TYPE OF COURSE UNIT	Compulsory Course
LEVEL OF COURSE UNIT	Doctorate Of Science
YEAR OF STUDY	1
SEMESTER	First Term (Fall)
NUMBER OF ECTS CREDITS ALLOCATED	10
NAME OF LECTURER(S)	Assistant Professor Nazlı Şenses Özcan
LEARNING OUTCOMES OF THE COURSE UNIT	At the end of this course, the students; 1) Identify and compare theories in the field of comparative politics. 2) Identify comparative politics methods and systematically apply these to a specific research question. 3) Think critically by systematically applying different, competing theoretical explanations to the same issue.
MODE OF DELIVERY	Face to face
PRE-REQUISITES OF THE COURSE	No
RECOMMENDED OPTIONAL PROGRAMME COMPONENT	No
COURSE DEFINITION	This course addresses the key issues and debates dominating the field of comparative politics. For this purpose, in the first part of the course, the logic and reason behind comparing countries and political systems, is discussed. The course focus on comparative methods (qualitative and quantitative methods), the unit of analysis used in the comparison, variables, cases, and levels of analysis. After this methodological introduction to comparative politics, in the second part of the course, the theoretical approaches that dominate the field is identified and examined. The epistemological and ontological foundations of these theoretical approaches (rational choice, structuralism and cultural explanations) are analysed through examples. In the third part of the course, the methods and theories, which dominate comparative politics, are applied on the basis of different themes. These themes include, democracy, economic development, political violence, revolutions, social and ethnic conflicts. Some of the questions that will be attempted to answer are the following: Why, are the politicians of some countries sensitive to the needs of citizens, while some other countries' politicians are not? Why do people in some places vote in relation to ethnic ties, in others they do not? Why, while some states guarantee social protection for their citizens, others leave it to the market? What is the role of private property rights in transition to democracy and a market economy? Why does redistribution of resources vary across countries and policy areas?
COURSE CONTENTS	WEEK TOPICS 1st Week Introduction: Why compare? How to compare? 2nd Week Comparative Method as a research method 3rd Week Comparative Method II 4th Week Theory and Comparative Politics: Rational Choice 5th Week Theory and Comparative Politics: Structuralism 6th Week Theory and Comparative Politics: Culture and Identity 7th Week Theory and Comparative Politics: New Institutionalism 8th Week Democracy, autocracy and regime change 9th Week Democratic transition and consolidation 10th Week State and state-building 11th Week Developmentalist state and Regulatory state 12th Week Institutions 13th Week Varieties of capitalism 14th Week Review
RECOMENDED OR REQUIRED READING	Lijphart, A. (ed) Politics in Europe. Comparisons and Interpretations (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall) Boix, C. and Stokes, S. C. (ed) Comparative Politics (Oxford: Oxford University Press) Almond, G. A. (1965) `A developmental approach to political systems?, World Politics 17(2): 183-214. Lijphart, A. (1971) `Comparative Politics and the Comparative Method?, The American Political Science Review 65(3): 682?693. Sartori, G. (1991) `Comparing and Miscomparing?, Journal of Theoretical Politics 3(3): 243-257. Mahoney, J. (2007) `Qualitative methodology and comparative politics?, Comparative Political Studies 40(2): 122-144. Braumoeller, B. F. and Goertz, G. (2000) `The methodology of necessary conditions?, American Journal of Political Science 44(4): 844-858. Landman, T. (2006) Issues and Methods in Comparative Politics (Routledge: London and New York) Norkus, Z. (2005) `Mechanisms as miracle makers? The rise and inconsistencies of the ?mechanismic approach? in social science and history?, History and Theory 44: 348-372. Lichbach, M. I. and Zuckerman, A. S. (eds) Comparative Politics: Rationality, Culture, and Structure (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) Diamond, L., Plattner, M. F., Yun-Han Chu and Hung-Mao Tien (eds) Consolidating the Third Wave Democracies (Themes and Perspectives) (Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins University) O?Donnell, G., Schmitter, P. C. and Whitehead, L. (eds) Transitions from authoritarian rule: Comparative perspectives (Baltimore and London: The John Hopkins University Press) Evans, P. B., Rueschemeyer, D. and Skocpol, T. (eds) Bringing the State Back In (Cambridge University Press) Evans, P. (1995) Embedded Autonomy. States and Industrial Transformation (Princeton University Press) Lange, M. and Rueschemeyer, D. (eds) States and Development: Historical Antecedents of Stagnation and Advance (Palgrave) Hall PA, and Soskice D. (2001) Varieties of Capitalism: The Institutional Foundations of Comparative Advantage (Oxford University Press) Hall, P. and Taylor, R. (1996) `Political science and the three new institutionalisms?, Political Studies 44: 936-957. March, J. and Olsen, J. P. (1996) `Institutional perspectives on political institutions?, Governance 9: 247-264. Inglehart, R. (1988) `The Renaissance of political culture?, The American Political Science Review 82(4): 1203-1230 Putnam, R. D. (1993) Making Democracy Work. Civic Traditions in Modern Italy (Princeton University Press)
PLANNED LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS	Lecture,Discussion,Questions/Answers
ASSESSMENT METHODS AND CRITERIA	Quantity Percentage(%) Mid-term 1 20 Assignment 10 40 Total(%) 60 Contribution of In-term Studies to Overall Grade(%) 60 Contribution of Final Examination to Overall Grade(%) 40 Total(%) 100
ECTS WORKLOAD	Activities Number Hours Workload Midterm exam 1 48 48 Preparation for Quiz Individual or group work 14 3 42 Preparation for Final exam 1 45 45 Course hours 14 3 42 Preparation for Midterm exam 1 30 30 Laboratory (including preparation) Final exam 1 60 60 Homework 10 2,5 25 Total Workload 292 Total Workload / 30 9,73 ECTS Credits of the Course 10
LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION	English
WORK PLACEMENT(S)	No