Course Overview

Welcome to EarthTab Business School. My name is Tunde Balogun and I will be your course preceptor for the course, Comparative Government and Politics. Comparative Government and Politics is an intellectually robust and deeply analytical course that provides you with a critical understanding of the various governmental systems and political processes around the world. It is a pillar within political science that enables you to not only understand how governments function but also why they differ, how they evolve, and how they interact with citizens and institutions.

At its core, the course seeks to explain variation, variation in governance models, in political stability, in economic performance, in citizen engagement, in power dynamics, and in the relationship between state and society. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, students are trained to conduct comparative analyses of multiple political systems, from liberal democracies to authoritarian states, from stable bureaucracies to fragile post-conflict societies.

This course provides a multidimensional exploration of politics using regional case studies (e.g., United States, United Kingdom, France, China, Russia, Nigeria, India, Brazil, Iran, and South Africa), comparative theoretical frameworks (institutionalism, structuralism, behavioralism, culturalism), and methodological tools (e.g., Most Similar Systems Design and Most Different Systems Design) that help dissect political realities across borders.

Key Learning Themes

1. The Nature of Political Systems
   Explore how political regimes differ in structure, ideology, legitimacy, and stability. Understand the distinction between states, governments, regimes, and nations.
   
   

2. Institutional Comparison
   Analyze how institutions such as legislatures, executives, and courts are configured and operate across different systems. Study how institutional design affects accountability, transparency, and citizen rights.
   
   

3. Political Participation and Representation
   Examine how electoral systems shape political competition and representation; investigate how political parties, civil society, and interest groups influence governance.
   
   

4. Constitutional Design and Rule of Law
   Delve into how constitutions are written, amended, and interpreted, and how the principle of constitutionalism influences democratic resilience or authoritarian control.
   
   

5. The Role of the State and Bureaucracy
   Understand state formation, state-building, sovereignty, and the capacity of states to implement policies, enforce laws, and maintain social order.
   
   

6. Governance and Policy Making
   Study how governments make decisions, formulate public policy, and handle implementation challenges. Evaluate policy successes and failures across nations.
   
   

7. Democratization and Political Transitions
   Trace patterns of political change, including revolutions, coups, regime collapses, democratization waves, and democratic backsliding.
   
   

8. Authoritarianism, Populism, and Hybrid Regimes
   Investigate the persistence and reemergence of authoritarianism, the global rise of populist movements, and the gray zones of hybrid democracies.
   
   

9. Identity, Culture, and Political Ideology
   Explore how political culture, ethnicity, religion, ideology, and nationalism affect state legitimacy, political violence, and social cohesion.
   
   

10. Globalization and Comparative Politics
    Understand how transnational forces, such as global trade, international organizations, technology, and migration, shape domestic politics in an interconnected world.

Global Case Studies

The course adopts a comparative case study method, presenting in-depth analyses of countries across continents. These include:

• Established Democracies: United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan
  
  

• Emerging Democracies: India, South Africa, Brazil, Indonesia, Nigeria
  
  

• Authoritarian Regimes: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea
  
  

• Hybrid Systems: Turkey, Venezuela, Hungary
  
  

• Post-Conflict States: Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, Libya

Each case will highlight a country’s political structure, historical trajectory, key political actors, policy challenges, and governance outcomes, enabling you to see theory applied in practice.

Practical Tools and Skills Developed

• Comparative Analysis Skills: Ability to dissect and interpret political systems using analytical frameworks.
  
  

• Research and Methodology: Understanding of cross-national data interpretation, case study methods, and hypothesis testing.
  
  

• Critical Thinking: Enhanced capacity to question assumptions, challenge bias, and engage in ideological debates.
  
  

• Global Awareness: Deeper knowledge of global political landscapes and the complexities of governance.
  
  

• Public Policy Insight: Skills to evaluate policy performance across countries and suggest improvements.

Target Audience

• Political Science and International Relations students
  
  

• Public policy analysts and governance consultants
  
  

• Civic educators, journalists, and media professionals
  
  

• Civil society leaders and advocacy organizations
  
  

• Aspiring diplomats and government officials
  
  

• Social science researchers and scholars

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Describe the evolution and typologies of political systems

• Compare political institutions and systems globally

• Evaluate political performance using theoretical and practical frameworks

• Assess the strengths and weaknesses of different governance models

• Interpret comparative political data critically

• Engage in informed debate on political issues with cultural and historical sensitivity

I look forward to congratulating you upon completion of this course.