00895 - Political Science (F-N)

Course contents

The course is divided into two parts: the first one based on lectures, the second one organized as a seminar.

The first part is composed of 15  lectures of two hours each (30 hours). It aims at introducing students to the basic conceptual and methodological tools of the discipline.

The second part is organized as a seminar and  aims at  applying  the tools learned in the first part. The students will be divided into three groups and will have one  meeting  per week for a total of seven meetings  of two hours each.

For each student, therefore, there will be a total of 46 classroom hours (30+14 + 2 for the intermediate test).

The first part of the course deals with  the main topics studied  within Political Science, paying particular attention to the theoretical and and methodological aspects that have become central to the study of politics. The syllabus of the first part is structured as follows:

• Lecture 1 Introduction to the course
• Lesson 2 The Scientific Study of Politics
• Lesson 3 The Game Exit, Voice and Loyalty
• Lesson 4 The State
• Lesson 5Transition to Democracy
• Lesson 6 Conceptualizing and measuring democracy
• Lesson 7 Problems in Collective decision making part I
• Lesson 8 problems in Collective Decision Making part II
  
• Lesson 9  Parliamentary, presidential, and mixed democracies, part I
• Lesson 10 Parliamentary, presidential and mixed democracies, part II
• Lesson 11 Elections and electoral systems, part I
• Lesson 12 Elections and electoral systems, part II
• Lesson 13 Parties and party systems, part I
• Lesson 14 Parties and Party Systems, Part II
• Lesson 15 Veto-players
  

The second part of the course (seminar) is  articulated  into two different thematic seminars, whose title and contents will be communicated shortly before the beginning of the course. The students of the first two groups will participate in the activities of the first seminar, while the students of the third group will participate in those of the second seminar. Students'   allocation  among groups will take into account as much as possible their interest in the proposed topics. However, groups should be approximately of equal size.

The seminar activity is an integral part of the course. As part of it, students are expected to read the assigned material prior to class and actively participate in the discussion through questions, comments and presentations.

Readings/Bibliography

Clark, William Roberts, Golder Matt; Golder Nadenichek Sona, Principles of Comparative Politics, Sage, third edition, 2017 [2009] (selected chapters).

Other materials will be specified at the beginning of the course.

Foreign students are invited to contact the teacher at the beginning of the course.

Teaching methods

The course is organized into lectures and seminars. Lectures aim at  introducing students to the core tenets of the discipline. Seminars aim at  providing occasions for in-depth discussions of class materials and exercises. Students are required to carefully read the assigned material before the seminar sessions.

Attendance is strongly recommended.

Assessment methods

At the end of the first part of the course, there will be an intermediate test consisting of multiple-choice and open questions which will weigh 40/100 of the final mark. The intermediate test will take place on April 5 2022. At the end of the seminar part, students will do an exercise, which will weigh 30/100. Assiduous attendance of lectures, active participation in  the seminar, and presentations will count for the remaining 30/100 of the final grade.

An insufficient  score  in the intermediate test does not prevent  joining the seminar. In the last week of May  those who did not pass the intermediate test about the first part of the programme will have  the opportunity of repeating  it.  On the contrary, those who will not successfully complete the seminar part of the course will have to take the exam in the ordinary sessions (appelli), studying the  Clark, Golder and Golder textbook (Introduction, chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5, 6, 7, 8, 10,  11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 including contents in the boxes).

Students who are unable to attend the lectures and/or seminars will have to take the exam in the ordinary sessions (appelli) and study the  Clark, Golder and Golder textbook  (Introduction, chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 including contents in the boxes)

Student can reject only the final grade. In this event, students will have to take the exam in the ordinary sessions (appelli) and  study the   Clark, Golder and Golder textbook (Introduction, chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 including contents in the boxes). In general, the final grade can be rejected only once.

Teaching tools

Teaching tools

Slides and other course materials will be available on line, at the web site Virtuale.

Office hours

See the website of Daniela Giannetti

See the website of Fabio Leone