Special Topics in Political Science (390-0-23)

Topic

Int'l Issues in Democratic Theory

Instructors

Shmuel Nili
Scott Hall, Room 20
Office Hours: http://www.polisci.northwestern.edu/people/core-faculty/shmulik-nili.html

Meeting Info

Scott Hall 212: Wed 9:30AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

This upper-level seminar examines the contemporary struggles of liberal democracy from both normative and empirical perspectives. Using the American and the Israeli political systems as its central comparative prism, the seminar explores issues such as far-right populism and its global spread, extreme political violence, the comparison between presidential and parliamentary systems, and the causes and possible remedies of historical political anomalies.

Registration Requirements

Required:

POLI_SCI 201: Introduction to Political Theory.

or

POLI_SCI 305: Integrity and the Politics of Corruption.

Learning Objectives

students will deepen their familiarity with applied debates in political theory, while also deepening their understanding of the interaction between normative and empirical questions in political science. In addition, students will gain a better understanding of how the strengths and weaknesses of the American political system compare to the strengths and weaknesses of alternative forms of democratic institutional design.

Teaching Method

Seminar

Evaluation Method

Class participation - 50% of grade
Short essay (c. 1500 words) - 20% of grade
Final paper extending short essay based on class feedback (c. 3000 words) - 30% of grade

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Pre-registration: Students must have completed POLI_SCI 201-0 or POLI_SCI 305-0 to enroll.