B0327 - Comparative Politics in the Digital Age

Learning outcomes

The course deals with the effects of digital technologies on participation and political behavior and the transformations that new technologies introduce on democratic and representative processes. In addition to the introduction of some theoretical coordinates, the course emphasizes the applicative aspects and the empirical analysis of the observed political phenomena. At the end of the course, the student: - knows the fundamental themes of the political science debate on political participation, on the organizations through which this is expressed, on the transformations that democratic processes undergo as a consequence of technological innovations; - is able to design and carry out a simple empirical research on these issues; - knows how to appropriately justify his/her methodological choices and is able to discuss the results of his/her empirical analysis in front of a specialist audience.

Course contents

The course examines the effects of digital technologies on contemporary political systems, with particular attention to political participation, political parties, social movements, and the transformation of democratic dynamics. Building on the theoretical foundations of democracy and participation, the course explores the impact of the internet, social media, digital platforms, and Artificial Intelligence on political mobilization, participatory inequality, processes of representation, democratic backsliding, and new forms of digital authoritarianism.

The central question the course seeks to address is fundamentally normative: have the internet and its various applications strengthened or weakened democracy? Have they expanded or reduced inequalities in political participation and access to key political decisions? Have they provided citizens with new tools for democratic accountability, or, conversely, have they placed powerful new instruments of surveillance and repression in the hands of autocrats?

Alongside theoretical readings and class discussions, students will be invited to conduct independent research on significant cases of political transformation resulting from the emergence and development of digital technologies. Examples may include the #MeToo movement, the Social Credit System, digital resistance in Hong Kong, digital anti-corruption tools, and deliberative democracy platforms experimented with in many cities around the world. These activities will be carried out in small groups, starting from readings assigned by the instructor, while also requiring independent research by students. During the final weeks of the course, the case studies will be presented and discussed in class.

Readings/Bibliography

The readings are drawn primarily from academic journal articles and research book chapters. They will be made available by the instructor before the beginning of the course.

 

Week 1

Course introduction. Review of key concepts. What is democracy?

Dahl, Robert. 1998. On Democracy. Yale University Press. Capp. 4-5-8.

 

Weeks 2–3

Political participation, offline and online. Social media, filter bubbles, and echo chambers.

Kitschelt, Herbert, and Philipp Rehm. 2020. ‘Political Participation’. In Comparative Politics, Fifth Edition, edited by Daniele Caramani. Oxford University Press.

Vaccari, Cristian, and Augusto Valeriani. 2021. Outside the Bubble: Social Media and Political Participation in Western Democracies. Oxford University Press. Capp. 2-3-4.

 

Weeks 4–5

Political parties and representation: evolution and crisis. Digital parties, participatory democracy, and liquid democracy.

Katz, Richard S. 2020. ‘Political Parties’. In Comparative Politics, edited by Daniele Caramani. Oxford Univerity Press.

Mair, Peter. 2011. ‘Bini Smaghi Vs. the Parties: Representative Government and Institutional Constraints’. EUI Working Paper RSCAS 2011/22.

Gerbaudo, Paolo. 2019. The Digital Party: Political Organisation and Online Democracy. Pluto Press. Cap. 3.

Tronconi, Filippo, and Francesco Bailo. 2025. ‘The Other Side of Platform Politics. Law-Making and Online Participatory Democracy in the Five Star Movement’. Swiss Political Science Review 31 (1): 14-33.

 

Weeks 6–7

Populism and democratic backsliding. Democratic resistance. Digital dictators and digital dissidents.

Bermeo, Nancy. 2016. ‘On Democratic Backsliding’. Journal of Democracy 27 (1): 5–19.

Levitsky, Steven, and Daniel Ziblatt. 2024. ‘There Are Four Anti-Trump Pathways We Failed to Take. There Is a Fifth.’ The New York Times, October 24.

Feldstein, Steven. 2021. The Rise of Digital Repression: How Technology Is Reshaping Power, Politics, and Resistance. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Oxford University Press. Capp. 7-8.

 

Week 8

Artificial intelligence: new threats to democracy?

Cupać, Jelena, and Mitja Sienknecht. 2024. ‘Regulate against the Machine: How the EU Mitigates AI Harm to Democracy’. Democratization 31 (5): 1067–90.

Jackson, Dean, and Samuel Woolley. 2025. ‘AI’s Real Dangers For Democracy’. Journal of Democracy 36 (4): 139–50.

 

Weeks 9–10

Case studies and student presentations

Readings TBA.

Teaching methods

Throughout the course, lectures will alternate between primarily lecture-based sessions and seminar-style sessions, in which students will be expected to present assigned readings or case studies. In all cases, students will be required to prepare in advance by engaging with the assigned materials, including through the collaborative reading platform Perusall (detailed information and instructions will be provided at the beginning of the course). This will allow us to use class time primarily for discussing materials that students have already read, rather than for presenting them.

The course will also include student presentations and structured classroom discussions of case studies connected to the topics covered in the lectures and the corresponding readings.

Active participation and regular attendance are therefore expected. As a general rule, students who attend fewer than 70% of the classes will not be eligible to take the exam. Special circumstances regarding attendance may be considered, but they must be discussed with the instructor during the first week of the course.

Assessment methods

Assessment will be based on the following components:

1. Active participation in the discussion of assigned readings through the collaborative reading platform Perusall;
2. Participation in the presentation and discussion sessions devoted to case studies.

Office hours

See the website of Filippo Tronconi