Comparative Politics II    (21672)                                

  

Qualification: Degree in Political and Administration Sciences

Year: 2nd

Term: 2nd
Number of ECTS credits: 4 credits
Hours of student dedication: 120
Teaching language: Catalan.

  

 

1. Introduction to the course

 

The general aim of this course is to study and analyze the four most consolidated democratic political systems of the West (the UK, United States, France, Germany and Switzerland), and two political systems considered to be on transition to democracy (Russia and Nigeria).

 

The lectures will deal with each political system following this structure: brief introduction to its recent political history, its form of government and political institutions, electoral system, main political parties, and recent elections.

 

While each session will deal with the different political systems, in analyzing each case emphasis will be placed on the comparative perspective (parliamentary or presidential democracy, majoritarian and consensual, territorial organization)

  

2. Competences to be achieved

 

The general competencies to be developed during the course are:

 

(I) Ability to analyse and synthesise, (ii) oral and written communication in one's own tongue (iii) ability to work in an interdisciplinary team and (iv) research abilities.

 

The specific competences which will be developed are: ability to recognize the structure and functioning of different political systems, understanding how the different elements that makeup the political systems work and the environment in which they interact, (iii) recognizing the foundations of comparative politics in order to be able to identify and analyze institutions, processes and policies in a comparative perspective.

 

3. Contents

 

The general content of the course seeks to study the beginning and current state of some of the most distinguished political systems in Europe and overseas, and compare them.  The topics that will be covered are:

 

o   United Kingdom.  Mayoriatrian democracy.  Westminter parliamentarism. The role of the monarchy. An imperfect bicameralism: the House of Commons and the House of Lords.  The electoral system: one round single member district. An imperfect 2 party system. New Labour in power. From Tony Blair to Gordon Brown.  6th of May 2010 elections: the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government headed by David Cameron.

o   United States: The separation of powers. The 1787 constitution. Liberalism and federalism. The presidential system. Separation of powers between president and parliament.  The electoral system: majoritarian and multimember districts.  Almost perfect bipartism. Lobbies and democracy. November 4th 2008 presidential elections.  Barack Obama's White House.

o   France: semipresidentialism. The 1958 Constitution, a semi presidential system to suit General De Gaulle. The importance of the President of the Republic: a republican monarchy.  Cohabitation. The electoral system: two round majoritarian single member districts.  Multiple party system around two poles. The 2007 presidential elections: Nicolas Sarkozy's victory.

o   Germany: Cooperative federalism. The 1949 Bonn Fundamental Law.  Chancellor's parliamentarism. The electoral system: proportional and personalised.  A moderate multiparty system. The 27^th of September 2009 elections.  The return of the CDU-FDP coalition headed by Angela Merkel.

o   Switzerland: Consociational democracy.  Mechanisms for consensus. Federalism and identifiable cultural diversity manifestation.  Participative democracy mechanisms.

o   Russia: The double transition.  The key aspects of transition from the USSR to today's Russia.  Towards a market economy and representative democracy.  A democracy but not a liberal one. Putin and Medvedev.

o   Nigeria. Attempts at democracy and federalism in a third world country. The experience of using Westminster and US based constitutions.  The importance of prerequisites for democracy.

  

4. Assessment

 

Continuous assessment and final evaluation will be used. The final grade will combine the following:

 

1.) Continuous Assessment: Written exercises, readings, active academic participation, oral presentations.  Students, individually, will also be required to submit a piece of coursework on a specific aspect of the course programme. 

 

2.) Final assessment. Students will be required to pass a final written (or oral) test.  They will have to demonstrate knowledge of course contents, and the ability to analyze and think critically. 

The final exam mark will be 50% of the final grade. The remaining 50% will be based on continuous assessment.  Students must pass the final exam in order for both marks (from continuous assessment and final exam) to be used to calculate the final grade.

  

5. Bibliography and other resources

  

5.1. Basic bibliography

 

ALCÁNTARA SÁEZ, Manuel (ed.), Sistemas políticos de la Unión Europea, València, 2000.

COLOMER, J.M. (dir.), La política en Europa. Introducción A las instituciones de quince países, Barcelona, 1995.

 

GRAHAM, L.S. et al., Politics and Government, 3ª ed., Chatham, 1994.

 

HANCOCK, M.D. et al., Politics in Western Europe, 3a ed. Londres, 2002.

 

LIJPHART, A., Las democracias contemporáneas, 4a ed. Barcelona, 1999.

 

MAYER, L. et al., Comparative Politics,, 2ª ed. Upper Saddle River, 1996.

 

THEEN, R.H.; WILSON, F.L., Comparative Politics, 4ª ed. Upper Saddle River, 2001.

 

WEAVER, R.; ROCKMAN, B.A. (ed.), Do Institutions Matter?, Washington, 1993.

  

5.2. Other resources

 

- Course notes provided by the teacher.

 

- Newspaper articles

 

- Course reading pack

 

- Exercises handed out in seminars.

  

6. Methodology

 

The course will combine lectures and seminars where guided activities (group and individually based) will be set, and student's autonomous study outside the classroom.

 

In the lectures, the teacher will present the contents of the course; the seminars have been designed to complement lectures with the discussion of specific texts from the course pack, newspaper articles, documentaries and films.  Students will be required to discuss, comment and critically analyze and/or write essays using these resources.

 

At the same time, students will be required to carry out autonomous study outside the classroom (students must do the readings, revise course notes, complete set exercises,...).

  

7. Programme of activities

  

Week 1: Introduction to the course.

Week 2: The political system. Citizens, elections, electoral systems, political parties, institutions. Legitimacy and efficiency.

Week 3: Lecture. Britain's political system. A majoritarian democracy model. Seminar. Reading and analysis of materials.

Week 4: Lecture. The political system of the United States.  The presidential system and separation of powers. Seminar. Reading and analysis of materials.

Week 5: Lecture. The political system of the Fifth French Republic. The semi presidential system. Seminar. Reading and analysis of materials.

Week 6: Lecture. The political system of the Federal Republic of Germany. Parlamentarismo of democracy and foreign minister, cooperative federalism, proportional electoral system personalized. Seminar. Reading and analysis of materials.

Week 7: Lecture. The political system of Switzerland. A consociational democracy model. Seminar. Reading and analysis of materials.

Week 8: Lecture. Comparing 5 Western democracies. Seminar. Reading and analysis of materials.

Week 9: Lecture. Russia. The double transition. Seminar. Reading and analysis of materials.
Week 10: Lecture. Nigeria. Are democracy and federalism possible in the "third world"? Seminar. Reading and analysis of materials.