Checking date: 02/10/2024


Course: 2024/2025

Introduction to Politics
(13002)
Bachelor in Sociology (Plan: 402 - Estudio: 208)


Coordinating teacher: SIMON COSANO, PABLO

Department assigned to the subject: Social Sciences Department

Type: Basic Core
ECTS Credits: 6.0 ECTS

Course:
Semester:

Branch of knowledge: Social Sciences and Law



Objectives
After completing the course the student will be able: - To become familiar with political reality from a scientific perspective - To know the main elements and factors, both structural and dynamic, that shape and influence the political process. - To analyze the structure and functioning of political systems and their interaction with their environment - To know the main political institutions and the interrelation of these ones with other political system components - To analyze, in a basic way, the role of different types of political actors. - To recognize the social, political, cultural and religious diversity of contemporary societies and the relevance and transversality that democratic principles and human rights have in them
Skills and learning outcomes
Description of contents: programme
1. Politics and political power. 2. Forms of political organization. State and State models. 3. Democracies and quality of democracies. Dictatorships 4. Territorial configuration of State structures. 5. Parliaments and political representation. 6. Government and government systems. 7. Values in the political system. Culture and political socialization. 8. The actors of the political system. 9. Political and electoral behavior. 10. Public policies. 11. Challenges of politics in today's wolrd
Learning activities and methodology
Teaching time is distributed according to the following training activities: - Lectures. It includes case studies that illustrate lectures. - Written exercises on basic reading program and presentations by student teams - Other training: specific work on a film; book test; newspaper seminar; structured discussions, etc..
Assessment System
  • % end-of-term-examination 60
  • % of continuous assessment (assigments, laboratory, practicals...) 40

Calendar of Continuous assessment


Extraordinary call: regulations
Basic Bibliography
  • CARAMANI, D., ed.. Comparative Politics. Oxford University Press. 2017.
  • CLARK, W, GOLDER, M.; GOLDER, S.. Principles of Comparative Politics. Sage, 3rd. ed.. 2017.
  • COLOMER, J.M.. Science of Politics. Oxford University Press. 2010.
  • GARNER, R.; FERDINAND, P.; LAWSON, S.. Introduction to Politics. Oxford University Press. 2016.
  • ROSKIN, M.G. et al.. Political Science. An introduction.. Pearson, 14th. ed.. 2017.
Additional Bibliography
  • DAHL, R.A.. On Democracy. Yale University Press. 2002.
  • DAHL, R.A.. Modern Political Analysis. Prentice Hall, 7th ed.. 1991.
  • GOODIN, R.E., ed.. The Oxford Handbook of Political Science. Oxford University Press. 2009.
  • HAGUE, R.; HARROP, M.. Comparative Government and Politics. An Introduction. Palgrave MacMillan, 9th ed.. 2013.
  • LIJPHART, A.. Patterns of democracy: government forms and performance in thirty-six countries. . Yale University Press. 2012.
  • RANNEY, A.. Governing: An Introduction to Political Science. Prentice Hall, 7th. ed.. 1996.
  • SHIVELY, W.. Power and Choice: An Introduction to Political Science. McGraw Hill, 13th ed.. 2012.
  • STOKER, G.. Why Politics Matter. Palgrave. 2006.

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