Comparative Politics I
Code: 101081 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2500259 Political Science and Public Management. | OB | 3 | 1 |
| 2503778 International Relations | OB | 3 | 1 |
Contact
- Name:
- Margarita Leon
- Email:
- Margarita.Leon@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- english (eng)
- Some groups entirely in English:
- Yes
- Some groups entirely in Catalan:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Spanish:
- No
Teachers
- Eva Ostergaard-Nielsen
External teachers
- Lorenzo Vidal-Folch
Prerequisites
The student is expected to know adequately, at a minimum, the concepts and theories worked in the Political Science subject of the first of the degree. It is also taken for granted that the student routinely reads generalist newspapers following especially the news of national and international politics Group G1 will be taught in English and a good level of active and passive comprehension in English is expected (see objectives). The afternoon classes (G51) will be taught in Spanish / Catalan and a good level of reading in English is expected. Exams can be delivered in Catalan, Spanish, or English. Practices in English classes will be conducted in English.
Objectives and Contextualisation
This subject is compulsory in the third year of Degree and Political Science and Public Management. The course aims to work on some of the main approaches, concepts and theories of comparative politics through an in-depth analysis of the most relevant Western European political systems. G1 is completely in English to give students an opportunity to consolidate an English level that allows them to follow and participate in English subjects both at the UAB and in international exchange programs. It is expected to conduct classes with an active understanding of English, that is, seminary discussions will be conducted in English. Written evaluation work and the exam can be done in English, Catalan or Spanish. The oral presentation will be in English and the level is expected to allow a correct and fluent oral expression
Competences
- Political Science and Public Management.
- Arguing from different theoretical perspectives.
- Connecting the different components that shape the structure and operations of political systems and the environment where they interact.
- Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
- Demonstrating knowledge about the structure and working of the European Union and its main institutions, as well as identifying the main political actors and recognising the main means of integration.
- Demonstrating the comprehension of the structure and functioning of political systems in the internal and international arena, both in the analytic area and in the elaboration of intervention proposals or public policies.
- Identifying sources of data and conducting bibliographic and documentary searches.
- Interpreting and applying English texts in an academic way.
- Managing the available time in order to accomplish the established objectives and fulfil the intended task.
- Realising effective oral presentations that are suited to the audience.
- Showing a good capacity for transmitting information, distinguishing key messages for their different recipients.
- Synthesizing and critically analysing information.
- Using the main information and documentation techniques (ICT) as an essential tool for the analysis.
- Working autonomously.
- Working by using quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in order to apply them to research processes.
- Working in teams and networking, particularly in interdisciplinary conditions.
Learning Outcomes
- Arguing from different theoretical perspectives.
- Connecting the different components that shape the structure and operations of political systems and the environment where they interact.
- Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
- Demonstrating knowledge about the structure and working of the European Union and its main institutions, as well as identifying the main political actors and recognising the main means of integration.
- Demonstrating the comprehension of the structure and functioning of political systems in the internal and international arena, both in the analytic area and in the elaboration of intervention proposals or public policies.
- Identifying sources of data and conducting bibliographic and documentary searches.
- Interpreting and applying English texts in an academic way.
- Managing the available time in order to accomplish the established objectives and fulfil the intended task.
- Realising effective oral presentations that are suited to the audience.
- Showing a good capacity for transmitting information, distinguishing key messages for their different recipients.
- Synthesizing and critically analysing information.
- Using the main information and documentation techniques (ICT) as an essential tool for the analysis.
- Working autonomously.
- Working by using quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in order to apply them to research processes.
- Working in teams and networking, particularly in interdisciplinary conditions.
Content
BLOQUE I: INTRODUCCIÓN
Tema 1 - Introducción a la política comparada.
¿Por qué comparar? Comparar para valorar. Comparar para explicar. Evolución y futuro de los estudios comparados.
Tema 2: La lógica del método comparativo.
Los distintos diseños de selección de observaciones. Los principales debates metodológicos del método comparativo.
Tema 3: Introducción a las instituciones y los conceptos claves en el analisis comparada de sistemas políticos.
BLOQUE II: SISTEMAS POLÍTICOS
Tema 4: antecedentes históricos y constituciones actuales
Reino Unido: Constitución no escrita, Alemania: Los principios constitucionales: la Ley Fundamental de Bonn y su reforma. Francia: La constitución de la V Republica. Italia: La Constitución del 27 de diciembre de 1947 y su reforma.
Tema 5: Sistemas electorales y sistemas de partidos
Características e impactos de los diferentes sistemas electorales. Cambios y continuidades en sistemas de partidos.
Tema 6: Legislaturas y ejecutivos de gobierno
Reino Unido: El modelo Westminster. Alemania: La democracia del Canciller, Francia: El ejecutivo dual. Parlamentarismo en Italia.
Tema 7: El régimen territorial, federalismo y descentralización.
Reino Unido: El proceso de “devolution”. Alemania: federalismo. Francia: el modelo jacobino y ¿su fin? Italia: ¿Hacia un sistema federal?
BLOQUE III: ANALISIS COMPARADA DE LA CALIDAD DE DEMOCRACIA
Tema 8. Comparación de sistemas políticos mayoritarias y de consensos
Tema 9: Vetoplayers y el funcionamiento de instituciones políticos
Tema 10: La presidencialización de la política.
Methodology
Comparative politics 1 is a 6 ECTS credit course, this means 150 hours of student work in total (25 horas/1 ECTS). These credits are organised around the following activities
Directed activities:
- Lectures and in group debates.
- oral Presentation of class work
- Seminars
Supervised activities:
- Individual tutoring available for group work and any other individual assessment
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Lectures | 30 | 1.2 | 2 |
| Oral presentations | 8 | 0.32 | 3, 9, 10, 12 |
| Seminars | 16 | 0.64 | 1, 5, 4, 7, 2 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Office hours | 14 | 0.56 | |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Reading | 35 | 1.4 | 13 |
| Writing | 15 | 0.6 | 1, 5, 6, 2, 11 |
| individual study | 30 | 1.2 | 8, 6, 11, 13, 15 |
Assessment
Evaluation is divided in 3 main elements:
Examen: 50% of the grade (compulsory to pass the exam in order to pass the course).
- Reading test and participation in class: 15 % of the grade
- Group work: 35 % of the final grade
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exam | 50% | 2 | 0.08 | 1, 5, 2 |
| Group work | 35% | 0 | 0 | 5, 4, 3, 9, 8, 6, 2, 14, 13, 15, 12 |
| Reading Test | 15% | 0 | 0 | 5, 7, 10, 2, 11, 15 |
Bibliography
Bibliografía basica (las lecturas relacionadas a cada sesión se especificarán en el programa en el Campus Virtual antes el inicio del curso).
Colomer, J. M. (Ed.) Comparative European Politics, third Edition, London: Routledge, 2008.
Caramani, D. (eds.) Comparative Politics, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008,
Bale, T. European politics: a comparative introduction, 2nd Edition, London: Palgrave, 2008
Landman, T., Issues and methods in Comparative Politics: An Introduction. London: Routledge, 2003.
Lijphart, A., Lijphart, A. Patterns of Democracy, Yale: Yale University Press, 1999.
Pasquino, G., Sistemas políticos comparados, Buenos Aires, prometo libros, 2004.
Poguntke, Thomas y Paul Webb (eds): The presidentialization of politics. A comparative study of modern democracies, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.
Requejo Coll, F. and Nagel, J. (eds). Federalism beyond Federations: Asymmetry and Processes of Resymmetrization in Europe (with Jürgen Nagel), London: Ashgate,2011.
Tsebelis, G. Veto Players: How Political Institutions Work, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2002.
Bibliografía complementaria:
Bull, M. J. and James L. Newell, Italian Politics: Adjustment Under Duress, Polity Press, 2005.
Hague, R. y Harrop, M. Comparative government and politics. An introduction, 7th Edition, Houndsmill: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.