The final project for this course is the creation of a Comparative Analysis of Democratic Transition. Individuals working in the political arena often focus on
promoting a successful transition to democracy for nations that are nondemocratic. You will draw on the common characteristics found across democratic states.
You will analyze two democratic nations to make recommendations to policymakers regarding how to transition a nondemocratic state into a new democracy. By
completing this assignment, you are demonstrating the following skills employers in the field may be looking for:
• Analyzing and interpreting data
• Qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis
• Analytical skills and critical thinking
• Professional writing communication skills
The project is divided into three milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final
submissions.
This assignment will address the following course outcomes:
• Analyze the effectiveness of comparative political methodological strategies in predicting real-world political outcomes
• Evaluate the influence of demographic characteristics on a nation’s development of social and political institutions
• Evaluate the impact of demographic characteristics on social and political international relationships
• Compare and contrast key internal and external characteristics separating international political systems for their implications to establishing successful
democracies
• Construct comparative analyses on political institutions of democratic nations to make recommendations for a successful transition from nondemocratic
states to new democracies
Prompt
Your paper should answer the following question: What recommendations could be given to nondemocratic nations for promoting a successful transition to
democracy?
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Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Introduction
A. Why is a comparative analysis of democratic nations useful for academics and policymakers?
B. Analyze the common methodological strategies political scientists use in the comparative analysis of nations and politics. In other words, why
are these strategies appropriately selected?
C. How effective is each methodological strategy in analyzing real-world political outcomes?
II. Characteristics of Democratic Nations
A. Evaluate key characteristics of the United Kingdom and the second democratic nation France substantiating claims
through the use of scholarly peer-reviewed sources in terms of how each democratic nation has shaped its political and social institutions,
including:
1. Geography: characteristics related to the location of the country
2. Economics: characteristics related to the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services
3. Culture: a society’s commonly held customs, norms, habits, and values
4. Demographics: characteristics of a population that could include age, race, gender, ethnicity, income, education, and so forth
5. National identity: an identity that locates one’s social position in relation to national membership
6. International relations with external states: how countries interact with one another and the policies they have toward those
relationships
III. Characteristics of Nondemocratic Nations
A. Select a nondemocratic state Cuba and evaluate key characteristics of this society in terms of how they have shaped political and social institutions,
including:
1. Geography: characteristics related to the location of the country
2. Economics: characteristics related to the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services
3. Culture: a society’s commonly held customs, norms, habits, and values
4. Demographics: characteristics of a population that could include age, race, gender, ethnicity, income, education, and so forth
5. National identity: an identity that locates one’s social position in relation to national membership
6. International relations with external states: how countries interact with one another and the policies they have toward those
relationships
IV. Evaluating Internal and External Components: Compare and contrast the political systems of the two democratic states to the nondemocratic state. Cite
scholarly peer-reviewed sources to substantiate claims.
A. What are the key internal characteristics that separate democratic states from nondemocratic states?
B. What are the key external characteristics that separate democratic states from nondemocratic states?
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V. Democratic Transition
A. Given your knowledge of democratic nations, what recommendations would you make to policymakers regarding how to successfully transition
your nondemocratic state into a new democracy?
B. Do you believe your nation will make the transition to democracy successfully? Why or why not?
C. Based on your findings, what can comparative politics tell us about the use of comparative analysis in predicting the successful transition to
democracy? In other words, how can comparative politics contribute to using comparative analysis in predicting the successful transition to
democracy?