This course is for students with a deep interest in comparative politics, particularly as it relates to agenda setting, policy formulation, and political voice. The course will examine how institutional and political cultural factors influence the means of political participation and protest in different political systems. We will examine various policy areas, including gender, social, environmental, equality, and security issues. The professor has particular expertise in the politics of East Asia, Europe, and the United States, and thus, these regions will be emphasized most heavily in the course. We will examine literatures related to comparative methodology, political systems (monarchic, fascist, dictatorial, communist, socialist, democratic), regime transition, civil society, voting, protest, and agenda setting, among other issues. Students will be expected to participate actively in class and to write a research paper. Language of Instruction: English.