Introduction to Political Science

This course is an introduction to political science. The main purpose of the course is to introduce students to the main concepts and topics of the discipline. The course is divided into three sections. First, the course will examine the main concepts and methods used to conduct research in the field, discuss the development and consolidation of the modern state, and examine existing types of political regimes and their transformations. Second, the course will deal with the most important political institutions: the executive, the legislative, and the electoral system. In the final section, the course will examine some of the main actors in modern democracies, such as political parties, civil society organizations, and social movements.

The course has the following objectives:

1. Familiarize the students with the main concepts and methods of political science.
2. Introduce students to the current scientific knowledge in the field
3. Understand political regimes and institutions, their development, and variation.
4. Understand the rationale of political and social actors in modern democracies.
5. Develop arguments supported by the political science literature to address a question in comparative politics

The course lasts 24 hours (5 ECTS), organized for 12 weeks. The different sessions are structured as follows:

The teacher will introduce and explain the session's topic during each class. A debate will follow each presentation, and students will be invited to prepare the class with mandatory readings. Some guest speakers will be invited on specific topics

 

Support(s) de cours

• Université virtuelle

Contacts

luca.tomini@ulb.be

Campus

Solbosch

Méthode(s) d'évaluation

• Examen écrit
• Rapport écrit

Examen écrit

Rapport écrit

75% Written exam
25% Personal, written essay

Langue(s) d'évaluation

• anglais