COMPARATIVE POLITICS –  COMPREHENSIVE EXAM QUESTIONS

 

A. GENERAL QUESTIONS

 

Choose two of the questions listed below (your choice may include only one version or question #2). One of the two questions that you choose will appear on your exam.

 

1. An earlier generation of American social scientists--Parsons, Lipset, Rostow, Riggs, and others--created various theories of stable democracy and democratization. Examine and compare this body of literature with some more recent works on the prospects of democracy and democratization. Are there any continuities between these two sets of theories? How useful are these sets of  theories in describing and anticipating political developments in such diverse parts of the world as Latin America, East Europe, and Asia?

 

2. Modernization and dependency have been juxtaposed as possible frameworks for the study of “Third World” counties. Is it possible to put the two together in some form of synthesis? Or, is there some way of going beyond these theories while rescuing the most useful elements of each?

 

(or)

 

2. “The country which is more developed industrially only shows, to the less developed, the image of its own future” (Marx, Preface to Capital). Discuss by commenting on the substantive point raised in Marx’s proposition, and also by relating it to the theoretical ideas associated with contemporary “modernization” theory, on the one hand, and “dependency” theory, on the other.

 

3. Analyze the causes, course,  and consequences of revolution in one of the following countries: Russia, China, Vietnam, Iran.

Emphasis should be on theories and concepts of revolution rather than on the details of the particular case. Include a critique of current analytical work on the phenomenon of revolution.

 

B. TOPICAL QUESTIONS

 

Choose five of the questions listed below. The questions must come from at least three separate topic areas. Two of the five questions that you choose will appear on your exam.

 

*Note: If a certain country or topic area interests you that is not covered by these questions, I will be happy to work with you on devising a new question to add to the list.

 

“Third World”

 

1. Throughout the “Third World,” people desire a strong state with which to promote economic development and defend national independence. Yet few of these countries seem able to build a strong state. Why?

 

 

2. Does the term “Third World” have any analytic utility? What, if anything, do states such as India, Guatemala, China, Bangladesh and Ethiopia have in common that justifies the use of such a category?

 

3. Discuss colonialism’s defining features and impact. How does the existent scholarly literature on the subject enhance our understanding of these issues? Are there any flaws in current scholarly understandings of colonialism and its consequences?

 

State-centered theory

 

1. Discuss the concept of the state as it is used in contemporary political science literature. What factors have led scholars to focus on the state? What are the benefits and shortcomings associated with this approach?

 

2. To what extent is the concept of state autonomy persuasive in explaining the phenomenal economic development of the East Asian NICS? Does this focus miss any equally important factors? Does it have utility for the analysis of other developing countries?

 

3. Does the experience of newly industrialized countries (eg., Brazil, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan) suggest that there are certain political requisites for successful industrialization in the late 20th century?

 

Democratization

 

1. Critically assess the following proposition:

 “Perhaps the most common generalization linking political systems to other aspects of society has been that democracy is related to the state of economic development. The more well-to-do a nation, the greater the chances that it will sustain democracy” (Seymour Lipset, Political Man)

 

2. How have scholars explained the “wave” of democratization that began in the mid-1970’s? How useful are these theories and approaches in explaining specific events in Latin America, Asia, Eastern Europe, and/or Russia?

 

3. Compare and contrast agential and structural approaches to democratization. In your view, is one or the other more useful? Is it possible (and useful) to attempt to combine these approaches?

 

“Post-Industrial Society”

 

1. Evidence of political strain in “advanced industrial” societies undermined earlier optimistic views that such societies are inherently peaceful or conflict-free, prompting a number of writers to argue that we have entered a new “post industrial” phase. Outline these explanations and position yourself in the debate.

 

 

Social Movements and Revolution

 

1. What does the Iranian revolution teach us about modern politics? How does it force us to modify our thinking about revolution, rationalization, charisma, and the passing of traditionalism?

 

2. How well do existing explanations of social movement success and failure explain cases of protest in non-democratic regimes?

 

Modernization Theory

 

1. What are some of the key points of criticism leveled against modernization theory? What elements of the modernization concept should political scientists cast away, retain, or modify in their attempts to explain change in non-Western societies?

 

Dependency/World Systems Theory

 

1. Dependency and world systems theories offer seemingly powerful explanations concerning the sources of international income inequalities and patterns of domination. Discuss several of these theories, as well as the assumptions underlying them. What are their utility, validity and limitations in light of historical as well as more recent economic and political experiences?

 

2. Dependency theory has been criticized by many different perspectives. Are these critiques sufficient to justify dismissing dependency theory? Can the dependency literature accommodate the success of Japan and the NICs? Do the differences in the Latin and Asian experiences change our views?

 

Communism and Post-Communism

 

1. Examine theories of development and change in communist societies. How would these theories allow you to anticipate the marketization of the Chinese economy, and the Gorbachev phenomenon in the Soviet Union?

 

2. Why have some post-communist states become democracies, while the vast majority have not?

 

3. As we enter the post-communist era, should we be optimistic or pessimistic? What sorts of policies would be best advised for the United States in order to assure global peace and stability?

 

Recent Debates in Comparative Theory

 

1. What are the major benefits and costs associated with the application of rational choice theory to the study of comparative politics?

 

2. How has institutional analysis evolved within the field of comparative politics? What are the major benefits and shortcomings associated with its current use in the field?