In this course, we explore key questions surrounding identity politics in the non-Western world (i.e. North America and Western Europe). What is identity? How does identity shape the political behavior and attitudes? How do external factors including migration, urbanization and electoral institutions shape identity? How do politicians use identity to their own advantage? And, how can identity shape development and public good provision? We will draw on a range of readings that use both quantitative and qualitative research methods.Over the course of the semester, we will use the concrete experiences of countries ranging from Latin America to South Asia to sub-Saharan Africa to ask and address these questions.
This class introduces students to the complex issues of democracy, politics and development in South Asia, also home to quarter of the world's population. Further, it aims to use evidence from South Asia — focusing on the cases of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka — to shed light on some of the central questions in the study of comparative and international politics.
POLI 456: Gender and Development (Fall 2024)
This course will examine how formal and informal institutions, and development processes have shaped gender inequality across the economic, social and political sphere. This course is a research seminar aimed at equipping students with the tools to conduct academic research. The final output of this course will be a research paper and students will work through different components of their paper through the course.
