The course provides an overview of different forms of political behaviour and approaches to this subject. In particular, it concentrates on those ways of participating, as well as those theoretical perspectives that are not intensively addressed in other courses of the Bachelor's programme.

The curriculum of the Degree in Political Science and Public Management establishes, among others, the following general competences (G) and transversal competences (CT), to the achievement of which this subject contributes:

G001 – To acquire knowledge and to understand the meaning and relevance of concepts, theories and methodological approaches to observe political phenomena.

G002 – To understand the structure and functioning of political institutions and systems from a comparative perspective, to identify their components, their legal frameworks, to interpret their interrelation, draw conclusions about their functioning and propose alternatives.

G003 – To identify relevant political actors in a given context, their capabilities and their behaviour, in order to analyse their effects on the political system and foresee scenarios.

G004 – To understand electoral processes, from the formation and expression of political preferences to the representative logic of democratic systems, in order to design political communication campaigns, define post-electoral scenarios and interpret their results.

G005 – To understand the structure, organization and functioning of public administrations at different levels, in order to establish planning and administrative management processes.

CT1 - Autonomy and self-regulation.

CT3 - Communication and multilingualism.

CT5 - Information management and digital citizenship.

CT7 - Critical thinking.



The course also contributes to the following specific competencies:

C2CC01 – To systematically understand concepts and theoretical approaches, as well as their evolution, for the analysis and diagnosis of politics and governance-related phenomena.

C2CC02 – To identify the structure and functioning of representative political systems, with special attention to the role of political parties and electoral processes, in order to understand and analyse individual and collective political behaviour and its consequences.

C2CC06 - To understand the factors conditioning the relations between different levels of the public administration and the citizenry, in order to intervene effectively in mediation processes, in conflicts of interest and in the promotion of rights.



Finally, these are the expected learning outcomes of the course:

1. To identify the main forms of political participation in contemporary societies.

2. To understand the main factors motivating and conditioning political behaviour both at the individual and group level.

3. To understand how political preferences are formed, and how they change.

4. To understand the effects of different forms of political participation on the political system and on various political processes.

Basic syllabus, common to the Spanish, Basque and English groups:



Topic 1. Political Behaviour: Fundamentals and Main Controversies

- Assumptions

- Concepts, dimensions, types

- Background and connections to the institutional structure and political culture

- Research fields and challenges



Topic 2. Electoral Behaviour

- Elections: main aspects, ritual dimension, functions.

- Elements of the electoral system: electoral law, political parties, and party systems.

- The analysis of electoral behaviour: definition and main approaches.



Topic 3. Collective action: identities, discourses, and symbolic capital



3.1.- Identities

- Inter-group conflicts

- Ethnic conflicts and nationalism

- Ideological elements associated with ethno-political behaviour



3.2.- Discourses

- Discourses and engagement in political groups



3.3.- Symbolic capital

- Ritual behaviour and beliefs

- Beliefs and political rituals

- Theoretical framework, structure, functions



Topic 4. Types of political behaviour: protest, violence, terrorism

- Definitions

- Assessment criteria

- Violence and the state

- Typologies, components, factors



Topic 5. Political behaviour and cyberpolitics

- Definition and criteria

- Political interaction: channels, levels, etc.

- Theoretical controversies over the influence of ICTs over political behaviour

The course consists of lectures and seminars.

- In the lectures, the instructor will introduce different theoretical approaches, relevant studies and insights pertaining to a given topic. Students are expected to attend these classes, and they will occasionally be asked to also adopt an active role by asking and answering questions, making comments, and so on.

- The seminars will be more participatory, and they will revolve around one or various texts or audiovisual materials that students will jointly discuss in class. The seminars are used to supplement the theoretical explanations provided in the lectures.

• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Written test to be taken (%): 70
  • Realization of Practical Work (exercises, cases or problems) (%): 30

The course follows two evaluation systems.

The continuous assessment system is the default one, and it combines two assessment tools:

1. Active participation in the seminars and in-time completion of group or individual assignments. In total, they amount to 30% of the final mark.

2. Written exam, which amounts to 70% of the final mark. However, students will be given the opportunity to complete various assignments during the semester or take some midterm exams in lieu of the final one.



In accordance with section 8.3 of the Student Evaluation Regulation, all students have the right to quit the continuous evaluation system and opt for the final assessment system. Those who would like to choose this second option should inform the lecturer in written form about this within the first nine weeks of the semester.



The final assessment system consists of:

1. Written exam: 70% of the final mark.

2. On the day of the final exam, submission or in-class completion of additional assignments pertaining to the practical programme of the course. This amounts to 30% of the final mark.



According to section 12.2 of the Student Evaluation Regulation, students who would like to get a ‘no show’ mark should inform the lecturer about this in written form. This should be done no later than one month before the end of the semester. In the case of the final assessment system, failure to take the final exam will result in a 'no show' mark.





Academic Dishonesty Policy

Academic dishonesty includes such things as cheating, inventing false information or citations. One special grave case is plagiarism, which means using another person's words, ideas or work without citation, hence, pretending that they are your own. Cases of academic dishonesty will result in a failing grade (0 points) for the assignment where the case of dishonesty is detected.

The same conditions as the ones described above for the ordinary exam call apply to the retake.

There is no textbook for this course, for it will draw from disparate sources. The PowerPoint presentations used in class, which will be available in eGela, should help students to follow the course. Reading suggestions for each topic will be included in these PowerPoints.

Students who wish to learn more about a given subject are encouraged to contact the instructor via e-mail and ask him for supplementary reading materials.

Compulsory readings will be available in eGela in due time.

Basic bibliography

Dalton, Russell J. and Hans-Dieter Klingemann, eds., 2007, The Oxford Handbook of Political Behavior. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Janoski, Thomas, et al., eds., 2005, The Handbook of Political Sociology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

In-depth bibliography

For additional references, students are strongly encouraged to consult Scopus and Web of Science, as well as the database of the university's library, which are being constantly updated.
Besides, the PowerPoint presentations used in class, which will be available in eGela, include reading suggestions for each topic.

Journals

For additional references, students are strongly encouraged to consult Scopus and Web of Science, as well as the database of the university's library, which are being constantly updated.
Besides, the PowerPoint presentations used in class, which will be available in eGela, include reading suggestions for each topic.

Web addresses

Given the changing nature of this information, relevant links (if any) will be provided in the materials distributed in class.