Who Should Rule? Comparative Political Science with Government Dossiers

This discussion-based political science course has students investigate how different societies allocate power and legitimacy by analyzing weekly government dossiers of primary and secondary sources. Learners compare constitutions, elections, legal decisions, media, and representation across systems and defend evidence-based conclusions about government design and citizenship.

Materials needed:

Students will need:

💻 Reliable internet access and a device capable of viewing PDFs, Canva files, and online resources.

📁 A folder (digital or physical) to organize weekly Government Dossiers.

📓 A notebook or digital note-taking system for recording observations, discussion notes, and investigation findings.

📄 Access to Google Docs, Microsoft Word, Canva, Google Slides, or a similar platform for assignments and projects.

🖨️ Access to a printer is recommended but not required.

📚 A 1–2 inch binder and divider tabs are highly recommended for students who prefer working with printed materials and want to build a Government Dossier binder throughout the semester.

Each week students will receive a Government Dossier created in Canva. These dossiers contain primary and secondary sources, including:

📜 Constitutions and founding documents

⚖️ Laws, court decisions, and government records

🎤 Speeches and political writings

📰 News articles and media coverage

📊 Election data, charts, and statistics

🎨 Political cartoons and propaganda

🌍 Global case studies and country profiles

Government Dossiers will be available in two formats:

📱 Canva format for students who prefer working digitally

📄 PDF format for students who prefer printing, highlighting, annotating, and organizing materials in a binder

Students may choose to keep all materials digitally or create a physical dossier collection throughout the semester. Many learners enjoy building a reference binder that allows them to compare political systems, revisit evidence, and identify patterns across different countries and governments.

No textbook is required.