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2020/2021

Comparative World Politics

Code: 103105 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2501933 Journalism OT 4 0
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Ana Mar Fernández Pasarín
Email:
Ana.Fernandez.Pasarin@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
spanish (spa)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
No
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
Yes

Prerequisites

Active and passive knowledge of English

Objectives and Contextualisation

The main objective of this course is to familiarize the students with the analysis of comparative politics.
										
											It is conceived and designed in order to provide a vision of the main issues in this field as well as to examine the particular experience of different countries in terms of political development.
										
											 
										
											The fundamental question we raise in this course is why are some countries stable democracies and others not? At the end of the course, students should have the theoretical and practical tools necessary to obtain political information about any country in the world as well as having an introductory knowledge of the factors and processes that help or hinder the development of democracy.
										
											 
										
											The course is designed to work on written and oral communication skills as well as on theoretical and empirical analysis of countries and world regions from the perspective of the journalistic profession.

Competences

  • Demonstrate adequate knowledge of Catalonia’s socio-communicative reality in the Spanish, European and global context.
  • Demonstrate adequate knowledge of the modern world and its recent historic development in terms of social, economic, political and cultural aspects.
  • Develop critical thinking and reasoning and be able to relay them effectively in Catalan, Spanish and a third language.
  • Rigorously apply scientific thinking.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Describe the basic premises of the Spanish and Catalan political system.
  2. Develop critical thinking and reasoning and be able to relay them effectively in Catalan, Spanish and a third language.
  3. Recognise the basic premises and characteristics of comparative world politics.
  4. Research news sources featuring political content, analyse them and apply proper appraisal criteria to contrast and verify the veracity of the information.
  5. Rigorously apply scientific thinking.

Content

The calendar will be available on the first day of class. Students will find all information on the Virtual Campus: the description of the activities, teaching materials, and any necessary information for the proper follow-up of the subject. 
In case of a change of teaching modality for health reasons, teachers will make readjustments in the schedule and methodologies.

General themes and perspectives:
										
											 
										
											PART I. CONCEPTUAL ELEMENTS
										
											 
										
											THEME 1. THE NOTIONS OF POLITICAL SYSTEMA AND POLITICAL REGIME
										
											THEME 2. THE CLASSIFICATION OF POLITICAL SYSTEMS
										
											THEME 3. POLYARCHY VS MONOCRACIES
										
											3.1. Typology of monocratic systems: semi-authoritarian, authoritarian and totalitarian systems
										
											3.2. Polyarchy: liberal democracy
										
											3.2.1. The conditions and principles of democracy
										
											3.2.2. The forms of expression of democracy: representative democracy vs. direct democracy.
										
											3.2.3. The designation of the rulers: majoritarian democracy vs. consensual democracy. The electoral systems
										
											3.2.4. The institutional design of representative democracies
										
											 
										
											PART II. THE FUNCTIONAL ORGANIZATION OF POWER IN LIBERAL DEMOCRACY
										
											 
										
											THEME 4. THE ORGANIZATION OF POWER
										
											 4.1. The parliamentary system or the flexible separation of powers
										
											 4.2. The presidential system or the rigid separation of powers
										
											 4.3. The semi-presidential system
										
											THEME 5. CASE STUDIES
										
											 5.1. The parliamentary system of the United Kingdom
										
											 5.2. The presidential system of the United States
										
											 5.3. The semi-presidential system of France
										
											 
										
											PART III. DEMOCRACY IN THE WORLD
										
											 
										
											THEME 6. SEMI-AUTHORITARIAN SYSTEMS AND WAVES OF DEMOCRATIZATION
										
											THEME 7. EVOLUTION OF DEMOCRACY BY WORLD REGIONS
										
											THEME 8. CURRENT SITUATION: SOCIAL STRUCTURES AND SOCIOPOLITICS SYSTEMS IN AFRICA, ASIA AND LATIN AMERICA

Methodology

The course 'World Comparative Politics' has 6 credits. These credits are distributed among the following training activities:
										
											
										
											1. Directed activities
										
											
										
											
										
											- Lectures
										
											
										
											-Seminars on compulsory readings: Introduction of the session, individual or group presentation of the text or case, assessment and discussion
										
											
										
											-Oral presentation of the works
										
											
										
											 
										
											
										
											2. Supervised activities
										
											
										
											 -Tutorials support for the accomplishment of the written exercises and follow-up of the course
										
											
										
											3. Autonomous activities
										
											
										
											-Study
										
											
										
											-Reading of compulsory articles
										
											
										
											-Writing of a paper

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Lectures 38 1.52 2
Seminars 10 0.4 5, 2
Work oral presentation 6 0.24 5, 2
Type: Supervised      
Individual and collective tutorial hours 20 0.8
Type: Autonomous      
Compulsory readings 10 0.4 5, 1, 3
Study 30 1.2 5
Writing of a paper 17 0.68 5

Assessment

The course consists of the following evaluation activities:
										
											- Activity A. Exam (50% on the final grade)
										
											- Activity B. Work (30% on the final grade)
										
											- Activity C. Control of readings (20% on the final grade)
										
											To be able to pass the subject, it is necessary to obtain a minimum grade of 5/10 in activities A, B and C.
										
											 
										
											Procedure for review of qualifications:
										
											- Global comment in the classroom after the correction of the exercise (tests / presentations)
										
											-Tutories individual second established schedule (reviews and final exam)

The student will be entitled to the revaluation of the subject if he or she has been evaluated of the set of activities the weight of which equals a minimum of 2/3 of the total grade of the subject.

In the case of a second enrolment, students can do a single synthesis exam/assignment that will consist of a final paper.The grading of the subject will correspond to the grade of the synthesis exam/assignment.
The student who performs any irregularity (copy, plagiarism, identity theft...) that can lead to a significant variation of the qualification of an evaluation act, will be qualified with 0 this act of evaluation. In case there are several irregularities, the final grade of the subject will be 0.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Exam 50 2 0.08 5, 2
Test on compulsory readings 20% 2 0.08 5, 1, 2
Writing and oral presentation of a paper 30 15 0.6 5, 4, 2, 3

Bibliography

Compulsory readings:
 
1) Dahl, Robert (2012) La democracia (Barcelona: Ariel)
2) Diamond, Larry (2011) 'Why Democracies Survive. The Impact of the Economic Crisis'
Journal of Democracy, 22(1):17-30. 
3)Dunne, Michele (2015) 'After the Arab Spring: Caught in History's Crosswinds', Journal of Democracy, 26(4): 75-79.
4) Fukuyama, Francis (2012) 'The Patterns of History: China and East Asian Democracy', Journal of Democracy, 23(1):15-26.
5)Linz, Juan, (1990) 'The Perils of Presidentialism',Journal of Democracy, 1:51-69
6) Persily, Nathaniel (2017)'The 2016 U.S. Elections: Can Democracy Survive the Internet?', Journal of Democracy, 28(2):63-76.
 
   
Other recommended readings:
Almond, Gabriel et al. (2010) Comparative Politics Today. A world View. Longman: New York 
Ashbee, Edward y Ashford, Nigel (1999) US Politics Today. Manchester: Manchester University 
Press. 
Bell, David (2002) French Politics Today. Manchester: Manchester University Press. 
Bermeo, Nancy (2010)'¿Acaso la democracia electoral promueve la igualdad económica?', Journal of Democracy, 2: 201-217.
Berstein, Serge (1996) Los regímenes políticos del siglo XX, Barcelona: Ariel.
Blofield, Merike (2010) 'Desigualdad política en América Latina', Journal of Democracy, 2:34-58.
Diamond, Larry (2003) "Puede el mundo entero ser democrático?", Revista Española de Ciencia Política, 9:9-38.
Fukuyama, Francis et al. (2005) 'Facing the Perils ofPresidentialism?', Journal of Democracy,16(2):102-116.
Huntington, Samuel (1994) La tercera ola: la democratización a finales del siglo XX, Barcelona: Paidós.
Lena Krook, Mona (2017) 'Violence against Women in Politics', Journal of Democracy, 28(1): 74-88
Lijphart, Arend (2000) Modelos de democracia, Barcelona: Ariel, capítols 1 i 14.
Obyenkova, Anastassia (2008) 'Regime transition the regions of Russia. The freedom of mass-media. Transnational impact on sub-national democratization', European Journal of Political Research, 47(2): 221-246.
Schmitter, Paul (2010) "Twenty-Five Years, Fifteen Findings", Journal of Democracy, 21(1):17-28.
Valenzuela, Arturo (2004) “Latin American Presidents Interrupted,” Journal of Democracy, 
15(4):5-9