Class Schedule

Week 1 (9/19): Introduction: Lessons from Latin America for the Research on Comparative Politics; Basic Academic Writing; Academic Integrity

(Expected hours for learning: before the class: 3 hours ; in class: 3 hours; after the class: 2 hours)

Week 2 (9/26): Basics for Understanding Quantitative Research (I): Elements for Research Design

(Expected hours for learning: before the class: 3 hours ; in class: 3 hours; after the class: 2 hours)

Required readings:

Miller, Steven V. 2014. “Reading a Regression Table: a Guide for Students.” Available at: http://svmiller.com/blog/2014/08/reading-a-regression-table-a-guide-for-students/

Patel, Parina. 2009. “Introduction to Quantitative Methods.” Available at: http://hls.harvard.edu/content/uploads/2011/12/quantitative_methods.pdf

Powner, Leanne C. 2007. “Reading and Understanding Political Science.” Available at: http://www.leannecpowner.com/tchdocs/readingps.pdf (read p.1-p.14)

Week 3 (10/3): Basics for Understanding Quantitative Research (II): Strategies for Research Design

(Expected hours for learning: before the class: 3 hours ; in class: 3 hours; after the class: 2 hours)

Required readings:

Brambor, Thomas, William Roberts Clark and Matt Golder. 2006. “Understanding Interaction Models: Improving Empirical Analyses.” Political Analysis 14(1): 63-82.

Zigerell, L.J. 2011. “Of Publishable Quality: Ideas for Political Science Seminar Papers.” PS: Politics & Political Science 44 (3): 629-633.

Pol, Jair. 2018. “The Interaction Effect of Trade Openness and Good Governance on Economic Growth: The Case of the Commonwealth Caribbean Countries.” Master’s Thesis, International Master’s Program in International Studies, National Chengchi University.

Week 4 (10/10): National Day

Week 5 (10/17) Explaining Democratization (I): Historical Legacies; Economic Effects; International Forces

(Expected hours for learning: before the class: 3 hours ; in class: 3 hours; after the class: 2 hours)

Quiz in class

Required readings:

Pérez-Liñán, Aníbal and Scott Mainwaring. 2013. “Regime Legacies and Levels of Democracy: Evidence from Latin America.” Comparative Politics 45(4): 379-397.

Landman, Todd. 1999. “Economic Development and Democracy: The View from Latin America.” Political Studies 47(4): 607-626.

Mainwaring, Scott, and Aníbal Pérez-Linán. 2005. “Latin American Democratization since 1978: Democratic Transitions, Breakdowns, and Erosions.” In The Third Wave of Democratization in Latin America: Advances and Setbacks, eds. Frances Hagopian and Scott Mainwaring. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 14-59.

Week 6 (10/24): Explaining Democratization (II): Elites; Church; Social Movements

(Expected hours for learning: before the class: 3 hours ; in class: 3 hours; after the class: 2 hours)

Required readings:

Munck, Gerardo L., and Carol Skalnik Leff. 1997. “Modes of Transition and Democratization: South America and Eastern Europe in Comparative Perspective.” Comparative Politics 29(3): 343-362.

Gill, Anthony J. 1994. “Rendering unto Caesar? Religious Competition and Catholic Political Strategy in Latin America, 1962-79.” American Journal of Political Science 38(2): 403-425.

Collier, Ruth Berins, and James Mahoney. 1997. “Adding Collective Actors to Collective Outcomes: Labor and Recent Democratization in South America and Southern Europe.” Comparative Politics 29(3): 285-303.

Week 7 (10/31): Challenges for Democratization (I): Populism; Coups; Impeachments

(Expected hours for learning: before the class: 3 hours ; in class: 3 hours; after the class: 2 hours)

Required readings:

Doyle, David. 2011. “The Legitimacy of Political Institutions: Explaining Contemporary Populism in Latin America.” Comparative Political Studies 44(11): 1447-1473.

Thyne, Clayton L. 2010. “Supporter of Stability or Agent of Agitation? The Effect of US Foreign Policy on Coups in Latin America, 1960—99.” Journal of Peace Research 47(4): 449-461.

Pérez-Liñán, Aníbal and John Polga-Hecimovich. 2017. “Explaining Military Coups and Impeachments in Latin America.” Democratization 24(5): 839-858.

Week 8 (11/7): Challenges for Democratization (II): Transitional Justice; Inequality; Violence

(Expected hours for learning: before the class: 3 hours ; in class: 3 hours; after the class: 2 hours)

Required readings:

Albertus, Michael. Forthcoming. “The Fate of Former Authoritarian Elites Under Democracy.” Journal of Conflict Resolution (http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0022002718761791).

Pribble, Jennifer, Evelyne Huber, and John D. Stephens. 2009. “Politics, Policies, and Poverty in Latin America.” Comparative Politics 41(4): 387-407.

Blume, Laura Ross. 2017. “The Old Rules No Longer Apply: Explaining Narco- Assassinations of Mexican Politicians.” Journal of Politics in Latin America 9(1): 59–90.

Week 9 (11/14): Political Institutions (I): Executives and Legislatures

(Expected hours for learning: before the class: 3 hours ; in class: 3 hours; after the class: 2 hours)

Required readings:

Martínez-Gallardo, Cecilia  and Petra Schleiter. 2015. “Choosing Whom to Trust: Agency Risks and Cabinet Partisanship in Presidential Democracies.” Comparative Political Studies 48(2): 231–264.

Siavelis, Peter M. 2006. “Accommodating Informal Institutions and Chilean Democracy.” In Informal Institutions and Democracy: Lessons from Latin America, eds. Gretchen Helmke and Steven Levitsky. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 33-55.

Shair-Rosenfield, Sarah and Alissandra T. Stoyan. 2017. “Constraining Executive Action: The Role of Legislator Professionalization in Latin America.” Governance 30(2): 301-319.

Week 10 (11/21): Political Institutions (II): Subnational Politics

(Expected hours for learning: before the class: 3 hours ; in class: 3 hours; after the class: 2 hours)

Required readings:

Cleary, Matthew R. 2007. “Electoral Competition, Participation, and Government Responsiveness in Mexico.” American Journal of Political Science 51(2): 283-299.

Eaton, Kent. 2014. “Recentralization and the Left Turn in Latin America Diverging Outcomes in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Venezuela.” Comparative Political Studies 47(8): 1130-1157.

Goldfrank, Benjamin. 2007. “The Politics of Deepening Local Democracy: Decentralization, Party Institutionalization, and Participation.” Comparative Politics 39(2): 147-168.

Week 11 (11/28): Political Institution (III): Political Parties

(Expected hours for learning: before the class: 3 hours ; in class: 3 hours; after the class: 2 hours)

Required readings:

Burgess, Katrina and Steven Levitsky. 2003. “Explaining Populist Party Adaptation in Latin America: Environmental and Organizational Determinants of Party Change in Argentina, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela.” Comparative Political Studies 36(8): 881-911.

Lupu, Noam. 2014. “Brand Dilution and the Breakdown of Political Parties in Latin America.” World Politics 66(4): 561-602.

Su, Yen-Pin. 2014. “Explaining Electoral Volatility in Latin America: Evidence at the Party Level.” Latin American Politics and Society 56(2): 49-69.

Week 12 (12/5): Political Institution (IV): Party System Development

(Expected hours for learning: before the class: 3 hours ; in class: 3 hours; after the class: 2 hours)

Required readings:

Su, Yen-Pin. 2015. “Party Registration Rules and Party Systems in Latin America.” Party Politics 21(2): 295-308.

Roberts, Kenneth M., and Erik Wibbels. 1999. “Party Systems and Electoral Volatility in Latin America: A Test of Economic, Institutional, and Structural Explanations.” American Political Science Review 93 (3): 575-90.

Su, Yen-Pin. 2018. “Personal Vote, Spatial Registration Rules, and Party System Nationalization in Latin America.” International Political Science Review 39(2): 192-208.

Week 13 (12/12): Political Behavior (I): Vote Choice and Voter Turnout

(Expected hours for learning: before the class: 3 hours ; in class: 3 hours; after the class: 2 hours)

Required readings:

De Ferrari, Ignazio. 2015. “The Successor Factor: Electoral Accountability in Presidential Democracies.” Comparative Political Studies 48 (2): 193-230.

Murillo, María Victoria, Virginia Oliveros, and Milan Vaishnav. 2010. “Electoral Revolution or Democratic Alternation?” Latin American Research Review 45 (3): 87-114.

Carreras, Miguel and Néstor Castañeda-Angarita. 2014. “Who Votes in Latin America? A Test of Three Theoretical Perspectives.” Comparative Political Studies 47(8): 1079–1104..

Week 14 (12/19): Political Behavior (II): Political Culture

(Expected hours for learning: before the class: 3 hours ; in class: 3 hours; after the class: 2 hours)

Required readings:

Valenzuela, Sebastián, Teresa Correa, and Homero Gil de Zúñiga. 2018. “Ties, Likes, and Tweets: Using Strong and Weak Ties to Explain Differences in Protest Participation Across Facebook and Twitter Use.” Political Communication 35(1): 117-134.

Crow, David, and Clarisa Pérez-Armendáriz. 2018. “Talk Without Borders: Why Political Discussion Makes Latin Americans With Relatives Abroad More Critical of Their Democracies.” Comparative Political Studies 51(2): 238–276.

Baker, Andy, and David Cupery. 2013. “Anti-Americanism in Latin America: Economic Exchange, Foreign Policy Legacies, and Mass Attitudes toward the Colossus of the North.” Latin American Research Review 48(2): 106-130.

Week 15 (12/26): Gender; Ethnicity; Social Movements

(Expected hours for learning: before the class: 3 hours ; in class: 3 hours; after the class: 2 hours)

Required readings:

Bellinger, Paul T., and Moises Arce. 2011. “Protest and Democracy in Latin America’s Market Era.” Political Research Quarterly 64 (3):688-704.

Hale, Christopher W. 2018. “Religious Institutions and Collective Action: The Catholic Church and Political Activism in Indigenous Chiapas and Yucatán.” Politics and Religion 11 (1): 27–54..

Escobar-Lemmon, Maria, and Michelle M. Taylor-Robinson. 2005. “Women Ministers in Latin American Government: When, Where, and Why?” American Journal of Political Science 49 (4): 829-844.

Week 16 (1/2): Political Economy (I): Economic Development; Growth; Market Reforms

(Expected hours for learning: before the class: 3 hours ; in class: 3 hours; after the class: 2 hours)

Required readings:

Kay, Cristóbal. 2002. “Why East Asia Overtook Latin America: Agrarian Reform, Industrialisation and Development.” Third World Quarterly 23 (6): 1073-1102.

Wibbels, Erik, and Kenneth Roberts. 2010. “The Politics of Economic Crisis in Latin America.” Studies in Comparative International Development 45(4): 383–409.

Flores-Macías, Gustavo A. 2010. “Statist vs. Pro-Market: Explaining Leftist Governments' Economic Policies in Latin America.” Comparative Politics 42(4): 413-433.

Week 17 (1/9): Political Economy (II): Latin America and China

(Expected hours for learning: before the class: 3 hours ; in class: 3 hours; after the class: 2 hours)

Required readings:

Carreras, Miguel. 2017. “Public Attitudes toward an Emerging China in Latin America.” Issues & Studies 53(1): 1740004-1–1740004-28

Su, Yen-Pin and Oscar René Vargas Delgado. 2017. “Is China Becoming a Hegemonic Challenge in Latin America and the Caribbean? A Political Economy Analysis of the Nicaragua Interoceanic Canal Project.” Issues & Studies 53(1): 1740002-1–1740002-32.

Urdinez, Francisco, Fernando Mouron, Luis L. Schenoni, and Amâncio J. de Oliveira. 2016. “Chinese Economic Statecraft and U.S. Hegemony in Latin America: An Empirical Analysis, 2003–2014. Latin American Politics and Society 58(4): 3-30.

Week 18 (1/16): Brief Research Design Presentations

(Expected hours for learning: before the class: 3 hours ; in class: 3 hours; after the class: 2 hours)

Evaluation and Requirements

Your final grade will be distributed as follows:

Weekly Assignments (including PowerPoint presentation) 60%

Map Quiz with Country Information (10/3 in class) 5%

Academic Integrity Assignment (due 9/25) 5%

Format Editing Assignment (due 10/2) 5%

Dataset Building and Bivariate Analyses Assignment (due 10/30) 5%

Brief Research Design (due 1/15) and presentation (1/16) 10%

Class participation (including current event reports) 10%

1. Weekly assignments. All weekly required readings must be done by the beginning of the class in that week. It is necessary to do the readings for Week 2 and Week 3, but you are not required to do assignments for Week 2 and Week3. From Week 5 to Week 17 (13 weeks), students must upload at least one assignment every week to Moodle. Each assignment is worth up to 2.5 points. Your total points for this component will be reduced 2.5 points for each “missed” week. The more assignments that you upload every week, the more likely that you will get 60 full points. The format of an assignment must be: 1) in PDF format; 2) 1-2 pages; 3) Times New Roman 12-point font; and 4) single-spaced. Remember to include your name and insert page numbers in the assignment. Most importantly, each assignment MUST be done following the template below:

a. The larger research question(s)

b. The more specific research question(s)

c. Main theory/theories and testable hypotheses

d. Dependent variable(s), independent variables, and control variables

e. Data and methodology

f. Research design strategy

g. Results and conclusions

h. Critical analysis (see below for details)

On weeks 1, 2, and 3, we will discuss how to do the assignments based on the template mentioned above. For the first seven sections, students simply provide short sentences for answer. The critical analysis is the only section that allows the students to write essay-like paragraphs, which will be composed of students’ comments and questions for the reading. Students should compare and contrast, criticize and praise. Thoughts for the critical analysis include, but is not limited to: Is the work theoretically or empirically interesting for other cases? Is the specific research question a reasonable proxy for the larger question? Is it interesting? How well are the concepts operationalized? Is the transfer of theory to empirics reasonable? How reliable are the data? Are they obtainable for other countries? What are the pros and cons of the methodology used by the author(s)? Are the results surprising? Is the theory applicable for comparative work? Is there any direction suggested by the study for future researchers?

The assignments must be posted to Moodle by 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Your points will be lowered for each late post or incomplete post. Also, your points will be lowered if you fail to follow the abovementioned template of seven sections for doing your assignment.

PowerPoint Presentation: In each week, a number of students will be responsible for in-class PowerPoint presentations based on their assignments (the instructor will make the schedule for the presentations after the class of Week 2). The presentation for each reading must be no longer than 20 minutes. The students must lead the discussions after the presentation, and the leading discussion will be proceeded based on presenters’ questions and their fellow students’ assignments posted on Moodle. Note: If you are not assigned for PowerPoint presentation in a week, you can freely choose at least one required reading for doing the assignments. If you are assigned for a PowerPoint presentation in a week, you can upload the PowerPoint file to Moodle as one assignment for that week. You can also upload more assignments based on the required readings for that week.

In every class meeting, the instructor will randomly ask students to provide in-class comments based on their assignments if necessary. Being unable to recall what you have written in your assignment will seriously affect your grade because it is not only unprofessional, but also a sign of cheating on the assignment. Therefore, you are highly encouraged to have your assignments at hand during the class discussion.

2. Map quiz with country information. In the class of Week 3, students will take a map quiz, answering questions about country names, national capitals, current presidents and their affiliated parties, in each of the 18 Latin American democracies.

3. Academic Integrity Assignment. Go to this website https://www.indiana.edu/~academy/firstPrinciples/choice.html to study what plagiarism is. Then, follow the instructions to register for and take the Certification Tests. After passing the test, you will get the “Indiana University Understanding Plagiarism Certificate.” Upload the Certificate in PDF format to Moodle by 11 p.m. on September 25.

4. Format Editing Assignment. In this assignment, you will be acting as a journal editing assistant. You have to edit a file (will be posted on Moodle) to ensure the format for the citations and references complied with the Style Manual for Political Science for citations and references (https://www.apsanet.org/Portals/54/APSA%20Files/publications/APSAStyleManual2006.pdf). If the editing is totally accurate, you will get 5 points. If there is an error, you will be deducted by 1 point until you lose all the 5 points. Upload the assignment to Moodle by 11 p.m. on October 2.

5. Dataset building and bivariate analyses assignment. In this assignment, you will build a small dataset based on Pippa Norris’ Democracy Time-Series Data Release 3.0. Your first task is to select 18 major Latin American countries and three variables: GDP_UN, Banksmediascale, and SecEducUN. Next, make two x-y plot graphs using Excel. Visit Moodle for more details. Students must upload this assignment by 11 p.m. on October 30.

6. Brief research plan. In the assignment, you first select a required reading as a “template” for your research plan. Next, specify your research questions, propose testable hypotheses, and discuss the dependent variable, independent variables, control variables, data sources, and methodology. Your research plan can largely follow the “template” reading that you select, but it must be a bit different in terms of the research design strategy. Therefore, you have to specify your template’s research strategy and discuss what research design strategy that you will use to conduct a new study based on the template. Visit Moodle for more details. Students must upload this assignment to Moodle by 5 p.m. on January 15. Every student will do a PowerPoint presentation for this assignment in the class on January 16.

7. Class participation. I expect that we will have an engaging discussion in class. After your fellow students’ PowerPoint presentations, you will provide opinions or ask questions to facilitate the discussion. Moreover, in each week from Week 2 to Week 17, one student will be responsible for giving a 3-minutes current event reports about Latin American countries in the beginning of the class (the instructor will make the schedule after the class of Week 1). Students who fail to participate actively during the semester will get a low score on this component, even if you attend classes regularly.

The reading materials posted on Moodle might be protected by copyright. Refer to the University E-Learning Copyright Policy for complete guidelines. All journal articles listed as required readings for this course can be downloaded for free on NCCU Libraries Discovery Services System (http://primo2.lib.nccu.edu.tw/) using NCCU’s Wifi (on campus) or VPN (off campus). Students are responsible for searching and downloading the journal articles.