Comparative Political Institutions in Asia
Instructors
Credits / Language / Semester
2Credits / English / Winter
Objectives/Overview
This is a course to provide students with opportunities to learn political institutions. The first goal of this course is to learn the concepts and theories to compare and analyze political institutions in democracies and non-democracies. For instance, we will cover topics such as presidential system versus parliamentary system, electoral rules, democracy versus non-democracy, and a variety of authoritarian institutions. How do electoral rules affect the number of political parties? Does a variety of authoritarian regimes in political institutions, one party dominance, communist regimes, and monarch system, for instance, affect policy dynamics? The second goal is to learn how democracies and non-democracies differ in various Asian country settings. Lectures will emphasize theoretical and conceptual aspects, but various Asian countries would be used as the cases to show empirical application of concepts.
Keywords
Asia, comparative politics, political institutions, democratization, political regimes, electoral rules
Schedule
・Introduction
・Totalitarianism versus Authoritarianism: Cambodia (DVD)
・A Variety of Authoritarian Institutions: Overview of Authoritarian Institutions in Asia
・Theories of Democratization: Indonesia
・Theories of Autocratization: Malaysia
・Consolidation of Democracy: Thailand
・Two Models of Democracy
・Cabinets
・Presidentialism versus Parliamentarism: Korea and Japan
・Electoral Systems I & II: Japan (DVD) and others
・Issues on Bicameralism
・A Variety of Democratic Institutions: Overview of Democratic Institutions in Asia
・Concepts of Veto Players and Policies: Financial Reforms in Asia
・Student Presentations
・Final Exam
Teaching Methods
Lectures are given in almost every week and few DVDs would be used to deepen understanding.
Lectures will emphasize theoretical and conceptual aspects, but various cases of Asian countries would be used to show empirical application of concepts.
Grading
Students are expected to make a one presentation and write two short essays. The detailed directions for presentations and essays will be announced later. As the final term assignment, students need to take a final exam. Active participation in class discussions is encouraged.
・Class Presentation 15%
・Two Short Essays 15% x 2
・Final Exam 35%
・Attendance and Class Participation 20%
Required Text
・Lijphart, Arend. 1999. Patterns of Democracy: Government Forms and Performance in Thirty-Six Countries. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Reference Books
・Gandhi, Jennifer. 2008. Political Institutions under Dictatorship. New York: Cambridge University Press.
・Samuels, David J. and Matthew S. Shugart. 2010. Presidents, Parties, and Prime Ministers: How the Separation of Powers Affects Party Organization and Behavior. New York: Cambridge University Press.
・Dayley, Robert A. and Clark D. Neher. 2009. Southeast Asia in the New International Era,5th Edition. Boulder: Westview Press.
Notes on Taking the Course
There are no prerequisite courses.
Essay can be written in Japanese though presentation should be conducted in English.
発表は英語でしなくてはならないが、エッセイは日本語で提出してもよい。