AP Comparative Government and Politics School Course Description

Course Description: The course is the study of the political institutions, themes, and trends by comparing six very different countries. The topics of the class are: History, Government Systems, Politics, Society, and Public Policy. The six countries we will be studying are Mexico, Russia, China, United Kingdom, Nigeria, and Iran. Using these countries as case studies helps clarify the class topics and apply them to the real world. Who Should Take This Course: We are in an increasingly interconnected world. The days in which Americans only had to understand their immediate environment is over. What goes on in the rest of the world is increasingly important in the 21st Century. In addition, the countries we will be covering are incredibly interesting. Where else can you figure out why British Parliament likes to yell at each other or why Putin likes to take his shirt off? Where else can you unravel the mysteries of China’s authoritarian meritocratic corrupt oligarchy or Iran’s paranoid convoluted repressive theocracy? This course is recommended for people interested in pursuing political science, international business, international social work, or are just curious about the rest of the world.

Who Should NOT Take This Course: If you are uninterested in the rest of the world, please don’t take this course. We will be reading a lot of challenging and thought provoking articles that will not be enjoyable if you are fascinated by current events or how other political systems work. If you don’t believe that you can be the primary driver of your education through reading or like to express your ideas in writing, you probably shouldn’t take this class.

AP Comparative Government and Politics Frequently Asked Questions

Who can take this class? Must be a junior or senior who has taken Civics and Economics.

What is this class about? Comparative Government is about international politics. It is about applying theories of governance, democracy, economics, history, to the real world. What countries do you cover? Mexico, Russia, China, United Kingdom, Nigeria, and Iran

What kind of skills do I need for this course?

Reading complex texts and taking notes: you will be the driving force of your learning

Ability to listen to lectures, ask questions, and take notes from verbal instructions

Writing formal essays and short answer on tests

Take conceptual and vocabulary understanding to answer complex multiple choice questions

Background knowledge: A basic understanding of American government as a point of comparison as well as some connections in World History.

What sort of workload does this class have?

A quiz most class days based on reading 10-20 pages of the textbook

Reading challenging academic and current event articles and writing thoughtful responses

Preparing for class discussions, presentations, and debates

One formal essay a semester (ex: book essay and research essay)

Two cumulative tests a quarter: half multiple choice, half free response questions

Bottom line: I haven’t heard from any of my students that this class is “easy”. I have rarely heard from them that the class is “overwhelming”.

What is the pacing of the course? We will have two units a quarter. In each country we will analyze history, government and politics, and society and public policy:

Quarter 1: Introduction and Mexico Quarter 2: Russia and China Quarter 3: United Kingdom and Nigeria Quarter 4: Iran and Review

What other classes does this class connect with? It is highly recommended to take this course with AP US Government as the themes and vocabulary of the courses are very compatible. Many of the concepts of this class also align with AP Human Geography and AP Macroeconomics. For an elective class, many ideas overlap with 21st Century Geography. What should I do now if I think I’m interested?

1. Talk to a student who is currently taking this class to hear firsthand their impressions on how interesting and challenging it is.

2. Become more informed about current events, especially related to our six countries. I highly recommend a subscription to The Economist.