Kursinformation

What distinguishes a democracy from an autocracy? How do parliaments and governments interact and how does this shape the outcomes of the policy-making process? How can parties, interest groups, and citizens influence political decisions? Or, how can we design democracies so that they are fair, inclusive and stable? These are crucial questions asked by scholars of Comparative Politics. This lecture introduces students into the field – its key concepts, theories, and methods. We will go beyond simply describing the political system of selected countries and uncover how political and socioeconomic variables are connected through systematic comparison.