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2022/2023

Contemporary Political Actors and Institutions

Code: 104772 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2503868 Communication in Organisations FB 2 1

Contact

Name:
Gabriel Colomé García
Email:
gabriel.colome@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
catalan (cat)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
Yes
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Prerequisites

There is not

Objectives and Contextualisation

Contemporary Political Actors and Institutions is an introduction to the Catalan and Spanish political system. Analysis of political institutions, political parties and other emerging political actors in Catalonia and Spain.
Comparative approach to the diversity of political cultures, from the point of view of the typology of institutions, on a world scale.
It also introduces constant reference to comparative experience in administration, public management, and public policy, with case studies in different political and cultural contexts. Its main objective is that students know these theoretical and empirical references and that they know how to use them in interpreting the dynamics of operation and change in administrations and public policies.

Competences

  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Act within one's own area of knowledge, evaluating sex/gender-based inequalities.
  • Display thorough knowledge of the contemporary world in its social, economic, political and cultural dimensions.
  • Introduce changes in the methods and processes of the field of knowledge to provide innovative responses to the needs and demands of society.
  • Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  • 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 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.
  • Take account of social, economic and environmental impacts when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
  • Work in compliance with professional codes of conduct.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse a situation and identify its points for improvement.
  2. Analyse and describe the fundamental structure and functions of contemporary political institutions in the Spanish context.
  3. Analyse the sex- or gender-based inequalities and the gender biases present in one's own area of knowledge.
  4. Appreciate the diversity of the various contemporary political institutions and the role they play in the world's different political systems.
  5. Communicate using language that is not sexist or discriminatory.
  6. Distinguish the characteristics of contemporary political actors and institutions, in order to develop critical thinking and produce original ideas on the context.
  7. Explain the explicit or implicit code of practice of one's own area of knowledge.
  8. Identify situations in which a change or improvement is needed.
  9. Identify the main inequalities and discriminations in terms of sex/gender present in society.
  10. Identify the social, economic and environmental implications of academic and professional activities within one?s own area of knowledge.
  11. Interpret and discuss documents on the main theories of political science regarding the system of actors and institutions.
  12. Plan and conduct academic studies in the field of political science, especially on the structure and functions of contemporary public institutions.
  13. Present a summary of the studies made, orally and in writing.
  14. Propose projects and actions that are in accordance with the principles of ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and obligations, diversity and democratic values.
  15. Propose viable projects and actions to boost social, economic and environmental benefits.
  16. Show respect for the idiosyncrasy of each institution and political actor when analysing their characteristics within the framework of political science.
  17. Weigh up the impact of any long- or short-term difficulty, harm or discrimination that could be caused to certain persons or groups by the actions or projects.

Content

 

1. Historical background on the current Spanish and Catalan political system.
2. The transition to democracy
3. Characteristics and effects of the 1978 Constitution
4. Territorial organization: State of the Autonomies
5. Actors: parties and institutions.
6. Elections 1977-2019
7. Electoral System: operation and possible reforms.
8. Electoral behavior and political culture
9. The independence process in Catalonia

 

Methodology

The dedication to this subject is specified in various types of activities. Its value, 6 ECTS credits, implies a total dedication of 150 hours, which will be distributed as follows:

a.- Directed activities, with the presence of the teacher. They will include lectures and participatory seminars with oral presentations by students
These activities represent approximately 33% of the student's work time.

b.- Supervised activities, carried out outside the classroom, and following the teacher's instructions. An individual work must be prepared.

This activity represents approximately 17% of the student's work time.

c.- Autonomous activities, carried out by each student on their own for the preparation of the syllabus, through the readings recommended by the teacher.

These activities represent approximately 50% of the student's work time.

The process of learning and acquisition of skills will be supervised by the teacher through individual tutorials.

The Moodle classroom will be the space that will convey the information related to the organization of the subject.
 
The professor will have to allocate approximately 15 minutes of any class to allow the serious students to respond to the questions of the evaluation of the docent and of the evaluation of the subject.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
study and material reading 75 3 2, 6, 4, 13, 11, 12, 16
Type: Supervised      
Master classes and Parcipatory Seminars 50 2 2, 6, 4, 13, 11, 12, 16
Type: Autonomous      
end of course work 25 1 2, 6, 4, 13, 11, 12, 16

Assessment

Evaluation activities description:

A. Participatory Seminars, 40% in the final grade

B. Group work, 15% in the final grade

C. End of course work, 45% in the final grade

The teaching methodology and the proposed evaluation may undergo some modification depending on the restrictions on attendance that the health authorities impose.

The detailed calendar with the content of the different sessions will be exposed on the day of presentation of the subject. It will also be posted on the Virtual Campus where students can find the detailed description of the exercises and practices, the various teaching materials and any information necessary for the proper monitoring of the subject. In the event of a change in the teaching modality for health reasons, the teaching staff will inform of the changes that will occur in the programming of the subject and in the teaching methodologies.

In order to be able to appear for the recovery of the subject, it will have been necessary to obtain a grade lower than 3.5 in the end-of-course work, which represents 45% of the subject.

The student who makes any irregularity (copy,  identity theft, ...) will be rated 0 this act of evaluation. In the event of several irregularities, the final grade for the course will b

Plagiarism

The studentwho performs any irregularity (copy, plagiarism, identity theft, etc.) that may lead to a significant variation in the grade of an act of evaluation, will be graded with 0 this act of evaluation. In case of more than one irregularity, the final grade of the subject will be 0. 

 

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
group work 15% 0 0 2, 3, 1, 5, 6, 4, 7, 13, 10, 9, 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17
Parcipatory Seminars 40% 0 0 2, 3, 1, 5, 6, 4, 7, 13, 10, 9, 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17
end of course work 45% 0 0 2, 3, 1, 5, 6, 4, 7, 13, 10, 9, 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17

Bibliography

Most relevant bibliography:

CROSSMAN, Richard HS (1941), Biografía del Estado moderno, Madrid, FCE.

JUDT, Tony (2008), Postguerra. Una historia de Europa desde 1945, Madrid, Taurus.

SARTORI, Giovanni (2012), Partidos y sistema de partidos, Madrid, Alianza Editorial.

NOELLE-NEUMANN, Elisabeth (2010), La espiral del silencio, Barcelona, Paidós.

 

Complemantary bibliography:

AJA, Eliseo. (2014) Estado autonómico y reforma federal. Alianza.

AJA, Eliseo. i SOLÉ TURA, Jordi. (1977) Constituciones y períodos constituyentes en España (1808-1936). Siglo XXI.

AMAT, Jordi. (2015) El llarg procés. Tusquets.

ANDUIZA, Eva. i BOSCH, Agustí. (2004) Comportamiento político y electoral. Ariel.

BARTOMEUS, O. (2016) El terratrèmol silenciós. Eumo.

BOSCH, Agustí (2004) Guía del sistema electoral. UAB.

COTARELO, Ramon. (ed.) (1992).- Transición polítia y consolidación democrática. CIS.

EQUPIO PIEDRAS DE PAPEL (2015) Aragón es nuestro Ohio. El hombre del tres

Fundación ALTERNATIVAS.- Informes sobre la democracia.

MOTABES, Juan. i MARTÍNEZ, Aantonia. (2019) Gobierno y política en España. Tirant lo Blanch.

PANEBIANCO, A. (2009) Modelos de partido. Alianza.

RENIU, Miquel. (ed.) (2012).- El sistema político español. Huygens.

TOHARIA José Juan (ed.) et al. (2011).- Pulso de España. Un informe sociológico. Fundación Ortega-Marañón. 

TORCAL, Mariano Et al. (2005).- España: sociedad y política en perspectiva comparada. Tirant lo Blanch.

 

Software

No computer programs are used in this subject