May be repeated for credit if topics are different. Two topics be offered in Spring 2019. Section A1: A Democracy in the Middle East: Israel as a Case for Comparative Analysis. Examines how Israel compares to other societies, especially the US, as a democracy, focusing on immigration, refugee, security, and human rights issues. May be of interest to Americanists as well as comparativists. Also counts towards minor in Jewish Studies. Section B1: Democratic Erosion. Trends in American and European politics have engendered fears about a turn toward authoritarianism where it was once unthinkable. Explores the causes and consequences of democratic erosion, helping students to put recent developments into comparative and historical perspective.