Describe in detail how the comparative approach described in the Dickovick and Eastwood textbooks might apply to this question; 2) Explain which prominent questions might be addressed, what kinds of facts and evidence might be useful and which kind(s) of comparison(s) would be beneficial; and 3) Explain what role prevailing worldviews might play in the presumptions of a comparative approach and what role a Judeo-Christian worldview might play in one’s approach to this project.

RESEARCH PAPER: COMPARATIVE APPROACH ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS

OVERVIEW

Comparative politics is concerned with the important quest to understand why things are the way they are. For example, we seek to discover why ideas and cultural values have the impact they have, why some nations prosper, and others do not, why some countries enjoy liberty and others do not, and countless other “why” questions that help explain the dynamics of human governance. As with all inquiry, the conclusions drawn are only as good as the methodology employed to produce them. In this Research Paper: Comparative Approach Assignment, we will begin our exploration of comparative politics by examining the comparative approach that provides a starting place for any scholarly inquiry addressing these important questions.

INSTRUCTIONS

You are required to write a short research paper evaluating and analyzing the comparative approach introduced in your textbook readings. Your readings in this module addressed various ways of approaching comparing and analyzing aspects of political systems. For this Research Paper: Comparative Approach Assignment, assume that you are preparing to begin a project that attempts to explain the success of democracy in the United States. Specifically, your Research Paper: Comparative Approach Assignment should: 1) Describe in detail how the comparative approach described in the Dickovick and Eastwood textbooks might apply to this question; 2) Explain which prominent questions might be addressed, what kinds of facts and evidence might be useful and which kind(s) of comparison(s) would be beneficial; and 3) Explain what role prevailing worldviews might play in the presumptions of a comparative approach and what role a Judeo-Christian worldview might play in one’s approach to this project.

• The text of this Research Paper: Comparative Approach Assignment must be 5–7 pages (not including title page, reference page, and any appendices).
• This Research Paper: Comparative Approach Assignment must be in current APA format.
• You must include citations to a sufficient number of appropriate scholarly sources to fully support your assertions and conclusions. Each paper must contain citations to a minimum of 3 scholarly sources not including the course textbook, assigned readings, and the Bible.