Political Parties, Voters and Party Systems in Comparative Perspective

This course offers an overview of political institutions such as political parties and elections as democracies face a populist challenge in areas as diverse as Western Europe, Latin America, and Asia. After reviewing the theoretical and historical foundations for party politics and party systems, the course will examine the ways in which political parties reach out to voters in countries with different institutional legacies, in industrialized countries as well as in post-colonial democracies in the Global South, whether through programmatic platforms or political quid pro quos (such as vote buying and patronage).The course will also explore the rise of contemporary populist politics and how this brand of politics challenges traditional party-voter linkages and contributes to the erosion of democratic norms.