The proposed course titled “ Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics “ is erroneously taken by some writers subscribing to the old order as an all-encompassing affair for the reason that it, to a considerable extent, makes the traditional study of comparative government redundant by extending its frontiers beyond the scope of some major contemporary political systems of the western world .The motivating idea behind its is that the study of political organization, instead of remaining confined to the superstructures of governmental departments of certain developed countries, should be widen towards a systematic analysis of problems and issues relating to the struggle for power at different levels in as many countries of the world as possible.The course would be worthwhile to suggest that the study of comparative politics should be made with this point in view that its end is not merely the acquisition of more and more knowledge of the political institution and forces of some selected countries of the world ,it is, in addition to that, significantly connected with knowledge of the empirical world of ‘political’ man and his ‘power oriented’ associational life.
Overview
Syllabus
Week
Items
Title of Video and Reading text/Lecture/ppt
First Week
Comparative Government and Politics
Meaning, Nature and Scope of Comparative Politics
Meaning and Features of Comparative Government
Growth of Comparative Politics
Comparative Government and Politics: Critical Appraisal
Second Week
Major approaches
Major Approaches: Meaning and Nature of Major Approaches, and Philosophical Approach
Major Approaches: Historical Approach and Institutional Approach
Major Approaches: Sociological Approach and Systems Approach
Major Approaches: Psychological Approach and Behavioural Approach
Third Week
Structural –Functional and Input-Output Analysis
Structural – Functional Analysis- subtle implications and basic assumptions.
Structural - functionalism in Political science-Analysis of Easton, Almond and Kaplan.
Input-Output Analysis: Implications and General Characteristics
Input-Output Analysis in Comparative Politics: Interpretations of David Easton & Gabriel A. Almond
Fourth Week
Political Communication
Political Communication: Nature and Meaning of the Approach, Classification of Basic Concepts
Political Communication: Functional Aspects of the Approach
Quantification of Political Communication
Exponents of the Communication Approach, Critical Appraisal.
Fifth Week
Political Development
Meaning, Diversity of Definitions and Pye’s Development Syndrome
Concept of Political development
Political Development : The Issue of Problems and Crises
Model of Stages and Search for an Approach, Marxian Model
Sixth Week
Political Modernisation, Political Culture and Political Ideology
Political Modernisation: Comprehensive Implications and Dimensions, Stages of Political Modernisation
Political Modernization and Social Change
Political Culture: Meaning, Components; Concepts of Secularisation and the issue of Political Stability and Change
Ideology and Political Culture, Political Systems, Critical Appraisals
Political Ideology – Meaning, Nature and Characteristics, Political Ideology and Political power, Ideologies and the Nature of Political Power, Party System
Seventh Week
Political Participation, Party Politics and Political Parties
Meaning and Forms of Political Participation, Classification of Citizens on the Basis of Political Participation and Determinants of Political Participation
Party politics : Momentous Importance of the subject in recent times, broad functional dimension of Party Politics and Meaning
Nature, Essential Implications, Determinants and Functions of a Political Party
A Typological Illustration: Recent Paradigm of Sartori –Single- Party, Bi- Party & Multi - Party System
Party Systems: Western and Non- western Paradigms, Operational Dimensions of Party System, Peculiar case of the Communist Party and Critical Appraisal
Eighth Week
Pressure Groups
Pressure Groups: Meaning, Nature, Features and Kinds
Pressure Groups: Existence and Articulation of Pressure Group Politics
Pressure Groups: Techniques of Pressure Groups
Pressure Groups: Determinants of Pressure Group Politics
Ninth Week
Bureaucracy
Concept of Bureaucracy: Liberal and Marxist Interpretations, Functions and Role
Theories of Bureaucracy, Organisation of Bureaucracy
Bureaucracy and Military, Varieties of Bureaucratic Hold and Politicisation of Bureaucracy
Bureaucracy and Third World, Controlling Bureaucracy
Tenth Week
Separation of Powers and Forms of Government
Meaning, Classical and Modern Interpretations, Main exponents: Montesquieu’s Classical Contribution for the Protection of Individual Liberty
Separation of Powers in the United States, Practical Application of the Theory of Separation of Powers , Critical Evaluation
Parliamentary and Presidential Form of Government
Unitary and Federal Government
Eleventh Week
Constitutionalism and Constitution
Constitutionalism – History of Development
Features of Constitutionalism in Contemporary Times and Problems of Modern Constitutionalism
Constitution : Meaning and Kinds
Requisites of A good Constitution, Similarities in USA and Indian Constitution
Twelfth
Week
Democracy and Dictatorship
Democracy: Meaning, Forms and Basic Principles
Democracy: Merits and Demerits, Conditions essential for the Success of Democracy
Democracy: Case of Developed Countries
Dictatorship
Thirteenth Week
Historical Context of Modern Government
Capitalism
Communism
Socialism
Fourteenth Week
Historical Context of Modern Government
Colonialism
Decolonisation and Post-Colonial Society
Globalization
Taught by
DR. RAGHU B T
