Question Bank

Unit-I
Approaches to Studying Comparative Politics

1. What do you understand by New Institutionalism? Discuss any one school

of thoughts of New Institutionalism?
2. Individual are ‘maximisers’. Critically analyze Rational Choice
Institutionalism in view of this statement.
3. What is Political Culture? Examine Cultural Institutionalism and its
relevance in contemporary times.
4. What is Structural Institutionalism? How does it help us in understanding
power relations?
5. Short Notes:
(i) Traditional Institutional Approach
(ii) Political System Approach
(iii) Civic Culture

Unit-II
Electoral System

6. What do you understand by the First Past the Post System? Critically
examine this system in the context of developing countries.
7. What are the advantages and disadvantages of Proportional Representation
System? Elaborate on the experience of different countries with this
electoral system.
8. What do you understand by the Electoral behaviour? By which factors
electoral behavior influenced?
9. Analyze the different theories of Representation citing examples.
10. Short Notes:
(i) Right to Recall
(ii) Referendum/Plebiscite
(iii) Gerrymandering
(iv) Mixed Electoral System

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Unit-III
Party System

11. What is the difference between parties and party systems? Discuss the
evolution and growth of parties and party systems in the modern world.
12. Discuss different typologies of party systems in the contemporary world.
13. ‘Parties have moved from factions to power organizations’. In the light of
this statement discuss the changing nature of party systems in the global
world.
14. Despite the resurgence of civil society organizations, parties still occupy
significant place in the democratic politics of the world today. Discuss.
15. Short Notes:
(i) Cleavage Politics
(ii) Green Parties
(iii) Sartori’s Classification of Party Systems
(iv) New Trends in Party Systems

Unit-IV
Nation-State

16. Nation-State State formation has followed different trajectories in Western

Europe and Post Colonial state context. Explain.
17. Examine the concepts of ‘Nation’ and ‘State’ with examples of their
politically popular usage.
18. There is a retreat of the state in the sense that the domain of state authority
and power is shrinking’. Comment in the light of recent trends.
19. Globalization has transformed the nature of the modern sovereign nation
state immensely’’. Comment in the light of basic components of the
modern state.
20. Define nation state. Examine various perspectives regarding the role of the
modern state.
21. Short Notes
(i) Post colonial state
(ii) Supra-nationalism and nation state
(iii) Globalization and end of state
(iv) Nation’ and ‘state’

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Unit-V
Democratization

22. What is democratization? What have been the problems and prospects of
democratic transition in post-colonial countries?
23. What are the causes that led to the process of democratization in the
authoritarian countries? Discuss.
24. Make a comparative analysis of the development and growth of democracy
in the post-communist countries.
25. Short Notes;
(i) Huntington’s Third Wave of Democracy
(ii) Role of Civil Society in Democratic Change
(iii) Prerequisites of Democracy

Unit-VI
Federalism

26. What do you understand by ‘Comparative Federalism’? Describe the

factors that led to a comparative approach to study federalism.
27. How to differentiate between conventional/traditional and modern
understanding of ‘confederations’? Illustrate your answer with suitable
examples.
28. What are the bases suggested by Michael Burgess to compare federal
systems?
29. According to M. Burgess, which are the three models of federations on the
basis of structure of federations. Give the details of any one model with
reference to its functioning.
30. Short Notes
(i) Westminster model of Federation
(ii) Issue of ‘territory’ and ‘territoriality’
(iii) ‘Federations’ and ‘Confederations’
(iv) ‘Federations’ and ‘Federalism’