The course examines the major theories of authoritarianism and democratization and assesses the process of democratization in a comparative context. The first part of the course discusses the meaning and consequences of authoritarianism, explores different regime types and explores the dynamics of authoritarian regimes and how they maintain resilience. It then examines why authoritarianism spreads, and seeks to understand the phenomenon of authoritarian reversal and resilience through case studies. The second part of the course discusses theories and measurements of democracy and democratization, the dynamics of democratization, and different forms of democratic and hybrid regimes. It then applies the theories and evaluates the democratic transitions in East Asia, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.