This course is designed to expose students with a broad survey of the important issues in the study of comparative politics. It will provide students with a set of commonly used concepts in understanding politics around the world and teach students the techniques to compare different political systems. The course is organized around major problems and concepts in comparative politics rather than around particular countries. The topics include comparative methodology, public policy, political economy, political communication, democracy and authoritarianism, ideology and political culture, nationalism and nation-state, revolution and social movement, political participation and representation, and political institutions. These concepts and themes will help students master more advanced topics in future courses.