Topic: Government and Opposition in Elections
| Time | Days | Location | Instructor | GER | Credit | OPUS Class Number | Syllabus (Tentative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| . | 4 | 3382 | TBA. |
**COURSE CANCELLED 5/7/2012**
The course is a senior seminar which examines the role that elections play in mediating the relationship between incumbents and challengers in both democratic and non-democratic regimes. The first part of the course is devoted to the study of democratic elections. A review of the key concepts of representation, accountability, and alternation is followed by an empirical assessment of whether democratic elections truly produce these desirable ends. The remainder of the course examines elections in authoritarian regimes: how dictators frequently use elections to maintain their rule and how opposition parties sometimes can transform these electoral moments into opportunities for political change.
Required Textbooks, Articles, and Resources
- 1970. The Idea of the Party System. ISBN: 9780520017542.University of California Press.
- 2008. Voting for Autocracy: Hegemonic Party Survival and its Demise in Mexico. ISBN: 9780521736596.Cambridge University Press.
- 1999. Democracy, Accountability, and Representation. ISBN: 9780521646161.Cambridge University Press.
- 2006. Votes and Violence: Electoral Competition and Ethnic Riots in India. ISBN: 9780521536059.Cambridge University Press.
Grading
| Assignment/Exam | Details | % of Total Grade |
|---|---|---|
| TBA | NA |
The schedule of courses on O.P.U.S. is the official listing of courses, including days and times they meet and the General Education Requirements they satisfy. Students should use course descriptions as general guidelines. Course requirements, grading details, book lists, and syllabi are subject to change.