POL 242 - West European Politics

This course is designed to introduce you to the politics of West European societies by comparing different paths to democracy, party systems, political cultures, and policy outcomes of a number of West European countries. The material covered here is divided in three parts. We will begin the first part by exploring the divergent paths to democratization of the three largest countries in West Europe: the United Kingdom, France and Germany. We will then continue by exploring the different party systems and examine how votes are turned into seats in a variety of countries.

In the second part of the course we will examine the political economy of Europe by focusing on how capitalism works differently across Europe and by studying the different models of the welfare state in Europe. We will discuss policy outcomes in a variety of countries, with a particular focus on social inequality and health outcomes. We will then move to the third part of the course where we study the European Union (EU) and current challenges facing European democracies. Here we will explore why the EU was created, how it works and how it relates to the world, and discuss the consequences of the Great Recession for the future of the EU. Finally, we will examine the challenges facing Europe today by considering immigration, globalization and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism.

Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.