Selected Topics in Comparative Politics: Democracy in Comparative Historical Perspective

Democracy is lauded as the best form of government for human flourishing and also under attack throughout the world. This course considers democracy in a comparative perspective. What are the varieties of democracy and are they all equally desirable? What are the main criticisms of democracy and how should we evaluate them? To what extent do polarization, misinformation, and "bad" institutions threaten democracy? To the extent democracy is in danger, who should get the blame? We visit all these questions and more.