Topics covered in the course are: electoral systems and their consequences on parties and party systems; electoral reforms; the relation between parties and democracy; parties and party functions; the party politics in postmodern society. These topics are dealt with both at a theoretical and empirical level, and analysed from a comparative perspective.
[Students attending the course and participating in in-class activities may have different readings and a more limited study workload for the final exam]
Textbooks for the exam of Elezioni, partiti e opinione pubblica (9 credits; exam code B019000):
- G. Baldini and A. Pappalardo, Sistemi elettorali e partiti nelle democrazie contemporanee, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2004 (avalaible in the library) or G. Sartori, Ingegneria costituzionale comparata. Strutture, incentivi, esiti, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2013, chapters 1-4.
- P. Ignazi, Partito e democrazia. L'incerto percorso della legittimazione dei partiti, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2019.
- L. Bardi (ed), Partiti e sistemi di partito. Il "cartel party" e oltre, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2006 (introduzione and parte prima).
Textbooks for the exam of Elezioni, partiti e opinione pubblica (6 credits; exam code B019002):
- G. Baldini and A. Pappalardo, Sistemi elettorali e partiti nelle democrazie contemporanee, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2004 (avalaible in the library) or G. Sartori, Ingegneria costituzionale comparata. Strutture, incentivi, esiti, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2013, chapters 1-4.
- P. Ignazi, Party and Democracy: The Uneven Road to Party Legitimacy, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2017.
Learning Objectives
This graduate course aims at providing the students with the concepts, theories and most advanced research techniques in the study of 1) electoral systems and their effects on voters, candidates, parties and party systems; 2) parties and their transformation within a postmodern society.
Prerequisites
None
Teaching Methods
Lectures and seminar course. Group and/or individual research projects are also part of the course.
Further information
Type of Assessment
The final exam is written and based on 5-6 short answers (within one hour and a half time). Students from non-Italian Universities only may take the oral exam instead of the written exam, if they prefer so. No mid-term exam is provided.
For students attending the course: in classes presentations, papers, tests made in accordance with the instructor may replace the written final comprehensive exam
Course program
The first part of the course deals with electoral systems and reforms and their consequences, from a comparative perspective. As for the electoral systems' design, topics covered are: a) concept definitions; b) constituent elements (ballot structure, district magnitudo, formulas, thresholds); c) classifications and typologies (majoritarian, proportional, mixed). As for the consequences of electoral systems, topics covered include a) mechanical effects (disproportionality and the reduction of the number of parties), b) psichological effects (strategic coordination between parties and voters) and c) systemic effects (party system format, building of parliamentary majorities); c) Duverger's propositions; d) theories on electoral systems' effects developed by Sartori and Riker; e) Cox's M+1 rule.
The second part of the course deals with the following topics:
1) why studying political parties;
2) the relationship between parties and democracy;
3) party change;
4) the functions of parties;
5) old and new cleavages;
6) party organization beyond the catch all model;
7) intra-party democracy;
8) parties beyond borders.