Political institutions are the decision norms and organizations that govern political life. Academic and policy interest in such institutions is flourishing as previously authoritarian states seek to craft democratic constitutions, while established and new democracies contend with non-democratic, illiberal, or populist challenges to their political systems. This course introduces students to major political institutions and the debates about their relative merits. Readings, assignments, case studies, and class discussions and presentations will explore institutional structures and choices in contemporary polities, including parliamentary and presidential systems; federal and unitary arrangements; plurality and proportionality electoral designs; formal and informal political institutions; the nature of “hybrid” political systems; and problems of institutional design in democratizing and post-conflict states.
Learning Outcomes:
Delivery Method: Entirely remote (synchronous)
Prerequisites:None.
Course Level: 2000-level
Credits: 4
T/F 8:30AM - 10:20AM (Full-term)
Maximum Enrollment: 20
Course Frequency: Every 2-3 years
Categories: All courses , Entirely Remote , Politics
Tags: democracy , institutions , politics , theory , Writing