POLT 215 - The Autocratic Turn

FC SSCI CD

4 credits
As of 2019, more than half of the world’s people live under non-democratic governments (V-Dem Institute, 2020). This course takes a comparative and historical approach to the study of authoritarianism. How does authoritarianism vary across space and time? How do authoritarian practices diffuse across countries? Is there an “autocratic playbook” that leaders follow? Can we observe autocracy at the sub-national or local level? Case studies will be drawn from all world regions.
This course is appropriate for new students.