CE

Module 4 CP

What is comparative politics?

  • It is one of three things in political science:

    • 1) The study of non-U.S. domestic politics (often called foreign domestic politics). Relative framing matters: the U.K. is foreign to the U.S., and the U.S. is foreign to someone from the U.K. So, in Americentric terms, it’s the study of foreign politics, i.e., the domestic politics of other countries (e.g., Brazil, China, Zimbabwe).
    • 2) It is comparative politics when it follows the comparative method. This method uses varying units of analysis and examines cases to find norms or generalizations. Units of analysis can be movements, a state, several states, or regions. We study cases to identify best, worst, and deviant cases to draw broader conclusions.
    • 3) Everything else. If something isn’t American government, political theory, international relations, or bureaucracies, it falls under comparative because the field acts as an umbrella for many topics.

  • In practice, the field emphasizes utility and predictability: given certain circumstances, how will a leader or group respond elsewhere under similar conditions? The goal is to translate cases into usable expectations, not only to generate theory.

The comparative method and units of analysis

  • The comparative method is a unique political science approach with flexible units of analysis. Units can be:
    • a social movement
    • a single state
    • several states
    • a region
  • We focus on cases, including:
    • best cases
    • worst cases
    • deviant cases
  • The aim is to identify norms or generalizations that can be applied in other contexts.
  • Real-world orientation:
    • Predictability: if a situation occurs elsewhere, how would actors respond?
    • Utility: findings should inform practical outcomes, policy, or understanding.

Key concepts in comparing countries

  • When we compare countries, terminology carries implications for equity and power. Terms evolve over time and can obscure or reinforce hierarchies.
  • Historical and contemporary terms include:
    • First world / Second world / Third world (older framework)
    • Developed countries / Developing countries (shifted terminology, imperfect concept)
    • Global North / Global South (current framing)
  • Be mindful of what terms imply about development, power, and history. The meanings can differ across contexts.

Development, power, and historical critique

  • Development is not uniform; a country’s level of development reflects more than income. It includes governance strength, social services, literacy, and basic infrastructure.
    • Developed world (Global North) typically features strong governance, robust social services, high literacy, and broad access to clean water and transportation.
    • Developing/global south contexts can have advanced technologies in some domains (e.g., cell phones) while lacking in others (e.g., electricity, clean water).
  • A core pattern in comparative politics is that the developed world often achieved its status through historical exploitation of the global south (colonialism, resource extraction, labor flows).
    • E.g., UK’s development via colonial resources and labor; similar dynamics seen in the US and other Western powers.
  • This history explains ongoing tensions and debates about responsibility and current inequalities in development.
  • The point is to recognize context, not to attribute blame in a simplistic way, but to understand structural factors shaping development trajectories.

BRICS: overview and implications for comparative politics

  • BRICS refers to: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
  • Characteristics often highlighted:
    • They are influential on the global stage and have thriving economies.
    • They exemplify upward trajectories that challenge traditional North–South hierarchies.
  • A key critique: in pursuing rapid development, BRICS nations can underdevelop other countries, creating new forms of unequal exchange.
  • Example illustrating disequitable development:
    • China opened a trade deal with Ecuador, drilling for oil in protected rainforests. Profit distribution was highly skewed: Ecuador received
      10 ext{\%} of profits while China received
      90 ext{\%}, highlighting unequal terms in global resource extraction.
  • The discussion of BRICS is central in comparative politics because it shows how rising powers interact with established powers and affect global development dynamics.

A quintessential comparative article: Bowerman and colleagues (Northern Triangle focus)

  • The article is presented as a regional-level comparative study focusing on three Central American countries: Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador (the Northern Triangle).
  • Key features:
    • Multi-country, cross-border phenomenon: the study examines issues that span borders rather than a single-country focus.
    • Generalizability: findings from this trio can be applied to similar contexts in other countries (e.g., if something happens in Guatemala, it may occur in Honduras; El Salvador’s attempts can inform others).
    • Methodological lens: uses a human trafficking perspective to explore new types of gang analysis, representing a novel approach in comparative research.
  • Real-world relevance of the article:
    • Prediction, generalizability, and applicability are central goals.
    • The article has practical implications beyond theory:
    • It has been used by asylum and refugee immigration judges to assess cases related to gang violence or persecution.
    • The authors have been called as expert witnesses in related cases.
  • The article illustrates how comparative work can have direct, daily-life impact rather than purely abstract theoretical value.

Practical implications and ongoing relevance in comparative politics

  • Comparative politics is a dynamic field with continual emergence of new phenomena:
    • New states and administrations
    • New governments, summits, and international accords (e.g., G8, UN accords)
    • Emergence of new forms of governance and new regional blocs
  • The discipline emphasizes real-world applicability: findings inform policy, legal decisions, and governance strategies.
  • The emphasis on predictability and generalizability helps scholars translate case-specific insights into usable knowledge for researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers.

Ethical, philosophical, and practical considerations

  • Ethical considerations:
    • How we frame development and who benefits from development projects
    • The responsibilities of developed countries toward less-developed regions given historical exploitation
  • Philosophical considerations:
    • Debates about universality vs. context specificity in political generalizations
    • The legitimacy of comparing fundamentally different political systems and cultures
  • Practical considerations:
    • The choice of units of analysis can shape findings and policy recommendations
    • How terms (developed/developing, Global North/South) influence perception and policy.

Connections to foundational principles and real-world relevance

  • Foundational principles:
    • Utility and predictability are central aims of comparative analysis, not just theory-building.
    • Generalizability across similar contexts is valued, but contingent on appropriate units of analysis and careful interpretation.
  • Real-world relevance:
    • Comparative studies directly affect policy and legal decisions (e.g., asylum judgments).
    • Understanding historical development patterns helps explain current inequalities and international relations dynamics.

Quick takeaways

  • Comparative politics studies non-U.S. domestic politics, uses the comparative method with flexible units of analysis, and also covers broader topics that don’t fit neatly into other subfields.
  • The method emphasizes testing norms, generalizations, and predictive power while maintaining a strong connection to practical outcomes.
  • Terminology matters: be mindful of how labels like developed/developing or Global North/South shape interpretation and policy.
  • Case studies like BRICS and the Northern Triangle article illustrate how comparative work can reveal dynamics of development, power, and cross-border interactions, with tangible policy implications.
  • The field is continually evolving, with new states, agreements, and governance forms requiring ongoing study and adaptability.