Comparative Political Behavior
In this course we will focus on the question of how people around the world think about and participate in politics. We will explore public opinion, voting behavior, the politics of gender and ethnicity, electoral participation, and other forms of political participation in a variety of contexts ranging from established democracies in Western Europe and the United States to new democracies in the former USSR, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. The primary goals will be to gain an understanding of the scholarly debate on political participation, and to analyze the factors that motivate citizens to participate in political life. 3 hrs. lect/disc. (Comparative Politics)/