Degree | Type | Year |
---|---|---|
Political Science and Public Management | OT | 3 |
Political Science and Public Management | OT | 4 |
Contemporary History, Politics and Economics | OT | 3 |
Contemporary History, Politics and Economics | OT | 4 |
You can view this information at the end of this document.
By enrolling in this course, you and I enter into a mutual agreement. I commit to working with dedication to be well-prepared, enthusiastic, fair, and respectful toward each student and their opinions. I will be accessible and will do my best to return corrected materials within a maximum of two weeks.
For your part, by enrolling in this course, you agree to:
Attend all classes regularly.
Participate actively by asking questions and engaging in debates.
Read the assigned materials and submit written assignments on time.
To guarantee our mutual commitment, it is essential that you read the course guide and submit it signed on the first day of class. You will receive one additional point for attendance if you can show that you have read the guide before enrolling or before the first session.
It is advisable to have completed the courses Political Behavior (second year) and Electoral Analysis (third year).
It is recommended that students regularly follow political current events through various media (written and audiovisual) in order to participate more meaningfully in classroom debates and discussions.
To make the most of this course, students are encouraged to have basic computer skills (word processing, creating presentations, web browsing, and research), as well as familiarity with the UAB Virtual Campus.
An intermediate level of English is required to understand research papers, news, and specialized bibliography in the language.
The use of electronic devices is not allowed during class, neither for communication nor for note-taking.Laptops, tablets, and mobile phones are not permitted in the classroom. All devices must be deposited in a designated area at the beginning of class and may be collected at the end of the session.
This course introduces students to the analytical and empirical study of political parties—key institutions in the functioning of contemporary democracies. The course goes beyond the merely descriptive or typological approach and adopts an explanatory and causal framework to understand how parties are organized internally, how they compete with one another, how they relate to the state and society, and how they respond to political change.
The course begins with the theoretical foundations of party functioning, drawing on the main analytical assumptions of modern political organization theories. It then incorporates institutional, sociological, and ideological dimensions that reflect the real complexity of contemporary political parties. The approach is primarily empirical and comparative, allowing students to understand and analyze specific cases in various national contexts, including Spain.
The course objectives are:
• To provide students with basic analytical tools for studying internal organization, behavior, and strategies of political parties.
• To analyze internal party structures and mechanisms of participation and internal representation.
• To study ideological and organizational competition among parties.
• To understand the institutional and legal relationships between political parties and the state.
• To recognize the diversity of existing party types and current trends in organizational and ideological transformation.
• To examine the historical origins and contemporary evolution of political parties.
What is a political party? Definition, functions, and differences from other political actors
History and evolution of parties: from elite parties to modern organizations
Classification of political parties: typologies by ideology, organizational structure, and electoral strategy
Parties in democratic theory
Functions of political parties: traditional and contemporary
The party’s formal structure: aims, objectives, and organizational levels
The party as a bureaucracy
Membership and participation: members, sympathizers, and activists
Party leadership: selection of leaders and candidates
Internal democracy: factions, currents, and deliberative processes
Ideological families and party groupings
Ideological competition and the structuring of political space
Phases of the relationship: from hostility to legal recognition
Political Parties Law
Party financing: models, transparency, and oversight
The party in electoral competition
The party in opposition
The party in government and coalition formation
This course presents political parties as central institutions of contemporary democracies, integrating historical, institutional, organizational, and ideological approaches from an analytical, causal, and comparative perspective.
The first block addresses the theoretical and conceptual foundations of political parties. It begins by defining what a political party is, specifying its classical and modern functions, and distinguishing it clearly from other political actors (such as interest groups and social movements). Then, it provides a historical overview of party evolution, analyzing how social and historical changes have given rise to different types of parties—from elite parties to today’s cartel parties. This section concludes by examining the normative role of parties in modern democratic theories.
The second block focuses on the internal and organizational structure of political parties. It starts by analyzing their formal organization, stated goals, hierarchies, and internal bureaucracy. It then examines political participation through membership and activism, as well as the internal selection processes for leaders and candidates. The block concludes by analyzing internal democratic mechanisms, factions, and currents, with emphasis on their role in party cohesion and organizational stability.
The third block explores the ideological dimension of political parties and their competition for voters. It first studies the main ideological families that shape party systems in contemporary democracies. Then, it analyzes how these ideologies are expressed and evolve in partisan competition, shaping the political space and influencing parties' strategic and organizational behavior.
The fourth block examines the institutional relationship between political parties and the state. It provides a historical review of this relationship, highlighting the process by which initial distrust gave way to legal institutionalization through party laws. It also discusses party financing, exploring comparative models and current challenges related to transparency, accountability, and democratic control of resources.
Finally, the fifth block focuses on parties in their everyday institutional roles, particularly during elections, in opposition, and in government. It studies the strategies parties adopt during campaigns, how they behave and organize in opposition, and the dynamics of coalition formation and government stability—highlighting the political logic and consequences of coalition politics.
In short, this course equips students with analytical and empirical tools to understand political parties as core actors in contemporary democratic systems, combining political theory, institutional analysis, and comparative case studies.
Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|
Type: Directed | |||
Acquisition and development of basic knowledge guided by the professor | 60 | 2.4 | 1, 12, 11, 27 |
Type: Supervised | |||
Use of acquired concepts | 7 | 0.28 | 4, 11, 23, 28 |
Type: Autonomous | |||
Study and presentation of results | 75 | 3 | 7, 17, 13, 16, 26, 25 |
The course employs a variety of learning and assessment tools to ensure that students develop a deep analytical understanding of political parties as central institutions in democratic systems. Continuous assessment will include critical reviews of selected readings, practical assignments based on the analysis of real party statutes and organizations, and case studies from both national and international contexts. In addition, sessions will include debate and critical discussion, where students apply theoretical tools to current issues related to political parties.
This methodological approach is designed not only to provide students with a solid understanding of course content, but also to develop their applied analytical skills. Specifically, students will complete individual assignments, supervised coursework, and attend lectures.
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.
Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Attendance and participation | 10% | 1 | 0.04 | 1, 4, 12, 13, 11, 27, 25 |
Continuous evaluation exercises | 40% | 2 | 0.08 | 1, 4, 7, 17, 12, 13, 11, 16, 23, 27, 26, 28, 25 |
essays | 20% | 3.5 | 0.14 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 20, 18, 9, 21, 24, 17, 12, 10, 13, 11, 15, 14, 16, 22, 19, 23, 27, 26, 28, 25 |
Final Exam | 30% | 1.5 | 0.06 | 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 18, 9, 24, 17, 12, 10, 11, 15, 14, 22, 23, 27, 26 |
Course evaluation consists of the following components:
Attendance and participation. In addition to mandatory attendance, students who are able to relate theoretical frameworks and concepts to current political and social issues will be especially valued.
Five practical exercises based on the theoretical content.
A term paper on a topic selected jointly by the student and the instructor.
A final exam consisting of four short-answer questions (1.5 points each) and one essay question (4 points).
• The exam date will be set by the faculty. No individual exams will be offered. ERASMUS students who book travel before the official exam date and miss the exam will be marked as “not presented.”
• Passing the final exam with a minimum grade is required to pass the course.
• All submissions must be made through the Virtual Campus in the designated space. Submissions outside of that space or after the deadline will be marked as “not presented.”
• Once students have completed more than 30% of the assessed coursework, they may no longer withdraw from the course.
• All oral and written assignments must be completed in Catalan or Spanish. Submissions in other languages will not be accepted.
• Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty: according to academic regulations, any irregularity (e.g., reusing previous coursework, using uncredited sources, websites, or books) that results in a significant grade alteration will be scored as 0. Multiple irregularities in the same course will result in a final grade of 0.
• The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools is not allowed at any stage of the coursework. Any assignment that includes content generated by AI will be considered academically dishonest and may result in partial or full penalties, or more severe disciplinary measures in serious cases.
To be eligible for resits, students must have completed at least two-thirds of the total assessed activities in the course or module.
To take part in the resit process, students must have earned a course average of at least 3,5 out of 10.
The resit will consist of submitting any pending coursework by the resit deadline, followed by a written exam with the same structure as the final exam.
Aldrich, J. (2012). Why Parties? A Second Look. Madrid: CIS.
Duverger, M. (1951, Spanish trans. 1957). Political Parties. Mexico: Fondo de Cultura Económica.
Katz, R.S. & Crotty, W. (Eds.) (2006). Handbook of Party Politics. London: SAGE (selected chapters).
Katz, R.S. & Mair, P. (1995). “Changing Models of Party Organization and Party Democracy: The Emergence of the Cartel Party.” Party Politics, 1(1), pp. 5–28.
Michels, R. (1915). Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy. Madrid: Amorrortu.
Montero, J.R., Gunther, R. & Linz, J.J. (2007). Political Parties: Old Concepts and New Challenges. Madrid: Trotta.
Muro, D. & Lago, I. (Eds.) (2020). The Oxford Handbook of Spanish Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press (selected chapters).
Panebianco, A. (1982, Spanish trans. 1990). Political Parties: Organization and Power. Madrid: Alianza Universidad.
Sartori, G. (1976, Spanish trans. 2005). Parties and Party Systems. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.
von Beyme, K. (1982, Spanish trans. 1986). Political Parties in Western Democracies. Madrid: CIS.
Ware, A. (1996, Spanish trans. 2004). Political Parties and Party Systems. Madrid: Istmo.
Suggested Complementary Bibliography.
Casal Bértoa, F. & Piccio, D. (2019). “The Legal Regulation of Political Parties.” European Political Science, 18(3).
Cross, W. & Blais, A. (2012). Politics at the Centre: The Selection and Removal of Party Leaders in the Anglo Parliamentary Democracies. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Gunther, R., Montero, J.R. & Botella, J. (2004). Democracy in Modern Spain. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Hopkin, J. (2001). “Bringing the Members Back in?” Party Politics, 7(3).
Poguntke, T. & Webb, P. (2005). The Presidentialization of Politics: A Comparative Study of Modern Democracies. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Scarrow, S. (2015). Beyond Party Members. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Office
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
---|---|---|---|---|
(PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | Spanish | first semester | morning-mixed |
(TE) Theory | 1 | Spanish | first semester | morning-mixed |