Course Catalog

POLS 250 Democratization in Latin America

Why does Costa Rica serve as a model for democracy and development, while next-door neighbor Nicaragua remains one of the poorest countries in the world, mired in a struggle to democratize? Why have democratic regimes in Chile and Uruguay consolidated, while Venezuela and Ecuador have experienced a steady erosion of democratic institutions and norms? While some suggest that institutions, culture, or the timing of elections in democratic transitions play dominant roles in explaining these divergent outcomes, others point to the Cold War, neo-imperialism, and the resource curse as factors holding back would-be democracies. This course uses a comparative case study approach to test the major theories of democratic transition, focusing on the experiences of Central and South American countries.

Credits

4

Course Type

GC