DWA 239 Comparative Politics of Europe

This course aims to introduce students to contemporary European politics. We will start by looking at the formation of European states and political institutions. Our goal is to gain insight into the origins of European state formation and to develop an understanding of why European states have taken different paths. The second section of the course will examine the development of key democratic institutions with particular focus on various electoral formulas and party systems. The third section will look at interest representation and industrial relations. This will lead into a substantial discussion of the development of the European welfare state and the various forms of compensation programs that European states have developed. We will end the course by examining the European integration movement today the European Union. We will examine the factors behind the formation of the Coal and Steel Community the European Common Market as well as contemporary efforts to integrate the former Eastern European states.