"We are the makers of our own state and ... individuals who realize the fact need not, ought not, to wait for collective action." - Mahatma Gandhi

This course is an introduction to the different theoretical and substantive approaches to the study of collective action. Throughout the course, our goal is to explore different types of institutions and non-institutional phenomena that represent instances of collective action: states, social movements, civil society organizations, and so on. Our goal is also to relate these institutions and phenomena with what social scientists identify as “collective action problems.” We will first read theoretical treatments of this problem in social science literature. Then, we will turn to theoretical and empirical studies that examine specific historical and contemporary examples of collective action. Finally, we will end with an exploration of the limits of collective action as an area of research and explanatory mechanism. This course thus lies at the intersection of comparative politics, political sociology and international relations.

Dates: September 1st - October 6th
Time: Saturdays, 11:00 AM - 2:00 PMCost: 200 JOD (Includes all course materials)