POLS 3001-001: Comparative Politics

Fall 2014; T/TH 4:00-5:15; J216

Instructor: Dr. Stacey Mitchell

Email: ; Phone: x7449

Office Hours:T/Th: 10:30-12:30; on-line: Thursday 6:00pm-7:00pm

Office: J319

Course Description

Welcome to POLS 3001—Comparative Politics.This course provides a generalized overview of the political systems and policymaking processes in several important countries. Included are country case studies from both the developed and developing worlds, as well as communist and post-communist realms.

Course Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate the value of comparative study in the evaluation of cross-national political phenomena, institutions, and behavior.
  2. Evaluate the major strengths and weaknesses of presidential and parliamentary systems, focusing in particular upon the American and British cases.
  3. Understand the important distinctions between the opposing regime types of liberal democracies and totalitarian states, while discussing how the Marxism-Leninist ideology informed the development of the latter regime type.
  4. Differentiate between the newly industrializing countries (NICs) and the less developed countries (LDCs), while demonstrating an awareness of the different theories that help explain the developmental progress (or lack thereof) in the economic and political realms of such states.

Grading and Course Requirements

Grading in this course will be based upon the following components:

  • Participation:10%
  • Quizzes: 40%
  • Midterm: 25%
  • Final Exam:25%

Grades will be scaled as follows:

  • A: 90-100%
  • B: 80-89.9%
  • C: 70-79.9%
  • D: 60-69.9%
  • F: 59.9% and below

Exams and Quizzes

The mid-term exam will consist of 25 multiple choice questions and will cover material from the first half of the semester. The final exam will also consist of 25 multiple choice questions and will cover material from the second half of the semester. I also give quizzes regularly before class to make sure that students have done the reading. Each quiz will consist of 5 questions. NOTE: deadline to withdraw from the class is October 2, 2014.

Required Readings

The following textbook is required for this course and is available at the SPSU bookstore:

  • Powell, G. Bingham, Russell J. Dalton and Kaare Strom, Comparative Politics Today: A World View, 11th ed. (Pearson, 2014). ISBN: 9780133807721.

Ground Rules

First and most importantly, this course will require a great deal of reading and analysis, as well as participation in class. If you are not prepared to work hard, this may not be the course for you. Your remaining in this course will be understood to be an acceptance of the following ground rules:

  • All communication will be conducted through the D2L system. Please be sure to check it regularly for notifications and news, particularly if we have to cancel class because of weather, campus emergency etc.
  • Please turn off all cell phones before you come to class.
  • If you will be leaving class early, you must notify me before class.If you do not you will not receive credit for your attendance that day.
  • No make-up quizzes, tests or incompletes will be given without official documentation. I ONLY accept doctor’s notes, copies of court subpoenas, jury subpoenas and other official court documentation, as well as funeral notices, and notices for school-sponsored events. Any documentation you present to me must be presented in a timely manner and must includethe date or dates you missed class—otherwise your absence will not be excused.
  • I do not accept as a valid excuse the following: job interviews, weddings, vacations, birthdays, other family events including births (unless of course it is you who is giving birth), and missing class because you have to work on something for another class or you have to take an entrance exam for grad school, law school, med school, or bartending school.
  • More than one unexcused absence will be taken by me as an indication that a student has little interest in this class. As such,two or more unexcused absences will count negatively against your overall grade.
  • I do not give extra credit. NO EXCEPTIONS.
  • In terms of your final grade, I DO NOT NEGOTIATE. I will explain your grade to you. I will not change your final grade.

Disruptive Behavior and Academic Dishonesty (as excerpted from SPSU’s Undergraduate Academic Catalogue – 2012-2013):

“A faculty member reserves the right to remove any student from his or her course if the student’s behavior is of a disruptive nature or if there is evidence of academic dishonesty. In instances of disruptive behavior and/or academic dishonesty, the faculty member will discuss the circumstances with the student(s) before taking final action. In the event the student cannot be reached, he or she will be given the grade of “Incomplete” until such time as he or she can be reached. The student shall have the right of appeal of the faculty member’s decision

  • first to the faculty member’s Department Chair
  • then to the appropriate School Dean,
  • and, if necessary, to the Vice President for Academic Affairs

Removal from a course under this provision will result in a grade of “F.” A grade of “F” issued under these circumstances shall not be superseded by a voluntary withdrawal, and will be included in the student’s cumulative grade point average calculated for graduation purposes.”

Please see the following link for information on SPSU’s new Honor Code:

Students with Disabilities

A student at Southern Polytechnic State University who has a disabling condition and needs academic accommodations has a responsibility to voluntarily identify him/herself as having a disability by scheduling an appointment with the Disability Services Coordinator as soon as possible. Students are encouraged to contact the counselor working with disabilities at (678) 915-7244 as soon as possible to better ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.

Important Dates to Remember

  • August 18:Last day to drop/add
  • September 1: Labor day holiday
  • September 29: Midterm grades due
  • October 2: Withdrawal day
  • November 26-28: Thanksgiving holiday
  • December 1: Last day of classes

Block One: Introduction to Course

August 14: Introduction

August 19-21: Chapter 1

August 26-August 28: Chapter 2

Block Two:System, Process and Policy

September 2-4: Chapter 3

September 9: Chapter 4

September 11: Chapter 5

September 16-18: Chapter 6

Review for Midterm: September 23

Midterm: September 25

Block Three: Country Studies

September 30-October 2: Chapter 8, Britain

October 7-9: Chapter 9, France

October 14-16: Chapter 10, Germany

October 21-23: Chapter 12, Russia

October 28-30: Chapter 13, China

November 4-6: Chapter 15, Brazil

November11-13: Chapter 16, Iran

November 18-20: Chapter 18, Nigeria

Review for final exam: November 25

Final exam: TBD

This is a tentative working syllabus. Any information in this syllabus is subject to change. Students are responsible for these changes.