POL 446

Comparative Political Elites

Summer 2015 (Summer II)
July 17-August 14
Fridays 12:00 (presentation uploaded)
Instructor: Jan Rydzak
Email: janrydzak@email.arizona.edu | Skype: cromag90 | Twitter: @ElCalavero
Office Hours: Skype, by appointment
Course Site: http://d2l.arizona.edu
Course Description
The machine of international relations needs capable leaders to remain oiled and running.
But not everywhere in the world are the power players identical (and not everywhere are
they capable). While big business and lobbying groups may have a disproportionate say
in the politics of the U.S., other parts of the world sustain political systems whose leaders
unwaveringly follow the dictate of the single party, the ethnic majority, their religious
caste, or armed groups that see themselves as defenders of the homeland. This course
provides an overview of political elites and the political, policy-making environment in
which they operate. Our consideration is comparative and cross-national, looking across
political settings to identify similarities as well as differences in elites. In particular, we
will focus on who the elites are (elite composition), how they come to be elites (elite
recruitment), how they view their role as elites (elite attitudes), how they function in their
bureaucratic environment (elite structures), and how they act as elites (elite behavior) in a
variety of settings. Our sample of countries will include advanced industrialized states,
developing states, democracies, and non-democracies. We will both touch on the
economic elites that influence the top tier of U.S. politics and delve into the ethnic,
religious, military, and political top guns that leave their mark on policymaking in
China, Lebanon, Mexico, and everywhere that a power structure exists. We will reach
into contemporary political science scholarship to acquire a theoretical background that
will carry us through the course. However, the majority of the readings for the course will
be focused case studies on the three primary countries we will be examining: China,
Lebanon, and Mexico.
Because this is a five-week course, emphasis will be placed on the analysis of elites in
real-world political settings. Each week you will be assigned four to five readings that
focus on the country in question few of them will be pure academic papers, as the goal
of the class is to distill information without overwhelming you with dense reading.
Therefore, we will predominantly be examining country profiles, policy briefs, reports,
and political analysis from the media, in the hunt for different perspectives on the power
players in each country. We will begin on ground that should be both familiar and

unfamiliar to you, looking at elites from a general perspective and setting up the
framework we will be using throughout the course. I will illustrate this theoretical part
with examples from both the U.S. and abroad, then segue into country-specific studies,
wrapping up the course by examining the transformation of elites in democratizing states.
I encourage you to use this course when thinking about other national contexts, and
welcome any feedback or questions related to other countries. The readings and the
presentations both seek to form a base that you can later apply to political elites in
different national settings.
There will be no formal exam in the class (hooray!). However (there is always a
however), since this is a Writing Emphasis course, you will be required to write two
research papers where you will apply the analytical lens through which we look at
elites. Additionally, there will be weekly discussions on D2L, which will go live on the
Friday the short presentation for the week is uploaded to D2L. Finally, for your second
research paper, you will be asked to briefly present your findings using the tools at your
disposal. More information on each of these components can be found in the COURSE
EVALUATIONS section.
The goal of this course is for students to come away with a basic understanding of who
elites are, what influences them, and why they matter in the contemporary world.
Whether you see yourselves as analysts, policymakers, activists, consultants, researchers,
journalists, lawyers, or world explorers in general, you will come out looking at the top
brass of whatever country you visit or analyze with a sharper awareness of the
mechanisms that make their gears turn.
Course Objectives:
By the end of the semester, you will be able to:
1. Describe in detail the main forces that influence political elites, that shape the
decisions they can make, and that illuminate the logic of their role within their
specific political setting;
2. Comparatively analyze the varying relevance of influential factors on political
elites cross-nationally, noting how commonalities and differences are visible
across political settings; and
3. Explain under what conditions and how political elites matter in the context of
comparative politics and political science.
Course Evaluations: Each of the following requirements helps students advance toward
achieving the three course objectives listed above.
Students need to complete the following tasks in order to succeed in this course:
1. Readings: Aside from the weekly presentation that I will be uploading, there will
be 4 to 5 (generally short!) readings assigned for each virtual class. These will be
split roughly evenly between country profiles, policy briefs, reports, and political
analysis from the media, in addition to a couple of academic papers. Relevant
news articles and YouTube clips will be mixed in as an additional requirement due
to their short length. The readings must be cited in the first and (if applicable)

second writing assignment in the course. (This of course should be within the
limits of sanity i.e. you wont need to cite every single reading as long as you
are making valid and logically constructed points!). Most of you will not have any
background on the study of political elites. The readings are meant to provide an
introduction to this topic, and do not require any previous knowledge. Aside from
the readings, I encourage you to take a look at individual country profiles for
example, the BBC Country Profiles
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/country_profiles/default.stm, bearing in mind that
subsections of each country profile can be Googled but are not linked to on the
site) or the CIA World Factbook (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/theworld-factbook/docs/profileguide.html).
2. Discussions: Each week will feature a discussion question that relates broadly to
the topic we are discussing that week. This question will be posted to D2L at the
same time as the lecture / presentation for that week, on a Friday. It is to serve as a
guiding question there is no right answer (as in much of what we do), and what
matters most is that youve given the issue some thought. Any tangential
discussion that comes out of this will be appreciated. For each week, you will
write a minimum of one original post and two replies. Posts are due at 8:00 pm
on the Tuesday after the class. There is no length requirement, but since this is an
upper-division course and we have just enough students to ensure a lively
discussion, I would like the posts to be reflective and engaging. (In other words, I
believe youre all smart and creative people who dont half-ass their work!) I
will contribute to the discussion as well. Having worked extensively in classes
where online discussions take place, I know the pros and cons of the method
please let me know if you have any concerns.
3. Research Paper 1: The first original research paper will be due on Friday,
August 7 (Week 4). You will highlight at least one component of the theoretical
framework (e.g. elite composition, recruitment, mass linkages) in your paper. In
addition, you will be expected to cite the readings for the course, and encouraged
further to venture beyond them. This paper should be no less than 5 pages in
length, and should contain in-text, parenthetical citations as well as a full
bibliography (let me know if you need resources on citation styles). You are all
mature students, so while the font size and margins are not defined, they should
be reasonable and not frighteningly large. When in doubt, choose the default! The
question for Research Paper 1 is the following: Using our framework for the
study of political elites and your knowledge of the two cases we have studied
(Lebanon and China), identify what you consider to be the structural
strengths and weaknesses of the political elite in these two countries. Based
on the available evidence, how would you assess the sustainability of these
two unique models of elite influence?
4. Research Paper 2: The second research paper will be due on Friday, August 21
(the week after Week 5). It will allow you to pursue your own topic or country of
interest within the scope of elite studies. You have lots of flexibility here. First,
you may focus a paper on (a) one country setting or (b) a comparative analysis of
two cases, highlighting at least one component of the framework used in this
course. Second, you may choose either (a) a country (or two countries) we have

not discussed in depth in the course, or (b) a country (or two countries) we have
discussed, but bringing in new material and information on its (their) respective
elites beyond what we have studied in the course. In other words, rehashing what
has already been covered is not the best idea. Indeed, this second option might
prove to be the more difficult, but presents an opportunity to analyze the states
weve discussed in even greater depth. This paper should be no less than 5 pages
in length. The question for Research Paper 2 is the following: Using our
framework and your knowledge of the course subject, characterize and
dissect the political elite of one or two countries of your choice. Your analysis
must include one or more components from the framework (e.g. elite recruitment,
structure, socialization, mass linkages). (Note: you may not choose the U.S. as a
case study. You may choose one or more of the other states we have studied,
provided your analysis revolves broadly around aspects we have not covered.)
5. Audiovisual Presentation: The final component of the course requires you to
present your findings in the form of a short video or narrated PowerPoint (or
equivalent). Other forms of presenting your findings may also be accepted once
we have had the opportunity to go over and green-light it. The goal of this
component is to personalize the course despite its taking place online, and to give
you space for expression that can be shared with the rest of the group. As always,
if you have any ideas or concerns about this component, please let me know.
Course Grade Components:
Discussions: 40%
Research Papers: 50% (25% Paper 1, 25% Paper 2)
Audiovisual Presentation: 10%
Final grading scale: 90-100 = A; 80-89 = B; 70-79 = C; 60-69 = D; 59 or below = E
Required Course Materials
There are no required books for this course. However, there is one core publication I
will be drawing from to set up the theoretical framework for the class. This is a classic
reading by a very well-known political scientist. Originally published in 1976, it might be
a bit weathered as far as case studies go, but certainly holds up well as a framework
(besides being readable). The second recommended book is by Darrell M. West, a
contemporary political scientist, director of governance studies, and director of the center
for technology innovation at the Brookings Institution. It is a very recent (2014) take on
the political involvement of financial elites (i.e. billionaires) in the political realm, with
some cross-national case studies. This book will be used sporadically as a reference only,
but is certainly a great read.
Robert Putnam, The Comparative Study of Political Elites. Englewood, N.J.: PrenticeHall, 1976.

Darrell M. West, Billionaires: Reflections on the Upper Crust. Washington, D.C.:

Brookings Institution, 2014.
Other required readings will be available on D2L as PDF files or links.

Schedule of Topics and Readings for the Course

**Readings are subject to change. I, as the instructor, reserve the right to modify the
syllabus, with reasonable, advanced notice, as needed.**
Week 1: July 17:
Welcome to the Elite: Concepts and Theoretical Frameworks for Elite Studies
No required readings. However, take a look at these two well-known articles liberally
(theyre rather long) and consider who are the power players in the political realm most
familiar to you.
1. G. William Domhoff, The Class-Domination Theory of Power. Who Rules
America? http://www2.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/class_domination.html.
[this is a synthesis of Domhoffs famous book feel free to explore other sections
of the website].
2. Margaret G. Hermann et al., Who Leads Matters: The Effects of Powerful
Individuals. International Studies Review 3(2): 83-131. Will be uploaded to D2L.
Week 2: July 24:
One Party to Rule Them All: The Fabric of Chinas Power Elite
(Dont be frightened by the number of readings most of them are short and/or freely
browsable.)
1. Susan V. Lawrence & Michael F. Martin, Understanding Chinas Political System.
CRS Report for Congress. http://fas.org:8080/sgp/crs/row/R41007.pdf (skim
pp. 20-38)
2. Connected China. An interactive visualization of Chinese politicians power
networks and career paths. http://china.fathom.info/ [two years since last
update, but very useful and visually appealing!]
3. Ruixue Jia, Masa Kudamatsu, & David Seim, Who Becomes a Top Politician in
China?. VOX: CEPRs Policy Portal, August 20, 2013.
http://www.voxeu.org/article/who-becomes-top-politician-china
4. Frank Langfitt, Chinas Fierce Anti-Corruption Crackdown: An Insiders View.
NPR Parallels, December 24, 2014.

http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2014/12/24/372903025/chinas-fierceanti-corruption-crackdown-an-insiders-view
5. David Barboza, Billions in Hidden Riches for Family of Chinese Leader. New
York Times, October 25, 2012.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/26/business/global/family-of-wen-jiabaoholds-a-hidden-fortune-in-china.html
a. Infographic:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/10/25/business/the-wenfamily-empire.html
6. David Wertime, Zhou Yongkangs Mask of Fear Falls Quietly Away. Foreign
Policy: Tea Leaf Nation, June 11, 2015.
http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/06/11/china-corruption-zhou-yongkang-maskof-fear-falls-away-corruption-life-sentence/
a. Infographic: http://www.chinafile.com/multimedia/infographics/tigertiger-burning-bright
7. Darrell M. West, Billionaires Must Balance the Treacherous Line between
Advocacy and Political Involvement in Nondemocratic Regimes. Brookings
Institution, October 13, 2014. http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/upfront/posts/2014/10/13-billionaire-advocacy-political-change-china-west

Week 3: July 31:

Frail Strings: Lebanons Unique Confessional Elite
1. Martin Armstrong, A Choice Between Warlords: Lebanon Cant Elect a New
President. VICE News. May 7, 2014. http://www.vice.com/read/a-choicebetween-warlords-lebanon-cant-elect-a-new-president
2. Documentary (20 min): The Islamic State vs. Lebanon. Vice News.
November 7, 2014. Available at: https://news.vice.com/video/the-islamic-statevs-lebanon.
3. http://theislamicmonthly.com/illiberal-lebanon-power-and-position-at-themargin-of-the-arab-spring/
4. http://www.thenational.ae/world/middle-east/syrian-spillover-fails-to-killbeiruts-party-scene

Week 4: August 7:
Mexico: Legacies of a Century of Patronage
Research Paper 1 due
1. Sustainable Governance Indicators 2014: Mexico. Bertelsmann Stiftung.
http://www.sgi-network.org/docs/2014/country/SGI2014_Mexico.pdf .

2. Council on Hemispheric Affairs, Democracy in Mexico: The Past, Present, and

Future. July 18, 2011. http://www.coha.org/democracy-in-mexico-the-pastpresent-and-future/
3. Ken Ellingwood & Tracy Wilkinson, The Fall and Rise of Mexicos PRI. Los
Angeles Times, June 12, 2012.
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jun/12/world/la-fg-mexico-pri-comeback20120612
4. Nubia Nieto, Political Corruption and Narcotrafficking in Mexico. Transcience 3
(2), 2012. http://www2.hu-berlin.de/transcience/Vol3_Issue2_2012_24_36.pdf
5. Shaye Worthman, The Role of the Economic Elite in Mexicos Democratic
Development. E-International Relations Students, January 9, 2012.
http://www.e-ir.info/2012/01/09/the-role-of-the-economic-elite-in-mexicosdemocratic-development/

Week 5: August 14:

Elite Transformation from South Africa to Myanmar: Wrap-Up
TBA; in the meantime:
1. YouTube video: Even Eternal Elites Have Bad Days.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6kAE06mJAQ
2.
August 21
Research Paper 2 due

Threatening behavior
I anticipate lively discussions in this class. As the subject matter deals with political
science, and political elites in particular, I understand that students will have personal
opinions on some of these matters. I ask that students respect each others opinions and
comments, and not attack one another over disagreements. While it will probably not be
an issue, you can find the universitys policy against threatening behavior by students at
the following website:
http://policy.web.arizona.edu/~policy/threaten.shtml
Students with special needs

Please see me if you envision any issues arising due to the format of any of the course
assignments. If you are registered with the Disability Resource Center and require
accommodations for exams or other elements of the course, please let me know as soon
as possible. Feel free to email me to discuss any of these matters in a private setting. I
am happy to work with you and the University Disability Resource Center.