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2020/2021

Electoral Processes in the World

Code: 104514 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2503778 International Relations OB 2 2
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:
Francisco Xabier Meilán
Email:
Xabier.Meilan@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

Francisco Xabier Meilán

Prerequisites

Basic notions of political science

Objectives and Contextualisation

Getting to know the main components and types of existing electoral systems

Understanding the effect that the choice of electoral system can have on the political party system as well as on relationships between the executive and legislative powers

Getting to know how to apply the methodology to observe electoral processes

Understanding the role of the media system in the political life and getting familiar with the methodological tools to analyse media coverage and access to the media by political candidates and parties

Competences

  • Apply quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in research processes.
  • Identify data sources and carry out rigorous bibliographical and documentary searches.
  • Learn and analyse the impacts of the globalisation process on domestic political systems and on the behaviour of the political actors and the public.
  • Produce and prepare the presentation of intervention reports and/or proposals.
  • Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
  • Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
  • Use metatheoretical data to argue and establish plausible relation of causality and establish ways of validating or rejecting them.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in research processes.
  2. Critically evaluate the impacts of globalisation in different areas: security, environment, human rights, migrations and peace.
  3. Identify data sources and carry out rigorous bibliographical and documentary searches.
  4. Produce and prepare the presentation of intervention reports and/or proposals.
  5. Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  6. Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  7. Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
  8. Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
  9. Use metatheoretical data to argue and establish plausible relation of causality and establish ways of validating or rejecting them.

Content

1. Electoral systems and their effects on the political system

Types of Electoral Management Bodies

Majority/plurality electoral systems

Proportional electoral systems. Fragmentation of party systems and government formation.

Mixed electoral systems

Electoral system reform

 

2. Political communication and electoral campaigns

Political communication and political knowledge. Media systems of the world

Political news. Media routines.

Mass media effects: agenda setting, agenda building and framing.

The media and the election campaign

 

3. Electoral integrity and election observation

How to measure electoral integrity. Election observation.

Legal framework for elections.

Electoral campaign and Election day.

Media and social media observation.

 

4. Comparative electoral behaviour

Effects of cleavages on voting behaviour.

Leaders and issues.

Economic vote. Strategic vote.

Dual and second-order vote. Election turnout.

Methodology

There will be master classes to introduce a topic.

Following each master class (or classes), there will be scheduled presentations by students on previously chosen academic readings. The readings will be related to the topic introduced during the preceding master class session and will be followed by a discussion.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Master classes 32 1.28 1, 9, 4, 3, 8, 7, 6, 5, 2
Readings presentation and discussion 20 0.8 1, 9, 4, 3, 8, 7, 6, 5, 2
Type: Supervised      
Exam 2 0.08 1, 9, 4, 3, 8, 7, 6, 5, 2
Tutorials 15 0.6 1, 9, 4, 3, 8, 7, 6, 5, 2
Type: Autonomous      
Compulsory readings 30 1.2 1, 9, 4, 3, 8, 7, 6, 5, 2
Readings' presentations 15 0.6 1, 9, 4, 3, 8, 7, 6, 5, 2
Study of learning materials introduced in class 30 1.2 1, 9, 4, 3, 8, 7, 6, 5, 2

Assessment

1. Written exam (50%). This will assess knowledge acquired by students both at the master classes and at the presentations and discussion of academic readings.

2. Presentation (40%). This mark will include the student’s own presentation as well as her participation in the debates about others' readings.

3. Participation in class dicussions (10%). This percentage of the final mark could be absorbed by the exam if there is not a sufficient number of presencial lectures.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Participation in class discussions 10% 0.6 0.02 1, 9, 4, 3, 8, 7, 6, 5, 2
Readings' presentation 40% 2.4 0.1 1, 9, 4, 3, 8, 7, 6, 5, 2
Written exam 50% 3 0.12 1, 9, 4, 3, 8, 7, 6, 5, 2

Bibliography

Basic

European Union (2016), Compendium of International Standards for Elections. Antwerpen: European Union. Available online.

European Union (2016), Handbook for European Union Election Observation (third edition) . Vottem: European Union. Available online.

Farrell, D. M. (2001), Electoral Systems: A Comparative Introduction. London and New York: Palgrave. Available as e-book.

International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (2005), Electoral System Design: The New International IDEA Handbook. Stockholm: International IDEA. Available online.

Lange, B.P., and Ward, D. (2004). The Media and Elections. A Handbook and Comparative Study. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers. Available as e-book.

VVAA (1993), "Choosing an Electoral System" in Journal of Democracy, 4/1, pp. 53-91. Available online.

Norris, P. (2004), Electoral Engineering: Voting Rules and Political Behaviour. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Available as e-book.

OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) (2012), Handbook On Media Monitoring for Election Observation Missions. Warsaw: OSCE. Available online.

Perloff, R.M. (2014), The Dynamics of Political Communication. Media and Politics in a Digital Age. New York: Routledge. Available as e-book.

Riker, W. H. (1982), “The Two-party System and Duverger's Law: An Essay on the History of Political Science”, in American Political Science Review, 76/4, pp. 753-766. Available online.

 

Complementary

Golder, M. (2005), ‘Democratic Electoral Systems Around the World 1946–2000’, Electoral Studies, 24/1, pp. 103–121. Available online.

Horowitz, D. L. (2003) ‘Electoral Systems: A Primer for Decision Makers’, Journal of Democracy, 14, pp. 115–127. Available online.

Lijphart, A. (2004), “Constitutional Design for Divided Societies”, Journal of Democracy, 15/2, pp. 96-109. Available online.

Michael, G. (1992), ‘Comparing Proportional Representation Electoral Systems: Quotas, Thresholds, Paradoxes, and Majorities’, British Journal ofPolitical Science, 22, pp. 469–496. Available online.

Moser, R. G. and Scheiner, E. (2004), ‘Mixed Electoral Systems and Electoral System Effects: Controlled Comparison and Cross-National Analysis’, Electoral Studies, 23/4, pp. 575–600. Available online.