Political Order, Violence and Institutions
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
Primary goal of this course is introducing students to core elements studying politics, with a specific focus on the state and its ruptures. Through an analytical and empirical approach, we intend to foster analytical thinking skills and facilitate independent thinking to understand broad and deep political phenomena. By the end of the course, students should be able to:
- Articulate the foundational principles of politics.
- Apply key political science concepts and theories to explain various aspects of political orders, conflict and cooperation.
- Utilize analytical tools to identify patterns and dynamics across and within states and over time.
- Evaluate trends in conflict, institutional, and political dynamics.
- Develop effective research and communication skills to engage in scholarly literature and contribute in a critical way in political debates.
- Articulate the foundational principles of politics.
- Apply key political science concepts and theories to explain various aspects of political orders, conflict and cooperation.
- Utilize analytical tools to identify patterns and dynamics across and within states and over time.
- Evaluate trends in conflict, institutional, and political dynamics.
- Develop effective research and communication skills to engage in scholarly literature and contribute in a critical way in political debates.
Expected learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will demonstrate proficiency in:
- Understanding and critically analyzing political science heories and concepts, applying them to real-world scenarios.
- Identifying and interpreting political patterns and dynamics using analytical frameworks and methodologies.
- Evaluating empirical trends in institutions, policies, and political dynamics.
- Communicating findings and insights from the scientific literature through discussions and written assignments.
- Contributing constructively to class discussions.
- Applying theoretical and analytical insights to address contemporary political challenges.
- Understanding and critically analyzing political science heories and concepts, applying them to real-world scenarios.
- Identifying and interpreting political patterns and dynamics using analytical frameworks and methodologies.
- Evaluating empirical trends in institutions, policies, and political dynamics.
- Communicating findings and insights from the scientific literature through discussions and written assignments.
- Contributing constructively to class discussions.
- Applying theoretical and analytical insights to address contemporary political challenges.
Lesson period: First trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First trimester
Course syllabus
The course program seeks to balance conceptual and theoretical debates with historical political processes and contemporary real-world issues and trends.
The first part of the course will address foundational macro-level questions such as: What is politics? What are institutions? What is political violence? What is political order? And what is the state?
The second part will take a more empirical approach to examine specific political issues and processes, linked to the creation of order, core political institutions, and processes of political violence.
We will begin by focusing on topics central to the creation of political order and systems of governance. These include: State formation and state capacity, Colonialism and its legacies, Political regimes (e.g., democracies, autocracies), Democratization and democratic backsliding, Forms of (democratic) governance (e.g., presidential and parliamentary systems).
We will then turn to the various challenges to the state (state rupture), governance, and regime stability. These include both (largely) non-violent phenomena—such as political corruption, clientelism, and civil resistance—and violent forms of contention, including civil war, genocide, coups, and organized crime.
A detailed week-by-week schedule, with session topics and the mandatory readings for each class, will be made available before the start of the course via MyAriel and presented in full during the first session.
The first part of the course will address foundational macro-level questions such as: What is politics? What are institutions? What is political violence? What is political order? And what is the state?
The second part will take a more empirical approach to examine specific political issues and processes, linked to the creation of order, core political institutions, and processes of political violence.
We will begin by focusing on topics central to the creation of political order and systems of governance. These include: State formation and state capacity, Colonialism and its legacies, Political regimes (e.g., democracies, autocracies), Democratization and democratic backsliding, Forms of (democratic) governance (e.g., presidential and parliamentary systems).
We will then turn to the various challenges to the state (state rupture), governance, and regime stability. These include both (largely) non-violent phenomena—such as political corruption, clientelism, and civil resistance—and violent forms of contention, including civil war, genocide, coups, and organized crime.
A detailed week-by-week schedule, with session topics and the mandatory readings for each class, will be made available before the start of the course via MyAriel and presented in full during the first session.
Prerequisites for admission
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Teaching methods
The course is designed (mainly) in a lecture format. Lectures will be in person, with no option to participate online (research has decisively shown that students learn better when they are physically present). I strongly recommend attending as many sessions as possible; there is a strong correlation between class attendance, better learning outcomes, and good final grades. For my part, I will do my best to make the lectures engaging, relevant, and enjoyable.
Lectures will be devoted to presenting the fundamentals of each session's topic, drawing on the assigned readings (without summarizing them!) and additional material. Questions and in-class discussions are encouraged and welcomed during lectures. I will regularly ask you questions to make lectures less linear and encourage you to reflect on the material being presented, especially in dialogue with current political events and trends. I'm always happy to set aside part of the lecture to engage in meaningful conversations with you.
I will prepare slides for each session and make them available on MyAriel shortly after class.
Lectures will be devoted to presenting the fundamentals of each session's topic, drawing on the assigned readings (without summarizing them!) and additional material. Questions and in-class discussions are encouraged and welcomed during lectures. I will regularly ask you questions to make lectures less linear and encourage you to reflect on the material being presented, especially in dialogue with current political events and trends. I'm always happy to set aside part of the lecture to engage in meaningful conversations with you.
I will prepare slides for each session and make them available on MyAriel shortly after class.
Teaching Resources
There will be no single assigned textbook. Instead, we will read scholarly articles and book chapters by a variety of scholars who are leading experts on the topics covered in each session. Students are expected to complete the assigned reading before each session. To keep the workload manageable, readings will be limited to one paper or chapter per session.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Final Exam (2-hour written exam)
The exam will be closed-book and will consist of a combination of multiple-choice questions and short open-ended questions based on the mandatory readings and class materials (slides will be made available via MyAriel).
There will be no difference in exam format or content between students who attend class sessions and those who do not.
The exam will be closed-book and will consist of a combination of multiple-choice questions and short open-ended questions based on the mandatory readings and class materials (slides will be made available via MyAriel).
There will be no difference in exam format or content between students who attend class sessions and those who do not.
Professor(s)