Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: assess the benefits of comparing political systems, states and institutions; appreciate the comparative method and the different approaches to comparison, both qualitative and quantitative; identify the five defining qualities of a state; describe the concept of political culture, and the influences that shape how political culture is defined and measured; compare and contrast democratic and authoritarian political systems and the challenges they face; differentiate between the different institutions of government and politics; evaluate the rapidly changing role of media in the political process; distinguish the diverse means of citizen participation in different political systems; assess the advantages and disadvantages of different electoral systems used in elections for legislatures; evaluate the core roles and forms of political parties and interest groups in shaping public policy; and evaluate the relationship between politics and economics.