GOVT-734 Democratization: Past, Present, Future (3)

This course helps students construct a cognitive road map of the extensive literature on democracy and democratization. The course mostly addresses recent processes (those of the last 25 years) of democratization, which have been concentrated in the developing world. In particular, the focus is on empirical examples from Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. After defining and measuring democracy, the class discusses democracy’s causes and out puts, considers hybrid (with authoritarian and democratic characteristics) regimes, and democratic political institutions including government branches, political parties, electoral systems, and civil society groups. Usually offered every third spring. Prerequisite: GOVT-730 or GOVT-732.