Political Science

The course focuses on the significance of rhetoric for human rights and democracy. The course provides tools to communicate opinions in societal contexts in a respectful, authentic, and effective manner, considering different opinions and interests. Students practice effectively listening to, formulating, and delivering messages.

This course examines theories and concepts related to political development in Southeast Asia, focusing on the factors that explain variations in political, economic, and social progress across the region. Weekly themes highlight different countries, exploring influences such as colonialism, economic development, ethnic identity, religion, and culture. The course also addresses key questions, including why some nations democratize while others do not, the challenges of democratic consolidation, and the processes of autocratization in Southeast Asia.

This course develops foundational skills in statistical reasoning and data analysis, with an emphasis on parameter estimation and model interpretation. Throughout the semester, students will learn how to estimate and interpret key statistical parameters that describe both individual variables and relationships between variables. 

This course proposes a critical approach to the political geography of Mexico: a political, analytical and denouncing position, which understands that neither geography univocally conditions the political nor is the political foreign to spatialization. It provides theoretical and methodological tools to understand how power is exercised in and from space, and how that exercise has configured Mexican political geography in its historical, corporal and structural dimension. In this framework, the traditional categories of analysis - such as the State, territory, sovereignty or scale - are questioned from an analysis of power that allows to problematize its constitution, its contingency and its spatial production. This course invites one to think about the geographies of power in Mexico not as fixed and neutral expressions, but as fields crossed by violence, desire, inequality and resistance. The analysis starts from the spatial, products of power relations in constant (re)production, tense by daily struggles that seek to dispute the very meaning of what we call geography.

This course examines the unique political economy of the United States in drawing primarily—but not exclusively—on comparative political economy (CPE) scholarship to explore how the American economy functions, how it compares to its (mainly European) peers, and why it remains so. The course consists of three interconnected main parts. The first part discusses the basic logic behind the comparative analysis of capitalism and trace the ideational roots of contemporary approaches in comparative political economy, providing a foundational understanding of key debates in CPE. The second and third part of the seminar are dedicated to the dominant theoretical frameworks for the comparative analysis of capitalism in the last decades, with a particular focus on the United States. By integrating theoretical perspectives with in-depth comparative analysis, this course equips students with the tools to critically assess the evolution of the American model of capitalism, engage critically with contemporary economic challenges, and understand how national political economies mediate and respond to the global forces shaping today’s capitalism.

This course introduces students to the scientific study of International Relations (IR). It explores the principles that shape international politics and illustrates these principles with examples drawn from history and contemporary international affairs. More specifically, the course aims to introduce students to the major concepts and key theories of IR, develop their skills to critically analyze and evaluate theoretical propositions, and generally increase their awareness and understanding of current international affairs. To achieve these goals, students (1) discuss the evolution of the study of cooperation and conflict, (2) acquire the necessary formal theoretical tools (e.g., spatial modeling, game theory) and empirical methods of analysis to systematically dissect the patterns of cooperation and conflict in IR, and (3) examine specific instances of cooperation and conflict in a variety of issue areas, i.e., study such phenomena as war, terrorism, trade, international investment and monetary relations, and the protection of human rights and the global environment.

This course provides an introduction to the Politics and Government of Ireland. On successful completion of this course, students should be able to: Identify features of Irish political political culture and how they shape the workings of institutional processes in Irish politics; Evaluate the workings of Irish political institutions; Critique the role of political institutions; Propose potential solutions to the problems raised or weaknesses identified; Demonstrate an understanding of the Irish party system; Analyze the role of women in Irish politics and the conditions that shape women's access into political life; and demonstrate the ability to conduct independent research and engage with course materials and recommended readings.

Many countries rely heavily on voluntary organisations during crises, and their efforts are often crucial in reducing the social impact of a crisis. The course focuses on the phenomenon of volunteerism and discusses the role of volunteerism and voluntary organisations linked to crisis and war in Swedish society as political and empirical phenomena. The course inventories and discusses volunteerism and voluntary organisations and their formal and informal relationship to public organisations and authorities.

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale degree program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrollment is by permission of the instructor. This course builds the ability to analyze in a critical and professional way current social and economic issues that are relevant for public policy, using the tools of economic analysis and considering the political aspects involved. Through an in-depth discussion of selected current issues and applying, among the others, the conceptual tools developed during the first year of the program, students learn (i) how to structure an economic analysis of a particular public policy issue, (ii) how to perform the analysis, (iii) how to write a policy report or briefing, and (iv) how to summarize and present it both orally (without support) and in a presentation (with support), in order to convey effectively such analysis is a non-technical way to the policy maker or to public executives.

Course contents:

• Analysis and Discussion of Current Public Policy Issues: The selection of topics may change annually, depending on the evolving economic and political landscape and the emergence of new issues.
• Policy Making Process Management: Regardless of the specific topics, students develop the ability to manage the entire process: framing, implementing, and presenting a policy report or brief.
• Writing an Effective Policy Report/Brief: Techniques and strategies for crafting clear and compelling policy documents.
• Effective Presentation of the Policy Report/Brief: How to persuasively and professionally present the findings of the report/brief.
• Oral Briefing to a Policymaker: Skills for orally communicating with policymakers, summarizing, and conveying policy analysis clearly and concisely.

This course provides fundamental knowledge and critical understanding of the intricate relationship between international law and global politics, with a particular emphasis on the processes of political globalization. While the prominence of nation-states on the global stage appears to be waning, political globalization is characterized by the increasing role of intergovernmental organizations and elements of global civil society such as international NGOs, and social movement organizations. As key concepts of global politics such as power, equality, sustainability, and peace are now being challenged by this process, the course explores how legal frameworks and political dynamics interact on the global stage. To this end, it covers theoretical foundations, key actors, sources of international law, and contemporary issues, with a focus on practical implications and case studies.