Spatial Diffusion of Democracy
(Globalization Studies)
Schedule: Tuesdays/Thursdays, 5pm – 7pm
Location: 021 Fairchild
Instructor: George Demko - Geography
Description:This course is designed as a seminar; that is, students are required to be active participants in all topics covered in the course. The seminar will focus on the origins, definitions, types and especially the spatial spread over time (diffusion) of democratic systems of governance.
The first segment of the course will deal with definitions, origins and the evolution of democratic systems. Various models, types, and levels of democracy will be discussed and compared and the characteristics of types of democracies will be identified. The so-called "historical" waves of democratization that have occurred will be critically examined, compared and evaluated and the recent, post-Cold War, diffusion of democracy will be discussed, including the prospects in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The second portion of the course will focus on regional and country-level issues including free market, democratic states, the "Middle East", the economically “emerging states of Asia, and other "developing" countries. Each region of the world will be covered and selected countries will be singled out for analysis.
Democracy is a dynamic system, comes in many varieties from illiberal to sclerotic and can be very fragile. Examples of such democratic problems will be identified and assessed. Some related, important specific topics will be dealt with including capitalism and democracy, globalization and democracy, the role of religions in democracy, the situation of women and minorities in democracies, pre-conditions for democracy, and more...
There will be at least three writing/research assignments to be completed including a major research paper on a specified topic or on a country of choice.
The readings will be many and diverse and calibrated with seminar topics.
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