04871 - Italian Political System

Academic Year 2013/2014

  • Docente: Carlo Antonio Guarnieri Calbo Crotta
  • Credits: 10
  • SSD: SPS/04
  • Language: Italian
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Political, social and international sciences (cod. 8494)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student is able to know the general characteristics of main actors and institutions of the Italian political system. More specifically, she is able to analyse the workings of the most significant political institutions (Parliament, Government, Constitutional Court) and to interpret the institutional and political changes of the recent decades.

Course contents

The course aims at introducing the student to the knowledge of main functional and structural traits of the Italian political system. In order to understand the complexity of the elements involved the process of national unification, the liberal pre-fascist and the fascist political regimes, as well as the evolution of the democratic regime after 1948 will be taken into account. Specific attention will be devoted to more recent developments in the field of political participation, party system and political institutions (especially Parliament and Government). The following subjects will be especially dealt with:

  1. Introduction: the process of Italian unification, its conditions and its consequences;
  2. The general traits of the liberal regime. Political participation and the development of mass parties. The crisis and the break-down of the liberal regime;
  3. The traits of the fascist authoritarian regime. The break-down of fascism and the transition to democracy.
  4. The democratic regime and its evolution. Elections, parties and governments in the "First Republic" (1948-1992);
  5. The changes and the crises of the "Second Republic" (1992-2013);
  6. The party system: Actors, dynamics and change;
  7. Elections, political culture and electoral behaviour from the "First" to the "Second Republic";
  8. The executive: the constitutional design and its implementation. Governments and presidents in the "Second Republic";
  9. The Parliament: policentrism and majoritarian trends;
  10. The evolution of the Italian political system: interpretations and perspectives.

Readings/Bibliography

 Texts for the oral exam:

1.        P. Grilli di Cortona, Il cambiamento politico in Italia, Roma, Carocci, 2007.

2.        M. Cotta e L. Verzichelli, Il sistema politico italiano, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2011 (2 ed.).

3.        One of the following books:

  • M. Almagisti, La qualità della democrazia in Italia, Roma, Carocci, 2011.
  • P. Bellucci e P. Segatti (acd), Votare in Italia: dall'appartenenza alla scelta, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010, esp. part I and II.
  • P. Bordandini, La spada di Vendola, Roma, Donzelli, 2013.
  • M. Calise, Il partito personale, Bari, Laterza, 2010 (2 ed.).
  • R. D'Alimonte e A. Chiaramonte (acd), Proporzionale ma non solo. Le elezioni politiche del 2006, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2007, esp. chapt. 1,2, 7, 9 and 10.
  • R. D'Alimonte e A. Chiaramonte (acd), Proporzionale se vi pare. Le elezioni politiche del 2008, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010, esp. chapt. 2, 3, 4, 6  and 7.
  • P. Ignazi, Forza senza legittimità. Il vicolo cieco dei partiti, Roma, Laterza, 2012.
  • A. Lepre e C. Petraccone, Storia d'Italia dall'Unità ad oggi, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2012.
  • V. Lippolis e G.M. Salerno, La repubblica del Presidente. Il settennato di Giorgio Napolitano, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2013
  • G. Mammarella, L'Italia contemporanea 1943-2007, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2012.
  • L. Morlino e M. Tarchi (acd), Partiti e caso italiano, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2006, esp. pp. 7-15, 105-243.
  • F. Musella, Il premier diviso. Italia tra presidenzialismo e parlamentarismo, Milano, Uni Bocconi, 2012
  • G. E. Rusconi, Cavour e Bismarck, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2011
  • F. Russo, Gli onorevoli. Cosa fanno e come ci rappresentano i nostri parlamentari, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2013
  • L. Verzichelli, Vivere di politica. Come (non) cambiano le carriere politiche in Italia, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010.
  • or another book, chosen in agreement with the teacher. In any case, an alternative bibliography in English is also available

Teaching methods

Lectures, followed by organized discussions.

Assessment methods

The oral exam will deal with the texts of the program, in order to test the knowledge and critical capacity of the student, her capacity of analyzing the changes of the Italian political system, to put them into the context and to figure out their relationships. 

A through knowledge of the texts, together with analytical skills, a capacity for criticism and a good command of the discipline's language will lead to excellence marks (27-30L). 

A mnemonic knowledge of the texts, less developed analytical skills and a language clear but not always correct will lead to intermediate marks (23-26). 

A partial knowledge of the texts, together with rudimentary analytical skills and a often incorrect language will lead to sufficiency marks (18-22). 

Insufficient knowledge of texts, a lack of analytical skills and an incorrect use of the language will lead to a negative mark.

 

Two optional written exams will be held: one in the middle and one at the end of the course. They will consist of 5 open questions on the parts of the program already discussed in class. The criteria of evaluation will be those above indicated. Those attending both exams will get a mark that, if they will, could substitute the final vote.

Teaching tools

Lessons will be supported by Power Points presentations.

Office hours

See the website of Carlo Antonio Guarnieri Calbo Crotta