iLearnforum

Area: GOVERNANCE

Module Title: Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics

Instructor Name : Thaveeporn Vasavakul

Contact Hours : 22.5 hours

Language of Instruction : English

Schedule : 16 Jul 2026 - 14 Oct 2026

Details :

Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics introduces the central concepts, methods, and theories used to analyze politics, political institutions, identity, collective action, and political change. The course covers the following themes: • Core concepts and methods in comparative government and politics • The state and approaches to assessing state effectiveness • Democratic and non-democratic institutions • Political identity, nationalism, and gender politics • Collective action, including social movements, interest groups, and political parties • State-society relations • Regime change and transitions Each session pairs conceptual review with practical exercises that connect course themes to historical and contemporary issues in government and political development. Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics develops comparative analysis across key areas. It examines the types and functions of modern states, compares democratic and non-democratic systems, analyzes institutional variation among democracies through legislative, executive, and judicial checks and balances, and compares non-democracies through selectorate structures. The course also addresses political identity, including nationalism and gender politics, and concludes with the factors that shape regime change. Throughout, it emphasizes case studies, comparative methods, and interdisciplinary analysis. Comparative politics is useful because it explains why states differ, how they function, and where they share similarities. It also offers tools for assessing state effectiveness, state capacity, and the relationships among state power, state-society relations, and legitimacy. More broadly, it helps anticipate political change and evaluate political risk across countries. This course is designed for participants seeking a broad understanding of political institutions and political change, along with stronger comparative analytical skills. By the end of the course, participants will be able to apply core concepts, methods, and theories to compare and analyze historical and contemporary political issues.

PDF File

Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics 7-26.pdf

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