| 1 |
Introduction and review of syllabus
Name game
Brief discussion of Iraq |
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| 2 |
What is social science?
Social science research?
Discussion of potential paper topics |
Class assignment: Pick a potential paper topic |
| 3 |
What is the state and why have one?
What is democracy and why have one? |
Class assignment: Find pictures of the Doge's Palace in Venice and read about it on-line |
| 4 |
Lens 1: Cleavages, preferences, and identities |
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| 5 |
Lens 2: Culture and beliefs |
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| 6 |
Lens 3: Institutions |
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| 7 |
Wrap-up on institutions and on three "lenses" more broadly
Discussion of first paper |
First paper due 1 day after Lec #7 |
| 8 |
Why do countries become democratic? |
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| 9 |
Does economic development lead to democracy? |
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| 10 |
Why did democracy break down in Germany? |
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| 11 |
Class debate: Why did the Weimar Republic collapse? |
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| 12 |
Wrap-up on Weimar and discussion of Federal Republic
Interim presentations on research papers |
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| 13 |
Interim presentations on research papers (cont.) |
First installment of research paper due 1 day after Lec #13 |
| 14-15 |
What institutions cause economic growth? |
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| 16-17 |
Why is Mexico so corrupt? |
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| 18 |
Class presentations on research papers |
Research paper due 1 day after Lec #18 |
| 19-20 |
Why is northern Italy so much, well, better? |
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| 21-22 |
What's right and what's wrong with the U.S. system? |
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| 23-24 |
What will happen in Iraq? |
Rewrite of research paper due 1 day after Lec #24 |
| 25 |
Class exercise: Redesigning the Iraqi constitution |
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| 26 |
Wrap-up, preparation for the final exam, and class evaluations |
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