Political science

The primary objective of the course is to introduce the key topics in the study of political science and the key tools for the study of politics. The material will cover the origin of states, regime determinants, regime transitions and consequences, the problems with group decision-making, legislative-executive relations, electoral systems, parties and party systems, political cleavages, institutional veto players, and the consequences of democratic institutions

At the end of the module, students will be able to a) read and demonstrate good comprehension of the main topics of inquiry in political science, from the origin of states to the consequences of institutions, b) analyze and evaluate research work on the field of political science, c) apply and develop basic analytical tools for the study of political phenomena, from game theory to experimental methods, and d) comprehend basic research methods, including data analysis and interpretation.