Comparative Politics - Senior Thesis
Comparative Politics (CP) focuses on the study and comparison of different political systems. It does that by using the comparative method to study a single case across time or multiple cases across geographic space. What, then, is a “case”? Commonly, they’re states but CP also focuses on units smaller than or larger than states if the focus Is on internal factors. CP usually involves the study of factors within one state or the comparison of these factors across multiple states. It is typically distinguished from International Relations by how CP looks at domestic factors while International Relations focuses on factors between or among states. CP can also involve a focus on internal factors and comparisons within or between empires, colonies, nations, tribes, clans, etc. that pre-date or exist separate from states. CP also includes Area Studies, which are studies that focus on looking within one region or making comparisons between regions. This can also include studying a single state in-depth.
Note: Some topics span domestic and international borders. Other times, domestic factors can have international consequences and vice versa. Therefore, some topics don’t fall neatly between CP and IR, such as genocide, ethnic conflict, terrorism, remittances, or (im)migration.
Comparative Politics Courses Offered at CPP
PLS 3410 - Comparative Democratization
PLS 3420 - Politics of Developing Areas
PLS 3431 - Ethnic Conflict
PLS 4430 - European Governments and Politics
PLS 4440 - Latin American Governments and Politics
PLS 4450 - Sub-Saharan African Governments and Politics
PLS 4460 - Middle Eastern Governments and Politics
PLS 4470 - Government and Politics of the Russian Federation
PLS 4480 - East Asian Governments and Politics
PLS 4490 - Southeast Asian Governments and Politics
PLS 4990 – Special Topics: South Asian Government and Politics
Examples of Previous Topics Published in the Undergraduate Journal of PLS:
“Europe’s Migrant Affairs: How Varying Factors Contribute to the Rise of Radical Party Leaders”
“Military-Led State-Building: The Curious Case of Iraq vs Afghanistan”
“Does Religion Belong in Politics? Case Studies of the US & Bangladesh”
“Latin-American Anti-Government Protests: An Analysis of the Contributing Factors”
“Why Do Latin American Governments Violate their Citizens’ Human Rights?”
“Climate of Conflict: Can Climate Change Cause Violent Ethnic Conflict?”
“Women Terrorists: Is the Increase of Women Terrorists Being Driven by the Same Motivations As Men?”
“Global Extremism: Understanding the Factors that Have Contributed to the Rise of Right-Wing Extremism in the Last Decade”
“Sikh Ethnic Conflict: What Explains the Difference Between Sikhs’ Security in India and Pakistan?”
“Backsliding Democracy: Why Has Democracy Receded in Venezuela?”
CP topics include such categories as:
- Political governance, structures, and regimes: electoral systems, democracies and democratization, dictatorships, revolutions, militaries, political parties, journalism and media
- Economics structures, metrics, or activities: unemployment, poverty and development, inequality, economic crises, currency selection
- Social and cultural factors: political ideologies; social movements; political culture; voting behaviors; social or political tolerance; institutional trust; sports
- Identity-based groups and their politics: ethnic, religious, racial, linguistic, gendered, economic; nations and nationalism; separatism; independence movements
- Domestic factors of violent conflicts OR domestically contained violent conflicts: ethnic or religious conflict, rebellion, civil war, pogroms, genocide
- Colonialism and imperialism