PSCI 440 Senior Seminar in Comparative Politics: The State (Not offered 2008-2009; to be offered 2009-2010)
Everybody talks about "The State," but what do they mean? What is the state? Where do states get their authority and power? Where do they come from and why do some states collapse while others survive? Why are some states strong and others weak? And, really, what does it mean to call a state "strong" or "weak"? Should political science in general and comparative politics in particular even use states as the central unit of analysis? What do political scientists see and, perhaps more important, what do they miss by this focus on states? This senior seminar examines a variety of definitions and perspectives on the state.
Format: seminar. Requirements: readings, 2 literature reviews presented in class, and 1 research paper.
Prerequisites: Political Science 201 or 202 or 203 or 204 or permission of the instructor. Enrollment limit: 15 (expected 13). Preference will be given to senior political science majors with concentration in comparative politics.
Comparative Politics Subfield
MUNEMO