Political Science (20609) 2014-2015

• Year: 1
• Term: 2nd
• Number of ECTS credits: 6
• Student hours: 150

Syllabus

This course introduces students to the main concepts and processes approached by the discipline of Political Science. The course aims to offer students the major analytical tools used by this discipline in approaching the analysis and understanding of specific political systems and, more generally, of a country's political and institutional reality.

The course therefore aims to further students' understanding of the concepts of political power, the state, democracy, and representative systems, as well as providing the tools for understanding  political culture, the dilemmas of collective action, the means and causes of political participation and finally, decision-making processes and public policy-making.

The course seeks to combine lectures with discussions with students about the political concepts presented through the reading of set texts (seminars), without ruling out the possibility of open debate during the lectures.

Topic 1. Political power and politicological analysis

Topic 2. Political regimes

Topic 3. Representative democracies

Topic 4. Political culture, individual actors and political and electoral participation

Topic 5. Collective actors and the logic of collective action

Topic 6. Representative politics and electoral systems

Topic 7. The government in public policies