POLS 564 - Elections and Political Parties Around the World

The course surveys election rules and their effects in theory and practice, addressing questions such as: What are the advantages/disadvantages of different rules? Can election rules balance the demands of effective governance and fair representation? How does election administration affect the integrity of voting? How do election rules affect the behavior of voters and political parties? What are the origins and functions of political parties? I present course material in lectures, discussions, and classroom activities, using examples from all regions of the world. I base student evaluations on exams, a research paper, a group project, online quizzes, and class participation. The Fall 2008 syllabus is available here.