Course Description

This is a survey course in comparative political economy, a field of inquiry within the subfield of comparative politics that explores the interaction of politics and the economy. Comparative political economy is one of the most active research fields in comparative politics and is comprised of a wide range of research topics. Frequently the focus of research in comparative political economy is on how institutions influence economic outcomes. How, for example, do property rights facilitate investment and economic growth? How do different colonial legacies inhibit or promote economic performance? Sometimes, however, institutions become the dependent variable in our analysis. How does wealth influence regime stability? Or how does economic globalization affect welfare states? This course will address questions like these through an exploration of relevant literature. The syllabus emphasizes current research agendas in political economy, and its main goal is to provide students with a broad overview of contemporary debates in the field.