How do autocratic regimes work? Under what conditions do they remain durable, and under what conditions do they collapse or democratize? Autocrats and authoritarian rule feature prominently in international conflict, human rights abuses, and economic exploitation. While some are in the familiar mold of predation and rule by terror, others have developed sophisticated mechanisms of market economics and maintaining social order without overt violence or repression. We will examine the variation in authoritarian regimes, their origins and the underpinnings of their persistence: formal and informal elections, legitimation, and (re)distribution.
This course is in the Comparative Politics subfield.
Course Requirements:
No data submitted
Intended Audience:
No data submitted
Class Format:
The course will consist of a two hour seminar.