School of International Service
American University

Comparative and Regional Studies
Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination

Fall 2004

Directions:

Answer a total of THREE (3) questions.
Each answer must be at least satisfactory in order to pass the exam.

For each answer, students are expected to demonstrate:
(1) a comprehensive knowledge of the relevant scholarly literature, and
(2) a solid understanding of the theoretical issues.

1. Have scholars in the field of comparative and regional studies actually succeeded in advancing our understanding of socio-political phenomena by undertaking "middle range" research and aggregating the results? If so, please provide examples of some "settled" questions and how they became so. If not, please explain why not.

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of federalism as a regime type?

3. Theorists of nationalism argue over the degree to which nationalism is a product of modernization or something that has deeper roots.
a) Assess the arguments in this debate.
b) How does recent scholarship on "post modernity" affect this debate and our understanding of nationalism?

4. Are political culture and democracy related? Must one precede the other? Can democratization succeed without a compatible political culture? Can an open and pluralistic political culture fail to produce democratic governance?

5. How do increases in the average amount of education and an individualist outlook among the voters affect political parties? (Be sure to discuss the material in the chapter by Samuel Barnes in the Lichbach and Zuckerman book.)

6. Using at least two theories of revolution that you have learned, is it likely that we will see more, fewer or the same number of revolutions in the future that we have seen in the past?

7. Compare and contrast neo-corporatism and pluralism as forms of governance.