POLS 2300 - Democracies and Dictatorships Around the World

• Students will be able to compare and contrast political systems and outcomes and explain the major political, economic, social, and cultural features of select countries.
• Students will be able to explain the terminology, concepts, and findings of comparative politics and use theoretical approaches from comparative politics to analyze political outcomes in countries outside of the U.S.
• Students will be able to critically state a comparative politics issue, outline the quantitative and qualitative methods that could be used, and use information sources to analyze a comparative politics or political culture issue.
• Students will be able to systematically and methodically analyze assumptions and carefully evaluate the relevance of contexts when presenting an analysis of political practices and political cultures around the globe.
• Students will be able to state a specific perspective or thesis in an analysis of political practices and political cultures that is thoughtful, recognizes complexities, identifies cultural and historical contexts, and acknowledges limitations.
• Students will be able to state conclusions and related outcomes (consequences and implications) logically and in a priority order when analyzing political practices and political cultures around the globe.
• Students will be able to articulate insights about one’s own cultural rules and biases when examining and comparing with political cultures around the globe.
• Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the complexity of elements important to members of another political culture in relation to its history, values, politics, communication styles, economy, or beliefs and practices.
• Students will be able to interpret intercultural experience from their own and others’ worldview and to act in a supportive manner that recognizes the feelings of another cultural group and accept differences in political experiences and practices.
• Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of cultural differences in verbal and non-verbal communication in societies around the globe, including variation in political communication styles, and to negotiate a shared understanding.
• Students will be able to ask complex questions of other cultures, including their political practices and behaviors, and to articulate answers to these questions that reflect multiple cultural perspectives from multiple parts of the globe.
• Students will be able to initiate and develop interactions with and suspend judgement of culturally different others from societies around the globe, including in interactions around political goals, policies, and actions.