Face-to-face , first term, 30 hours of theory.

First term
Friday from 10:45 to 12:45 at 43 Botanique 1

English

This course is an introductory course in political science which aims to present and familiarize students with the basic notions of political science, linking them to the essential references of the discipline.
Moreover, a common thread runs throughout the different sessions of the course: a gendered perspective will be offered on the different notions that will be developed during the course.

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Part 1. General Introduction and Foundational Concepts
1.1. Introductory Session: What is Political Science?
1.2. Power, Domination and Legitimacy
1.3. A Portrait of the State

Part 2. Political Regimes
2.1. Authoritarian and Totalitarian Regimes
2.2. Democracy

Part 3. Political Actors
3.1. Political Parties: Genealogy and Organisation
3.2. Citizens: Political Socialisation and Political Participation
3.3. Electoral Behaviours
3.4. Social Movements: Resources, Repertoires and Mobilisation

Part 4. Policy Analysis
4.1. Public Policies: Definition and Analysis

Lectures

The personal activity for this course consists in the reading of a book which illustrates the common theme which runs throughout the course, i.e. gender and political science:
INGLEHART, Ronald, NORRIS, Pipa (2003), Rising Tide: Gender Equality and Cultural Change around the World, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
The entire manuscript of the book is available on the Moodle platform of the course and in the syllabus (part II).
The students are asked to read the introduction of the book (“Explaining the Rising Tide of Gender Equality”) and two chapters: chapter 5 (“Political Activism”), and chapter 6 (“Women as Political Leaders”).

Specific sessions, aimed at preparing the students to the final exam will be organised:
- Methodological sessions aimed at giving students hints and advices on how to learn the course, how to read the book, and how to prepare for the exam.
- A mock-exam aimed at reassuring students and helping them prepare the final exam. The mock-exam will be debriefed immediately afterwards with the students, so that they can see precisely what will be expected from them during the final exam.
Moreover, methodological material and examples of “good practices” concerning the personal activity question of the exam will be available on the Moodle platform.

The assessment of the course will consist in a final written exam, which will count for 100% of the total grade.
The final exam will last 2 hours, and it will consist of 3 parts:
- A Multiple-Choice Questionnaire (12 points)
- An open question related to the content of the course (4 points)
- An open question related to the two chapters of the book by Inglehart and Norris (4 points)
For the two open questions, students are expected to write a structured, elaborated and well-reasoned answer (i.e. no bullet points, etc.).

For the two open questions, students are expected to write a structured, elaborated and well-reasoned answer (i.e. no bullet points, etc.).

INGLEHART, Ronald, NORRIS, Pipa (2003), Rising Tide: Gender Equality and Cultural Change around the World, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

Bibliographical resources (textbooks):
- GARNER, Robert, FERDINAND, Peter, LAWSON, Stephanie (2016), Introduction to Politics, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
- HAGUE, Rod, HARROP, Martin, McCORMICK, John (2016), Political Science. A Comparative Introduction, Basingstoke, Palgrave MacMillan.
- PARSONS, Craig (2016), Introduction to Political Science, Boston, Pearson.