92592 - POLITICAL BEHAVIOR IN WESTERN DEMOCRACIES

Anno Accademico 2021/2022

  • Moduli: Paul Matthew Loveless (Modulo Lez.) Paul Matthew Loveless (Modulo Sem 1) Paul Matthew Loveless (Modulo Sem 2) (Modulo D.Ass)
  • Modalità didattica: Convenzionale - Lezioni in presenza (Modulo Lez.) Convenzionale - Lezioni in presenza (Modulo Sem 1) Convenzionale - Lezioni in presenza (Modulo Sem 2) Convenzionale - Lezioni in presenza (Modulo D.Ass)
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Laurea in Scienze politiche, sociali e internazionali (cod. 8853)

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

The aim of this course it to be able to apply the theoretical and conceptual knowledge to understanding and resolving some key contemporary issues in the behavior of citizens in advanced democracies. At the end of the course, students will be able to provide original answers to questions like: Why do people vote for this party, or that party, or at all? How do people make sense of politics? What is the link between citizens’ actions and beliefs and the democratic vitality of political systems? How is it possible to measure the quality of democracy?

Contenuti

Why do people vote for this party, or that party, or at all? How do people make sense of politics? What is the link between citizens’ actions and beliefs and the democratic vitality of political systems? In this course, we will familiarize ourselves with the main theoretical and empirical issues involved in the behavioral approaches to the study of politics. Each week, we will evaluate the main theories and models used to account for citizens’ attitudes and behaviors. We will as well draw on empirical evidence in the literature to explore the validity of these theories. Further, we identify and explain how such attitudes and behavior affect the quality of democracy. The aim of this course it to be able to apply the theoretical and conceptual knowledge to understanding and resolving some key contemporary issues in the behavior of citizens in advanced democracies.

Testi/Bibliografia

The full list of readings for students who regularly attend classes will be circulated on the first day of class and posted on the class website on “Virtuale” at https://virtuale.unibo.it/. Any additional readings will be made available there.

Students who do not regularly attend classes should make themselves (very) familiar with…

Dalton, Russell. 2019. Citizen Politics: Public Opinion and Political Parties in Advanced Industrial Democracies. CQ Press, 7th ed.

Kuklinski, James H., and Buddy Peyton. 2007. "Belief systems and political decision making." The Oxford Handbook of Political Behavior. Pp. 45-64.

Chong, Dennis. 1993. “How People Think, Reason, and Feel about Rights and Liberties” American Journal of Political Science 37(3): 867-899.

Converse, Philip. 1964 “The Nature of Mass Belief Systems in Mass Publics” in David E. Apter (ed.) Ideology and Discontent. London: Free Press. pp. 206-61.

Kraus, Stephen. 1995. "Attitudes and the Prediction of Behavior: A Meta-Analysis of the Empirical Literature." Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 21 (1): 58-75.

Metodi didattici

The course will be taught as a seminar. Formal lectures by the instructor will be followed by guided discussions and exercises seminars to provide student opportunities to assess the topics and themes introduced in the readings and lectures.

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

There are 2 different formats for the final mark: one for students that regularly attend and participate to classes and seminars, and one for students that do not regularly attend classes and seminars. A ‘regularly attending student’ is a student who miss no more than 5 classes and attend all seminars. Participation will be regularly checked.

Final Mark for regularly attending students

The final mark has 2 parts.

  • The first part consists in active participation during classes and seminars. Participation will be assessed in terms of attendance, active interaction, and group activities that will be organized during the seminars. This is 50% of the final grade.
  • The second part consists of an exam in which students will assess core concepts from the course as well as apply topics covered in the course to current challenges. This is 50% of the final grade.

NB: Students will have to take the exam by the final exam session scheduled for September 2022. To take the exam, students will need to sign up on Almaesami. If regularly attending students do not take the exam by the abovementioned deadline, their grade achieved in the first part will be automatically cancelled and they will have to take the entire exam as non-attending students.

Final Mark for non-attending students

The final mark has 1 part.

  • Written exam with 3 open-ended questions.

    NB: To take the exam, students have to sign up on Almaesami.

    For all students

    The only valid mark is the one achieved in the most recent attempt to pass the exam.

  • Students who pass the exam can refuse the final mark (thus requesting to re-take the exam) only once - in accordance with the university’s teaching regulations.
  • After having rejected a passing mark, any subsequent passing mark will be recorded in the candidate’s transcripts.
  • Each student is personally responsible for his/her registration to the exam session on AlmaEsami. Registration closes 5 days before the exam. Therefore, it is not possible to sign up for the exam in the 5 days before the exam date.
  • Students who change their minds must withdraw their registration no later than 5 days before the exam. Withdrawal from the exam allows students to sign up for the following exam session and avoid a penalization of 3 points applied to the final grade obtained in the exam.
  • Withdrawal during the last 5 days before the exam is possible only in case of unexpected events (i.e. sickness, bereavement). Students must send from their official account @studio.unibo.it an e-mail to paulmatthew.loveless@unibo.it providing justification. If this procedure is not followed, a penalization of 3 points will be applied to the final grade obtained in the exam.

Strumenti a supporto della didattica

The slides of the lectures will be provided.

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Paul Matthew Loveless

Consulta il sito web di