A Makeover for the Introductory Comparative Politics Course: Revising the College Board's Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) Course in Comparative Government and Politics

A college-level introductory course rarely gets the attention it deserves. It tends to be the oldest course in one's repertoire; the course that has the least-direct interface with one's research activities; the one that is most easily farmed out to adjunct faculty; and also the one that draws the largest audience, from all corners and crevices of the campus. It is easy to fall into a comfort zone with an introductory course, instead of thinking self-critically about one's method and effectiveness of instruction. Moreover, in a department setting, the introductory course is rarely the focus of our interaction with colleagues.