Comparative Government 12AP

AP Comparative Government 12 There is an endless combination of classes that students can take at Brentwood, but one of my personal favourites is the Comparative Government 12AP course, taught by Mr Wismer. CompGov takes the basic theories of politics and government, such as types of voting, media, and how citizens can be connected to their governments, and applies them to countries outside of North America. The countries we learn about are the UK, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, and China. Comparative Government helps to show us a new and different perspective of the world around us, giving us an in-depth look at how much government affects our society and cultures around the world. Comparative Government student, Ana L, says that “It’s an amazing class, not only because Mr. Wismer is a passionate teacher who always makes the most boring theory seem exciting, but because everything we study is applicable to current events, and economic and political shifts around the world.”  Mr. Wismer said he loves this course for multiple reasons: “#1 is because usually the cohort which takes CompGov are very strong students who like being challenged academically; #2 because usually the cohort who take this love, or at least are very interested in, politics, so it gives me energy, and makes them fun to teach; #3 I love the core 6 countries of the course as they represent a global spectrum of politics and political systems in so many ways; #4 the course curriculum provides a great platform to talk about current events, and #5, because the six core countries, and the theory we learn to apply, are so varied, students come out of the course with an ability to reason through almost any country’s political system.” Throughout the year, we participate in various individual and group projects, such as our European Union project in which each group was able to research a country in Europe and present our findings relating to migration and immigrants in that country. The class size is smaller, as well, which encourages students to join in class discussions and debates, voicing our opinions both through writing and speaking. A very important aspect of Brentwood that is highly valued is our diversity, and our acceptance of other cultures. Comparative Government allows for us to delve into countries around the world with unique cultures and ways of living that people we know have experienced themselves. Through Comparative Government 12 AP, our eyes are opened to other communities and traditions that we may not otherwise be exposed to, showing us new viewpoints about what makes our world so diverse. Ameera E, Allard ‘19