COMPARATIVE POLITICS

Course objectives

Goals The main objective of the course is to provide an advanced competence of the political processes. The course will dedicate a specific part to the relationship between systems of expertise and politics, in a comparative perspective. Knowledge and abilities Students will be able to understand the functioning of different political systems, with particular attention to the functioning of parties, institutions, and interest groups. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding The student will be enabled to understand the provision of the various political regimes: democratic, authoritarian, totalitarian. Political dynamics related to processes and contemporary politics. Autonomy of judgment The student must possess the fundamental skills that allow him/her to analyze, in an autonomous and critical way, the decision-making process and the functioning of the institutions. Communication skills The essential objective is to build specialized communication skills in the field of political science, which facilitate the professionalization of the student's skills. Learning ability Learning skills will be developed and tested on different levels: through interaction with the class and the teacher, experts in the field, construction of reports and presentations in the classroom. Expected results The goal is to create the first knowledge that can be spent at institutions, political parties and interest groups.

Channel 1
MARCO MORINI Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
Donald Trump’s presidency has raised an alarming question: Is democracy in danger? Focusing on the U.S. case, this class illustrates the backsliding of democracy, the gradual erosion of long-standing political norms. It covers the characteristics of Trump's political communication before and after campaign and the peculiar use of 'nostalgia' into politics.
Prerequisites
No pre-requirements. However, having attended a Political Science class is useful.
Books
Mandatory readings: 1. Levitsky, Steven; Ziblatt, Daniel. How Democracies Die. New York: Crown, 2018. 2. Bauman, Zygmunt. Retrotopia. New York: Wiley, 2017. 3. Morini, Marco, Lessons from Trump's Political Communication. How to Dominate the Media Environment. London: Palgrave, 2020. 4. The U.S. Constitution (with comments) - any edition, online and printed.
Teaching mode
The course is designed to teach students how to think comparatively and theoretically about the world they live in. It presents an introduction to the study of comparative politics through a survey of the main concepts, theoretical debates, and methodological approaches of the field. The instruments acquired will be used for comparing European democracies. After defining democracy we will examine democracy with adjectives (electoral democracy, hybrid/partial democracy, the democratic status of the EU). The focus will then be placed on certain features of European studies: Theories of Integration, Europeanization, Euroscepticism. Finally, there will be a single-subject study on comtemporary (populist) political communication.
Frequency
Full attendance is highly-recommended
Exam mode
Attending students: midterm exam plus final written exam Non-attending students: final written exam
Bibliography
-
Lesson mode
Lectures and Seminar-style lectures
MARCO MORINI Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
Donald Trump’s presidency has raised an alarming question: Is democracy in danger? Focusing on the U.S. case, this class illustrates the backsliding of democracy, the gradual erosion of long-standing political norms. It covers the characteristics of Trump's political communication before and after campaign and the peculiar use of 'nostalgia' into politics.
Prerequisites
No pre-requirements. However, having attended a Political Science class is useful.
Books
Mandatory readings: 1. Levitsky, Steven; Ziblatt, Daniel. How Democracies Die. New York: Crown, 2018. 2. Bauman, Zygmunt. Retrotopia. New York: Wiley, 2017. 3. Morini, Marco, Lessons from Trump's Political Communication. How to Dominate the Media Environment. London: Palgrave, 2020. 4. The U.S. Constitution (with comments) - any edition, online and printed.
Teaching mode
The course is designed to teach students how to think comparatively and theoretically about the world they live in. It presents an introduction to the study of comparative politics through a survey of the main concepts, theoretical debates, and methodological approaches of the field. The instruments acquired will be used for comparing European democracies. After defining democracy we will examine democracy with adjectives (electoral democracy, hybrid/partial democracy, the democratic status of the EU). The focus will then be placed on certain features of European studies: Theories of Integration, Europeanization, Euroscepticism. Finally, there will be a single-subject study on comtemporary (populist) political communication.
Frequency
Full attendance is highly-recommended
Exam mode
Attending students: midterm exam plus final written exam Non-attending students: final written exam
Bibliography
-
Lesson mode
Lectures and Seminar-style lectures
  • Lesson code10621420
  • Academic year2025/2026
  • CourseDevelopment and International Cooperation Studies
  • CurriculumSocio-politico-economico
  • Year1st year
  • Semester2nd semester
  • SSDSPS/04
  • CFU6