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1 AP Comparative Government and Politics COURSE DESCRIPTION: Comparative Government and Politics is a one-semester course introducing students to global political institutions, processes, and concepts through the study and comparison of six representative countries: China, Great Britain, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, and Russia. [SC8] Topics covered include political theory, sovereignty and nation-states, institutional power and authority, civil society, political and economic change, public policy, and the role of geography in global politics. [SC10] Students will develop a balanced, comprehensive understanding of global politics through practice in all forms of student literacy – listening, speaking, reading, and writing – and advancement of skills in reading, research, and analysis of articles, quantitative data, and maps. [SC10] COURSE READINGS: Main Text: Kesselman, Mark, et al. Introduction to Comparative Politics: Political Challenges and Changing Agendas, 6 th ed. Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2012. Supplemental Readings: Patrick O’Neill, Essentials of Comparative Politics with Cases: AP Edition. 5 th ed., New York: W.W. Norton, 2015. Current events articles and research using online news and resources including New York Times¸ The Economist, Washington Post, BBC News, and CIA World Fact Book. [SC12] COURSE EVALUATION: Midterm and Final Exams – 20% Free-Response Essays – 20% Participation & Homework (reading notes, vocabulary quizzes, and map-work) – 20% Research Projects – 40% Assignments: EXAMS AND FREE RESPONSE ESSAYS: There will be two in-class exams for the midterm and final. The tests will be primarily multiple-choice questions but may also include identification of terms or short answer responses. There will also be free-response essay questions (FRQs) for each unit. All unit exam and essay questions will be analytical responses to readings, lecture notes, and topics from in-class discussions. [SC10] [SC11] RESEARCH PROJECTS: There will be two major research projects this semester: 1. an individual analytical research paper comparing and contrasting a public policy issue from two of the countries studied (one developing and one developed) [SC7] [SC9] [SC11] [SC12], and 2. a group website or blog project using both text and visuals (charts, graphs, maps, etc.) to present current policy or electoral issues in one of the countries studied. [SC10] A.P. Comparative Government and Politics – One Semester Course Plan

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AP Comparative Government and Politics COURSE DESCRIPTION: Comparative Government and Politics is a one-semester course introducing students to global political institutions, processes, and concepts through the study and comparison of six representative countries: China, Great Britain, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, and Russia. [SC8] Topics covered include political theory, sovereignty and nation-states, institutional power and authority, civil society, political and economic change, public policy, and the role of geography in global politics. [SC10] Students will develop a balanced, comprehensive understanding of global politics through practice in all forms of student literacy – listening, speaking, reading, and writing – and advancement of skills in reading, research, and analysis of articles, quantitative data, and maps. [SC10] COURSE READINGS: Main Text: Kesselman, Mark, et al. Introduction to Comparative Politics: Political Challenges and Changing Agendas, 6th ed. Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2012. Supplemental Readings: Patrick O’Neill, Essentials of Comparative Politics with Cases: AP Edition. 5th ed., New York: W.W. Norton, 2015. Current events articles and research using online news and resources including New York Times¸ The Economist, Washington Post, BBC News, and CIA World Fact Book. [SC12] COURSE EVALUATION: Midterm and Final Exams – 20%

Free-Response Essays – 20% Participation & Homework (reading notes, vocabulary quizzes, and map-work) – 20% Research Projects – 40%

Assignments: EXAMS AND FREE RESPONSE ESSAYS: There will be two in-class exams for the midterm and final. The tests will be primarily multiple-choice questions but may also include identification of terms or short answer responses. There will also be free-response essay questions (FRQs) for each unit. All unit exam and essay questions will be analytical responses to readings, lecture notes, and topics from in-class discussions. [SC10] [SC11] RESEARCH PROJECTS: There will be two major research projects this semester: 1. an individual analytical research paper comparing and contrasting a public policy issue from two of the countries studied (one developing and one developed) [SC7] [SC9] [SC11] [SC12], and 2. a group website or blog project using both text and visuals (charts, graphs, maps, etc.) to present current policy or electoral issues in one of the countries studied. [SC10]

A.P. Comparative Government and Politics – One Semester Course Plan

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UNIT 1 (Weeks 1-3): Introduction to Comparative Politics [SC1]

• The Comparative Method: Concepts and Theory • Issues and Trends to Compare and Contrast [SC9] • Definitions and Sources of Sovereignty, Authority, and Power [SC2] • Definitions and Development of the State and Nation [SC3] • Globalization and Democratization [SC6]

Readings: Kesselman, Ch. 1, “Introducing Comparative Politics” [SC1] O’Neill, Ch. 2, “States” [SC3] O’Neill, Ch. 11, “Globalization and the Future of Comparative Politics”

[articles on globalization] [SC12]

UNIT 2 (Weeks 4-5): Advanced Democracies: Great Britain [SC8]

• Historical Foundations of Nation-States [SC3] • Political Institutions and Structure [SC5] • Public Policy [SC7] • Political Culture: Social Movements and Interest Groups [SC4] • The European Union

Readings: Kesselman, Ch. 2, “Consolidated Democracies: Britain”

O’Neill, Ch. 5, “Democratic Regimes” [current events articles and debates about EU] [SC12] UNIT 3 (Weeks 6-9): Communist and Post-Communist Countries: Russia and China

• Historical Foundations: Cultural and Political Revolutions [SC6] • Relationship of Citizens to the State [SC4] • Political and Economic Change and Modernization [SC6]

Readings: Kesselman, Ch. 8, “Transitional Democracies: The Russian Federation”

Kesselman, Ch. 14, “Authoritarian Regimes: China” O’Neil, Ch. 9, “Communism and Post-Communism”

Karl Marx and Freidrich Engels, Communist Manifesto (1848) [SC12] [current events articles] [SC12] UNIT 4 (Weeks 10-15): Developing and Underdeveloped Countries: Mexico, Nigeria, and Iran [SC8]

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• Historical Foundations: Colonialism, Coups, and Revolutions [SC6] • Globalization and Trade • Theocracy and Religious-Ethnic Conflict • The Politics of Oil • Political Instability, Corruption, and Terrorism • Nuclear Weapons

Readings: Kesselman, Ch. 10, “Transitional Democracies: Mexico”

Kesselman, Ch. 12, “Transitional Democracies: Nigeria” Kesselman, Ch. 13, “Authoritarian Regimes: Iran”

O’Neil, Ch. 7, “Political Violence” O’Neil, Ch. 10, “Developing Countries” AP / College Board Briefing Papers

[current events articles] [SC12]

Week 16: Final Project Presentations and Exam Review Week 17: FINAL EXAMS Week 18: AP Exams