Political Science

This course focuses on the reading of classical texts in political theory and philosophy. It confronts foundational texts in the Western tradition (Plato, Hobbes, Tocqueville, Marx, Arendt, Foucault) to improve reading skills, better understand the history of political ideas, and develop views on current political events. The course provides an opportunity to practice the use of precise concepts and to develop stronger argumentations.

This course examines how, and to what end, violence is practiced. The courses addresses some of the biggest and oldest questions in the study of comparative politics: why are some societies prone to civil conflict, while others are not? When do political actors resort to violence over a peaceful solution to conflict? Why are some societies prone to political violence, while others are not? Why do individuals participate in collective violence? How, if at all, do the perpetrators of political violence justify their actions? And how, and under what conditions, does violence end?

The course provides an introduction to comparative public policy analysis used in political science and administrative studies. It develops theoretical and methodological skills for students interested in public policy analysis. The course provides the necessary tools for understanding and conducting in-depth research on a variety of political issues. Each class is divided into two parts. The first part of the lecture deals with the main concepts in public policy analysis. The second part applies those concepts to a specific policy related to urban issues through a presentation by the students followed by either a group work or a debate in class. Learning outcomes include understanding and criticizing comparative analytical frameworks; investigating policy processes, outputs, and outcomes across various policy areas; conducting their own research on a specific policy domain following a comparative perspective. The course is structured so that the learning experience in class sessions is cumulative. Students are expected to read all assigned readings, regularly attend, and contribute to the class, and develop their own comparative analysis of one policy in the United States or Canada and in a European country.

This course is divided into two parts. The first part focuses on government and politics: the EU as a political system; the Council, the Commission, and the Parliament in the policy process; Court of Justice and judicial politics; public opinion and EP elections; parties and Europe, and interest representation. The second part includes public policy: the policy-making process, policy implementation, the single market, social and environmental policies, budgetary policies, EMU, migration policies, and external relations policies.

Covid-19 is an infectious disease caused by a type of virus, manifesting itself in individual human beings; but the covid-19 pandemic is not just a health issue, but a social and economic phenomenon. This course explores the economics and politics of the covid-19 pandemic and the policy response (health-related, economic and social) in the UK and other countries. It does not cover specific medical or scientific aspects of covid-19 as a disease, but beyond that discusses a wide range of topics relating both to the direct and indirect impacts of the pandemic. There is a particular focus on how and why policy decisions were taken; and on the longer-term implications.