Political Sociology - 1st semester
Code
711071034
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Estudos Políticos
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
Pedro Tavares de Almeida
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
Class A (Political Science and International Relations)
The course aims to give students an understanding of the major analytical traditions, conceptual innovations, and themes researched in the field of political sociology.
Class B (Sociology)
Political Sociology course aims to provide students with an understanding of the major analytical traditions, conceptual innovations, topics researched and methods in the field of political sociology and, more broadly, in the discipline of political science. As such, the course seeks to analyse the relation between the state, the civil society and individuals, by understanding how the major social trends, alongside with the different structures of domination, affect political processes.
Prerequisites
Class A (Political Science and International Relations)
None
Class B (Sociology)
Students must have completed at least 48 ECTS
Subject matter
Class A (Political Science and International Relations)
The nature and scope of the discipline: theoretical perspectives, methodological strategies, and fields of study. Some key political concepts. Modernization and political development: the emergence of competitive mass politics. The social determinants of political life: types of cleavage structures. Democratization processes and the prerequisites to democratic consolidation. Consensus and conflict. Citizen politics and elections. The political consequences of electoral laws. Voting behaviour: explanatory theories. Bureaucracy, political parties and democracy. The comparative study of political elites.
Class B (Sociology)
1. The scientific study of politics: theoretical perspectives, methodological strategies and fields of study. Some key political concepts.
2. Political regimes: non democratic regimes, hybrid regimes and democracies. Quality of democracy.
3. Elections and electoral systems: the function of elections in democracies, electoral systems, the scientific debate about electoral systems.
4. Voting theories and voting behavior: the history of vote, explanatory theories of voting, abstention and electoral behavior.
5. Political parties and systems: political parties, party systems, contemporary challenges to political parties. Populism. Social movements.
6. Political elites: theoretical perspectives, the empirical study of political elites, patterns of elite recruitment, ministers and members of parliament in a comparative perspective. The \"post-political\" careers.
Bibliography
Comum a ambas as turmas/Both classes
ALMEIDA, Pedro Tavares de, PINTO, António Costa & BERMEO, Nancy (dir.) (2012). Quem governa a Europa do Sul?. Lisboa: Imprensa de Ciências Sociais (2ª ed.).
LIPSET, Seymour Marting (1992). Consenso e conflito - Ensaios de sociologia política. Lisboa: Gradiva.
NOHLEN, Dieter. (2007), Os sistemas eleitorais: O contexto faz a diferença. Lisboa: Livros Horizonte.
WEBER, Max. (2005 [1919]), A política como vocação (Politik als Beruf) in Três tipos de poder e outros escritos. Lisboa: Tribuna da História, pp. 63-115.
Turma A - Lic. CPRI
EISENSTADT, Shmuel N. (2007), MÚLTIPLAS MODERNIDADES, Lisboa, Livros Horizonte.
Turma B - Lic. Sociologia
DAHL, Robert (2000). Democracia. Lisboa: Temas e Debates
LISI, Marco (2011). Os partidos em Portugal: continuidade e transformação. Lisboa:Almedina.
Teaching method
In class teaching. Lectures introducing the major themes of the course (60%), and presentation and discussion of assigned readings by students (40%).
Evaluation method
Class A (Political Science and International Relations)
One examination test, written in the classroom, at the end of the term. Students may also enroll for a final examination, in order to improve their marks. Active participation in the classes is taken into account for the final marks.
Class B (Sociology)
Mid-term exam (35%), final exam (35%), assiduity and oral presentation - in class - of a short empirical research paper (30%).