Comparative Politics Section: The State

Political Science 211

Fall 1993

Prospectus

In this section, you will be introduced to the main theories of comparative politics as a discipline. These theories will disagree about the nature of the state and the factors that account for change and stability in modern politics. The readings also illustrate different methods for comparing political phenomenon as well as different ways to classify states that are common in the social sciences. In comparative politics, there is no real substitute for empirical work; theory, method and typology are at best preparatory for further work in Political Science 310, Comparative Politics.

Requirements

There will be an assigned paper topic that will be given in the last week of class. This will be due within one week. The paper should be no more than seven pages, double-spaced, and typed. Papers received after the deadline will not receive comments.

In addition, students will be expected to participate faithfully and with goodwill. I place great emphasis on constructive discussion.

Books and Reserves

All the readings for this section can be found on reserve. They include:

Huntington, Political Order in Changing Societies
Dahl, Modern Political Analysis
Skocpol, Bringing the State Back In
Clyde Barrow, Critical Theories of the State
Ralph Miliband, The State in Capitalist Society

I have ordered copies of Huntington and Barrow at the Bookstore.

Readings

Week I

Samuel Huntington, Political Order in Changing Societies, pp. 93-139

Samuel Huntington, Political Order in Changing Societies, pp. 397-432

Ralph Miliband, The State in Capitalist Society, pp. 68-87, 119-145

Week II

Ralph Miliband, The State in Capitalist Society, pp. 22-67

Clyde Barrow, Critical Theories of the State, p. 13-50

Fall Break

Samuel Huntington , Political Order in Changing Societies, pp. 1-92

Week III

Clyde Barrow, Critical Theories of the State, pp. 54-85

Charles Tilly, "War Making and State Making as Organized Crime" in Bringing the State Back In, pp. 169-186

Evans, Rueschemeyer, and Skocpol "On the Road Toward a More Adequate Understanding of the State," in Bringing the State Back In, pp. 347-365

Clyde Barrow, Critical Theories of the State, pp. 125-145

Week IV

Alfred Stepan, "State Power and Strength of Civil Society in the Southern Cone of Latin America" in Bringing the State Back In, pp. 317-340.

Both Arend Lijphart, "Comparative Politics and Comparative Method," American Political Science Review 65:682-93 (xerox)

Theda Skocpol and Margaret Somers, "The Uses of Comparative History in Macrosocial Inquiry" Comparative Studies in Society and History 22: 174-97 (xerox)

Group Discussion