School of International Service
American University

Comparative and Regional Studies
Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination

Fall 2007

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. What precisely is the "small n" problem in social scientific analysis? What approaches do scholars offer to deal with this problem? What are the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches? (Hint: please discuss King, Keohane and Verba, and at least one other author).

2. Some scholars praise the importance of "social capital" in maintaining a viable representative democracy and promoting economic affluence, whereas others dismiss it. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the major conceptualizations of social capital as they have been debated in the literature.

3. For decades, scholars have repeatedly predicted the demise of the state as the preeminent political institution of governance. Assess these arguments in light of the literature put forth by theorists on both sides of this debate.

4. Some scholars of Africa have developed the concept of "neo-patrimonialism" to explain political exchange there. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the concept? Is this concept useful for studying regime types in other parts of the world? Why?/Why not?

5. Is geography destiny? Assess the arguments regarding the impact of geography on the potential for a country to improve the per capita capacity to produce material wealth. (Be sure to discuss more than one author.)

6. Taking from the theories of at least three scholars on nationalism, discuss the possibility a "global nationalism." Must nationalism have an "other" to exist? How does the "primordial" argument fit into this possibility?

7. What is the value added of the concept of globalization? Identify at least three conceptualizations of globalization and discuss whether/how they improve our understanding of socio-political phenomena.