Politics
POLI 142 Comparative Federalism
Introduces students to the promise and perils of federalism, an institution that countries around the world have adopted to solve a range of different political problems. In recent decades, federalism has emerged as a salient issue in comparative politics, and one that serves as an excellent window onto the most significant questions that we ask in this subfield, including how to consolidate democracy, how to promote economic development, and how to provide security in ethnically-divided societies. The course includes three weeks on conceptual issues; six weeks on the impact of federalism on democracy, development, and security; and a final week of student presentations on country cases.