Political Systems - 1st semester
Code
711071033
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Estudos Políticos
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
Marco Lisi
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
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.
Prerequisites
None.
Subject matter
1. Political Systems: form and organization of power
2. Institutions and Political Systems
3. Non-democratic Political Systems: Totalitarian and authoritarian regimes
4. Hybrid regimes
5. Democratic Political Systems: Presidencialism, semi-presidentialism and parliamentarism
6. Parliaments and governments in democratic political systems
7. Instruments of direct democracy
8. Attitudes towards democratic political systems
9. Challenges in contemporary democratic regimes
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 introducing the major themes of the course (75%), and discussion of selected texts or presentation of papers by students (25%).
Inclass teaching.
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.