Polítical Science

Recommended Prerequisites

History and English.

Teaching Methods

Lecture-based classes will be the dominant teaching method. However, students’ involvement, and interaction among the students and between the students and the professor will be encouraged. 

Learning Outcomes

The main goal of this unit is to present a broad overview of the Political Science area, namely by exploring questions about politics, government and political institutions.

Students are expected to understand and describe key concepts on political phenomena such as political parties, political systems and elections, as well as to understand current events.  

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

 1. Political Science

i. The birth of a discipline

ii. The study of political phenomena

2. Political actors

2.1. Citizens

i. From subjects to citizens

ii. Forms of political participation 

iii. The new forms of political participation

2.2. Political parties

i. Definition

ii. Party types

iii. Parties and party systems

2.3. Interest groups

i. Definition

ii. Interest groups and pressure groups

iii. The relationship between interest groups and political parties

iv. The pluralist theory of interest groups and the neo-corporatism theory

3. The forms of political expression

3.1. Electoral systems

i. Majoritarian (first past the post system)

ii. Proportional representation

iii. Mixed systems

3.2. Referendum and semi-direct democracy

4. Forms of State

i. unitary

ii. federal

iii. regional

5. Political systems: classification

i. parliamentary

ii. presidential

iii. combined political systems

Head Lecturer(s)

Pedro António Pimenta Costa Gonçalves

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Exam: 100.0%

Bibliography

Caetano, Marcello, Manual de Ciência Política e Direito Constitucional, Coimbra, 2015 (reimp.).

Moreira, Vital, Sebenta de Ciência Política (Sumários desenvolvidos e indicações bibliográficas das lições do Prof. Vital Moreira), Coimbra, 2005-06.

Nohlen, Dieter, Elections and Electoral Systems, Bonn, 1984.

Pasquino, Gianfranco, Curso de Ciência Política, Cascais, 2002.

Urbano, Maria Benedita, Referendo. Perfil histórico-evolutivo do instituto. Configuração jurídica do referendo em Portugal, Coimbra, 1989.

Urbano, Maria Benedita, Representação política e parlamento. Contributo para uma teoria político-constitucional dos principais mecanismos de protecção do mandato parlamentar,Coimbra, 2009.

Urbano, Maria Benedita, «Cidadania para uma democracia ética», in: Boletim da Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Coimbra, vol. LXXXIII, pp. 515-539.