24-201.11 Foundations of Comparative and Area Studies

Instructors: Prof. Dr. Vera Eva Troeger

Event type: Lecture

Displayed in timetable as: GM: VL VRS

Hours per week: 2

Credits: 6,0

Language of instruction: German/English

Min. | Max. participants: 10 | 60

Comments/contents:
The pupose of the lecture is to give MA students a comprehensive overview over the field of comparative political science with some references to regional studies. The focus is on analytical and methodological approaches to conducting research with a comparative focus on political and institutional development.

This lecture aims to:
1.   provide a rich understanding of the origins, processes, and consequences of political, institutional, and ecnomic developments from a comparative perspective
2.   increase student’s interest in rigorous political economic analysis,
3.   discuss the similarities and dissimilarities of economics, politics, and institutions across different countries and different political regimes and systems
4.   provide students with a firm knowledge of major applications and topics in comparative and regional politics,
5.   develop students abilities to conduct rigorous analyses in comparative political science,
6.   enable students to organize their written texts in way that mirrors scholarly work.

Learning objectives:
This lecture aims to:
1.   provide a rich understanding of the origins, processes, and consequences of political, institutional, and ecnomic developments from a comparative perspective
2.   increase student’s interest in rigorous political economic analysis,
3.   discuss the similarities and dissimilarities of economics, politics, and institutions across different countries and different political regimes and systems
4.   provide students with a firm knowledge of major applications and topics in comparative and regional politics,
5.   develop students abilities to conduct rigorous analyses in comparative political science,
6.   enable students to organize their written texts in way that mirrors scholarly work.

The lecture also enables students to acquire the following generic and transferable skills:
1.      Library and Internet research
2.      Data collection, presentation, and analysis
3.      Exposition and argumentation in a structured fashion
4.      Working independently and as part of a group
5.      Presenting verbal argument to classroom peers
6.      Production of short well-researched essays and reports
7.      Structuring and organizing scientific texts.
8.      Working to deadlines
9.      Conducting oneself in a scholarly and professional manner

On this lecture students will need, use and improve the following key skills:
- systematic thinking: All theories and explanations in comparative and international political economy make assumptions about important actors, their utility function, and the structure in which social interaction takes place, especially a globalizing economy. The module will improve the student’s ability to identify crucial assumptions and discuss how arguments are related to assumptions.
- transfer of ideas and arguments: Students will apply theoretical arguments to issue-areas, in which these theories have not been developed.
- improving own learning and performance: Students will learn how to simplify complicated arguments to the core of the underlying logic.
- communication: Students will use and exercise open-mindedness in oral presentation and discussion.
- writing: Students will write discuss and learn how to organize research, develop arguments, test theories and write scientific texts. 
- interacting with others: Students will discuss controversial themes in comparative politics. This requires to respect others, listen carefully, argue calmly but self-confident.

Didactic concept:
The course will be delivered mainly through lectures combined with class discussions and student based presentations.

Literature:
This Introduction to Compartive Politics and Regional Studies is based on the book:
Clark, William Roberts, Matt Golder, and Sona Nadenichek Golder, 2017. Principles of Comparative Politics. 3rd edition. CQ Press.

It is advisable to purchase the book since the library has only a few copies in stock

Additional examination information:
Prüfungsleistung: wird noch bekannt gegeben
Bewertungsschema: bestanden/nicht-bestanden (unbenotet)
Prüfungstermin: wird noch bekannt gegeben

Ausgabeort der bewerteten Prüfungsleistung (gegen Empfangsbestätigung nach Eingabe der Noten in STiNE): wird noch bekannt gegeben

Weitere Studienleistungen (unbenotet):
Gruppenreferat zu einem Veranstaltungsthema.