Asia has arrived. With the world's oldest surviving civilizations, largest land area and population, and fastest economic growth, Asia is projected to contribute over half of world GDP within your lifetimes. And so far as comparative politics is concerned Asia has every variety of politics found elsewhere in the world: developed, underdeveloped, and rapidly developing; revolutionary, neo-feudal and reactionary; dictatorship, parliamentary democracy, and semi-authoritarian. Thus this class will focus exclusively on comparative Asian politics. Grades will be based on midterm and final exams and on class participation.
This course provides an introduction to comparative politics. It aims to provide students with the tools necessary to study politics and society in comparative perspective.