Political Science

This course explores key topics in understanding British electoral behavior, election campaigning, and political communications, in particular the changing role and influence of public opinion on politics and vice versa. Topics covered include the nature and measurement of public opinion; theories of electoral behavior, and an introduction to the use of quantitative methods in political science; the nature, operation and impact on politics of the British electoral system; influence of the media on public opinion and politicians' attempts to communicate with the public through the media; the tension between "image" and "substance" in modern democratic decision making; and the democratic implications of modern trends including falling turnouts, lower engagement with politics and the parties' adoption of a political marketing philosophy. Each of these issues is set in context by examining their contribution to explaining the significance and/or outcome of various key elections in Britain since the 1930s.

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale degree program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrolment is by permission of the instructor. The course deals with topics concerning the methodology of socio-political empirical research and addresses statistical data analysis techniques. Students who have completed this course are able to: a) examine the pros and cons of the main data collection designs; b) explore quantitative data and interpret empirical results; c) analyze quantitative datasets resorting to statistical software; and d) define a research problem, formulate research questions, collect data, test research hypotheses empirically, draw conclusions, and communicate research results. Particularly, the course explores the foundations and process of social science research and familiarizes students with basic techniques and principles of statistical reasoning. The course comprises a lecture introducing a topic/statistical tool, and a lab/seminar showing its practical application.

This course explores the intricate relationship between climate dynamics, economic systems, and sustainable policies that can be put in place (Global Perspectives, 2030 Agenda, Climate Agreements, Paris Agreement, EU Green Deal) to innovation and behavioral interventions. It provides an understanding of the climate and sustainability debate, and the economic concepts that form the basis for analyzing climate-related issues and actionable policies. It also develops the ability to analyze, interpret, and possibly contribute to the ongoing discourse on climate change.

This course explores the role of the citizen in contemporary democratic politics. As R. J. Dalton confesses, “If democracy was in crisis, it was one of institutions, not of the democratic spirit among citizens.” According to Dalton, understanding the values and choices of the citizens can tell us the quality of democracy. 

This course, based on two textbooks, R.J. Dalton’s Citizen Politics and R. Inglehart’s Cultural Evolution, explores values, behaviors, and political participation of the citizen in current democracy.  The first part of the course (Citizen Politics) aims to gain a deeper understanding of the nature of citizen politics through a systematic approach and the process it transfers into diverse political participation.  The second part (Cultural Evolution) discusses the changing values of the citizen such as feminization, happiness, new forms of political activism, and the effect of artificial intelligence on society. Changing values creates a new sphere of politics. 

In addition to these two textbooks, students need to read D. Kahneman’s Thinking Fast and Slow for a team project answering the question, “How can we explain political participation of the citizen in a democracy?” 

This course introduces Japan’s global political and security role, starting with the pre-1945 and Cold War era legacies, and then focuses on the Post-Cold-War era. It examines Japan’s shift from security isolationism during the Cold War to security engagement, its championing of regional multilateralism in East Asia, its emergence as a global power in development aid, its contributions to UN peacekeeping and non-traditional security in areas such as humanitarian and disaster relief (HaDR), counter-piracy, maritime security, and counter-pandemic measures. It focuses on Japan’s relationships with the US, China, Korea, ASEAN, and Europe, and considers how Japan’s foreign policy institutions, including those making security and development aid policy, have changed during the Abe administration. The course concludes with a summary looking at Japan’s trajectory as a middle power.

This course facilitates an understanding of the dynamics of the political environment through which public policy is formulated, adopted and implemented.  The course introduces key concepts, theories and analytical approaches in public policy studies.  At the end of this course, students will examine contemporary challenges to public policy and the role of government.

This course is divided into two parts. In part one, it provides an overview of Latin American history from pre-Columbian America to today. In part two, it discusses the politics of the region including construction of the state, globalization, international markets, political institutions, and elections.

This course examines the history of France from the Old Regime to the present day through a constitutional lens to provide a better understanding of current political events.

Drawing on the rich social science literature on the government and politics of contemporary Africa, the course addresses a set of critical questions that have important implications for the well-being of the people of the continent and the world in the 21st century. What have been the sources of political and economic crises in Africa? What has been the net impact of the regional and international interventions in the continent in response to these crises? What explains the revival of democracy and economic growth in some parts of the continent? Will it last?

This course presents key aspects of contemporary French culture and civilization. The course examines topics including those pertinent to the functions of French society, such as political parties and unions, the idea of public service (teaching, health, transportation, etc.), the French population and culture, French values, and French media.