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  3. Bachelor in Political Science and International Relations
  4. Political Systems - 1st semester

Political Systems - 1st semester

Objectives

a) To study different types of political systems, combining an historical analysis with an empirical approach.
b) To identify the variation of institutional configuration of democratic regimes and non democratic political systems.
c) To analyze recent trends of political system change and, in particular, to discuss problems and challenges of contemporary democratic regimes.

General characterization

Code

711071033

Credits

6

Responsible teacher

Marco Lisi

Hours

Weekly - 4

Total - Available soon

Teaching language

Portuguese

Prerequisites

None.

Bibliography

Brooker, P. Non-Democratic Regimes: Palmgrave MacMillan, 2009.
Linz, J. Totalitarian and Authoritarian Regimes. Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2000.
LOBO, Marina Costa e Octavio AMORIM NETO (ed.), O Semipresidencialismo nos Países de Língua Portuguesa, Lisbon, Imprensa de Ciências Sociais, 2009.
PASQUINO, Gianfranco, Sistemas políticos comparados, Cascais, Principia, 2005.
NORTON, Philip (ed.), Parliaments and Governments in Western Europe, London, Frank Cass, 1998.
SARTORI, Giovanni, Comparative Constitutional Engeneering: An Inquiry into Structures, Incentives and Outcomes, London, Palgrave, 1994.

Teaching method

Lectures (60%) with practical examples based on the empirical discussion of the main arguments and hypotheses (20%) and students’ presentation of one of the texts delivered at the beginning of the course (20%).


Evaluation method

Two written exams (each 50%), one in the mid-term and one at the end of the course. Students´ attendance (2/3 of the scheduled sessions) and the active participation in class debates are taken into account for the final mark.

Subject matter

Political systems: forms and organization of power. Institutions and political systems. Non-democratic political systems: totalitarianism, authoritarianism and hybrid regimes. Democratic political system: presidentialism, parliamentarism and semi-presidentialism. Evolution of democratic regimes and contemporary trends.