There is no textbook for this class, so the lectures are an essential component of the class experience. The slides will be posted on Aula Global after each lecture. These do not however contain the lecture nor do they replace it: they merely contain the framework of the lecture as well as visuals used to illustrate what I will be lecturing about. This is to say: nothing replaces lecture notes. I hope lectures can be somewhat interactive. That is, do not hesitate to interrupt or ask questions ¿ this is ALWAYS valued and a way for me to know you a bit more. In your seminars, you will explore in more depth one or several points we touch on in lecture the previous week. Besides lectures, the readings are an equally central component of this class. I ask you to complete them before lecture or before the seminar if separate readings are assigned for that class. Everything is or will be on Aula Global under ¿content¿.

This course introduces students to political processes in emerging countries, a set of countries undergoing rapid economic and political changes. At the heart of our discussions will be the impact of these economic changes on political ones. We will first interrogate the relationship between development and democracy. We will then describe and characterize political processes in such places. How democratic is this set of countries and how did they become democratic? If and when democratic elections take place, how do they concretely work in countries with high levels of poverty, conflict, inequality, ethnic diversity and/or illiteracy? How do these elections diverge from western ideals and western realities? Drawing on the experience of countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, we will compare and discuss the way electoral democracy is practiced in ¿most of the world¿.

K1: Acquire the knowledge, techniques and terminology specific to the field of economics, politics and international relations. K3: To know basic humanistic contents, oral and written expression, following ethical principles and completing a multidisciplinary training profile. K4: Acquire knowledge of the economic, legal, political and social reality from a comparative perspective. K7: To know and understand the main models of political, economic and social organization of States and the processes of change in contemporary societies and politics. K8: To understand the differentiating elements of international problems according to the degree of development of a country. K9: To know the relevant political and sociological theories to understand the structure and functioning of the main socio-political systems. S2: Critically relate current and past events and processes S3: Plan and organize team work making the right decisions based on available information and gathering data in digital environments. S4: Use information interpreting relevant data avoiding plagiarism, and in accordance with the academic and professional conventions of the area of study, being able to assess the reliability and quality of such information. S5: Apply knowledge to identify with rigor, precision and scientific objectivity the social processes and possible solutions. S6: Be able to apply the scientific method to the social, political and economic questions posed by the globalized society. S7: Be able to identify, access and manage sources of information relevant to comparative analysis in the field of politics, economics and international relations. S8: Knowing how to propose and use the appropriate tools to solve basic problems of economic, social and political content, especially in the international context. S10: Ability to gather and interpret relevant data and knowledge for the elaboration and defense of arguments on topics in their area of study. S11: Ability to discern which quantitative or qualitative research technique is the appropriate one to apply depending on the phenomenon being analyzed. C3: Ability to establish good interpersonal communication and to work in multidisciplinary and international teams. C4: Be able to engage in lifelong autonomous learning, enabling them to adapt to new situations.

PART 1 - Democracy, Democratization and Development Session 1: Presentations, Introduction & Definitions Session 2: Political Regimes in Emerging Countries Session 3: How Did the world Democratize (1)? Elections Before Democracy (aka Elections in Non-Democratic Settings) Session 4: How Did the world Democratize (2)? The relationship between Economic development and Democracy Session 5: How Did the world Democratize (3)? Looking Beyond economic causes. PART 2 ¿ Elections in Emerging Democracies: Challenges Topics: What do Elections Look Like in new democracies?, Democratic consolidation and democratic norms, Electoral Integrity, political cleavages in emerging countries, Service Delivery, corruption, Clientelism & Vote buying , Political inequality, Limited Democratic Accountability.

Lectures: In the lectures we will discuss the readings and the critical evidence needed to test the main theories. Reduced lectures: Each week we will have presentations, debates based on the readings and discussions of the essays. Students will have to participate actively in class.