Politics and Government in Southern Europe. A Comparative Analysis

Course Information
TitlePolitics and Government in Southern Europe. A Comparative Analysis / Politics and Government in Southern Europe. A Comparative Analysis
CodeESCO203
FacultySocial and Economic Sciences
SchoolPolitical Sciences
Cycle / Level2nd / Postgraduate
Teaching PeriodWinter/Spring
CoordinatorIoannis Papageorgiou
CommonNo
StatusActive
Course ID600022585

Programme of Study: International Studies: Specialization in European Studies

Registered students: 6
OrientationAttendance TypeSemesterYearECTS
KORMOSElective Courses beloging to the selected specialization215

Class Information
Academic Year2023 – 2024
Class PeriodSpring
Faculty Instructors
Weekly Hours3
Total Hours39
Class ID
600229042
Course Type 2021
Specific Foundation
Course Type 2011-2015
Knowledge Deepening / Consolidation
Mode of Delivery
  • Face to face
Erasmus
The course is also offered to exchange programme students.
Language of Instruction
  • English (Instruction, Examination)
Prerequisites
General Prerequisites
As the course is offered in English, a very good knowledge of the English language is required
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: - gain an understanding of the historical dynamics and current policy characteristics of southern European countries, both on an individual basis φor each country and comparatively and at the European context, and understand the key political and social trends in the countries concerned - develop skills of reading scientific texts, writing and presenting papers, which will serve them in their further career. - increase their ability to think critically and to be able to evaluate various theoretical interpretations and conflicting evidence.
General Competences
  • Retrieve, analyse and synthesise data and information, with the use of necessary technologies
  • Work autonomously
  • Work in teams
  • Work in an international context
  • Work in an interdisciplinary team
  • Appreciate diversity and multiculturality
  • Demonstrate social, professional and ethical commitment and sensitivity to gender issues
  • Advance free, creative and causative thinking
Course Content (Syllabus)
The aim of the course is to provide, from a cognitivel and methodological point of view, material for comparison between the political and social systems of Southern Europe. It includes lectures by guest speakers on the political systems of the individual countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus) and then comparative presentations on important areas of their political systems (economy, society, relations with the EU, the effects of the crisis and social movements). ) while also examining particular implications (disruption or weakness of the political community, as is the cases in Catalonia and southern Italy). The course is structured as follows: 1. Introduction and historical overview of the path to democratization in Southern Europe 2. The Greek party and political system 3. The Italian party and political system 4. The Spanish party and political system 5. The Portuguese party and political system 6. The economies of the European South in a comparative perspective 7. The political consequences of the Eurozone and economic crisis in Southern Europe: towards the formation of new party systems? 8. Social movements in the European South with emphasis on the period of the economic crisis 9. Southern Europe and the European Union 10. Study of the political culture in Southern Europe 11. Case study: Catalonia 12. Case study: the uneven development between North and South in Italy 13. Summing up
Keywords
Southern Europe, political and party system, political culture, representation, mobilization, pressure groups, EU, economic crisis,
Educational Material Types
  • Notes
  • Slide presentations
  • Multimedia
Use of Information and Communication Technologies
Use of ICT
  • Use of ICT in Course Teaching
  • Use of ICT in Communication with Students
  • Use of ICT in Student Assessment
Description
The course material and students' papers will be uploaded at the e-learning site of the course
Course Organization
ActivitiesWorkloadECTSIndividualTeamworkErasmus
Lectures391.4
Seminars40.1
Reading Assigment40.51.5
Field trips and participation in conferences / seminars / activities60.2
Project60.2
Written assigments401.5
Exams20.1
Total137.55
Student Assessment
Description
short papers during the semester 30% Attendance, participation and presentations during the semester 30% Final examination 40%
Student Assessment methods
  • Written Exam with Multiple Choice Questions (Summative)
  • Written Exam with Short Answer Questions (Summative)
  • Written Assignment (Formative, Summative)
  • Oral Exams (Formative, Summative)
Bibliography
Course Bibliography (Eudoxus)
φάκελος με άρθρα διαθέσιμος στο elearning
Additional bibliography for study
Bellucci, P., Costa Lobo, M., & Lewis-Beck, M.S (2012) ‘Economic crisis and elections: the European periphery, Electoral Studies, vol.31, no.3, pp.469-71. Bellucci, Paolo, and Oliver Heath. 2007. The political salience of social cleavages in Italy, 1963-2006. Occasional Paper No. 18/2007, Centre for the Study of Political Change: University of Siena. Bosco, A. & Verney, S. (2012) ‘Electoral epidemic: the political cost of economic crisis in Southern Europe, 2010–11’, South European Society and Politics, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 129–154. doi:10.1080/13608746.2012.747272. Conti, Nicolò, Maurizio Cotta, and Pedro Tavares de Almeida. 2010. Southern Europe: a distinctive and more pro-European region in the EU?. South European Society and Politics 15 (1): 97-118. Fishman, R.M. (2011) Rethinking State and Regime: Southern Europe's Transition to Democracy, Oxford University Press Freire, A., Teperoglou, E. & Moury, C. (2014) ‘Awakening the sleeping giant in Greece and Portugal? Elites’ and voters’ attitudes towards EU integration in difficult economic times’, South European Society and Politics, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 477–499. doi:10.1080/13608746.2014.983311. Gunther, Richard, and José Ramon Montero. 2001. The anchors of partisanship: a comparative analysis of voting behavior in four southern European democracies, στο Parties, Politics, and Democracy in the New Southern Europe, eds. Nikiforos P. Diamandouros and Richard Gunther, 83-152. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press. Magalhães, P. (2014) ‘Introduction: financial crisis, austerity and electoral politics’, Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 125–133 Teperoglou, E. and Emmanouil Tsatsanis (2012) “Mapping the south European ideological space: the impact of globalization on party discourse in Italy, Greece, Portugal and Spain”, Perspectivas – Portuguese Journal of Political Science and International Relations, τχ. 8, σελ. 5-36. Teperoglou, E. André Freire, Ioannis Andreadis and José Manuel Leite Viegas (2014) “Elites’ and Voters’ attitudes towards austerity policies and their consequences in Greece and Portugal”, South European Society and Politics, τχ. 19 (4), σελ. 457-476 Torcal, M. (2014) ‘The decline of political trust in Spain and Portugal. Economic performance or political responsiveness’, American Behavioral Scientist, vol.58, no.12, pp. 1542-1567.
Last Update
29-05-2023