00895 - Political Science (A-L)

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to provide students with a foundational understanding of the key methods, concepts, categories, and models of Political Science. By the end of the course, students will be able to describe and interpret political phenomena, particularly the functioning and transformation of political-institutional systems, both democratic and non-democratic. They will also possess the analytical tools necessary to decode political discourse in democratic countries and to relate it to the major themes addressed by Political Science. Furthermore, they will acquire the linguistic and logical skills required to effectively communicate the results of their theoretical and empirical analyses to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Course contents

The course is organized into three modules, each concluding with a midterm assessment.

The first module introduces the main themes and concepts of the discipline; the second applies the knowledge acquired to the comparative analysis of national case studies; the third explores selected issues related to the quality of democracy. Active participation in class discussions is required during this final module. The distribution of lectures and seminars is specified in the course syllabus.

The first part defines the core concepts of the course (politics, political regimes, and forms of political participation), traces the historical processes that led to the emergence of modern democracies, and examines their distinctive features in comparison with non-democratic regimes. It also analyzes, from a comparative perspective, the main democratic actors and institutions, including political parties and party systems, electoral systems, parliaments, and governments.

The second part examines the political systems of several major European countries alongside significant cases from other world regions, comparing patterns of political participation, electoral competition, parliamentary organization, legislative processes, and government formation and stability.

The third part focuses on democratic erosion and the renewed rise of autocracies as institutional models over the past decade, following the expansion of the "third wave of democratization" between the 1970s and the 1990s. The course examines the extent to which the notion of a "third wave of autocratization" is supported by empirical evidence, explores its underlying causes, and discusses its possible long-term implications through the analysis of selected case studies. These sessions will be conducted as seminars, with the class divided into smaller groups, and will require the active participation of students in discussion.

A detailed schedule of classes and required readings will be made available at the beginning of the course on the Virtuale platform.

Readings/Bibliography

Modules 1 and 2:
Salvatore Vassallo (ed.) (2026). Comparative Political Systems. 3rd ed. Bologna: Il Mulino.

Module 3:
The third module requires students to read a selection of scholarly articles (in English) on democratic backsliding and autocratization. These readings will be made available by the instructor through the Perusall and Virtuale platforms.

Teaching methods

The first two modules will be delivered through lectures, each focusing on a specific topic.

The third module will be organized as a seminar and will rely primarily on the discussion of the assigned readings. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the required readings in advance during the first two modules, while advance reading is mandatory for the third module.

The third module will make use of Perusall, a collaborative reading platform. Assigned readings will be uploaded to the platform and must be completed before the corresponding class. Students will be able to annotate the texts, post comments, identify unclear passages, ask questions, and respond to the comments and questions of their peers. Further guidance on the use of the platform will be provided during the course.

Lecture slides and other course materials will be made available by the instructor on the Virtuale platform in the days following each class.

Assessment methods

Attending students

Regular class attendance is required in order to be considered an attending student.

A written midterm assessment will be held at the end of each module.

The assessments for the first two modules will consist of multiple-choice questions designed to evaluate students' understanding of the textbook and the topics covered in class.

Assessment for the third module will be based on two components: participation in discussions of the assigned readings, both on the Perusall platform and in class, and a written assignment in the form of a short essay on the topics covered in the module. In addition to content knowledge, students will be assessed on their ability to analyze issues, make connections across topics, and present arguments in a clear and coherent manner.

The final grade will be calculated as the average of the three midterm assessments.

Non-attending students

Assessment will consist of a comprehensive final written examination including both multiple-choice and open-ended questions. The examination will assess students' knowledge of the entire course content and will cover the required readings for all three modules.

Office hours

See the website of Gianfranco Baldini

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