Checking date: 25/04/2024


Course: 2024/2025

Democracy, governments and parties
(17741)
Master in Political and Electoral Analysis (Plan: 385 - Estudio: 344)
EPC


Coordinating teacher: SIMON COSANO, PABLO

Department assigned to the subject: Social Sciences Department

Type: Compulsory
ECTS Credits: 3.0 ECTS

Course:
Semester:




Objectives
- Possess and understand knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity to be original in the development and / or application of ideas, often in a research context - That students know how to apply the knowledge acquired and their ability to solve problems in new or unfamiliar environments within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their area of study - That students are able to integrate knowledge and face the complexity of making judgments based on information that, being incomplete or limited, includes reflections on social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgments - That students know how to communicate their conclusions and the knowledge and ultimate reasons that sustain them to specialized and non-specialized audiences in a clear and unambiguous way - That students have the learning skills that allow them to continue studying in a way that will be largely self-directed or autonomous. - Ability to interpret and integrate information from the political and social environment in order to be able to perform analysis effectively from incomplete information contexts. - Ability to apply in a practical way to the phenomena of current political and social theoretical and methodological knowledge specialized in the discipline. - Ability to adequately convey in the analyzes the uncertainty inherent to political and social phenomena - Ability to elaborate and communicate political analysis in a clear manner and present it to both specialized and non-specialized publics. - Ability to demonstrate critical sense in the analytical arguments of both themselves and others. - Ability to analytically and professionally apply the latest advanced theories on the behavior of public opinion and new political and social phenomena. - Ability to propose strategies and action plans to political parties both in political and electoral competition and in government. LEARNING RESULTS - Knowledge about the limits of representative governments and the emergence of new actors. - Knowledge about the processes of negotiation, election, operation and termination of governments. - Knowledge about the internal functioning of political parties as power and electoral machineries, as well as their representative relationship with society.
Skills and learning outcomes
Description of contents: programme
- New matches, organization and internal recruitment. - The parties in the government; multilevel negotiation and power dynamics. - Making governments (work): Coalitional dynamics in fragmented environments. - The manipulation of the electoral cycle; electoral advance and economic cycle.
Learning activities and methodology
- Presentations in the teacher's class with support of computer and audiovisual media, in which the main concepts of the subject are developed and the bibliography is provided to complement the students' learning. - Critical reading of texts recommended by the teacher of the subject: Press articles, reports, manuals and / or academic articles, either for further discussion in class, or to expand and consolidate the knowledge of the subject. - Resolution of practical cases, problems, etc. ¿posed by the teacher individually or in groups - Exhibition and discussion in class, under the teacher's moderation of topics related to the content of the subject, as well as case studies - Preparation of papers and reports individually or in groups
Assessment System
  • % end-of-term-examination 0
  • % of continuous assessment (assigments, laboratory, practicals...) 100




Basic Bibliography
  • Achen, C. H., & Bartels, L. M.. Democracy for realists: Why elections do not produce responsive government. Princeton university Press. 2017
  • Budge, I., & Keman, H. . Parties and democracy: Coalition formation and government functioning in twenty states. Oxford University Press. 1993
  • Cross, W. P., & Pilet, J. B. . The politics of party leadership: A cross-national perspective. 2015. Oxford University Press
  • Katz, R. S., & Crotty, W. J. Handbook of party politics. 2006. Sage
  • Mair, P.. Ruling the void: The hollowing of Western democracy. Verso Books. 2013
  • Morgan, J.. Bankrupt representation and party system collapse. . 2011. Penn State University

The course syllabus may change due academic events or other reasons.