Political Institutions
Code: 106185Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Contemporary History, Politics and Economics | FB | 1 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Eva Ostergaard-Nielsen
- Email :
- eva.ostergaard@uab.cat
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
Most of the subjects are taught in English. A B2 level of English of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages is required, although no specific test of English proficiency level is held to access the degree.
Objectives
This course aims at two main goals:
1.- Making students acquainted with the main political institutions in contemporary societies, and the debates around them
2.- Making students familiar with the terminology of political institutions in English language
Learning outcomes
- Write a review of a publication, documentary video or event (conference or seminar) in English adapted to the content of one or more subjects on this course.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
- Describe political actors and critically evaluate political behaviour in different socio-political and historical contexts.
- Describe the main elements of the political process: socialisation, attitudes and political ideologies.
- Describe electoral systems and evaluate the political consequences of putting them in place.
- Analyse and critically evaluate the functions of the different political institutions of the state.
- Define the concepts of democracy and dictatorship, describe the different models and critically evaluate their functioning.
- Define the concepts of political science that inform different types of political systems.
- Describe and use the main concepts in the field of the relations between politics and society: regulation of social conflict, political power and legitimation, political system.
- Distinguishing between the analysis of political sciences and value judgements on democracy, human rights, social justice and sustainable development.
- Describe the key elements that explain the appearance of the state and its evolution (the absolute state in the welfare state).
- Explaining the forms of government arising from the different relationships between the powers of the State.
- Propose projects and actions in accordance with the principles of ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights, diversity and democratic values.
- Assessing the contribution of movements like feminism, environmentalism or various identity movements.
- Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
- Collect, process and analyse information in a critical manner.
Contents
1.- What is politics? Clarifying the vocabulary: State, government, regime, public sector... Structure and actors
2.-v The main political structures of today: democracies and autocracies
3.- Types of democracies..Can we measure democracy?
4.- Democracy, State and Law: the Rule of Law. Rights, liberties and political power. The division of powers and the types of democratic regimes: parliamentary and presidential regime.
5.- The institutions of democracy: Parliaments, executives, courts. Public administrations as the tools for institutional action.
6.- How to elect office - holders:types and consequences of electoral systems.
7.- Unitary and plural States: centralization and federation.
8.- Subnational government: regional and local structures.
9.-The actors of politics ( 1) : the citizens. How do they act and what do they think? Political cultures. Cultural change and the impact of mass - media
10.- The actors of politics (2): political parties. Types of parties and political families. The competition between parties: the party - systems.
11.-The actors of politics (3) : the social interests. Pluralism and social conflict: pressure groups, interest groups, social movements.
12.-The outcome of political action: public policies. The size of government. The Welfare State. Bureaucracy, legality, efficiency.
13.-The creation of economic and political spaces larger than nation - States: the case of the European Union.
14.-Democracies under criticism: citizen disaffection, malfunction of institutions, economic globalization. Rodrik's paradox: democracy, sovereignity, internationalization : you can only have two !
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment | 7.5 | 0.3 | 2, 3, 16 |
| Lectures | 30 | 1.2 | 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 |
| Individual and group meetings with lecturer | 8 | 0.32 | 2, 11, 16, 17 |
| Reading, study and preparation | 65 | 2.6 | 1, 2, 3, 7, 10, 11, 14, 16, 17 |
The course will consist of:
- Presentations and discussions in the classroom, led by the lecturer.
- The writing and presentation of a group essay
- Individual or group discussion meetings
The detailed program for the whole course will be presented in the first session. Communication with the lecturer will take place, essentially, through the Campus Virtual.
During the course an interval of 15 minutes will be allowed for students to answer the teaching assessment questionnaire provided by the University.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final general test | 50% | 1.5 | 0.06 | 2, 3, 7, 16, 17 |
| Midterm exam | 20 % | 10 | 0.4 | 1, 3, 4, 11, 12, 16 |
| Group essay and presentation | 20% | 25 | 1 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 |
| Classroom participation | 10% | 3 | 0.12 | 2, 3, 11, 14, 15, 16 |
Assessment
The course is based on continuous assessment. The final exam does not, on its own, allow students to pass the course.
The assessment activities are as follows:
| Assessment activityWeight | |
| Classroom participation | 10 % |
| Midterm exam | 20 % |
| Group essay and presentation | 20 % |
| Final general test | 50 % |
On carrying out each evaluation activity, lecturers will inform students, via Moodle, of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded and the date on which such a review will take place.
Erasmus and exchange students who request to advance an exam must present a document from their home university justifying their request.
This subject does not allow a single assessment.
Students will obtain a “not assessed/not submitted” course grade unless they have submitted more than 30 % of the assessment items.
The recoverable assessment activities are the midterm exam and the final general test, which together account for 70 % of the final grade. Reassessment will consist of a global written test on the course contents. Classroom participation and the group essay and presentation are not recoverable, given their continuous and/or collaborative nature.
To be eligible for reassessment, students must have been previously assessed in activities equivalent to at least two thirds of the final continuous-assessment grade and must have obtained a minimum average grade of 3.5.
The final average grade will be communicated to students at least 72 hours before the reassessment test.
In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject. Assessment activities in which fraud, plagiarism or unauthorised use of AI has been detected cannot be reassessed.
Use of Artificial Intelligence
This subject allows the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies exclusively for support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches, text correction or translation, in accordance with the lecturer’s instructions. Other specific uses may be considered, provided that they have been authorised by the lecturer.
Students must: i) identify which parts have been generated using AI; ii) specify the tools used; and iii) include a critical reflection on how these tools have influenced the process and final outcome of the activity.
Lack of transparency regarding the use of AI in an assessed activity will be considered academic dishonesty and will result in the activity being awarded a zero, without the possibility of reassessment, or in more serious sanctions in severe cases.
Bibliography
General English-language textbooks
McCormick, John; Hague, Rod; Harrop, Martin. (2025). Comparative Government and Politics. 13th edition. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
Simon, Douglas W.; Romance, Joseph; Riemer, Neal. The Challenge of Politics: An Introduction to Political Science. 6th edition. CQ Press.
Colomer, Josep Maria, ed. Comparative European Politics. Various editions.
Examples of bibliography for classroom presentations
Some classroom presentations will focus on relevant books in the field. Others will focus on current affairs, such as the 2023 Spanish elections, government formation, etc.
Bobbio, Norberto. Derecha e izquierda: razones y significados de una distinción política. Madrid: Taurus. Various editions.
Colomer, Josep Maria; Beale, Ashley L. Democracia y globalización: Ira, miedo y esperanza. Barcelona: Anagrama, 2021.
Mudde, Cas; Rovira Kaltwasser, Cristóbal. (2019) [2017]. Populismo. Una breve introducción. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.
Acemoglu, Daron; Robinson, James A. ¿Por qué fracasan los países? Barcelona: Deusto.
Levitsky, Steven; Ziblatt, Daniel. (2018). Cómo mueren las democracies. Barcelona: Ariel.
Ostrom, Elinor. El gobierno de los bienes comunes: la evolución de las instituciones de acción colectiva. Mexico: Fondo de Cultura Económica.
Software
Students are expected to use normally software for text editing, as well as the ability to conduct on - line searches.
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TE) Theory | 50 | English | first semester | afternoon |
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 50 | English | first semester | morning-mixed |