Comparative Political Analysis - 2nd semester
Code
711071000
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Estudos Políticos
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
Rui Branco
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
a) Learn how to build concepts, typologies and indexes;
b) How to define dependent and independent variables;
c) How to select comparable units in space and time;
d) Develop forms of theoretical generalization.
Prerequisites
None.
Subject matter
1. The comparative tradition in political sicence.
2. Classical foundations of comparative politics
3. Scientific logic: styles of researh, inference and theory
4. Concepts, typologies and indexes
5. Causality: dependent and independent variables
6. Case selection and selection bias
7. Stretagies and types of comparison
8. Formal methods: Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA)
9. Time processes: path dependency, sequencing and timing.
10. Historical institutionalism: development and trends
11. Historical institutionalism: two research examples
Bibliography
SKOCPOL, Theda e SOMMERS, Margaret, «The uses of comparative history in macrosocial inquiry» in Theda Skocpol, Social Revolutons in the Modern World, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1994, pp. 72-98
LIJPHART, Arend, «The Comparable-Cases Strategy», Comparative Political Studies, 8 (2), 1975, pp. 158-177.
RAGIN, Charles C., The Comparative Method. Moving Beyond Qualitative and Quantitative Strategies, Berkeley, University of California Press, 1989.
ROSE, Richard, «Comparing Forms of Comparative Analysis», Political Studies, XXXIX, 1991, pp. 446-462.
SARTORI, Giovanni e MORLINO, Leonardo, La Comparacion en las ciencias sociales, Alianza, Madrid, 1994.
Teaching method
Lectures introducing the major topics of the course, and presentation and discussion of selected texts by the students.
Evaluation method
Two examinations tests, written in the classroom.