Modern Political Science

Master 2020/2021

Type: Compulsory course (Political Analysis and Public Policy)

Area of studies: Political Science

Delivered by: Public Policy Department

Where: Faculty of Social Sciences

When: 1 year, 1, 2 module

Mode of studies: distance learning

Instructors: Artem Uldanov

Master’s programme: Political Analysis and Public Policy

Language: English

ECTS credits: 4

Contact hours: 32

Full Syllabus

Abstract

This is a blended-learning course, based on the series of video-lectures given by prof. Furio Cerutti (University of Firenze). This course is designed as a vocabulary of the main terms used by all of us when talking about local as well as world politics. We often use these terms without a proper awareness of their meanings and connections, a circumstance not exactly helpful for any attempt to understand how politics really works, regardless of our wishful thinking or simplistic morality or easy cynicism. Now, if we want to go deeper into the workings of politics we must agree to begin with very abstract notions. This includes the general definitions of what politics, conflict, power and what legitimate power mean. On these premises, we will then explain the still main political institution, the state, and peer into the dynamics of war and peace that has dominated the relationships between the states. Since with economic globalisation, which has restricted the room for political action, things are getting much more complicated, so classical notions have to be rethought. The very nature of the threats endangering our global commons does not leave the definition of politics. Students will watch video-lectures as a part of their independent work and in classes we will discuss its content.

Learning Objectives

Overview of the main research areas of political science, history of its development and formation
General introduction into the process of institutionalization of political science and its main scientific schools
To discuss different approaches in political science of XX century

Expected Learning Outcomes

Students will achieve a clearer and less confused awareness of political vocabulary, thus gaining a more complex, more autonomous and more critical understanding of political processes
Students will gain general understanding about concepts of power, legitimacy and authority, how they are interconnected and how its balance affecting politics
Students will get initial knowledge about complexity of democracy concept and what is polyarchy, Madissonian democracy and pluralistic democracy
To recieve clear vision on role and place of civic and military actors in politics and to understand how global politics was shaped after the Cold War
Get skills of effective public speech and public presentations, both in groups and individually
Know main concepts and frameworks of comparative political analysis, role of conceptualization for better research and how party systems are working in diffrent conditions

Course Contents

Aim and method of the course. General information.
How the course is organized and how to approach political science. Question about politics, policy and polity. Some milestones of political science development
(Political) power, authority and legitimacy
The way power is used or exists in all types of relationships is central to the understanding of politics – not just in government, perhaps even more importantly in family and friendship groups too. How to conceptualize power? And what is this "golden" triangle consisting of power, authority and legitimacy?
From democracy to polyarchy - Robert Dahl
The main question of political science, democratic rule, polyarchy and incrementalism in policymaking. Robert Dahl left a significant trace in the development of political science and this class is dedicated to discussion on some of his core ideas and proposals
Civic-military relations and the world of conflicts - Samuel Huntington
How to balance civic and military representation in politics, waves of democratization and world order after the Cold War. Huntington was a controversial, but intriguing figure and his ideas are still discussed among scholars, so we also join to these discussions and try to figure out some crucial aspects of globalization and world politics
Social foundations of politics - An introduction to Seymour Lipset.
American uniqueness, democracy, modernization and socio-political cleavages. Seymour Lipset is one of the key figures in U.S. political sociology - an interesting representative of American neoconservatism and the man who made a serious contribution into the development of social movements theory, political radicalism studies and social mobility.
Comparative politics and ladder of abstraction - Giovani Sartori
Theory of democracy, party systems and political constitutionalism, role of political elites and focus on conceptualization in comparative political science - Giovanni Sartori was able to return Italy on the map of countries well-known for their political scientists and continued tradition of very detailed and deep studies of democratic political regimes and their comparativeness

Assessment Elements

Reflection paper
Midterm test
Final test
Active participation in class

Interim Assessment

Interim assessment (2 module)
0.1 * Active participation in class + 0.4 * Final test + 0.3 * Midterm test + 0.2 * Reflection paper

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Dahl, R. A. (1971). Polyarchy : Participation and Opposition. New Haven: Yale University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=52899
Huntington, S. P. (1993). The Clash of Civilizations? Foreign Affairs, 72(3), 22. https://doi.org/10.2307/20045621
Klingemann, H.-D., & Goodin, R. E. (1996). A New Handbook of Political Science. Oxford: OUP Oxford. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=273524
Loomis, B. A. (1983). Political Man: The Social Bases of Politics. Edited by Lipset Seymour Martin. (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1981. Pp. xxi + 586. $8.95, paper.). American Political Science Review, (02), 557. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.a.cup.apsrev.v77y1983i02p557.558.24
Sartori, G. (1970). Concept Misformation in Comparative Politics. American Political Science Review, (04), 1033. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.a.cup.apsrev.v64y1970i04p1033.1053.13

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Dahl, R. A. (1989). Who Governs? : Democracy and Power in an American City. New Haven: Yale University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=52913
Huntington, S. P. (1957). The Soldier and the State : The Theory and Politics of Civil–Military Relations. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1913278
Sartori, G. (1999). The Party——Effects of Electoral Systems. Israel Affairs, 6(2), 13. https://doi.org/10.1080/13537129908719557

Course Syllabus