Comparative Politics (9551.1)

This unit focuses its efforts on exploring the formal, public sphere of politics and power relations through a systematic study and comparison of types of government and political systems. Comparatists (practitioners of comparative politics) seek to identify and understand the similarities and differences between these systems by taking broad topics and breaking them down into factors that can be found in individual systems. The goal of the comparative method is to identify the factors and/or categories of analysis to effectively compare and contrast different political phenomena.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Identify and differentiate between various theoretical research paradigms employed in the social sciences;

2. Apply comparative methodology to the study of political systems;
3. Identify and explain various comparative methodologies used to compare various political systems;
4. Distinguish between unitary, federal, and confederal governmental models;
5. Compare and contrast political cultures in selected countries;
6. Compare and contrast political socialisation in selected countries;
7. Compare and contrast the roles and functions of political parties in selected countries;
8. Compare and contrast the role of the judicial branch in selected countries;
9. Compare and contrast the role of the bureaucracy and the policy process in selected countries; and
10. Identify and explain political challenges and changing agendas in selected countries.

Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development

Prerequisites

675 Politics and Democracy OR 9548 Introduction to Politics OR 8296 Introduction to Politics and Government OR 9549 Introduction to Western and Political Thought

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

NONE.

Equivalent units

NO.

Assumed knowledge

None.