Authoritarian Legality “Authoritarian legality” is used to describe the role of legal institutions in non-democracies. Scholars frequently distinguish between rule by law – where law and courts are wielded instrumentally – and rule of law, where government is beholden to the law. In autocracies, the former is assumed to prevail. However, the legal reality in autocracies is seldom so clear-cut. In this course we will explore the role of law and courts and the nature of rights in authoritarian regimes. Among the topics we will address are law and legitimation, legal institutions and accountability, legal mobilization, and the relationship between law, markets, and society, with a particular emphasis on political development and change in contemporary dictatorships.       Comparative Politics

Introduction to Comparative Politics This course offers an introduction to the comparative study of political systems and to the logic of comparative inquiry. How are different political systems created and organized? How and why do they change? Why are some democratic and others authoritarian? Why are some rich and others poor? Other topics covered in this course include nationalism and political ideologies, forms of representation, the relationship between state institutions and civil society, and globalization. The goal in this course is to use comparative methods to analyze questions of state institutions -- how they arise, change, and generate different economic, social, and political outcomes.

Russian Politics In this course we will study politics in the Russian Federation. We will begin by placing Russian authoritarianism in historical context: first, we will examine the rise of communism under late Tsarist rule; then, we will turn to the evolution of Soviet rule, culminating with the collapse of the USSR and its dissolution into successor states. In the remainder of the course, we will explore politics, economics, and governance in the contemporary Russian state. Throughout, we will use the lenses of law and institutions, political economy, state-society relations, and nationalism and identity to understand evolution and continuity in Russian politics.

Frontiers in Political Science Research Nothing is more controversial among political scientists than the topic of how to study politics. In this course, we consider a variety of advanced techniques for studying political phenomena, including statistical methods, game theory, institutional analysis, case study techniques, experiments, and agent-based modeling. We will work with concrete examples (drawn from major political science journals) of how scholars have used these techniques, and consider the ongoing philosophical controversies associated with each approach. Students will have the opportunity to conduct original research using a method and subject of their choosing.

Margaret Hanson

Reviews and ratings for Margaret Hanson at Middlebury College.Margaret Hanson teaches Authoritarian Legality, Intro to Comparative Politics, Russian Politics and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Margaret Hanson good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

Super knowledgeable, but this was the first iteration of the course, so it was a bit chaotic with the constant changes. Readings were interesting, and the professor knew a lot, and there was a participation grade for every class, which was a bit crazy. One class debate you have to do, which was a fun way to engage with the material, but wide range of grades. 

This class had such heavy reading material. Over 150 pages every week. I loved the simulations we had in class, as we were able to put into practice what we had learned in our readings. She is a good but very strict professor. And the last paper is about 15-30 pages long. I wouldn't take it again for sure, but I enjoyed the class. 

This class was very time demanding and so fast paced it was difficult to follow along. After the first week I felt very lost, which was tough because class participation was a large portion of the grade. I would not recomend taking the class.