Does the use of repression distinguish authoritarian from democratic regimes? Why do autocracies bother to deliver public goods or hold elections? Do economic and political linkages with developed democracies constrain or enable authoritarian power? This course will explore these questions through comparative examination of contemporary authoritarian regimes from Brazil to Russia.
Course Requirements:
Evaluation will be based on vigorous, substantive contributions to class discussions; short response papers; and a brief research design that addresses a central debate in the literature on authoritarian regimes.