Unit 2 Course & Exam Description

The Course and Exam Description (CED) outlines the essential framework for studying comparative politics. 

Unit 2 One Page Readings & Flip Notes

One-Page Readings (OPR):

Short readings that explain the main ideas of each lesson so you can learn the content before class instead of listening to a lecture.

Flip Notes (FN):

Guided notes that help you pull out the most important ideas from the reading and get ready to use them in class.

Lesson 2.1: Parliamentary, Presidential, and Semi-Presidential Systems

This topic introduces the major political systems used around the world. You’ll examine how parliamentary, presidential, and semi-presidential systems organize executive and legislative power and how these structures shape leadership, accountability, and policy making.

Lesson 2.2: Comparing Parliamentary, Presidential, and Semi-Presidential Systems

This topic focuses on comparing political systems to understand how institutional relationships affect governance. You’ll analyze similarities and differences among systems and explain how these distinctions influence efficiency, stability, and checks on executive power.

Lesson 2.3: Executive Systems

This topic explores how executive leadership is structured and exercised across different countries. You’ll examine the roles, powers, and functions of chief executives and cabinets and how executive authority changes over time within different political systems.

Lesson 2.4: Executive Term Limits

This topic examines the advantages and disadvantages of executive term limits. You’ll analyze how term limits affect accountability, stability, policy continuity, and the concentration of political power in different countries.

Lesson 2.5: Removal of Executives

This topic focuses on how executive leaders can be removed from office. You’ll examine the procedures used by legislatures to check executive abuse of power and analyze how removal processes reflect broader institutional relationships.

Lesson 2.6: Legislative Systems

This topic explores how legislatures are structured and how they function across political systems. You’ll compare unicameral and bicameral legislatures and examine how legislative powers influence representation, lawmaking, and oversight of the executive.

Lesson 2.7: Independent Legislatures

This topic examines the factors that limit or strengthen legislative independence. You’ll analyze how other institutions and processes constrain legislatures and how legislative independence can contribute to legitimacy and political stability.

Lesson 2.8: Judicial Systems

This topic introduces the structure and role of judicial systems in different countries. You’ll examine how courts are organized, how judges are selected, and how judiciaries interpret and apply laws within different political systems.

Lesson 2.9: Independent Judiciaries

This topic focuses on the importance of judicial independence. You’ll analyze how independent courts support checks and balances, protect rights and liberties, and uphold the rule of law within political systems.

Unit 2 Review

Students choose one of two review options to prepare for the Unit 2 assessment. Each option reinforces key Comparative Government concepts by applying course countries, core vocabulary, and analytical thinking aligned to the CED.  Please select ONE option to complete for the reviw.