GOVT 40.06 Elections in Emerging Democracies

Although modern democracy is a western invention, it is now the dominant form of government in the world, and most democracies do not resemble their western counterparts. What are the implications of these differences in the daily practice of democracy? How does democracy concretely work in countries with high levels of poverty, conflict, inequality, ethnic diversity and/or illiteracy? How does democracy in "developing countries" diverge from western ideals and western realities? Drawing on the experience of countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, the class will compare and discuss the way democracy is practiced in developing countries. We will explore a number of themes, including how citizens understand democracy, political culture, clientelism/patronage, corruption, electoral violence, accountability, and ethnic voting.

Instructor

Chauchard

Degree Requirement Attributes

Dist:INT or SOC; WCult:W

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