This is a continuing course at undergraduate level that requires at least 30 Swedish higher education credits in political science or corresponding knowledge. 'Corresponding' includes studies in social sciences with extensive and distinct elements of political science. This course is taught only for exchange students.
In this course, we have chosen to focus on some central research problems in comparative politics. The overall problems concern democracy, conflicts, institutions (rules), tolerance, justice and development. These are chosen because important parts of research in political science concern these issues, and secondly, because these issues are important to many people in many countries; two overriding criteria for any research or teaching in social science. The course is divided into four themes: Challenges to democracy Ethnic conflicts, tolerance, populism, pluralism and democracy Political activism Classics of comparative politics The choice of theme(s) and literature is a conscious attempt to bridge the unfortunate divide between studies of the West and "the rest". The idea is that we can learn more about industrialised countries, former socialist countries and so-called low- or middle-income countries not by separating them, but by studying them together.
