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Dr George Ofosu CBG 3.04

This course is available on the BA in Social Anthropology, BSc in History and Politics, BSc in International Social and Public Policy with Politics, BSc in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, BSc in Politics, BSc in Politics and Data Science, BSc in Politics and Economics, BSc in Politics and History, BSc in Politics and International Relations, BSc in Politics and Philosophy, BSc in Social Anthropology and BSc in Social Policy with Government. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit and to General Course students.

Students must have completed Introduction to Political Science (GV101).

Comfort with basic statistics as covered by Research Design in Political Science (GV249) or an equivalent course in research design or introductory statistics (such as ST102, ST107, ST108, GY140, SA201) is recommended but not required.

The extent to which electoral competition motivates elected officials to respond to the needs of citizens determines the quality of a democratic political system. This course examines the theoretical and practical challenges to how elections promote democratic responsiveness and accountability. The course will cover contemporary political science research on a series of topics. How do elections incentivize political responsiveness? How do politicians campaign and distribute state resources to win elections? Why do some voters support corrupt, underperforming politicians while others choose effective leaders? Why are some elections rigged while others are free and fair? Why do some elections spark violence while others are peaceful? Which interventions to promote the quality of democracy work? Readings will draw on empirical cases from many world regions, including Africa, Latin America, the post-Soviet countries, South Asia, and the historical United States. Students are expected to be active participants in this course, and will participate in several class debates and writing exercises.

This course provides a minimum of 20 hours of seminars in the Michaelmas Term. There will be a reading week in MT Week 6.

There are two pieces of formative coursework: 2 presentations in the MT and a short proposal (800 -1000 words) for a