This course is designed to help senior undergrad students, though studying the theories and empirical researches related to the concepts of “political development,” “democracy,” and “democratization,” to think of what is an ideal political life for people in developing countries. In this full-year course, we will cover five subject areas – (1) the evolution of the idea of “political development”; (2) normative and empirical theories of “democracy”; (3) theories and empirical researches of pre-conditions for “democratization”; (4) theories and empirical researches of “regime changes”; and (5) theories and empirical researches of “democratic consolidation.” The second semester will cover all areas left by the first semester, including “civil society” and “national identity” in the third area, and the fourth and fifth areas.