STANFORD UNIVERSITY

 “PS147: Comparative Democratic Development"
Larry Diamond

“This course is intended as a broad, introductory survey of the political, social, cultural, economic, institutional, and international factors that foster and obstruct the development and consolidation of democracy.  Each factor will be examined in historical and comparative perspective, with reference to a variety of different national experiences.  An important aim of the course is to encourage each student to relate the historical development of particular countries to the various theories about democracy, and to evaluate those theories in light of the experience of individual countries.”

To see the syllabus, click here.

“PS227: Seminar on Consolidating Democracy ”
Larry Diamond

"Since the "third wave" of democracy began in 1974, a large number of countries in the world have made transitions to the formal constitutional structures of multiparty democracy. Some of these new regimes may also be termed “liberal democracies,” with effective protections for civil liberties, due process, political accountability, and the rule of law.  Other new "democracies" are shallower, with democracy practiced through reasonably free and fair elections but not in other important institutional arenas.  Whether they are merely "electoral" or more substantially "liberal," however, most “third wave” democracies share an important feature: they have yet to become "consolidated."  This course will consider alternative conceptual approaches to democratic consolidation, while emphasizing the depth and breadth of legitimation as a key foundation.  This legitimation, reflected in political behavior at all levels and in all important arenas of political expression and contestation, is strongly linked to the stability of democracy.”

To see the syllabus, click here.

CENTER ON DEMOCRACY, DEVELOPMENT, AND THE RULE OF LAW
Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies

“POLISCI-114D: Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law”
Kathryn Stone-Weiss

“This course, like the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (CDDRL) itself, is devoted to exploring the links between various components of the establishment of democracy, economic growth and rule of law. We will examine, in particular, how and why democratic, economically developed states arise as well as how rule of law can be established in places where historically it has been largely absent.

As a research community, CDDRL associates generally agree that the establishment of robust political, economic and legal institutions is an important piece in the puzzle of how democratic states are established and economies develop. But what do we mean by institutions exactly? What variation is there in how democracies are organized? What effects do such variations have on political and economic outcomes? How are such institutions built in conflict ridden places like Iraq or Afghanistan, and states in transition from communism like Russia, Tajikistan or perhaps China? How much does history matter or is there a universal formula or set of ideas the international policy community might use to promote democracy, development and the rule of law?

We will take these questions as our starting points in exploring the complex and still poorly understood relationships between democracy, economic growth and law based polities…”

To see the syllabus, click here.