Political Parties and Interest Groups
Code
711071053
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Estudos Políticos
Credits
6.0
Teacher in charge
Marco Lisi
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Português
Objectives
a) Understanding the origins and the development of political parties and organized interests, as well as its historical diversity.
b) Understanding the characteristics of party systems across countries and their evolution over time.
c) Understanding the functions of organized interests and their role within democratic regimes, as well as the consequences in terms of economic and social development.
Prerequisites
None.
Subject matter
1. Theoretical approaches for the study of political parties.
2. Origins and functions of political parties.
3. Characteristics of political parties and their evolution.
4. Party systems: theoretical contributions.
5. Party systems: development and contemporary dynamics.
6. Parties, party systems and democracy.
7. Definitions and functions of organized interests.
8. Characteristics of organized interests.
9. The pluralist theory of organized interests.
10. Systems of interest intermediation: neo-corporativism.
11. Systems of interest intermediation: economic consequences.
12. Systems of interest intermediation and democracy.
Bibliography
BAUMGARTNER, Frank R. e Beth L. LEECH, Basic interests: the importance of groups in politics and social science, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1998.
JALALI, Carlos, Partidos e Democracia em Portugal 1974-2005, Lisboa, Imprensa de Ciências Sociais, 2007.
LEHMBRUCH, Gerhard e Philippe C. SCHMITTER (dir.), Patterns of Corporatist Policy-Making, Londres, Sage, 1982.
LISI, Marco, Os Partidos em Portugal: continuidade e transformação, Lisboa, Almedina, 2011.
LOPES, Fernando Farelo, Os Partidos Políticos, Oeiras, Celta, 2005.
MAIR, Peter, Party System Change. Approaches and Interpretations, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1997.
WARE, Alan, Political Parties, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1997.
Teaching method
Lectures (60%) with practical examples based on the empirical discussion of the main arguments and hypotheses (20%) and students’ presentation of one of the texts delivered at the beginning of the course (20%).
Evaluation method
Two in-class exams (40% each) and one short paper (20%). Students are required to attend a minimum of two thirds of classes in order to qualify for assessment.