD BY THE COURSE DESCRIPTION | |||
| Activities | Quantity |
Duration (Hour) |
Total Workload (Hour) |
| Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours) | 16 | 3 | 48 |
| Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice) | 16 | 7 | 112 |
| Assignments | 3 | 6 | 18 |
| Final examination | 1 | 25 | 25 |
| Total Work Load | 203 | ||
| Total Work Load / 25 (h) | 8.12 | ||
| ECTS Credit of the Course | 8 | ||