MA in Political Studies - Comparative Politics in Kingston Canada | Queen's University

The department provides two Master's programs, including a one-year MA in Political Studies. Comparative Politics stands as our department's most prominent specialization. Among the Political Studies Department's 23 full-time faculty members, eight identify Comparative Politics as one of their primary research areas. Scholars in this field typically pursue dual approaches. Initially, they explore various themes, concepts, or topics. Subsequently, they examine these subjects within specific nations, groups of countries, or global regions—though some researchers investigate their chosen themes wherever they emerge, regardless of location. At Queen's, comparativists tackle significant contemporary issues such as nationalism, ethnicity, and multiculturalism; class structures and political economy; identity and cultural dynamics; political transitions and democratization; and institutional frameworks including federalism, power-sharing systems, political parties, and electoral processes. Several faculty members explore intersections between Comparative Politics and International Relations, covering topics like global political economy, globalization, and the influence of evolving international standards on minority and human rights. Our regional experts focus on diverse areas including North America, Latin America, Asia, Western and Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. Queen's comparativists investigate numerous subjects: ethnic conflicts; minority nationalism; federal systems; consociational governance; diaspora communities; state-society interactions, particularly regarding security forces and civil society; democratic transitions in Latin America and Eastern Europe; language policy; welfare state dynamics, including employment equity; labor relations; aging populations; prison systems; political corruption; and the political landscapes of the European Union, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Iraq, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Peru, Slovakia, the UK, and the US.