80929 - Concepts of Contemporary Politics

Academic Year 2015/2016

  • Docente: Sofia Ventura
  • Credits: 8
  • SSD: SPS/04
  • Language: Italian
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Forli
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in International relations and diplomatic affairs (cod. 8783)

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to analyse the most important concepts of political science from both a methodological and a substantive point of view. At the end of the course students are supposed to be able to manage political science concepts in order to understand and analyse with critical awareness the political public discourse.

Course contents

The aim of the course is to analyse the most important concepts of political science from both a methodological and a substantive point of view. At the end of the course students are supposed to be able to manage political science concepts in order to understand and analyse with critical awareness the political public discourse.

- Concept analysis
- Political philosophy, political theory, political science and common discourse
- Main political concepts building (Politics, Authoritarianism/Totalitarianism, Populism, Representation, Political party, Equality, Ideology, Rights, Liberty, etc.)
- Analysis of how concepts are used in the political public discourse

Readings/Bibliography

1) G. Sartori, Elementi di Teoria Politica, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2003.

2) Selected entries from N. Bobbio, N. Matteucci G. Pasquino, Dizionario di Politica (Handbook of politics), Utet, 2013 to be communicated in class.

Teaching methods

Teaching  lessons and seminars

Assessment methods

All students will be evaluated on the basis of participation in class discussions (30 per cent) and the elaboration of a written work at the end of the course (70%).

Teaching tools

Power point, illustration of audiovisual materials.

Office hours

See the website of Sofia Ventura