Module:                          PS 202 - Comparative Government and Politics

Credit value:                         12

Programme:                          B.A. PS

 General objective:

Students will gather insights in forms of political systems, and will be able to classify different  forms  of  political  systems  through  the  study  of  contemporary  states  (United Kingdom, United States, France, Japan, China,  Soviet Union, India...). A study of various constitutions  will  also  help  in  a  broader  understanding  of  the  Bhutanese  constitution. Theoretical understanding of the party system, Bureaucracy and the concept of political development will be an asset for further studies.

Learning outcome:

On the successful completion of the module the students will be able to:

•           Comprehend the evolution of comparative politics as a discipline.

•           Evaluate critically the major political systems of the world.

•           Analyze the concept of development and underdevelopment and apply it to third world countries.

•           Demonstrate  the  knowledge  to  differentiate  between  various  types  of  political regimes.

•           Understand the concept of party system and pressure groups.

•           Analyze the importance of political culture in the political system.

•           Have a basic knowledge about the use of power in any political system.

Learning and teaching approach:

Lectures (60 hours) Tutorials (15 hours)

Group discussions (15hours) Assignments (20 hours)

This module counts for 12credits, divided over a period of 15 weeks. With a maximum of 8 hours per week, the number of teaching hours is four per week. There will be a one-hour tutorial, once per week. Two hours go to self-study and research. Once every two weeks, there will be a one-hour group discussion.

Assessment:

End Semester Examination (30%)

Mid Semester Examination (15%) Written assignment (2 ×20= 40%) Assignment presentation (10%) Class Participation (05%)

Pre-requisite knowledge: Introduction to Politics (PS101) Subject matter:

Part 1: Comparative Politics:

1. Evolution

2. Nature and scope

3. Approaches and methods

Part 2: Issues in Comparative Politics

1. Why Governments?

2. Why we Compare?

3. How we compare?

4. Systems, environments and interdependence.

Part 3: Government and Policy

1. Constitution and the legal framework: Constitutions, judicial review and constitutional courts, Administrative law, judicial activism

2. Federal, Unitary and Local government.

3. Legislatures: structure, function, recruitment, legislature in democracies and authoritarian states.

4. The political executive: presidential government, parliamentary government, semi- presidential government.

5. The Bureaucracy: Evolution, recruitment, organization, accountability, bureaucracy and democracy.

Part 4: Political systems: A study of the constitution and the political process

1. United States of America

2. Britain

3. India

4. France

5. China

6. South Africa

Part 5: Political dynamics and political systems:  Parties, Interest groups and the electoral process

1.         parties and political process: Classification of political parties and political systems, Parties in democracies and authoritarian systems, Role and influence of the party in the decision making and policy formulation, Political parties and political socialization

2.         Interest Group Dynamics: Classifying interest groups, Interest groups in comparative analysis, Determinants of pressure group methods, Channels of access, Operational techniques of interest groups, Interest groups in modern political systems: USA, UK and India.

3.         The Electoral Process: electoral systems, representation and participatory democracy, The ‘first past the post’ or plurality system, Proportional representation, Electoral system in major political systems.

Part 6: Political culture: Civic culture, Political trust and social capital, Post materialism, Political culture in new Democracies,       Political culture in Authoritarian states, Political Socialization

Reading list:

Text Books:

Harrop and Hague(2004) Comparative government and politics, Pal grave, Macmillan, London.

Ray, S.N (1999), Modern comparative politics: Approaches methods and issues, Prentice hall

India, Delhi

Almond, G.A (1972) Comparative Politics, Addison Wessely, Boston.

J. Blondel, (1969) An Introduction to Comparative Government, London.

R.C. Mac rides,(1955) The Study of Comparative Government, , Random House, New york.

Reference Books and Articles

Andrews, W.G(1988) Constituion and Constituionalism, OUP, London.

A.H.Birch,(1980) British System of Government,London,Allen and Unwin, London.