Special Topics in Comparative Politics: The Political Systems of France and Great Britain
| Title | Εμβάθυνση στη Συγκριτική Πολιτική: Τα Πολιτικά Συστήματα της Γαλλίας και της Μ. Βρετανίας / Special Topics in Comparative Politics: The Political Systems of France and Great Britain |
| Code | ΚΕ0Χ35 |
| Faculty | Social and Economic Sciences |
| School | Political Sciences |
| Cycle / Level | 1st / Undergraduate |
| Teaching Period | Winter |
| Coordinator | Georgios Katsampekis |
| Common | Yes |
| Status | Active |
| Course ID | 600000822 |
Programme of Study: PPS Tmīma Politikṓn Epistīmṓn 2023-sīmera
Registered students: 11
| Orientation | Attendance Type | Semester | Year | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KORMOS | Elective Courses | Winter | - | 4 |
| Academic Year | 2025 – 2026 |
| Class Period | Winter |
| Faculty Instructors |
|
| Weekly Hours | 3 |
| Total Hours | 39 |
| Class ID | 600281819
|
Course Type 2021
Specific Foundation
Course Type 2016-2020
- Scientific Area
Course Type 2011-2015
Specific Foundation / Core
Mode of Delivery
- Face to face
Digital Course Content
- e-Study Guide https://qa.auth.gr/en/class/1/600281819
- At the Website of the School: http://www.polsci.auth.gr/index.php?lang=el&rm=2&mn=15&csid=ΚΕΟΧ35
- eLearning (Moodle): https://elearning.auth.gr/course/view.php?id=18167
Erasmus
The course is also offered to exchange programme students.
Language of Instruction
- Greek (Instruction, Examination)
Prerequisites
Required Courses
- ΚΥ0201 Comparative Politics and Political Systems
General Prerequisites
Students who choose this course must have already passed the course "Comparative Politics and Political Systems." The ability to read scholarly articles in English is highly recommended.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students shall be able to:
- Have a complete view of how the political systems under examination function;
- Be able to understand and analyze better the political developments in the countries under examination and, on the basis of such analysis, handle better the information received about these countries;
- Further develop their capacity to work on their own and analyze these political systems;
- Move towards elaborating well-founded opinions on major issues and challenges linked to the countries under examination.
General Competences
- Retrieve, analyse and synthesise data and information, with the use of necessary technologies
- Make decisions
- Work autonomously
- Work in teams
- Work in an interdisciplinary team
- Appreciate diversity and multiculturality
- Be critical and self-critical
- Advance free, creative and causative thinking
Course Content (Syllabus)
This course examines the political systems of France and the United Kingdom from a comparative perspective. It focuses on their institutional frameworks, political parties and party-system dynamics, electoral systems, as well as the structures and functions of the legislative and executive branches. Particular emphasis is placed on the similarities and differences between the two countries, with the aim of developing a comparative understanding of their respective institutions, actors, and processes.
After establishing the foundations for a comparative understanding of the two political systems, the course moves on to examining and critically assessing a range of shared challenges, focusing on current political developments. Key themes that are explored include the transformation of traditional political parties and the crisis of political representation, the rise of various forms of populist mobilisation, the growth and role of the far right, Euroscepticism, and the risk of democratic decline.
Keywords
political system, comparative politics, France, United Kingdom
Educational Material Types
- Notes
- Slide presentations
- Book
Use of Information and Communication Technologies
Use of ICT
- Use of ICT in Course Teaching
Course Organization
| Activities | Workload | ECTS | Individual | Teamwork | Erasmus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 39 | 1.4 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Reading Assigment | 40 | 1.5 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Written assigments | 24 | 0.9 | |||
| Exams | 2 | 0.1 | |||
| Other / Others | 5 | 0.2 | |||
| Total | 110 | 4 |
Student Assessment
Description
As the course follows a seminar format, regular attendance is essential. Each student is expected to participate actively and contribute consistently to seminar activities. Assessment is based on a final essay of approximately 3,000 words. Submission of the essay requires the successful presentation of an advanced draft during the final weeks of the semester.
The final grade is determined as follows: 20% for participation & weekly learning activities, 20% for the presentation and 60% for the final essay. The course instructor reserves the right to conduct an oral examination on the final essay if deemed necessary.
Student Assessment methods
- Written Assignment (Formative, Summative)
- Oral Exams (Formative, Summative)
- Performance / Staging (Formative, Summative)
Bibliography
Course Bibliography (Eudoxus)
Λόγω έλλειψης εξειδικευμένης ελληνόφωνης βιβλιογραφίας για τα συγκεκριμένα πολιτικά συστήματα, δεν θα υπάρξει εγχειρίδιο του μαθήματος με την αυστηρή έννοια. Θα χορηγούνται στους/ις φοιτητές/τριες (κυρίως) ξενόγλωσσα άρθρα και κεφάλαια από βιβλία μέσω του eLearning.
Στο πλαίσιο του Ευδόξου, χορηγείται στους/ις φοιτητές/τριες το βιβλίο του Peter Mair (2020) Κυβερνώντας το κενό. Η εξασθένιση της Δυτικής Δημοκρατίας, Θεσσαλονίκη: Επίκεντρο (κωδικός: 102071681). Το βιβλίο αυτό είναι χρήσιμο, καθώς αναπτύσει ένα πρωτότυπο ερμηνευτικό πλαίσιο για την εξέταση των μετασχηματισμών των πολιτικών συστημάτων της Ευρώπης, το οποίο θα χρησιμοποιηθεί στο πλαίσιο του μαθήματος για την συζήτηση των περιπτώσεων της Γαλλίας και του Ηνωμένου Βασιλείου.
Εναλλακτικά, και λαβάνοντας υπόψη το θέμα εργασίας που θα επιλέξουν, οι φοιτητές/τριες μπορούν να επιλέξουν να πάρουν μέσω του Εύδοξου ένα εκ των παρακάτω δύο βιβλίων:
(1) Cas Mudde(2020) Η Ακροδεξιά Σήμερα, Θεσσαλονίκη: Επίκεντρο (κωδικός: 102071657),
(2) Amory Gethin, Clara Martínez-Toledano, & Thomas Piketty (επιμ.) (2024) Πολιτικές διαιρετικές τομές και κοινωνικές ανισότητες, Αθήνα: Τόπος (κωδικός: 133025919).
Last Update
24-10-2025
