Introduction to Political Science
0
2024-2025
01013200
Área Científica do Menor
Portuguese
Face-to-face
SEMESTRIAL
6.0
Elective
1st Cycle Studies
Recommended Prerequisites
NA
Teaching Methods
To achieve the learning outcomes, this curricular combines the expository method with more practical teaching methods, including the critical analysis and debate of recommended readings. The goal is to foster an active engagement of students in the classroom, thus providing a valuable basis to sustain their academic path. To the same purpose, students will develop relevant skills to conduct case-studies analysis and to elaborate academic essays.
Learning Outcomes
The curricular unit aims to give the students an introduction to the study of politics.
At the end of the semester students should be able to:
1. Know the key concepts and theoretical approaches of the subject
2. Identify different types of regimes and political systems
3. Understand how different kinds of democratic institutions work in practice
4. Apply the theoretical approaches to the analysis of case studies
Work Placement(s)
NoSyllabus
1. Concepts and the study of politics
2. State, Nation and Society
3. Democratic regimes vs Autocratic regimes
4. Constitutions and political executives
5. Elections and electoral Systems
6. Political parties
7. Interest groups
8. Political communication and the media
9. The political process and system performance.
Assessment Methods
Assessment
Frequency: 50.0%
Research work: 50.0%
Bibliography
Essencial | Essential
Heywood, A. (2019). Politics (5th ed.). Red Globe Press.
O’Neil, P. H. (2015). Essentials of Comparative Politics (5th ed.). Norton.
Recomendada | Recommended
Dahl, R. A. (1999). The Past and the Future of Democracy. CIRCaP, 5/1999. http://www.circap.org/uploads/1/8/1/6/18163511/occ_5.pdf
Easton, D. (1957). An Approach to the Analysis of Political Systems. World Politics, 9(3), 383-400. http://online.sfsu.edu/sguo/Renmin/June2_system/Political%20System_Easton.pdf
Fernandes, A. J. (2015). Introdução à Ciência Política: Teorias, Métodos e Temáticas. Porto Editora.
O’Neil, P H., Fields, K., & Share, S. (2018). Cases and Concepts in Comparative Politics: An Integrated Approach. Norton.