This is a printable version of the Course Syllabus. Since I will not maintain this syllabus after the first day of class, you should rely on the Live Web Site to keep up with changes in the course.

An Introduction to Comparative Politics

ABOUT THIS COURSE

There is nothing natural about the modern nation-state.  It is a human invention.  The principal political drama of the last 400 years is the emergence of this form of organization.  To assume that this development has been the result of rational calculation, savvy judgment, and seasoned wisdom it to be profoundly ahistorical.  Rather the primary political vessel that we inhabit in the western world is at least in part the product of some of the worst aspects of the human condition---war, genocide, revolution, terrorism, oppression, hatred, poverty, inhumanity, and unfathomable stupidity.

This course is divided into five interlocking parts. First, I introduce you to some basic concepts about the modern nation-state.  Second, we travel down the road the West has taken toward this political identity: liberalism. Third, we consider an initially credible but ultimately failed path: Marxism-Leninism. Fourth, we confront the pathos and anger of that vast residual entity known misleadingly as the "Third World." Finally, we return to our starting point to examine the fate of nation-state in our age. Depending on what happens outside Notre Dame during the semester, I will refer to whatever events, developments, and spectacles seem useful to our journey.

If you don't read decent newspapers and news magazines on a regular basis--such as, The New York Times and The Economist--now is the time to start.

We meet three times a week. I lecture on Mondays and Wednesdays. Each of the lectures flows from the one preceding it. They all add up to a simple story (see the Course Flow Chart here). On Fridays, the class is divided into 8 discussion sections led by our teaching assistants. Because you are Notre Dame students and not subway alums or tourists, your TAs and I expect you to live up to high standards. Regular attendance at both lectures and discussion sections is required to pass this course. We intend to make you work hard in this course, and as a result, learn a lot.

My office hours are Tuesdays, 10:45 - 11:45 and Wednesdays 2:00 - 4:00
My office is in the Nanovic Institute for European Studies
211 Brownson Hall (right behind the Main Building)
It would be illogical for you to fail to visit me.You do not need to have a specific agenda.

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Advice for First-Year Students at Notre Dame
Read Here

READINGS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS

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This Web Syllabus is the definitive source of information for our course. Your paper syllabus will soon be out of date. You should consult this site at least twice a week.  I will change assignments and add mandatory readings and links throughout the semester. Thus, you are responsible for knowing about any changes in requirements.

Paper Sources

• Roger Scruton, The West and the Rest
• John Kingdon, America the Unusual
• Carolina Maria de Jesus, Child of the Dark
• Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto
• Course Reader: Buy this immediately in the La Fortune Copy Center
  
  All of these books (with the exception of the Reader) are available in the Hesburgh Library Reserve Room.

Virtual Sources

You, your classmates, and your TAs will engage in regular discussions and debates over WebCT Vista. You will find this link on the left column of this page. Participation in these virtual discussions is one of the most important and beneficial segments of this course. By using WebCT Vista, you will be better prepared for your Friday sections and you will have the opportunity to test your ideas and argue with each other.  Remember: You can't study politics without a little conflict!

Visual Sources

There are several required films in the course. Two of them will oblige you to attend evening showings on alternative nights. Please mark in your calendars either Monday, September 13 at 7:00 p.m. or Tuesday, September 14 at 7:00 p.m. for the first film; and then, either Wednesday, November 1 at 7:00 p.m. or Thursday, September 2 at 7:00 p.m. for the second film.

Grading

You will earn your grades in this course on the basis of several different types of assignments. There will be two take-home essays during the semester and an in-class final examination. The take-home essays will be docked 1/3 of a grade for every day they are late. Your participation in discussion sections will also be an important part of your grade. Participation includes both the quality of your comments during the section and the quality of biweekly written assignments and WebCT discussions. You will lower your grade by failing to attend class or discussion sections.

First Reflective Essay Second Reflective Essay Participation, WebCT, and Short Essays Final Examination

15 percent 15 percent 30 percent (15% + 15%) 40 percent (20% + 20%)

1. Wednesday, August 23. The Modern Nation-State.

Today's Assumption: The Nation-State can be a common denominator that links states together. But this doesn't mean that all states are nation-states, nor does it mean that the nation-state has always been around (It hasn't).

2. Friday, August 25.

Discusssion #1: Who belongs in the United States and why?

S. Huntington , “The Hispanic Challenge,” Foreign Policy, Course Reader, pp. 3-18.
R. Scruton, The West and the Rest, pp. vii-xi.

Huntington's welcome in Mexico

Lou Dobbs Tonight: The Situation Room

America's Statue of Liberty

Assignment: A one-paragraph essay assignment on this topic is due by the time of your discussion section today. Take a stand: "Under what terms does Samuel Huntington welcome Hispanics (and Hispanic Catholics) into the American nation-state?" Or does he? For details about this assignment go here.

3. Monday, August 28.

My Assumption: We are all Modern. But what do we mean by "we"? Can anyone or any society be totally modern?

C. Black, et al., (Reader, pp. 30-40).
Scruton, The West and the Rest, ch. 1.
L. Kass, “The End of Courtship,” Public Interest, Sept. 23, 2002. Course Reader, pp. 19-29.

4. Wednesday, August 30.

My Assumption: Liberalism is one form of modernity. But it is not the only one.

John Stuart Mill, selections from On Liberty. Course Reader, pp. 41-66.

5. Friday, September 1

Discussion #2: Why are we all Liberals? Sorry, but it's true.

Read and reflect up the following controversy. How would Mill recommend that we handle it? Note: Not doing anyting is the same thing as doing something.

The Ward Churchill Controversy:
Three statements, including the infamous "Some People Push Back: On the Justice of Roosting Chickens." Course Reader, pp. 67-72.

 

LIBERALISM

6. Monday, September 4. The Historical Roots of Liberalism.

Today's Assumption: The foundations of Liberalism had nothing to do with Liberalism.

Read: Weber, Protestant Ethic (Reader, pp. 86-100), and Stephenson, Medieval Feudalism (Reader, pp. 73-85).

7. Wednesday, Sept. 6. The Revolutionary Power of Mass Politics.

Today's Assumption: The tumultuous intrusion of the "unwashed and unwanted" into the political world was totally unanticipated by those who make it possible. It could only have happened in this way.

Read: excerpt from Fasel, Modern Europe (Reader, pp. 101-117); “Declaration of the Rights of Man” (Reader, 118); and Kingdon, America the Unusual, ch. 4

8. Friday, September 8. Discussion Section.

Discussion #3: Why are we all Protestants? (Ask Max Weber or most American Catholics)

9. Monday, September 11. Fascism, Communism, and the Crisis of Democracy in the 20th Century.

Today's Assumption: There was nothing inevitable about the success of Liberalism. Liberal democracy was nearly obliterated by its enemies.

Read: Benito Mussolini, "The Doctrine of Fascism” (Reader, pp. 120-129); and Excerpts from Voices from the Third Reich (Reader, pp. 130-135).

Read and reflect upon what American fascists believe: National Socialism or National Socialism for Teens (links). (Note: These are offensive sites; you don't have to read them if they make you uncomfortable).

10. Wednesday, Sept. 13. The Welfare States as a Response to Liberalism's Enemies.

Today's Assumption: The welfare state, from which we all benefit, is essential to Liberal democracy.

Read: America the Unusual, chapters 1, 2, and 3; and Read Comparing Welfare States (link)

Evening Film I: "The War at Home" Wednesday, Sept. 13, 7:00 p.m., or Thursday, Sept. 14, 7:00 p.m.; location for both showings: TBA

11. Friday, September 15. Discussion Section.

Discussion #4: Why are we not Fascists? Fascism vs. the Welfare State

Re-read the two previous assignments, Scruton and Comparing Welfare States .

12. Monday, September 18. Liberalism is an Historical Process.

Today's Assumption: Contemporary Liberalism isn't what it was in the past and it will be profoundly different in the future. It it isn't different, it wouldn't be Liberalism.

Lots of mostly short readings:

Kingdon, America the Unusual, ch. 5;
For the perspective of a citizens' militia,, read The Michigan Militia, “In Defense of Liberty II” (Reader, pp. 142-147) and scan their Site;
For a Libertarian perspective, Paul Craig Roberts, “Government and Country” (Reader, pp. 148-9);
For a view from Notre Dame's past, "Notre Dame Students vs. the Ku Klux Klan (Reader, pp. 136-7); For a more recent Notre Dame experience, Elizabeth Christman, "The Story of Notre Dame" (Reader, pp. 138-41).

Also, as a follow-up to Huntington's article on immigration, read about the Arizona Minutemen.

13. Wednesday, Sept. 20. Discussion Section.

Discussion section #5: What is the nature of American liberalism today and why do we (sometimes) find it uncomfortable?

We will have an in-class discussion today instead of a lecture. Prepare for this discussion by re-reading the assignments for Monday.

14. Friday, September 22. No Discussion Section.

Your First Reflective Essay is due on this date.

 

MARXISM-LENINISM

15. Monday, September 25. Marx and Marxism.

Today's Assumption: Marxism represents a different response to the challenges of modernity than liberalism.

The Communist Manifesto, sections, 1, 2, and 4. I want you to be able to dance and sing to this essay. Read it over and over again.

16. Wed., Sept. 27. The Unanticipated Foundations of the Russian Revolution

Today's Assumption: The Revolution had more to do with its Russian setting than with Karl Marx's prophecies.

R. Tucker, “Marxism and Modernization” (Reader, pp. 167-185).

17. Friday, September 29. Discussion Section.

Discussion #6 Why is The Communist Manifesto really about us (and not about them)?

18. Monday, October 2. Marxism and Leninism Converge.

Today's Assumption: Leninism defined Marxism and not vice versa.

Josef Stalin, Foundations of Leninism, selections (Reader, pp. 150-66).

Listen and Sing Along to The Internationale. Choose the appropriate languages. (I'm partial to the German and the second French versions, but that's just my taste.)

19. Wednesday, October 4. Stalinist Terror emerges from Leninist Utopia

Today's Assumption: Stalin's regime of terror was intrinsically, if unintentionally, rooted in the goals and institutions of Marxism-Leninism.

Ginzburg, excerpts from E. Ginzburg, Journey into the Whirlwind (Reader, pp. 189-192) ; and for background on the period, Josef Stalin (Reader, pp. 186-88).

20. Friday, October 6. Discussion Section.

Discussion #7 What is the Leninist path and why did it lead to Stalinism? Or did it?

21. Monday, October 9: In-Class Film.

Film II: “A Journey to Russia” This in-class film will start promptly at 9:35. Do not be late to class.

22. Wednesday, October 11. The Leninist Challenge to the West.

Today's Assumption: Marxism-Leninism was initially a credible challenge to Liberal democracy

Read Havel , “Power of the Powerless,” sections I-VI (Reader, pp. 193-202); and: Havel's life. The "Power of the Powerless" is challenging. This is one reason why I am assigning it to you.

23. Friday, October 13. Discussion Section.

Discussion #8 What does Leninism have to do with “A Journey to Russia”?

MID-TERM BREAK: October 14-22

24. Monday, Oct. 23. Leninism Collapses (Finally and Forever).

Today's Assumption: Despite rumors to the contrary, Marxism-Leninism was not destined to collapse when it did.

Finish Havel, “Power of the Powerless,” (Reader, 203-236); and Black, et al., (Reader, pp. 237-241).

25. Wed, October 25. From Communism to Post-Communism. From Post-Communism to Liberal Democracy?

Today's Assumption: Leninism can be transformed into Liberal democracy, but sometimes like a saddle fits a cow.

Colton and McFaul, "Russian Democracy After Putin," (Reader, pp. 242-252).

26. Friday, October 27. Discussion Section.

Discussion #9. What is Havel's argument? How did he anticipate the collapse of Marxism-Leninism?

 

POST-COLONIALISM

27. Monday, October 30. Tradition and Modernity..

Today's Assumption: Traditional Society is as Logical as Modern Society

Eickelman, “Bin Laden, the Arab ‘Street’” (Reader, pp. 253-255).

28. Wednesday, November 1. The Enduring Legacy of Colonialism

Today's Assumption: The collapse of the colonial empires had brutal and paradoxical consequences.

M. Walker, “The Making of Modern Iraq” (Reader, pp. 258-264); and Rudyard Kipling, “The White Man’s Burden” (Reader, p. 256).

Film III: “Bend it like Beckham” Wednesday or Thursday, November 1 and 2, 7:00 p.m. each night, location: TBA

29. Friday, November 3. Discussion Section.

Discussion #10: Is traditional society inferior to modern society? What does traditional society have to do with Notre Dame? Why did you self-select for Notre Dame?

Read: du Lac: A Guide to Student Life, University of Notre Dame, pp. 3-8, 90-92.

Especially if you are thinking about becoming a lawyer, read about the concept of "in loco parentis," in Gott v. Berea College

30. Monday, Nov. 6

Today's Assumption: The Organization of Peasant Societies makes Good Sense.

George Foster, "Peasant society and the image of the limited good" (Reader, pp. 265-281).

31. Wednesday, Nov. 8. Inescapable Poverty and the Politics of Courage, Despair, and Anger.

Today's Assumption: Being poor is a way of life for most people in the world. No student at the University of Notre Dame can afford to be indifferent to the poor.

Linden , "The Exploding Cities" (Reader, pp. 282-288); Child of the Dark , read at least the first half of the book, if not all of it.

32. Friday, Nov. 10 Discussion Section.

Discussion #11: Are the poor just like us? What are the different ways of answering this question?

33. Monday, Nov. 13. Generals as Protectors; Dictators as Prophets.

Today's Assumption: It's easy for outsiders to rationalize life under authoritarian rule.

Finish Child of the Dark; and read excerpt from R. Rosenberg, Children of Cain (Reader, 289-296); and A. Baram, “Broken Promises” (Reader, pp. 313-318).

34. Wednesday, Nov. 15. Global Liberalism and the Spread of Western Values.

Mythology #1: "The Spread of Global Liberalism is Rational"

Scruton, The West and the Rest , ch. 4.
John Rapley, "The New Middle Ages," Foreign Affairs (May-June 2006) (Reader, pp. 334-342.

Look through the following statistics. What do they reflect about the distribution of opportunities across the world? Are they likely to improve? Will they become more equal over time? Will there be any political consequences?

• Distribution of Education
• Distribution of Literacy (2000)
• Distribution of Literacy (projected, 2015)
• Distribution of Wealth (per capita)
• Distribution of Life Expectancy
• Probability of not reaching the age of 40
• Distribution of Government Corruption
• Map of Freedom
• Distribution of Routers (circa 2000)
• Distribution of Internet Service Providers (per capita)
• Distribution of Terrorism (per capita)

35. Friday, November 17. Discussion Section.

Discussion #12: How can the poor, the illiterate, the uninformed, and the marginalized convert to liberal ideals and liberal politics?

We will not have class during the week of Thanksgiving break (November 20 - 24): I will be abroad.

MYTHOLOGIES OF GLOBALISM

36. Monday, Nov. 27. Societies of Anger and Ressentiment.

Today's Assumption: Politics and anger have always gone hand and hand, but there is something new about anger over the last few centuries.

Gourevitch, selections from We Wish to Inform you that Tomorrow we will be Killed. (Reader, 297-312).

37. Wednesday, Nov. 29. Beyond the Nation-State: International Terrorism.

Mythology #2: "Global Terrorism is Irrational."

de Gramont, “Transformation of Moral Idealism” (Reader, pp. 319-328);
P. Bergen and S. Pandey, “The Madrassa Myth,” New York Times, June 14, 2005 (Reader, p. 333);
And Osama bin Laden, “Transcript of Speech,” AlJazeera.com, Nov. 1, 2004 (Reader, p. 329).

38. Friday, December 1, Discussion Section.

Discussion #13: Are we at the “End of History” or the start of the “Age of Rage”?

Read the following articles as soon as possible and at least by this date. They are challenging, but crucial for this section:

Francis Fukuyama, “End of History,” selections (Reader, pp. 355-367); and
W. Pfaff, “Progress” (Reader, 367-375). Bill Pfaff, ND '49. He writes for the International Herald Tribune and is one of the most prominent commentators on international affairs in the world.

39. Monday, December 4. Liberal Democracy: My Bias for Hope.

Today's Assumption: It's hard to be optimistic about the chances for global liberalism, but it's reasonable to be hopeful.

Samuel Hungtington, "A New Era in Democracy," Reader, pp. 343-354.
Reflect: Congregation of Holy Cross 's contributions: Holy Cross Missions
Also, World Distribution of Generosity

40. Wednesday, December 6. History and Us.

Mythology #3: "We are the End of History."

Orenstein, “Stepford is us” (Reader, pp. 376-7)..

Select your "history is not over" link here:

International Protest Organizations
Resistencia Global: Argentina IndyMedia
Notre Dame at Protest

More links to come....

Ecclesiastes 9:11 (Reader, p. 378).

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