Waseda University

Since the 1970s, countries have undergone democratization around the world: Southern Europe (Spain, Portugal, and Greece), Latin America (Brazil and Chile), East Asia (Korea, Taiwan), Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, Africa (South Africa), and Middle East (Tunisia).  Why does democratization occur in some countries but not in others? Why does the democratic regime survive after democratization in some countries but not in others?

To answer these questions, this course explores the determinants of democratization and democratic survival, based on the major theoretical arguments and empirical findings in comparative politics. The course covers both classic and cutting-edge works in the literature. The course is divided into three parts. The first part explores the determinants of democratization (transition from authoritarian regime to democracy). The second part examines the determinants of democratic survival (whether democracy collapses or not after democratization). The third part is for the student presentations, in which students are required to make a group presentation on the case(s) of democratization or democratic survival/collapse of their choice. 

This course uses concepts and tools in microeconomics. The purpose of the course is to clarify phenomena and problems that are inherent in the market economy by an examination of the laws and economic systems that support the internal and contractual structure of the market. In particular, the course focuses on Coase Theorem and its application to nuisance law, sales law, and tort law. This is a lecture course, but students are expected to work on "legal cases" in three groups (plaintiff, defendant, and judge or jury) in each class, and are expected to participate in the deliberations of the cases among the three groups.