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Political Processes and Institutions in Comparative Perspective

By Dr. Aijaz Ashraf Wani   |   University of Kashmir
Learners enrolled: 467

This comprehensive course is designed to cover almost the entire subject matter of this vibrant academic field. As is the case with any discipline, this course starts with a contextual and historical background of the subject when it was conceived as an infant academic enterprise. It discusses the origin, scope, and nature of comparative politics as well as the theoretical and conceptual toolkit to engage in variety of comparative studies designed by its founding fathers. A blend of traditional and modern approaches is discussed along with the latest interventions in the form of contemporary methodological and theoretical directions in the subject. Moreover, the theoretical and conceptual part has been balanced with a rich praxis part covering interesting comparative analyses of various institutions and processes around the world. Be it democracy, federalism or authoritarianism, a nuanced analysis is provided with selected case studies. Various forms and types of governments along with theories are discussed in detail. Besides, party system and electoral dynamics, there are comparative case studies on legislature, executive, and judiciary. This is surely an essential and ‘go to’ course for anyone interested in examining institutions and processes in comparative perspective. Essentially designed for undergraduate level, it can also be useful for graduate students, and even can cater to the requirements of general political science discipline as well. 

Summary
Course Status : Ongoing
Course Type : Core
Duration : 12 weeks
Category :
  • Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit Points : 5
Level : Undergraduate
Start Date : 01 Jul 2024
End Date : 31 Oct 2024
Enrollment Ends : 31 Aug 2024
Exam Date : 08 Dec 2024 IST
Shift :

I

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.


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Course layout

First Week
1. Meaning and Nature of Comparative Politics
2. Evolution of Comparative Politics
3. Scope and Significance of Comparative Politics
4. Comparative Politics and Comparative Government

2nd Week
5. Comparative Method in Comparative Politics
6. Historical and Legal Approach to Comparative Politics
7. Institutional Approach to Comparative Politics
8. Behaviouralism and Post-Behaviouralism

3rd Week
9. David Easton’s input-Out approach
10. Gabriel Almond’s Structural-Functional Approach
11. Communication Approach of Karl Deutsch
12. New Institutionalism

4th Week
13. Political Culture: Meaning and Types
14. Gabriel Almond’s Contribution to Political Culture
15. Political Socialization: Meaning and Agents
16. Nation State: Historical Context in the European States

5th Week
17. Revisiting Key Theoretical Positions on the Origin of State, and the Nation and Nationalism
18. Post-Colonial State: Key Debates and Theoretical Reflections
19.  Aristotle’s Classification of Government
20.  Polybius Classification of Government

6th Week
21. Parliamentary and Presidential Systems
22. Unitary and Federal forms of government
23. Monarchical System in UK
24. Parliamentary Form of Government in UK and India

7th Week
25. Presidential form of government
26. Authoritarian system with special Reference to China and Russia
27. Elections - Importance in Practice of Democracy
28. Proportional Representation: Prospects and Challenges

8th Week
29. First Past the Post System: Advantages and Disadvantages
30. Executive elections in India and US
31. Executive elections in UK and China
32. Political Parties: Meaning and Significance

9th Week
33. Perspectives on Political Parties
34. Typologies of Political Parties
35. Party system in India and US
36. Party system in China and Russia

10th Week
37. Judiciary: US and India
38. Federalism: Features and Importance
39. Classical Theory of Federalism
40. Origin Theory of Federalism

11th Week
41. Federalism in India and Canada --I
42. Federalism in India and Canada --II
43. Democracy: Meaning and Types
44. Democracy in India and US

12th Week
45. Elite Theory: Meaning and Assumptions
46. Elite Theory of Circulation- Vilfred
47. Iron Law of Oligarchy
48. Theory of Masses: Ortega Gasset

Books and references

1.     Caramani, Daniele, ed. Comparative politics. Oxford University Press, 2017.

2.     Bhushan, Vidya. Comparative politics. Atlantic Publishers & Dist, 2006.

3.     Landman, Todd. Issues and methods in comparative politics: an introduction. routledge, 2002.

4.     Clark, William Roberts, Matt Golder, and Sona Nadenichek Golder. Principles of comparative politics. CQ Press, 2017.

5.     Almond, Gabriel Abraham, and James Smoot Coleman, eds. The politics of the developing areas. Princeton University Press, 2015.

6.     Blondel, Jean. Comparative Government Introduction. Routledge, 2016.

7.     Hague, Rod, Martin Harrop, and John McCormick. Comparative government and politics. Vol. 6. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.
8.     Chilcote, Ronald H. Theories of comparative politics: the search for a paradigm reconsidered. Routledge, 2018.

Instructor bio

Dr. Aijaz Ashraf Wani

University of Kashmir

Aijaz Ashraf Wani (PhD) is Associate Professor at Department of Political Science, University of Kashmir. He is author of What Happened to Governance in Kashmir? Oxford University Press, 2019; and Co-editor of Democracy in South Asia, Routledge, 2024, & Government and Politics of Jammu and Kashmir: From Princely State to Union Territory, SAGE, 2022.  His research has appeared in national and international journals including Journal of Borderlands Studies, Studies in Indian Politics, Indian Journal of Public Administration, South Asian Survey, Economic and Political Weekly, Indian Historic Review, Urban India etc. Besides he has chapters in books published by Routledge, Orient Blackswan, and Palgrave Macmillan. He has completed two major research projects sponsored by ICSSR, New Delhi and is working on another Research Project on the theme of Urban Governance, funded by ICSSR. Besides he has completed number of minor projects on Electoral Studies sponsored by CSDS, New Delhi. He was coordinator of MOOC course on Indian Government and Politics (2020).



Course certificate

30 Marks will be allocated for Internal Assessment and 70 Marks will be allocated for end term proctored examination Securing 40% in both separately is mandatory to pass the course and get Credit Certificate.


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