What shapes each individual’s political opinion? When do people develop their political ideology and partisanship? Why do people participate in voting and protests when it costs them precious time and money? Among various factors, this course focuses on the power of social groups and social relations in shaping one’s politics. The class will start by asking general questions about the characteristics of public opinion: Do voters have informed and coherent opinions? Is partisan identification stable across time or change frequently? Do our answers to these questions differ across countries? Then, we will dive into how an individual’s political opinion is shaped at the various stages of their life through social interactions with key groups: family members, peers in school and the workplace, neighbors, and ethnic and socioeconomic out-groups. Students will learn methods and theoretical frameworks to study social networks, social pressure, group identity, prejudice, social trust, and the social flow of political information in different societies.
This course introduces students to major theories and concepts in comparative politics, as well as the basic tools of comparative analysis. It explores competing theoretical approaches (Modernization, Marxist, cultural, institutionalist, and leadership-centered) to four major phenomena in world politics: (1) economic development; (2) democratization; (3) social revolution; and (4) ethnic conflict. It also explores debates about the role of political institutions (e.g., presidential/parliamentary systems, political parties, electoral systems), states and state-building, and civil society in shaping political outcomes. These theoretical debates are examined through an analysis of cases from across the globe, including Africa (Congo, Liberia, Rwanda, South Africa), the Americas (Chile, United States), Asia (China, India, South Korea, Taiwan), Western Europe (Italy, Germany, Great Britain), Eastern Europe (Russia, Yugoslavia), and the Middle East (Egypt, Iran, Lebanon). The final week examines the United States in comparative perspective.
This data-driven course seeks to understand how elections are won (and lost) in the United States. We will study research on campaigns and voting behavior and examine data from the current and past elections to understand what will happen in 2020 and future elections. Students learn data analysis skills and build their own election forecast model for the 2020 US presidential election.