STV2370 – Chaos politics? Theory Meets Reality in Comparative Politics
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
Why do people waste their vote across the world? Why do ethnic groups kill each other in some places and not others? Why does the same policy seem great in one place and fail miserably in another? Many of the political events and developments taking place in the world may seem strange, politics can seem chaotic and unpredictable.?
Comparative politics offers a rich tradition of empirical and theoretical insights that can help us make sense of the political world. In this course, we will look at puzzles from real-world politics and seek explanations for them in the comparative politics literature. The goal is to understand more about why things happen the way they do, but also when and why theories are useful, and how they may need to be modified to become more useful.?
Our areas of focus are voting behavior, protests and violence, and the effects of institutions and policies. The course is about theory and theory development in comparative politics, but it also has a strong empirical component. Examples are taken from across the world, with a focus on developing democracies.?
Learning outcome
Knowledge
You will:
- be familiar with central theories in comparative politics
- know empirical examples that both support and contradict these theories
- understand concepts related to theory development such a deterministic and probabilistic theories, assumptions, and scope conditions
Skills
You will:
- be able to think critically about theoretical explanations
- recognize assumptions in theoretical explanations
- understand empirical consequences of theoretical explanations
- know how to apply theories to new contexts
- be more confident in thinking about how theories can be modified
- be able to communicate academic knowledge in writing and orally
Competence
You will:
- improve your systematic and critical thinking
- gain experience in writing academic texts
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.?
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.?
This course is not available for single course students.?
Recommended previous knowledge
STV1300 – Comparative Politics or other introductory courses in comparative politics.
Teaching
Lectures and seminars.?
Compulsory activities:?
- Attend the first seminar
- Attend two of the following four seminars
- Hand in and present an outline for your seminar paper
- Hand in your finalized seminar paper
The seminars are taught in English, and the papers handed in must be written in English.?
See the rules for reassignment of seminar groups and the guidelines for compulsory activities.?
Absence from compulsory activities:?
If you are ill or have another valid reason for being absent from compulsory activities, your absence may be approved or the compulsory activity may be postponed.
Access to teaching:?
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
Three hour school exam.
You must have passed the compulsory activities in order to sit the exam.?
Examination support material
Students may use dictionaries at this exam. Dictionaries must be handed in before the examination. Please read regulations for dictionaries permitted at the examination.?
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.?
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.?
Resit an examination
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